Judgment of Blood: Book Two of the Gearteeth Trilogy

Sequels—or second parts in a series, like Judgment of Blood—occupy an interesting space. Sometimes, they can be exercises in futility, artificially extending a story that was best left alone. Others reinvent the first book, telling a completely different tale from the book’s world. And there are some other sequels that take what worked in the first book and double down on it, telling the story with more confidence than that first effort. In this instance, that first book was the thoroughly enjoyable Gearteeth (click here for my review to see just how enjoyable it is). With Judgment of Blood, author Timothy Black has outdone himself in about every way.

If you recall my first review (or just read it in between paragraphs), you’ll see that I mused about whether this book would be rereleased as it wasn’t available for sale at the time. Having now read the book, I am incredibly pleased to report it is now available once more. Once again, Black tells a story with the unique blend of steampunk and werewolves. Further complicating matters this time is the addition of vampires. As much of a cliche as vampires can be, their inclusion presents a new challenge for protagonist Elijah, while also adding depth to the trilogy’s world.

Set shortly after the events of Gearteeth, Judgment of Blood takes place in an alternate early 20th century where most of humanity has been overrun by werewolves, and the survivors have taken to the sky in floating cities. Where that first book largely took place in one such city, Judgment of Blood takes place on ground zero, Earth. In changing the setting, the book is lighter in its use of steampunk elements. While this may disappoint some fans of the genre, where the elements do appear, Black has written them with wonderful attention to detail. If you’re a fan of werewolves and vampires, you’ll delight in Judgment of Blood’s take on them. If you usually steer clear of them, the book’s—or trilogy’s—take paints them with a unique science fiction edge. So much so that if you usually steer away from them, you may still appreciate the take.

At 288 pages in paperback (or an estimated 332 pages on Kindle), Judgment of Blood is a shorter book than its predecessor. It’s also comparatively quicker to read. Just as much happens in the sequel, but the writing doesn’t get lost in the minutiae, nor is it densely packed with long paragraphs. Once again told in the first person, via Elijah. The result is prose that flows well as it tells its story. The plot is engrossing and paced incredibly well as it moves from moment to moment.

As the sole point of view character, Judgment of Blood rests on Elijah’s shoulders. He’s once again presented as an alpha male, which some readers will undoubtedly have a preference against, though it makes perfect sense in relation to his struggles with his descent into lycanthropy. As solid a character as he is in Gearteeth, this sequel doubles down on the character as it explores new facets to his personality. As much as I enjoyed the character in that first book, through Judgment of Blood, my appreciation for him only grew. He’s also the source of some great humour in the book, which it tackles with aplomb.

Although the novel features an array of other characters, none of them are presented with the same level of depth as Elijah. Rather than these characters being underdeveloped, it’s symptomatic of the book’s focus being squarely on its protagonist. None of the characters in the book feel remotely underdeveloped, though, and all of them are believable in context of its world. The most important factor with these characters, however, is whether they are enjoyable. They all succeed on this front, and the book includes an eclectic mix of characters.

No matter how enjoyable a book’s characters are, they can be dampened by dialogue that doesn’t work. This is doubly important for Judgment of Blood, as it features a higher proportion of dialogue than its predecessor (or it at least feels that way; I’m in no mind to count the lines of dialogue in each book). Like its predecessor, however, Judgment of Blood’s dialogue constantly delights. While steampunk books usually features dialogue that sounds as though it comes from the United Kingdom, the book’s dialogue feels distinctly American, and of its era. This may feel dissonant for steampunk fans, but the dialogue feels true to the book’s world. All the characters have distinct voices, and the dialogue always sounds as though it’s coming from living, breathing people.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, as the second book in a trilogy, Judgment of Blood doesn’t stand alone. While readers can certainly pick the second book up and follow it without issue. However, the book ends on a cliffhanger before, enticing readers to grab the next book, whenever it’s released.

Judgment of Blood is a heady combination of science fiction, fantasy and horror that presents a steampunk landscape in vivid detail. Add in an engeossing plot and wonderful characters, and it;’s a recipe for success.

Favourite Passage

The Portlanders weren’t using normal men though.

There was a Fixed wrong-wolf chained to each log, their mighty backs bent to the work. Restraints jangled in time to the cracking of a whip wielded by man who leaned out from a platform above the abominations. The slave driver was tall but fat, and so dirty it was hard to tell he was white; if it weren’t for the methodical whip snaps I would have laid odds that he’d never seen any kind of strenuous activity before. He was muddier than a pig’s ass, with a stink that wafted over the fifty yards or so to us. Baths weren’t exactly something we’d been able to take regular either, but there wasn’t one of us that didn’t wrinkle their nose at him.

Judgment of Blood: Book Two of the Gearteeth Trilogy, Chapter 9