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3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
In this sequel to The Heresy Within, we follow the story of one of the three protagonists from book one – Betrim aka The Black Thorn. The nastiest of the previous book’s main characters, it’s no surprise to find this book is as pitch black in tone as the previous one, with violence and unpleasantness from beginning to end.
Betrim, on the trail of the Arbiter he failed to kill, reunites with the survivors of his old gang from book one, plus some new characters. We therefore get a full lean into a Tarantino-esque plot and characters, complete with a psychotic magical killer. Let’s just say it’s saying something when The Black Thorn becomes the hero of the story.
With dry humour, action and uncomplicated but fascinating worldbuilding, this is pure entertainment. Recommended for those who like antihero/adult reads.
Betrim, on the trail of the Arbiter he failed to kill, reunites with the survivors of his old gang from book one, plus some new characters. We therefore get a full lean into a Tarantino-esque plot and characters, complete with a psychotic magical killer. Let’s just say it’s saying something when The Black Thorn becomes the hero of the story.
With dry humour, action and uncomplicated but fascinating worldbuilding, this is pure entertainment. Recommended for those who like antihero/adult reads.
That didn't go like I thought it would. I greatly enjoyed the first book of this trilogy and was looking forward to picking it up again, but only one of the three main characters from the first book appear in this one?
That was a bit of a shock to me, but it didn't harm my enjoyment of the book at all.
A very solid story with a good variety of characters both new and old. The Black Thorn is central (being one third of the original main characters), but Henry, Swift, and others from the first story do appear along with some new ones. There are some dark moments, great action, and a solid story. A top notch grimdark story.
That was a bit of a shock to me, but it didn't harm my enjoyment of the book at all.
A very solid story with a good variety of characters both new and old. The Black Thorn is central (being one third of the original main characters), but Henry, Swift, and others from the first story do appear along with some new ones. There are some dark moments, great action, and a solid story. A top notch grimdark story.
Rob Hayes amps up the pace and violence factor in this worthy sequel to The Heresy Within. The book focuses on Black Thorn but is populated by a host of other violent killers and a general escalation of the stakes on the unstable political front. Betrayals, deceptions and double crosses is just another day here as characters do anything to survive. A whole raft of new intriguing characters are added to the mix as some of the older characters are now given a chance to shine here. The pace is electric and there is hardly a dull moment. As with the previous book, Hayes' characters and world resemble Abercrombie's world so much that you wouldnt be surprised that Logan Nine-Fingers burst into a melee somewhere.
On the flip side, 2 of the 3 lead characters go completely missing which is a shame but hopefully we will see them in the 3rd book
On the flip side, 2 of the 3 lead characters go completely missing which is a shame but hopefully we will see them in the 3rd book
4.5 stars
The Colour of Vengeance was not the sequel I was expecting, but it turned out to be exactly the sequel I wanted. Full of bloody violence, brutal betrayals, and merciless vengeance, this blood-soaked tale is an absolute thrillride from start to finish.
Hayes shows his notoriously bold and ballsy storytelling skills in this second instalment by completely shifting the character focus. Only one of the three main protagonists of book 1 makes a return, and the rest are all new perspectives. And you know what’s so brilliant? You will instantly fall in love with the new characters and won’t even miss the old characters that are absent here.
This story is mainly focused on The Black Thorn and his crew, with all the messy inner politics and complicated interpersonal relationships that come with it. They have been royally fucked over, and now it’s time for vengeance. The tension is just sky-high, and all the tentative alliances and brutal back stabbings and betrayals had me on the edge of my seat.
This entire cast of characters is just so vibrant and alive, and I have become way more invested in all of these unhinged characters than I could ever have anticipated. None of them are extremely likeable and they all have a bit of a broken moral compass, but most of them have just enough redeeming qualities that I just can’t help but root for them. And because both the dialogue and each character’s distinct inner monologue are so sharp and full of dark humour, these characters are just so effortlessly funny and entertaining to follow.
Though, there’s one particularly treacherous bag of dicks who I just wanted to strangle… if you know, you know. Hayes is so extremely good at writing complex villains who you will love to hate, and there were multiple times where I wanted to throw my book across the room. If you like characters that pull strong emotional reactions out of you, for better or worse, then look no further.
Another thing I adored was how the world expanded in this story, both in terms of breadth and depth. We visit new intriguing places, learn more about the dangerous magic, get a better understanding of the Inquisition, and encounter some odd and horrific creatures/beings along the way. And while this is primarily a character-driven narrative, there are plenty of cinematic action scenes that will keep your heart rate spiking to unhealthy levels.
Needless to say, The Colour of Vengeance was a banger of a sequel! And you better bet I jumped straight into book 3, because this series is just dangerously and unacceptably addictive. I’d highly recommend The Ties that Bind series to anyone who is looking for a darkly entertaining and delightfully twisted series to fill their black hole of a soul.
The Colour of Vengeance was not the sequel I was expecting, but it turned out to be exactly the sequel I wanted. Full of bloody violence, brutal betrayals, and merciless vengeance, this blood-soaked tale is an absolute thrillride from start to finish.
Hayes shows his notoriously bold and ballsy storytelling skills in this second instalment by completely shifting the character focus. Only one of the three main protagonists of book 1 makes a return, and the rest are all new perspectives. And you know what’s so brilliant? You will instantly fall in love with the new characters and won’t even miss the old characters that are absent here.
This story is mainly focused on The Black Thorn and his crew, with all the messy inner politics and complicated interpersonal relationships that come with it. They have been royally fucked over, and now it’s time for vengeance. The tension is just sky-high, and all the tentative alliances and brutal back stabbings and betrayals had me on the edge of my seat.
