Wow. I’m not sure where to start with this, but I will say I was not prepared for that ending! It left me in shock, jaw hanging open.
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this through NetGalley (thank you!). I loved the continuation of the multiple POV from the first book into this one, we met a few new characters that I really enjoyed, and I was very surprised by the actions of some of the existing characters. There was a twist that I had kind of figured out was coming, but I wasn’t disappointed by it. Overall, I enjoyed this more than the first, now that the world had been set up and characters established it was nice to be able to go along for the ride and watch each character’s growth or downfall. I’m wildly curios where we’ll be led with the final book.
I still have a hard time with a lot of the descriptors of the battles, but that’s because I’m squeamish, so if you’re like me then you’ll want to skim those parts.

Well that escalated. Considering the Mongolian force marching west in the first book, but this is the escalation is saying something. Stephen Aryan stepped things up with "The Blood Dimmed Tide."

There are a few moving parts in this one. Hulagu is dealing with a civil war perpetuated by Kaivon and the infighting with the descendants of Genghis. Kokochin is being forced to find The House of Grace otherwise the person she cares about most in the world will suffer. Temujin is learning about what it means to be a Kozan as they work to raise a new power in the east. And the different leaders of the House of Grace are making bolder moves to keep Persia alive. History and Fantasy collided and the rivers will run red.

Reasons to read:
-Integration of historical figures that really haven't gotten a ton of play
-A further escalation of conflict, had a bit of whiplash coming into this one after a reset book
-Consequences for ruthless actions
-Some explanation of what the Kozan are
-That ending was insane

Cons:
-Maybe don't eat during the battle parts...

This book was everything I wanted and more! Engaging characters immersive world and a beautiful magic system!

First off I loved where the author is taking this story. To have me guessing on intentions on something that happened in a certain characters POV (and I was right!) to seeing another character delve down into madness. But what I loved the most if the female POVs. How one character is striving to do go at no matter the cost, unwilling to see that she is becoming the villain. I love that so much.

But I have to mention the camels. The CAMELS MAN. Apparently it actually happened which makes it all the more sad. (If you know you know)

The ending really brought this story together. I would have liked an extra scene from a character POV to understand the motivations about the choices said character made in the ending of the book but I am here for it!


This sequel really stepped up the story. I loved how dark it got and the journey of each of the characters. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.

Amazing. I love how the stories developed for each character and as I named Judas Blossom a favorite read of this year, I think I'll be adding this lovely addition and calling it a favorite series read of 2024. Full reviews on goodreads and my IG page linked in my profile.
Character building ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Story telling ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you for this ARC!

The recap for this book was super helpful! The world is so rich and full of so much adventure. I had a great time reading it and felt the story was very vivid.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Angry Robot for allowing me to read a copy of The Blood Dimmed Tide in exchange for an honest review. This review will be as spoiler free as I can make it for a sequel book.

Book 2 of The Nightingale and the Falcon from Stephen Aryan picks up nicely from the end of book 1, The Judas Blossom. I loved the fact that there was a "Story So Far" at the beginning. More authors should do this!

The book itself was a brilliant mix of our real history, fiction, and fantasy. The fantasy elements were more present in this book than in Judas Blossom. All of the same character and group POVs are still present. I still found each POV to be interesting. While none of them were slow or uninteresting, I did find that I had a few favorites this time around. Stephen Aryan continued to develop these characters. I especially enjoyed Kokochin and Temujin's POVS. I felt like these two characters had an exception amount of change from where they were in book Judas Blossom. The story is fast paced with lots of action mixed in with progression and conflict. The last third or so of this book is incredible; I read it in a single sitting.

I will also say that a historical fiction (or fantasy) that makes me want to learn more about the events and time period of the book is a big win. I have been reading more from articles and watching documentary videos about the Mongolian Empire to see how The Nightingale and the Falcon measure up to history. And this is where Stephen Aryan has particularly done an excellent job. He brought history to life in this book. Especially the darker parts of history.

I highly recommend giving this book a read. I am eagerly looking forward to book three in this trilogy!

