A Promising World Undermined by Repetition and Flat Characters

Blood Iron & Bone, the first book in The Lightbringers series, promises an epic tale of prophecy, duty, and the clash between mortal and eternal realms. While the blurb promised a thrilling fantasy story with high stakes, my reading experience left me with mixed feelings. There are a few standout moments, particularly in the world-building, but unfortunately the execution is lacking in several critical areas for me.

Through NetGalley I received an advance review copy (ARC) for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Aurelia, a mortal girl, hears a strange call in the night and is compelled to answer...

In another world, Andar, betrothed to the future High Queen of Áithrim, can't understand why his supposed fated mate looks so right, but feels so wrong...

Duty, fate, blood iron and bone collide under a cursed sky...

In a kingdom on the precipice of the fulfillment or failure of its most famous prophecy, thrown together by fate and terrifying circumstance, a motley band of Fae and Human alike must come together for the good of the realm, even as the darkness that covers the land threatens to become permanent.

The novel’s multiple points of view (POVs) lured me into the realm of Áithrim and its rich prophesies. As someone who cherishes the authorial narrative perspective, I hoped that the shifting POVs would provide profound insight into the characters’ feelings, desires, and origins. Unfortunately, this technique frequently failed. Instead of improving the plot, it added unnecessary details about events and exchanges. For example, significant events were recreated from multiple perspectives without adding meaningful new layers. This repetition slowed the pacing tremendously, making various sections of the book feel dragged out. Tightening these sections would have improved the flow and reduced the overall page count while preserving content.

By the time I got 35% through the book, my interest had waned, and I was skimming more frequently than necessary. The characters had an important role in this. Despite the book’s large array of characters, I found it difficult to identify with or care about the majority of them. Even though the book’s diverse cast, I struggled to connect with or care about many of the characters. I normally root for one or two characters, but the large number, I think it was six, of exposed personalities made it difficult to really delve into anyone’s path. The lack of engaging, in-depth character development reduced the plot’s emotional stakes. I wanted to care about Aurelia‘s strange link to the prophecy and Andar‘s struggle with his fated mate, but their personalities were sometimes too weak or clichéd.

Nonetheless, the world-building merits respect. The story of Áithrim, the cursed skies, and the prophecy is well-written and compelling. The world felt alive, with magical systems, political intrigue, and history intertwined throughout the novel. I liked how the authors (behind the penname Sera Foxe) placed the fantasy aspects in a unified mythos, which deepened the story’s bigger themes of fate and sacrifice. However, even this solid base was undermined by a lack of engaging personalities to inhabit it. Without a lively cast to explore a new world, the majesty of the environment was diminished.

The plot showed promise, but it wandered at times, with too many subplots contesting for attention. The basic conflict, which involved the fulfillment of the prophecy and the oncoming darkness, had the potential to be a thrilling adventure, but it was muddied by superfluous tangents and explanation.

In conclusion, while Blood Iron & Bone has some brilliant moments, particularly in its innovative and fresh world-building, the repetitive story framework and less fortunate characters kept it from reaching its full potential. For readers who prefer a well-crafted fantasy setting instead of a character-driven storytelling, this may be worth a try. I’m still undecided on whether to continue the series. The chances are slim and depend on whether future volumes in the series can address these faults and breathe new life into the characters and plot.

About Sera Foxe

Sera Foxe is a two-for-one deal. A collaboration between authors Olivia M. Jacques and Vilyn DeVine, books by Sera Foxe are epic Faerish Fantasy Romances. Expect fated-mates stories of friendship and family (found and biological) unbound by the limitations of the known world.

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