Cover Image: The Swords of Blood and Gold

The Swords of Blood and Gold

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Member Reviews

I received this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly I can see why some people would enjoy this book but unfortunately it just was not for me at all. That being said the writing was well done and I feel the pacing was good as well, especially for a thriller. A deep sea supernatural thriller is definitely a unique plot and I can appreciate it for that reason. I also do think that the character development and story progression was well done for what it was I just didn't gel with it. the end reveal is quite predictable if you follow the clues closely through the story but was interesting none the less.

Overall it didn't have the wow factor for me or the big suspense I like when I read thrillers but the lower rating is due to my personal experience and enjoyment of this sort of genre.

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Think Indiana Jones meets The Meg meets an Asian-inspired National Treasure? Some interesting history meets deep-sea diving meets action, with lovable characters and a thrilling ending.

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This was like Librarians and Cussler’s Dirk Pitt novels all mixed together and I loved every minute of it! The character were wonderful and I was at the edge of my seat the entire time.

This is an ARC review

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3.5
This is definetly a unique premisse. The diver aspect mixed with the supernatural/crime investigation - I´ve never read anything like this before. It did take me a second to get into the story but after that I enjoyed it a lot.

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Ehhh... I'm not too fond of writing reviews like that, but I have to stay true to my motto for my reviews - always be truthful and sincere in what I feel about stories I read. "The Swords of Blood and Gold" is a debut novel of J.C.R. Paulino that had an excellent premise for adventure sty with treasure hunting and so on.
Our main character, Jon, is in her place - his company was attacked and now he's a suspect for ding this massacre on his colleagues... it's always like that when you unexpectedly survive right? Right now he's on his own to prove that he did not participate in killing anyone... To do so he will have to go on a quest with his former boss's daughter and his best friend. Until now premise sounds excellent to me... but this book was not about looking for treasures in the sea, which confused me and definitely did not put it in favor of my side.
I was really looking forward to this story as I had not re something like that in a long time, but in this story not only did the story not match, but the characters as well - I did not feel any connection with them at all, they were there, but nothing more...
Have some ingredients that I would like in themselves, but the style of the author - it was really clean, like, in the surgery room, no emotions in it, the same goes for the feelings in the book. I was not invested in this story - maybe it was not a story for me in the end?

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Thank you Netgalley for sending me the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I sank my teeth into this incredibly enjoyable novel without knowing anything about the story line. I requested this book at Netgalley solely on the basis of its intriguing title and beautiful cover. But let me tell you what? The story of this book is so gripping that I could not put it down at all.
The story revolves around Jon Sharman who works for an undersea treasure hunting company, but due to some curious reasons his boss fired him from the job. One day, a mysterious supernatural murderer enters the company and kills all of Jon’s colleagues including his boss within 3 minutes and sets the building on fire. This unrealistic incident had the police on edge and everyone suspects Jon for the mass murder. Natalie, his former boss’s daughter, comes to his doorstep one day seeking for his help in discovering the real reason behind the massacre of 47 people. After some digging, they come to know that the crew had actually retrieved some 5 chests from sea which were lost a century ago and contract was given by a Chinese millionaire, Mo Huang, who further confirms that the crew was supposed to retrieve some traditional swords. The story related to swords seems quite bullshit to Jon and Natalie, but the course of events suggest some hint of reality in bullshit story. Would Jon be able to uncover the truth behind the suspicious murder of his entire crew?
I really loved this fantasy novel mixed with a fair amount of adventure and mystery. The author has actually done a great job in providing with vivid descriptions of Chinese ancient cultural background, modern day Wuhan and Shanghai, and then back to Miami. The mixture of modernity with the ancient Chinese tradition was spectacular to read about. The story, although, was a bit confusing at the beginning and a bit hard to get into, but everything starts making sense as the story progresses. The characters in the book are very close to real human beings. They are terrified of the murderer at loose, but they are brave enough to protect ad stand for what they love. I’m not a big fan of action-based books, but the way Paulino has gone through every action scene, it did not bore me and I actually had fun reading about it. The writing style was very lucid and poetic. One would not feel difficulty in comprehending the course of action and entire story.
The main reason I gave this book 5 stars is that the fair amount of this book is set in Wuhan, China. As I have done my ph.D from Wuhan University and stayed there for five years, Wuhan is very close to my heart. It felt very nostalgic and refreshing to read about all the locations I have been to, like Wuhan University, East Lake, Yellow Crane Tower, and Yangtze River.
On the whole, it is a very adventurous, captivating, and refreshing story. I highly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to everyone who enjoys adventurous thriller novels.

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I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Swords of Blood and Gold took me a while to get into. The whole treasure hunting idea did seem fun, but we never really saw it happen. Then we dove into a possible mystery sword to find. As well as a guy mysterious tracking down certain people and killing them. So, yeah, this book definitely gave me other things to keep the pages flowing. I just sort of wanted more treasure hunting and Indiana Jones vibes.

