Children of
the Bloodlands by S.M. Beiko
Series: The Realms of Ancient, Book 2
Publisher: ECW Press
Release Date: September 25, 2018
About the Book
The dazzling second book in S.M. Beiko’s Realms of Ancient series
Three months after the battle of Zabor, the five friends that came together to defeat her have been separated. Burdened with the Calamity Stone she acquired in Scion of the Fox, Roan has gone to Scotland to retrace her grandmother’s steps in an attempt to stop further evil from entering the world.
Meanwhile, a wicked monster called Seela has risen from the ashy Bloodlands and is wreaking havoc on the world while children in Edinburgh are afflicted by a strange plague; Eli travels to Seoul to face judgment and is nearly murdered; Natti endures a taxing journey with two polar bears; Phae tries desperately to obtain the key to the Underworld; and Barton joins a Family-wide coalition as the last defense against an enemy that will stop at nothing to undo Ancient’s influence on Earth — before there is no longer an Earth to fight for.
Darkness, death, and the ancient powers that shape the world will collide as our heroes discover that some children collapse under their dark inheritance, and those who don’t are haunted by blood.
Children of the Bloodlands is book 2 in The Realms of Ancient series, we follow Roan and many others through a conflict that has been raging for all time.
These books, this world are so amazingly encompassing. Beiko does a wonderful job creating this world and holding the reading in it and that is what I love most about this series.
The book itself is told from multiple points of view and at first it is a bit to keep up with but once you have the rhythm you are all set and it comes together so well. In each chapter you jump from person to person in a slight break versus having to wait an entire chapter before getting to the next POV. Roan is the lead and she is stubborn and hard to control, she is also learning how to be a part of this crazy family of beings that have powers. She is tired and frustrated and that is so real to the reader that I think it does wonders for the story.
There is a lot going on with this story and it has many shock points that kept me guessing what crazy things could happen next. The overall book though is about a battle - the Ancients that have been locked away are trying to come back and making a good show of it. They are taking over children to take over the land and make it into a Bloodlands-esq wasteland, complete with creepy trees. The beginning and much of the description throughout reads like a horror story.
Overall this book was a lot of fun to read, I powered through over half of it very recently and the pace picked up enough to really help with that. I loved the ending and I loved how all the characters worked together but also apart and really loved how it all came together. I can't wait to read the third book.
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About the Author
S.M. Beiko is an eclectic writer and artist based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She also works as a freelance editor, illustrator, graphic designer, and consultant in the trade book and comic publishing industries in Canada and the U.S. Her first novel, The Lake and the Library, was nominated for the Manitoba Book Award for Best First Book as well as the 2014 Aurora Award. Her fantasy trilogy, The Realms of Ancient, began with Scion of the Fox, followed by Children of the Bloodlands, and will be concluded with The Brilliant Dark (2019).
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The dazzling second book in S.M. Beiko’s Realms of Ancient series
Three months after the battle of Zabor, the five friends that came together to defeat her have been separated. Burdened with the Calamity Stone she acquired in Scion of the Fox, Roan has gone to Scotland to retrace her grandmother’s steps in an attempt to stop further evil from entering the world.
Meanwhile, a wicked monster called Seela has risen from the ashy Bloodlands and is wreaking havoc on the world while children in Edinburgh are afflicted by a strange plague; Eli travels to Seoul to face judgment and is nearly murdered; Natti endures a taxing journey with two polar bears; Phae tries desperately to obtain the key to the Underworld; and Barton joins a Family-wide coalition as the last defense against an enemy that will stop at nothing to undo Ancient’s influence on Earth — before there is no longer an Earth to fight for.
Darkness, death, and the ancient powers that shape the world will collide as our heroes discover that some children collapse under their dark inheritance, and those who don’t are haunted by blood.
These books, this world are so amazingly encompassing. Beiko does a wonderful job creating this world and holding the reading in it and that is what I love most about this series.
The book itself is told from multiple points of view and at first it is a bit to keep up with but once you have the rhythm you are all set and it comes together so well. In each chapter you jump from person to person in a slight break versus having to wait an entire chapter before getting to the next POV. Roan is the lead and she is stubborn and hard to control, she is also learning how to be a part of this crazy family of beings that have powers. She is tired and frustrated and that is so real to the reader that I think it does wonders for the story.
There is a lot going on with this story and it has many shock points that kept me guessing what crazy things could happen next. The overall book though is about a battle - the Ancients that have been locked away are trying to come back and making a good show of it. They are taking over children to take over the land and make it into a Bloodlands-esq wasteland, complete with creepy trees. The beginning and much of the description throughout reads like a horror story.
Overall this book was a lot of fun to read, I powered through over half of it very recently and the pace picked up enough to really help with that. I loved the ending and I loved how all the characters worked together but also apart and really loved how it all came together. I can't wait to read the third book.
Purchase Links
About the Author
S.M. Beiko is an eclectic writer and artist based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She also works as a freelance editor, illustrator, graphic designer, and consultant in the trade book and comic publishing industries in Canada and the U.S. Her first novel, The Lake and the Library, was nominated for the Manitoba Book Award for Best First Book as well as the 2014 Aurora Award. Her fantasy trilogy, The Realms of Ancient, began with Scion of the Fox, followed by Children of the Bloodlands, and will be concluded with The Brilliant Dark (2019).
Praise for Children of the Bloodlands:
“In book 2 of The Realms of Ancient, Beiko brings the hammer down while continuing all that I loved about Scion of the Fox — the characters, the originality, and the real-world locations. I cannot wait to read the series finale. Bravo!” — Julie E. Czerneda, author of the Night’s Edge series
“S.M. Beiko's Children of the Bloodlands is a wild, fiery, earth-shattering, sky-scraping ride. Roan and her friends, who came together so memorably in Scion of the Fox, must now follow separate paths, which lead them into realms that are both terrifying and beautiful, and truths that hurt before they heal. Book 3 can't come soon enough!” — Caitlin Sweet, author of The Door in the Mountain and The Flame in the Maze
“The rewardingly complex mythology is deepened through parallel humanizing themes in the protagonists' storylines, while game-changing action sequences unleash real consequences in the highly diverse world. A densely-packed, well-crafted sequel that will leave readers eager for the trilogy's finale.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Children of the Bloodlands is an exceptional instalment to the Realms of Ancient saga. S.M. Beiko injects her narrative with a passion and pathos that had me hooked from the very first page. This is a complex and compelling fantasy from one of Canada's most exciting literary-spec writers. I'm eagerly awaiting book three.” — Charlene Challenger, author of The Voices in Between and The Myth in Distance
“[An] intricately plotted and pleasantly creepy volume. Roan, with her sarcasm, intensity, and increasing world-weariness, is a compelling, realistic protagonist . . . This action-packed Canadian animal fantasy trilogy is recommended for its unique mythology and diverse characters.” — School Library Journal online
