Published: March 3rd 2022
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Genre: Suspense, Fantasy Fiction, Travel Literature, Adventure Fiction, Book Series, Fantasy Series
Format: Paperback, Kindle, Audiobook
This is a few days late but I’m finally sharing my review for the suspenseful second book in the Pantheon trilogy. Thank you to Jade at Head of Zeus for the invitation to take part and the gifted ARC.
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SYNOPSIS:
The second in an action-packed adventure thriller series, where modern-day recruits compete in an ancient fight to the death in the streets of Edinburgh.
New Season. New Rules. Same deadly game…
The Pantheon Games are the biggest underground event in the world, followed by millions online. New recruits must leave behind their twenty-first century lives and vie for dominance in a gruelling battle to the death armed only with ancient weapons – and their wits.
Last season’s new recruits Tyler and Lana have lived to fight another day, but now they face a series of even more lethal clashes before the Grand Battle that will end the Season.
It’s survival of the fittest, in the most brutal fashion imaginable. Lana must face the demons of her past, and Tyler has the mother of all targets on his back.
This action-packed adventure thriller is perfect for fans of Pierce Brown’s Red Rising, Battle Royale and The Running Man.
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MY REVIEW:
“Battle is terror. The wait is worse.”
The Pantheon Games are the world’s biggest underground events. Bankrolled by the elite, they are watched by millions online as the chosen competitors embark on life or death battles armed with only ancient weapons.
Tyler and Lana – now known as Punnr and Calder – are new recruits to Edinburgh’s Valhalla Horde and are gearing up for their first blood season. It begins with the blood nights and culminates in the Grand Battle, a brutal war between Scotland’s two warring factions that is the most dangerous of Pantheon’s year. Can the pair survive to fight another year? Or will they fall.
In the second of C.F. Barrington’s Pantheon trilogy he again merges fantasy and reality to create a world that is believable and addictive. The book opens with the stats of both Hordes and then succinctly catches you up on the events of book one with a section titled ‘What has come before’. This was a brilliant idea to include as this is a complex and layered world filled with an array of characters. I still found myself getting a little confused at times due to the huge amount of detail that is needed to explain Pantheon’s rules but it didn’t last long and I was soon back on tenterhooks as the riveting action occurred.
In the background of the games is the ongoing search for Morgan, Tyler’s sister, who was part of Valahlla’s rival Horde. This parallel storyline provides added tension and mystery to the story as well as increased risk to Tyler and the others who are trying to track Morgan down. Some of those high up in Pantheon risk losing their position should she be found and reveal what she knows meaning Tyler and the others are fighting against not only their sworn enemies but those in their own ranks who will do anything to silence those who pose a threat to their position.
There are a multitude of great characters from heroes you can root for to villains you love to hate. I enjoyed being back with them, particularly the ones familiar from book one, and enjoyed seeing how they and their relationships developed in this instalment. Tyler/Punnr is a great protagonist and I loved his friendship with Brante, his blossoming relationship with Lana/Calder, and the brotherly bond he shares with Oliver. I was completely invested and worrying about Tyler would be affected should he lose any of these people just added to the tension. I thought there was a good balance of character study and action, allowing the reader to feel a real connection with the many characters while also being full of suspense.
The Blood Isles is an addictive and entertaining read that you will enjoy even if, like me, this isn’t your usual genre. And that ending! I thought my heart would beat out of my chest and am going to be counting down to book three after that climatic cliffhanger!
Rating: ✮✮✮✮✰
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MEET THE AUTHOR:
C F Barrington spent twenty years intending to write a novel, but found life kept getting in the way. Instead, his career took him into major gift fundraising, leading teams in organisations as varied as Oxford University, the National Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
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BUY THE BOOK:
Waterstones* | Amazon* | Bookshop.org*
*These are affiliate links
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Thanks for reading Bibliophiles☺️ Emma xxx
Please check out the reviews from the other bloggers taking part in the tour.
Emma's Biblio Treasures 