I need Goodreads to add more stars to their rating system because this book deserves more than 5. I expected this one to be just as good as the first book in the series, but Stephen Aryan far exceeded those expectations. The crazy thing is that so much happened, yes, but also a lot of setup for a Michael Bay-esque climax in the next installment of the series. I have no idea what's going to happen, I just know it's going to be amazing.

“𝙉𝙤 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧. 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙠, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣. 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙚𝙘𝙝𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮. 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙙𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙙, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚, 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙.”


⌛The book - 2nd in The Nightingale and the Falcon trilogy - is a historical fantasy, based on the Mongol Empire's invasion of Persia in 1261 and follows the lives and treacherous journeys of four key figures as a new threat rises within the empire.

In the aftermath of the Mongol Civil War, Hulagu Khan possessed a powerful ally with whom he was ready to strike back at the Golden Horde, weakening the Mongol Empire even further.

His youngest son Temujin, vowed to destroy his father, knowing that his magical power couldn't fall into his hands, join others like him to learn more about what he has become.

Kokochin, Hulagu's wife, now the newest member of a secret society that protects Persia must find a way to escape the clutches of the Empress, who wants to use her to kill Temujin.

Persian General Kaivon had to navigate discreetly within the Mongol army to successfully lead the resistance against the Mongol empire while escaping wrongful prosecutions in his camp.

⌛The book was just as incredible and fascinating as the last one. It starts with a recap of the previous one. Many new players and challenges were introduced to an already complex political situation, which hooked my curiosity from the start. Between the switching multiple POVs, the story unfolds, tension rises, the stakes are amped up and risks get multiplied throughout the book that keep me turning on the pages.

⌛Stephen meticulously blended historical events and magical elements to create this sprawling historical fantasy that spread over 3 continents. I was completely blown away seeing the amount of research he had done to craft this gripping story... it was awe-astounding! such as the references to Jesus's birth and the Wise men to explain Kozan's background story and their role in shaping world history was brilliant.

⌛There are a lot of characters and all the them are well fleshed out. The characters from book 1 continue to develop, sometimes in such an unpredictable and unexpected way that you can't imagine; while the introduction of new character POVs brings a wonderful and fresh perspective to the story, imparting a broader understanding of the workings of this fantasy world. The characters' list given at the end was quite helpful.

⌛The climax was satisfactory. I hate to give any spoilers but there is a surprise for the reader at the end of the book that I hadn't seen coming and it will completely change everything, raising my curiosity to see how this is going to finish.

Overall The Blood Dimmed Tide was a masterpiece that kept me at the edge of the seat till the last. It doesn't suffer from the middle book syndrome. If you like history, fantasy, and character-driven stories then it was a must-read. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(5/5)

Another home run for Aryan! I absolutely loved Judas Blossom, and even re-read it in anticipation for this sequel. Yet again, Aryan's research is second to none, and he does an outstanding job with the historical aspects of the story. Such a great addition to the series and I can't wait for more. Highly recommend for historical fiction readers, especially those that critique harshly- because Aryan delivers.

A very intriguing sequel to the series' opener, The Blood-Dimmed Tide raises the stakes in this multi-layered story of bloody conquest and planned resistance, building on the characters' personalities and taking them on new and sometimes dangerous paths. I very much look forward to the conclusion of the series, knowing that it will hold as many surprising twists as the two previous books have. Highly recommended.

First off I was so thankful to the author for having a recap for this sequel, this helped immensely. After that we dive back in deeper into the mist of war. The story continues to be epic, it has everything, character development, battle scenes (that may cause some distress) full of blood and brutality. Again this is mixed in well with historical elements, magic and world-building to create a truly gripping read. The author has clearly well researched everything and the multiple point of views add complexity to the narrative. The story though heavy flows so well and sucks you in. An immersive and engaging historical fantasy. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

First, thank you to Ryan for writing a stunning novel in The Judas Blossom (Book #1) which I was just finishing when the opportunity for this eARC came up.

The Blood Dimmed Tide flows seamlessly from The Judas Blossom and this sequel swept me away again! We are treated to a recap of the Judas Blossom at the start of this book, which catches us up and ensures that the story is fresh in the readers mind. Excellent!
The readers are given deeper character development, more battles! and just an epic adventure that hits every note for me. I enjoyed the different POV's of the chapters which kept me turning pages to get to each chapter. While I wasn't thrilled with every decision made about what happens to the characters, it's still a beautiful novel.
The history is the highlight here, Ryan has done an amazing deep dive and it shows. I've learned so much about a time period I knew nothing about. I love that.

I will definitely pick up the next book in the series.

4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kaivon, the last Persian General, is celebrating as the Hulagu Khan's dream of conquering the whole world lies in tatters. But the fight is not yet done, as Persia is still occupied by Mongol invaders.

Betrayed by his cousin in the north, Hulagu must strike back at the Golden Horde, weakening the Mongol Empire even further with another civil war. 

Temujin, the youngest son of Hulagu, has developed abilities that can destroy a city's walls in a heartbeat. Unwilling to trust his father with something so powerful, he abandons the Empire. Recruited by others like him, Temujin seeks to restore balance to the world, whilst learning more about what he has become.

Kokochin is the newest member of a secret society that protects Persia. She has found her purpose, but her double life has been exposed. Now, she must find a way to escape the clutches of Empress, who seeks to use Kokochin's abilities to further their husband's plans of conquest.

Deep within the Empire, a new threat is rising. One so dangerous that it could overshadow the legacy of Genghis Khan and change the world

Intense, entertaining followup to last year’s The Judas Blossom

The Mongol Empire continues to burst apart at the seams as Genghis Khan’s various descendants form their own Khanates and war across the length and breath of the Eastern world.

In this particular outing we pick up pretty much exactly where we left off in The Judas Blossom. Hulagu Khan is on a head on collision with the Golden Horde, and Temujin’s sacrifices to prevent his father from gaining the power of the Kozan fails when one begins to ser Hulagu. The rebellion to free Persia from the yoke of the Ilkhanate continues to grow in the shadows, and General Kaivon continues to tread a thin line of trust and treachery. Temujin begins to come into his own as a Kozan, starting to master the abilities that have flared to life within him. And Kokochin, trapped by Empress Guyuk, must free herself and Layla from her clutches, but at a dear cost.

This entry is somehow even more captivating to read than the previous. This is not the first or 5th or 10th book I’ve read featuring the Mongol Empire, spread across both historical fiction and fantasy, and it continues to delight me how well Stephen Aryan captures and portrays the world of the Empire under Kublai, with the rise of the Khanates and the subsequent internecine warfare and chaos and wanton death and destruction that resulted. Kublai was a rare exception in allowing cities to capitulate without sacking them, the others were largely more of the no holds barred blood soaked fire and brimstone style of conquest and that’s captured throughout the book, not just in the conquests but in the various civil wars and just the consequences it had on the regular folks just trying to live their lives.

As before we continue to see different aspects of the story through three critical POVs. With General Kaivon we get a first hand look at the war, with Kokochin both the resistance and the consequences of Mongol rule on the unfortunate populate. With Temujin we delve deeper into the magic and mystery of the world, and unfortunately that makes his the weakest of the POVs to read through - as much as his story is adjacent to theirs, Kokochin and Kaivon’s are much more intertwined in the historically fantastic depiction they give us of these fractious times. And even that weakness is relative, because with Temujin’s we also get a close up look at the next big threat on the horizon of this story. They continue to be unique characters, with Kokochin and Temujin in particular going through significant character growth over the course of this book, and as for where they end up . . . it’s wild.

Stephen Aryan continues to hold this all together with a great writing style that’s immersive. He’s pretty straight forward, but he’s great at writing fast paced and intense sequences, and we get quite a lot of those over the course of this book. It fits well with the story, for me, as it’s pretty dark already without waxing lyrical about some of the depraved shit we see happen in here. It’s a relatively fast paced story with some unexpected twists and turns along the way, and much like the previous one it ends with some twists that you won’t see coming - I sure didn’t and it kept me up well past my bedtime as a result.

