Review: Bringer of Dust by J.M. Miro

Bringer of Dust by J.M. Miro
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This picks up shortly after the events of book 1, so I don't recommend reading this as a standalone. You really need to read Ordinary Monsters first to gain a foundation on the characters and what is going on. As a forewarning, this does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, but I am loving the series so I am anxiously looking forward to the next book in the trilogy.

This follows several different characters that we met in the first book as they recover from the destruction of Cairndale and the loss of Marlowe. We also meet some new characters that play a large role in this installment. We learn more about the origins of the Talents and the drughr and the roles each of our characters is to play in this gothic story.

As with the first book this contains a multitude of genres. It is a nice mix of of horror, fantasy, mystery, and historical fiction with wonderful world building and great characters. You won't love all of the characters but you will be invested in all of them and their storylines. The chapters focus on different characters, but at its heart Charlie and Marlowe are at the center of the story and everything that happens. This book is on the long side and there are quite a few characters to keep track of, but the author does a good job managing the pace and the storyline so that you don't forget what is happening and who everyone is. There is plenty of action throughout to keep you on your toes and plenty of expansion of the world and characters to keep you invested. The author describes the setting and the fantastical and horror elements with the perfect amount of detail so you aren't overwhelmed but you can visualize what is going on in your head. This book is dark and has some violent scenes, that was also true with the first book. It leans a little more into the horror aspects than the first book but I would let my 14 or my 16 year old read the series if they wanted. I think it would appeal to readers of any age.

The narrator is wonderful. Ben Onwukwe does different voices for the different characters, and is just a pleasure to listen to. This book clocks in at just under 25 hours, so you are going to spend alot of time with him, so having a good narrator is key. He narrated the first book as well, and I was really happy to see him return for book two, and I expect he will be back for book three.

I love this series and I can't wait for the final installment. If you enjoy epic fantasy novels that marry historical fiction and horror give this a try.

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