BOOK TWO OF BLOODSOUNDER’S ARC
History, Family and Memory… these are the seeds of destruction.
Bloodsounder's Arc continues as Captain Braylar Killcoin and his retinue continue to sow chaos amongst the political elite of Alespell. Braylar is still poisoned by the memories of those slain by his unholy flail Bloodsounder, and attempts to counter this sickness have proven ineffectual. The Syldoonian Emperor Cynead has solidified his power base in unprecedented ways, and demands loyalty from all operatives. Braylar and company are recalled to the capital to swear fealty. Braylar must decide if he can trust his sister, Soffjian, with the secret that is killing him. She has powerful memory magics that might be able to save him from Bloodsounder’s effects, but she has political allegiances that are not his own. Arki and others in the company try to get Soffjian and Braylar to trust one another, but politics in the capital prove to be far more complicated and dangerous than even Killcoin could predict.
Deposed emperor Thumarr plots to remove the repressive Cynead, and Braylar and his sister Soffjian lie at the heart of his plans. The distance between "favored shadow agent of the emperor" and "exiled traitor" is an unsurprisingly short road. But it is a road filled with blind twists and unexpected turns. Before the journey is over, Arki will chronicle the true intentions of Emperor Cynead and Soffjian. And old enemies in Alespell may prove to be surprising allies in a conflict no one could have foreseen.
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Reviews and Accolades
“5 of 5 stars... Seriously, why aren’t more people reading Jeff Salyards?! He's outdone himself with this one.”
—The BiblioSanctum
“Last year Jeff Salyards came out of nowhere and gave us the amazing debut Scourge of the Betrayer, a novel that was one of my personal favorites for the year. This year, his follow up novel Veil of the Deserters outdoes his debut... 9.5 out of 10 stars.”
—Speculative Book Review
“This was an absolutely addicting journey, and some of the most fun reading I have had this year... I can't recommend this book enough. 5 of 5 stars.”
—Grimdark Reader
“Salyards impressed the holy hell out of me... Honestly, in regards to epic, military fantasy, this is some of the best. Salyards really proves himself with this book. He’s got some incredible talent, and he’s tapping into it, and honing it, and it is an absolute delight to watch. 5/5 stars.”
—Bookworm Blues
“Veil of the Deserters is everything I was looking for in the highly anticipated follow-up to Scourge of the Betrayer. What Jeff Salyards has crafted here is a rare sequel that actually manages to outdo the first... Paced exceptionally well throughout, it also has the kind of killer climax that manages to completely satisfy, while still leaving the reader desperate for more.”
—Beauty in Ruins
“Veil of the Deserters is a solid, entertaining and well-written book that I recommend to every fantasy reader out there. Bloodsounder's Arc... may very well become one of the must-read fantasy epics of the twenty-first century.”
—Sense of Wonder
“Veil of the Deserters has made Jeff Salyards’ Bloodsounder’s Arc series one of the best Fantasy series out there... I think this is a must-read for Fantasy fans.”
—Adventures in SciFi Publishing
Most Anticipated Sci-Fi & Fantasy Releases of 2014, Paul Goat Allen, BN.com
Best Speculative Fiction Reads for June 2014, Kirkus
Top 10 Fantasy Books to Read This Summer, Swide
Best Novel of 2014, A Fantasy Reader
#1, Best of 2014, Grimdark Reader
#3, Best of 2014, Only The Best Science Fiction & Fantasy
#4, Best of 2014, Total Inability to Connect
#1, Best Grimdark of 2014, BestFantasyBooks.com
Best of 2014, The BiblioSanctum
Best of 2014, Beauty in Ruins
Best of 2014, Elitist Book Reviews
Top 5 Fantasy Novels of 2014, Bibliotropic
“I thoroughly enjoyed his debut, Scourge of the Betrayer, but with Veil of the Deserters, he goes beyond everything I dared to expect for a sequel... it’s perfect.”
—The Book Plank
“[Bloodsounder’s Arc] is shaping up to be one of my favorite fantasy book series of all time. 5 stars.”
—Elitist Book Reviews
“Long story short, you need to read this series. The second book is every bit as incredible as the first...”
—Bibliotropic
“This, the second book in the Bloodsounder’s Arc series, does everything I hoped it would... A great read and I can’t wait for book 3... 5/5 stars.”
—Bloody Cake News
“This is one of those rare gems: a story where everything is perfect... The best book I’ve read this year.”
—Fantastical Imaginations
“[L]oved every minute of it... Totally recommend it.”
—The Tattered Scroll
“If you like military fantasy reminiscent of Glen Cook and well-written battles and dialogue, then Veil of the Deserters is a book you certainly won’t want to miss.”
—A Fantastical Librarian
“Five out of five stars! [T]he best fantasy I’ve read this year.”
—Bookwraith
“This is grimdark fantasy at its finest so…don’t read them at your own peril. 9/10.”
—The Grimdark Review