This entire cast of characters is just so vibrant and alive, and I have become way more invested in all of these unhinged characters than I could ever have anticipated. None of them are extremely likeable and they all have a bit of a broken moral compass, but most of them have just enough redeeming qualities that I just can’t help but root for them. And because both the dialogue and each character’s distinct inner monologue are so sharp and full of dark humour, these characters are just so effortlessly funny and entertaining to follow.
Though, there’s one particularly treacherous bag of dicks who I just wanted to strangle… if you know, you know. Hayes is so extremely good at writing complex villains who you will love to hate, and there were multiple times where I wanted to throw my book across the room. If you like characters that pull strong emotional reactions out of you, for better or worse, then look no further.
Another thing I adored was how the world expanded in this story, both in terms of breadth and depth. We visit new intriguing places, learn more about the dangerous magic, get a better understanding of the Inquisition, and encounter some odd and horrific creatures/beings along the way. And while this is primarily a character-driven narrative, there are plenty of cinematic action scenes that will keep your heart rate spiking to unhealthy levels.
Needless to say, The Colour of Vengeance was a banger of a sequel! And you better bet I jumped straight into book 3, because this series is just dangerously and unacceptably addictive. I’d highly recommend The Ties that Bind series to anyone who is looking for a darkly entertaining and delightfully twisted series to fill their black hole of a soul.
At this point I'm finally starting to run short on available Rob J. Hayes books to read. I had a chance to continue The Ties That Bind series with book two The Colour of Vengeance recently. I opted for the audiobook narrated by Jaret Ross. I mentioned in my review of book one that the first one which I didn't realize was Hayes's debut didn't initially feel like his usual works I enjoy. This one gave the RJH vibes right from the beginning.
Even though we may have a considerably new cast of characters in book two, this was an exciting story to watch unfold.
The pacing of the Colour of Vengeance was on the faster side of things. As already mentioned, I felt right at home with this story as it felt very much like what I've come to expect from Hayes at this point. There are a lot of characters and events taking place with this one so, buckle up and hold tight! This isn't non-stop action if that is what you're looking for. But I never felt like the ebb and flow of things ever really turned into a slog. It was simply details that seemed to matter. There isn't much worse in reads for me than unnecessary amounts of detail that don't seem to add much to the story or characters.
The world building is solid once again. Hayes certainly paints us a grim world where these characters and the story reside. If you're looking for a read that is going to provide you with good vibes, hope and some beautifully describes fields of flowers, this isn't the place to be. If you want that gritty world where characters are simply doing their best just to survive, this is the picture the author is painting here. We still have a solid mix of regional locations, cultures and some magic provided for us to enjoy with this read, and I'm here for it!
The character development is probably the strongest part of this read. As mentioned we have a lot of characters both on the protagonist and antagonist side. A couple of my favorite parts of this book and the fine line between these two perspectives. The Black Thorn himself is ever the reluctant hero and he is constantly reminding everyone he isn't putting together a new crew. Even assumed antagonists aren't always what they appear in book two. There are several solid arcs to enjoy seeing unfold for character growth. All I can say is pay attention and keep an open mind to fully enjoy this read.
I continue to find my reading of Rob J. Hayes very enjoyable at this point. He's become an author that I will watch for releases regardless of genre he is writing. I still have a few more published books to chip away at but I am starting to run low. The good news is, I did back his Kickstarter for The God Eater Saga which will kick off 3 additional fantasy trilogies which is very exciting!
Even though we may have a considerably new cast of characters in book two, this was an exciting story to watch unfold.
The pacing of the Colour of Vengeance was on the faster side of things. As already mentioned, I felt right at home with this story as it felt very much like what I've come to expect from Hayes at this point. There are a lot of characters and events taking place with this one so, buckle up and hold tight! This isn't non-stop action if that is what you're looking for. But I never felt like the ebb and flow of things ever really turned into a slog. It was simply details that seemed to matter. There isn't much worse in reads for me than unnecessary amounts of detail that don't seem to add much to the story or characters.
The world building is solid once again. Hayes certainly paints us a grim world where these characters and the story reside. If you're looking for a read that is going to provide you with good vibes, hope and some beautifully describes fields of flowers, this isn't the place to be. If you want that gritty world where characters are simply doing their best just to survive, this is the picture the author is painting here. We still have a solid mix of regional locations, cultures and some magic provided for us to enjoy with this read, and I'm here for it!
The character development is probably the strongest part of this read. As mentioned we have a lot of characters both on the protagonist and antagonist side. A couple of my favorite parts of this book and the fine line between these two perspectives. The Black Thorn himself is ever the reluctant hero and he is constantly reminding everyone he isn't putting together a new crew. Even assumed antagonists aren't always what they appear in book two. There are several solid arcs to enjoy seeing unfold for character growth. All I can say is pay attention and keep an open mind to fully enjoy this read.
I continue to find my reading of Rob J. Hayes very enjoyable at this point. He's become an author that I will watch for releases regardless of genre he is writing. I still have a few more published books to chip away at but I am starting to run low. The good news is, I did back his Kickstarter for The God Eater Saga which will kick off 3 additional fantasy trilogies which is very exciting!
The followup to the Heresy Within struggles in some areas without having Thanquill and Jezzet as characters, but it picks up and really overcomes those misses in the second half. I do feel one of the characters motivations for a betrayal never seemed too obvious in the first book and sort of came along here for the sake a plot twist, but it worked out well enough. Great book and excited to see where the third book takes things.
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes