'A Time of Dread reminds me of why I became a fantasy enthusiast in the first place' – Robin Hobb, author of Assassin's Apprentice.Set in the same world as the Faithful and the Fallen quartet, the first novel in John Gwynne's Of Blood and Bone series, A Time of Dread, takes place one hundred years after the end of Wrath. The Ben-Elim, a race of warrior angels, once vanquished a mighty demon horde. Now they rule the Banished lands. But their dominion is brutally enforced and their ancient enemy may not be as crushed as they thought. In the snowbound north, Drem, a trapper, finds mutilated corpses in the forests – a sign of demonic black magic. In the south, Riv, a young, tempestuous soldier, discovers a deadly rift within the Ben-Elim themselves. Two individuals with two world-changing secrets. But where will they lead? And what role will Drem and Riv play in the Banished Land's fate? Difficult choices need to be made. Because in the shadows, demons are gathering, waiting for their time to rise. . .Continue the heroic fantasy series with A Time of Blood.'A truly excellent read . . . Exciting, well-written swords and sorcery. Try it on for size' – Mark Lawrence, author of The Broken Empire.'John Gwynne is one of the modern masters of heroic fantasy' – Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of Children of Time.

A Time of Dread reminds me of why I became a fantasy enthusiast in the first place. Fantasy can be an escape from reality, but some stories carry the reader to an enhanced reality, a place where the world seems to have brighter colors and sharper contrasts, A truly excellent read . . . Exciting, well-written swords and sorcery. Try it on for size, John Gwynne is one of the modern masters of heroic fantasy, Fans of epic fantasy have something to cheer about: A Time of Dread is marvellous. Gwynne's writing is superb, delivering not only twists and turns but also nuance and complexity, Great evils, conflicted heroes, bloody battles, betrayal, and giants riding battle bears! What's not to love?

John Gwynne studied and lectured at Brighton University. He's been in a rock 'n' roll band, playing the double bass, travelled the USA and lived in Canada for a time. He is married with four children and lives in Eastbourne, running a small family business rejuvenating vintage furniture. His debut novel, Malice, won the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Debut.