Should I read the prequel novella The Fall before starting this book?

While the novella is set chronologically before this novel, most readers recommend starting with this book to better ground yourself in the world and narrative before exploring the prequel's backstory.

Does this series have a specific reading order for the novellas?

The series includes several novellas that bridge the gaps between the main novels, and they are generally best enjoyed in publication order alongside the primary books to maintain the intended flow of the story.

Of Blood And Fire

Reader reviews of Of Blood And Fire

Nic F · 2026-10-01T16:16:56.000000Z

“Du gryr haydria til myia elwyn.” I want to start this by saying - I understand people's common criticism of this being derivative. I enjoyed every minute of it, but it is not without flaw. That being said, I do think it is greater than the sum of it's parts. It feels much like a debut epic fantasy novel that... takes inspiration, to put it lightly, from other books that came before. I do not ultimately think that is an issue in this case, though. There were some heavy hitting moments starting from the beginning. Calen, the protagonist, has some moments where his feelings are understandable, but god he is a bitch occasionally. The twist kill at the end definitely hit me in the gut, though. I wouldn't say this book necessarily requuires any extra thought power, though. I don't think it hinders from the enjoyment but if that's what you like, this won't be for you. I enjoyed the characters in this. There are a few that I feel could be fleshed out more and others I don't think made some decisions that make sense, but they're mostly young and in a situation that they didn't intend to be in. Some of Calen's reactions make him sound extremely childish... but he IS a child so I don't agree with them, but they are age appropriate. The plot of this is fine, enjoyable, but not very unique. It definitely is a pretty typical dragon-led fetch/betrayal story. I liked the world this takes place in. There wasn't a TON of worldbuilding in this specific book, but I do think that's absolved in later books. The prose is simple and effective. It's not going to be what everyone wants but I do like it. It allows me to focus on the story itself and not trying to digest the way it's written. Ending all of this to say - this is one of the first books I've read this year, part of a series, that I actually want to continue reading.

Epic Fantasy Fantasy

Pages: 541
Published: 2021
Language: English

Synopsis

Calen Bryer lives in Milltown, a village on the edge of the Ölm Forest in Epheria. He is still grieving his brother, and the village is about to hold the Proving, a rite of passage. Calen and his closest friends, Dann Pimm and Rist Havel, must spend three nights in the forest with nothing but a knife and a bow.

Before the rite is done, three strangers arrive at the Gilded Dragon Inn, the village inn. They carry a secret that people will die to protect. Their arrival pulls Calen away from Milltown and into a war between empires that has been building for centuries.

This is epic fantasy and the first book in a series called The Bound and the Broken. Calen is no chosen one. No prophecy names him and nobody foretold his coming. He and the friends who follow him from home are ordinary people trying to stay alive in a conflict far larger than they are.

The opening is rooted in a small community and a personal loss, then widens fast into a continent at war. Expect a story that starts close to the ground, with a coming-of-age trial and a boy in mourning, before the scale grows around him.

7 reviews