The Blood Trials, N.E. Davenport
The Blood Trials, N.E. Davenport
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The Blood Trials

Author: N.E. Davenport

Narrator: Jeanette Illidge

Unabridged: 18 hr 20 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: HarperAudio

Published: 04/05/2022


Synopsis

Blending fantasy and science fiction, N. E. Davenport’s fast-paced, action-packed debut kicks off a duology of loyalty and rebellion, in which a young Black woman must survive deadly trials in a racist and misogynistic society to become an elite warrior.It’s all about blood.The blood spilled between the Republic of Mareen and the armies of the Blood Emperor long ago. The blood gifts of Mareen’s deadliest enemies. The blood that runs through the elite War Houses of Mareen, the rulers of the Tribunal dedicated to keeping the republic alive.The blood of the former Legatus, Verne Amari, murdered.For his granddaughter, Ikenna, the only thing steady in her life was the man who had saved Mareen. The man who had trained her in secret, not just in martial skills, but in harnessing the blood gift that coursed through her.Who trained her to keep that a secret.But now there are too many secrets, and with her grandfather assassinated, Ikenna knows two things: that only someone on the Tribunal could have ordered his death, and that only a Praetorian Guard could have carried out that order.Bent on revenge as much as discovering the truth, Ikenna pledges herself to the Praetorian Trials—a brutal initiation that only a quarter of the aspirants survive. She subjects herself to the racism directed against her half-Khanaian heritage and the misogyny of a society that cherishes progeny over prodigy, all while hiding a power that—if found out—would subject her to execution…or worse. Ikenna is willing to risk it all because she needs to find out who murdered her grandfather…and then she needs to kill them.Mareen has been at peace for a long time…Ikenna joining the Praetorians is about to change all that.Magic and technology converge in the first part of this stunning debut duology, where loyalty to oneself—and one’s blood—is more important than anything.

About N.E. Davenport

N.E. Davenport is the science fiction/fantasy author of The Blood Trials and its sequel, The Blood Gift. She attended the University of Southern California and studied biological sciences and theatre arts. She also has an M.A. in secondary education. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys vacationing with her family, skiing, and being a huge foodie. She’s an advocate for diverse perspectives and protagonists in literature. You can find her on Twitter or on Instagram, where she talks about bingeworthy TV, killer movies, and great books. 


Reviews

Goodreads review by Ms. Woc Reader on February 03, 2023

This story starts out feeling very YA, which makes sense because the characters are teenagers. But this is not a YA fantasy despite the young characters and it does eventually find it's footing. It's their last night out before they set out for military academy and Ikenna is on edge over the recent l......more

Goodreads review by Kezia on August 02, 2022

4.5⭐️ One thing is for sure. I will never get used to waiting a long period of time for the next book in a series. It’s the most cruel thing I’ve encountered since I started reading religiously. Not only is the waiting excruciating, especially when it ended like this one ended, but I will literally......more

Goodreads review by Hayley on September 13, 2022

new favorite book!! I AM AN IKENNA STAN!!!......more

Review Video: [URL not allowed] Fans of Red Rising take note! The Blood Trials needs to be on your radar. This gritty, action-packed, sci-fantasy debut was everything I was hoping for. (Note that this is ADULT fiction, not YA with high levels of violence) Ikenna is the granddaughter of the......more

Goodreads review by Nina on November 12, 2022

DNF @41%. I really was going to trudge my way through this book through the end bc I didn’t wanna DNF a book from a black woman author but…the audiobook is 18hrs long and that is just too much to dedicate to a book you are not enjoying. I feel like the plot and the characters in this book really need......more