Blood and Betrayal: A Dark Fantasy Anthology Paperback – June 28, 2021

The anthology definitely made a lasting impression and I would like to read more by all the writers. I enjoyed the whole book, but especially "Death's requiem" by Ine Gausel and "Feed The Sea" by Aisling Wilder, are very well written and very intense reads - just how I like my dark fantasy.

I loved this anthology - knowing it's the first in a series of themed fantasy anthologies to follow has me waiting with much anticipation. The fantasy genre itself is one I've only dipped my toes in as a reader so I found myself very attracted to the idea of exploring the genre through a collection of stories from a variety of different authors - and I'm so glad that I did. The first few stories were immediately accessible while serving to introduce the idioms and attributes both common & necessary to the genre, but also the general theme. The realms of magic and fantasy, and the complexity of characters (and the specific nature of blood & betrayal) grew for me as I traversed through the collection. There's a familiarity here - an almost gentle poetic that is both soothing and enchanting, but the twists and turns themselves are exciting and shocking while never feeling contrived...The editorial decisions related to pacing and sequencing are to be applauded. It was easy for me to get immersed into reading while still retaining my awareness of each author's unique stylistics; transitioning between them with ease. By the midpoint I thought I'd already picked out my favorite - but that was soon impossible to declare. The later half of the collection continued to raise the bar for me, with each successive story evoking stronger emotions and images. I was completely captured.To say it finished strong is an understatement - I could not put it down. It felt like I was riding a wave with each story adding to its power before crashing down and leaving me on the sand watching the water recede back to the ocean... I was satisfied - but I also knew I wanted more! I'm not sure which authors will continue through the series, but I'm very much looking forward to journeying deeper with all of them. I feel like they are all secret friends now - what doors will they open next? I give this a 5 star rating because I can't imagine a better way for me to have gotten such a rich taste for the genre. So looking forward to the next one.

The authors of this anthology do a beautiful job of blurring the lines in a series of dark fantasy stories that make you question who to root for. After reading the stories through a digital screen, I realized I HAD to add this book amongst my shrine—I mean bookcase. Can’t wait till my new copy arrives!

What a great collection of dark fantasies. I especially loved R.L. Davennor's story but here were so many good ones.

I loved this anthology. This is a collection of great authors that have come together to give us an awesome collection of stories that will take you on dark adventures. There is something for everyone in this and you won't regret picking it up. My favorite story is by Aisling Wilder. It is a story that pulled me in from the start and it certainly kept me engaged to the end. I had a hard time putting it down. It brought various emotions for me and you don't want to miss this ending. The other stories are just as great and are full of action and magic. I found each story to be fast paced and full of adventure. I am glad I picked this book up and I highly recommend this must read.