After meeting Jon, he seemed to be an easy to like character. Sure, he seemed to be magically good at not being killed by the secret guy with a sword. Then there's the romance between him and a certain character that just felt fine. If I'm being honest, it also felt like it was rushed because things just moved way too quickly between them.

In the end, it was interesting to see who the big villain reveal was going to be. If you follow the clues, it will be easy to spot on before it comes. Still, it was an interesting book, and I wouldn't mind another adventure with Jon. Mostly because I want a true treasure hunt.

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I absolutely LOVED this book!! It was rich with history and had wonderful background scenery. The main character was described as a man that had many talents and good traits, but wasn't infallible or without faults. This story draws you in and makes you feel happy when things go right for the characters and makes you want to cry when things go horribly wrong. I loved the details put into the background myth that surrounds these two swords. Finally, here is a book that tells a story of good and evil, but beyond that, tells the.WHY of this particular one. I highly reco!mend this book!!

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28 year old Jon Sherman is a devilishly handsome coffee fanatic with a propensity for sitting down in the shower. What he is not, is a cold blooded murderer. When Jon suddenly finds himself thrust into the mess of his boss and colleagues’ murders, he takes it upon himself pair up with his former boss’s daughter, find the killer, and bring him to justice. The pair travel between Miami and various Chinese provinces in their quest to uncover the nature behind the murders. Through their travels, Nathalie and Jon uncover deadly secrets, forge new relationships, and uncover new truths about themselves.

JCR Paulino’s debut magical realism thriller, The Sword of Blood and Gold will leave readers on the edge of their seats as they travel alongside Jon and Nathalie in their hunt for vengeance.

Content warning: This novel contains scenes of graphic violence and mature language. I would not recommend it for those under 18.

When I read the description of The Swords of Blood and Gold, I was immediately intrigued. The idea of a murder-mystery mixed with treasure hunting and supernatural forces was an immediate pull for me. This book was very well written. Paulino offers readers vivid descriptions of the setting and characters, allowing you to create a clear picture in your mind. The characters were funny, sarcastic, and had enough flaws to make them feel human. The story is gripping, and genuinely held my interest the whole way through. I found myself coming up with my own theories regarding the killer and their motive… I was wildly incorrect. The writing style was mature, offering multiple POVs as the book progressed, allowing readers to gain insight into the minds of both Jonathan and Nathalie. I found the descriptive style reminded me of a mix between TJ Klune and J.R.R. Tolkein. It is descriptive, witty, and also humorously dry (in the best way).

My only critiques were in two particular areas. First, the descriptions of Nathalie are very clearly written by a man. The focus on her figure and good looks is reminiscent of the way Stephen King sometimes describes the women in his books, but in a lesser way. It is somewhat over-the-top and diminishes other aspects of the character's personality, when the description continuously returns to her “assets.” Second, the conversations between characters Jon and Ivan contained a few more uses of “dude” and “bro” than is appropriate for a 28 or 29 year old. Some would be fine, but I found it to be a bit distracting as I continued my reading.

Overall, I highly enjoyed this book, and am very impressed that this is Paulino’s debut novel. It is an excellent combination of humour, romance, action and adventure. I would recommend this novel to those over the age of 18 who enjoy magic with a dash of mystery - think Atlantis meets Pirates of the Caribbean with a dash of The DaVinci Code.

5 ⭐️

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Deep sea treasure hunter, John Sherman, disagrees with his boss over business. He gets fired. A few weeks later, his boss and whole team fall victim to a massed murderer. John becomes a main suspect, but teams up with his ex-boss’ daughter, Natalie, to unveil the murder. Through a series of twists and turns, it is uncovered that the treasure hunter team found chests that related to a Chinese legend right before their deaths. John and Natalie must dive into the past to learn a Chinese history about the swords of blood and gold to save their lives.

I really enjoyed this book! It immediately caught my interest with treasure hunting and the suspense of the masked murderer. However, I found the romance between Natalie and John to be a bit forced. I think that the romance took away from main plot and did not add anything of significance. Overall, very enjoyable! I would recommend to anyone who enjoyed National Treasure movies or Outer Banks series.

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As an avid fan of Indians Jones and all things treasure hunting, this book caught my attention. Unfortunately, and perhaps because main character Jon had such big shoes to fill, it didn’t quite shine with the luster I was hoping it would have. Don’t get me wrong, it was a solid book. It just didn’t totally wow me. The plot was pretty straightforward. Coveted lost treasure with some fantastical elements, very similar to Indiana Jones, and a mysterious murderer to catch. Some of the fantasy elements came off a little outlandish at times, but then again it is fantasy so anything goes.

The plot itself was fine, some of the writing techniques were where I got a little hung up. Some of the wording and dialogue was a little clunky making it hard for me to stay totally engaged with the characters. I got through it in a few days because I wasn’t so captivated I had to finish it in one sitting, but for all the treasure hunting aficionados out there. Give this one a try. You might enjoy it.

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I really enjoyed the hunt for treasure aspect of this story, but not so much the fantasy aspects. Great characters that I would be interested in reading more about, without the so far-fetched fantasy. I received an ARC from NetGalley, and the opinions expressed are my own.

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