Aaron Crane :- Oath Taker for the settlement of purity.

Bartholemew :- sold a gun to Nestor.

Beth McAdam, :- Jon Shannows wife / woman for a while.

Daniel Cade :- A brigand turned prophet. Kept good by his age and peoples opinion of him. Dies in a hale of glory fighting to save Broome from the brigands sent to kill him.

Deacon :- The man who reformed the world after Shannow released him and his helpers from statis during The Last Guardian. Also the man responsible for the massacre of the Hellborn.

Ester Hankin :- Oz's younger sister who saw her father was shot to pieces by brigands as she and Oz hid.

Gareth Archer :- Amaziga & Samuel's (a Samuel from an alternate reality, as the original one died in Wolf in Shadow) son. Is killed by the Hellborn in the Bloodstones world as their mission is nearing the end.

Geoffrey :- The Deacons assistant. Mistaken for the Deacon and killed in the Deacons place by Moon Isis :- A mystic and a wanderer. She can read peoples minds and reads Shannows when he is found in the desert after the initial fight at the church.

Jacob Moon :- Jerusalem Rider and right hand man to Saul. It is to him that the Bloodstone appears and promises immortality. Challenged by Shannow to a duel.

Jake :- An old man with a mule, a wandering philosopher with a habit of moving very quietly. Finds Shannow and believes what he's telling him. Meets up with him twice and on both times helps him. Also leads the wanderers to Beth McAdams Cabin when the Devourers are loosed. Jake also hides a secret. He is the Deacon.

Jeremiah :- A wanderer and leader of the troop that finds Shannow.

Jon Shannow :- The Jerusalem Man. A man who was christened "The Armageddon man" at the end of the last novel by Azmiga Archer. The lead character of the books. Shannow has hidden for the last twenty years as Jon Cade and his alter ego of Shannow emerged when his church was burned to the ground when he took revenge on the perpetrators. During his time at Pilgrims Valley he was also know as "The Preacher"

Josh Wheeler :- A crusader and Zerah's son.

Josiah Broome :- A pacifistic person. Rescued by Daniel Cade when the brigands attempt to murder him for profitable land that he owns. Also aided by Jake.

Laton Duke :- A brigand to some, a hero to others. It is an alias his real name is Clem Steiner. Back from Last Guardian, he is older and wiser now although still handy with his guns he rescues Zerah and the children from another brigand with whom he had had other dealings. Also agreed to search with Nestor Garrity to find Shannow.

Lucas :- An advanced computer built on the memory of a man who died. Clairvoyant powers and aids Shannow & Azmiga on their quests using a portable unit.

Meredith :- The Wanderers doctor who's in love with Isis.

Nestor Garrity :- A young man who wants adventure. Agrees to accompany Clem Steiner and help him find the "Preacher". A lot of his ideals are stripped away when he discovers the truth behind the deacons reign.

Oswald "Oz" Hankin :- A young boy. Watched as his father was shot to pieces. Also travelled with his sister and Zerah. Fought their way clear of the devourers and was rescued from brigands by Clem Steiner.

Pakia :- A Wolver met by Jake who is forwarned about the Devourers. (A wolver mutated by the Bloodstone. Also Beth's friend.

Sarento :- One of the Guardians who when he discovered that he had a terminal disease absorbed the bloodstone into himself making himself a living bloodstone and creating himself as a god.

Saul :- One of the deacons followers. It is Saul who leads the Bloodstone into their reality showing him the gateways during a search for more sipstrassi. Self-centered man who would stop at nothing to gain more power.

Seth Wheeler :- A captain of the crusaders who is sent out after Shannow identifies himself.

Zerah Wheeler :- Padlock and Seth's mother. Led Oswald and his sister away from the brigands that killed their father and took over their farm. Also met up with Steiner and Nestor Garrity.

My Views

Perhaps the weakest of the trilogy in my opinnion but never the less an interesting read, having read the other two novels many of the twists were slightly expected with many of the time paradoxes that had created the other twists in the previous two books giving the reader a hint of the shape of things to come in this one. As always the journey of Shannow fills the reader with a "damn right" belief in how situtions should be dealt with believing in the way in which Shannow acted his part.

IN many novels character development seems to be sadly lacking, with Bloodstone I wasn't left with that thinking, as the novel went on it was good to see how Shannow interacted with many of the characters and his perceptions changed during the time in which his sojourn enacted.

This is perhaps an excellent example of how an author who lovingly crafted his charcter says goodbye by not just giving him an explosive exit but also gives rise to the thought that perhaps he's not gone but just resting waiting for the time to be called again.

Others Views