Book links: Amazon, Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Having served in a hundred different offices as a keyboard monkey Rob J. Hayes finally decided to follow his life long passion of daydreaming. After writing a small horde's worth of short stories, he released his debut dark fantasy trilogy "The Ties that Bind" in 2013 as an indie publication and followed it up with the steampunk caper "It Takes a Thief to Catch a Sunrise" in 2014.

In 2017 he released his piratical duology, Best Laid Plans, and in 2018 the first book, Where Loyalties Lie won Mark Lawrence's Self Published Fantasy Blog Off.

Rob has now tried his hand at Science-Fiction (Drones, 2018) and Military Fantasy (City of Kings, 2018), and even East-Asian influenced fantasy (Never Die, 2019).

Publisher: Rob J Hayes (17 Dec. 2024) Length: 108 Formats: ebook, paperback

Blood Brothers Beyond is another exciting, introspective, and beautifully-written tale from Hayes' Mortal Techniques universe. Ichiro, Subaru, and Daijiro are blood brothers - chosen family, who spent their youth as 'bandits with honor,' outlaws with a strong moral cod (dependent on your definition of 'moral'.) The story begins with Ichiro and Daijiro reuniting after many years apart, and Daijiro brings sullen news: the body of their fallen brother, Subaru. Subaru's final request is to ask his brothers to carry him up a dangerous mountain top to bury him, where legend says all souls buried there will go to Heaven, regardless of their deeds in life. 

What follows is a meditation on grief, found family, long-held secrets coming to light, humorous quips, and of course, plenty of well-choreographed battles with a varied set of enemies. It packs an impressive amount of story into a small package, clocking in at under 100 pages. It's a hard book to put down once you start, so I recommend putting aside a couple of hours to ensure it can be a singular experience.

From its haiku epithets to the picturesque locations, baths, and shrines, this story channels the essence of Ghosts of Tsushima. It also features low-key social commentary on current issues, which helps strength its universal themes. But most of all, it's a joy to read. Fun, fast-paced, and heartfelt, Blood Brothers Beyond is one of my favorite tales with Mortal Techniques. Any fan of the series will find a lot to love.  And if this is your first foray into Hayes' world, it won't be your last.