Good action packed book with interaction between quite a few characters. Can be a little bloody in places. Read if you like lots of action and well described situations. ( )

If you’re looking for a thrill ride “Walk Through Fire” could be the answer to your prayers. Author Joshua Simon throws us into a post cataclysmic world where all traces of humanity have been erased and replaced with endless wars for power and land. From our first glimpse of the streets of Mudhole Bay, Simon grabs you and drags you through a world of assassins, traitors and sorcerers where friendship and loyalty is bought and trust is often paid for in blood. This is one ride you can’t get off until the end. Don’t take my word for it get a copy of “Walk Through Fire” and hang on tight. ( )

Short but sweet! Although the story isn't something we haven't heard of before, Simon's wonderful storytelling skills make this hardly apparent. As a prequel to Rise and Fall, it shows Jonrell's rise to power in the Hell Patrol. The novella is in third person and we are told the story through the viewpoints of various supporting and main characters.

I loved his previous books and I'm glad to see that I will love this book as well. The book is fairly short however Simon paces it very well and the story ends in a satisfying way. Unlike most novellas I've read, I didn't have to worry about an abrupt ending or some fumbling when tying up loose ends. Characters are as interesting as always. We get to learn a lot about the men (and a girl) who follow Jonrell.

The only thing I could think of that would make this story better is to elaborate more on the villains. Obviously, there are constraints since it's a novella but I do wish that a book with such interesting main characters would have just as interesting villains.

Overall, this novella is a wonderful way to start off the Blood and Tears Series (if you haven't read it) or to learn a little bit more about it (if you have). I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good fantasy series. It's a good way to "test the waters" to decide if it's something you would like to read.

Won in a giveaway in return for an honest review ( )

I'll be honest, after reading an incredible book, this one kind of paled. Thought the two can't be at all compared, I was really impressed and this book failed to capture my attention. Towards the end, I felt less lost than I had been feeling throughout reading the story and I did start to care much more about the characters and where they were heading, but I really wish I understood more about their beginnings and history. It was a weird book about what I can only assume is an "army-for-hire" (something I learned about in a political science class but had never heard of before) and there's some mystery of the main character's, Jonrell's, past that he's going back to (in the next installment of the series) as well as some mystery surrounding Cassus. There was some familial love/bonding going on too, which seemed uncharacteristic for hardened army men. Throw in some mages too and overall, it was an interesting book but nothing overly exciting. I would like to read more of the story though to find out what Jonrell, Cassus and Yanasi are all about and where they end up.

Oh, and I was really confused my the book numbering because it seemed like I was reading "Book 2" but there was an excerpt from the next story which was called "Book 1" but did clearly pick up where this story had ended so...

Anyway, it was a good read, but not an amazing story that I would recommend up and down to strangers on the street (like I would with the previous book I finished) ... I really wish I had more positive things to say... ( )

Sigh, I cannot stand to write a bad review, especially when an author takes a lot of time and effort to put into a story, but this book, or novella, was just bad. The beginning did not have a enough to decipher characters, and towards the end of the book you almost didn't care who lived and who died. Everyone seemed the same. There was very little in the way of character connection. Better luck next time. ( )