Grievar’s Blood

Returning to a world where political power is directly connected to martial arts prowess and war has been replaced by hand-to-hand combat between individual fighters trained to represent their kingdoms, Darwin effectively builds upon the first volume of his imaginative Combat Codes trilogy (2023’s The Combat Codes). Cego has become a legend at the Lyceum, the kingdom of Ezo’s elite fighting academy. After being knocked out during a bout with a newcomer from another kingdom, however, Cego’s surprised to be placed in a mysterious elective class called Core Enhancements that’s usually reserved for more senior students. As he continues his education—now learning from a botanist professor who’s also the first member of the ruling class to teach at the school—Cego also continues his search for his missing brothers, one of whom may have killed the legendary knight Artemis Halberd. Meanwhile, Solara Halberd, Artemis’s daughter, must both come to terms with his death and find a path forward for herself. Both protagonists are well realized, and Darwin masterfully balances vivid fight scenes with Cego and Solara’s character growth, all while neatly setting things up for the trilogy’s conclusion. It’s a knockout. Agent: Ed Wilson, Johnson & Alcock Literary. (Dec.)