The Blood Guard (The Blood Guard #1) by Carter Roy

The Blood Guard (The Blood Guard #1) by Carter Roy
Rating: 4 Stars
Release Date: March 4, 2014
Format: eBook + Audiobook (Kindle Unlimited)
Publisher: Two Lions (eBook) + Brilliance Audio (Audiobook)

Check out my review of the second book, The Glass Gauntlet!

Check out my review of the third book, The Blazing Bridge!

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When other kids were going to parties and having fun, Ronan Truelove was learning how to fence or participating in competitive tree climbing contests. He knew he would never be considered “normal”, but that’s just the way his life was. Things get undeniably stranger one day when his mom picks him up from school, announces that his father is missing, and they are suddenly thrown into a high-speed chase. His mother sends him off to safety alone, but Ronan is left in the dark about what’s going on and must stay one step ahead of his pursuers while learning more about the secret part of his mother’s life. 

Ronan is headstrong and tenacious, and these traits serve him well when he must evade those who are chasing him and his mother (all the while still not knowing why they are coming after him). The story is told in the first-person point of view, and Ronan occasionally makes remarks that are seemingly directed to readers. This reminded me of the way Rick Riordan’s books are structured, and I loved it. Dawkins was another favorite character. He reminded me of a crazy uncle figure crossed with a mentor. And of course, last but certainly not least, Greta is the stereotypical bookworm figure that’s smarter than they look (akin to Hermione Granger or Annabeth Chase). 

The audiobook narrator, Nick Podehl, did a fantastic job. I think my favorite part of his performance was when he was voicing Dawkins. He did a great job keeping me entertained and engaged in the book. 

Overall, a fantastic adventure-filled fantasy tale. One hundred percent a page-turner, I was never bored while reading this book. Fans of The Kane Chronicles or Last Gate of the Emperor would enjoy this book. It’s a great choice for those looking for a high middle-grade to low young adult fantasy. After that ending, I’m eager to see what’s next for Ronan in the next book, The Glass Gauntlet.  

About the Author

Carter Roy has painted houses and worked on construction sites; waited tables and driven delivery trucks; been a stage hand for rock bands and a videographer on a cruise ship; worked as a line cook in a kitchen, a projectionist in a movie theater, and a rhetoric teacher at a university. He has been a reference librarian and a bookseller, edited hundreds of books for major publishers, and written award-winning short-stories for adult readers that appeared in a half-dozen journals and anthologies.
He is the author of The Blood Guard and its sequel, The Glass Gauntlet. He lives in New York City.