Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Cover art - "Chains of the Heretic" by Jeff Salyards

“Bloodsounder’s Arc” trilogy started good, with a solid entry in form of “Scourge of the Betrayer”, and continued in the best possible way with “Veil of the Deserters”. With already two very good novels Jeff Salyards’ trilogy has become one of my favorite fantasy series and made “Chains of the Heretic”, the final volume of “Bloodsounder’s Arc”, one of my most anticipated future readings. Although I still have to wait until February 2016 to see how the desperate run of the characters ends, they escaped Sunwrack in quite a hurry at the end of “Veil of the Deserters”, and if the answer for breaking the dreadful connection between Captain Braylar Killcoin and his cursed flail Bloodsounder can be found beyond the Godveil. I have no problem with waiting until February next year, I don’t feel ready to part ways with Braylar Killcoin, Arki, Hewspear, Vendurro and Mulldoos, especially since in a recent interview published at Grimdark Alliance Jeff Salyards says that “Chains of the Heretic” will end the story of these characters. They might still have a cameo appearance in Jeff Salyards’ future novels, as he says in the same interview, but they will not take central stage again beyond the “Bloodsounder’s Arc” trilogy. There is no synopsis for “Chains of the Heretic” yet, but we can admire the cover. One that I like quite a bit, the fighting scene promises plenty of action while the creature Braylar Killcoin, holding his Bloodsounder, faces hints at something in the line of what Jeff Salyards did excellently with the ripper in “Veil of the Deserters”. I am convinced that “Chains of the Heretic” will consolidate the position of Jeff Salyards’ “Bloodsounder’s Arc” trilogy among my favorite fantasy series.

2 comments:

Bob/Sally said...

Jeff shared a very early version of the cover art with me several months ago, so it's very exciting to see how it's evolved to become the final cover.

While I had a few issues with the first book, the second resolved them all and absolutely wowed me. Can't wait to see how it all ends.

Mihai A. said...

I had a couple of issues with the first book too, but it worked in the end. The second novel was awesome though and has made this series very exciting. As I said, one of my favorites. :)