All in all, brilliant follow up to the Judas Blossom, this series is quickly becoming one of my favorite ongoing at the moment. If you’re a fan, this is definitely not one to miss, and if you’re not, you need to check out The Judas Blossom ASAP.

In the stunning sequel to The Judas Blossom, Stephen Aryan immediately captured the readers' attention and immersed them into the continuation of this epic historical fantasy sprawling 3 continents.

First of all, I would like to stress, that before Aryan dives into the story proper of The Blood Dimmed Tide, he catches the reader up on the events of the previous book with a so-called "Previously on" chapter. This should become the norm with every series, especially if there's a long gap between books because readers might not have time or be unwilling to reread the previous book(s). So kudos for that!

The Blood Dimmed Tide does not suffer from middle book syndrome. Its opening chapter not only introduces the reader to a new(ish) and intriguing (POV) character but also brings new players and challenges to an already complex political situation. The tension is amped up, the stakes are higher, and the risks (and rewards) are greater. The high tension and unexpectedly fast pace continue throughout the book as we switch between POVs. Characters we were introduced to in the previous instalment continue to develop, sometimes in unpredictable and unexpected ways. The introduction of new character POVs, especially various FMCs brings a wonderful and fresh perspective on everyday lives in Persia during the reign of Hulgu Khan, while deepening the story of the organisation(s) we were introduced to in The Judas Blossom.

The Blood Dimmed Tide is a spectacular sequel and most importantly a wondrously thrilling pageturner. The content of this book will keep you glued to the edge of your seat, have you shouting and crying at certain events and most of all have you craving for the next instalment in The Nightingale and the Falcon series.

Actual rating: 3.5/5 stars

Overall, I thought this to be a really solid, well written sequel. I just wished there was more to the characters. I felt very apathetic towards them, like I was lacking any sort of connection. Whish is rough, as a very character based reader. Despite that, the plot was still enough to keep me engaged and interested for the most part, and the writing style helped flow the story along gracefully.

Thank you for letting me read this ARC, I'm sorry I have not been able to input my review until now.

I overall enjoyed this book, and having not read book 1 I really appreciated the recap of what happened in that one as it gave me a good base knowledge for what was to come - having said that - a bit of a heads up on some of the stronger themes in the book (rape/torture) would have been appreciated as I found this very uncomfortable to read at times.

I liked the multiple POV's and found this helped to move the plot on quickly, keeping the story interesting and keeping it going, so that there were not long lapses in something interesting happening that I would get bored with, and potentially make me DNF a book, that did not happen here.
The rich world-building with history and magic kept me captivated and my imagination engaged.

I would have given this 5 stars if it had not been for the stronger themes making me uncomfortable.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

The Judas Blossom was a fantastic historical fantasy novel, so I was excited when the publisher invited me to read the sequel.
The Blood Dimmed Tide certainly lives up to book 1 and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Stephen Aryan's style reminds me a lot of GRRM, as he has many POVs with strong characters, yet the book is more plot-driven and feels just a bit detached from the characters. Personally, this is not my favorite writing style and it is also the reason why this isn't a 5 star read, but I do think that objectively, it is very well done.

I truly value the level of detail and the amount of research that must have gone into writing this. The world is so rich and there are so many interwoven story parts and political powers at play, yet the author manages to make it all flow together into one cohesive story. I never felt lost or confused, and I also really appreciated the recap of book 1 at the start.

The plot was great, it got quite heavy at times, but it was all done well and I was invested from start to finish.

If you enjoy historical fantasy, I highly recommend giving this series a try!

This book seemed very well written, with a thoroughly developed plot. The magic plotline seemed well constructed. overall, it was a good book, I just wasn't a fan of some of the stronger themes - rape and torture. The characters needed more thought to them I would say. But overall, It's a good sequel to the first book

What a fantastic sequel! This is what a sequel should be like. It builds on the previous book and really intensifies the threat and allows the characters to grow. Very intriguing and mind boggling. Highly recommend!!!