Defending a City from Saladin's Army - an Editorial Review of "Sands of Bone"

Book Blurb:

Ninety years have passed since the Christians wrested control of Jerusalem from their foes, and the Kingdom of Jerusalem’s army is a pile of corpses strewn about the Horns of Hattin. The few survivors stumble back for the only place of refuge spared of Saladin’s wrath, Jerusalem.

Robert Cutnose reluctantly joins with the Lord Balian de Ibelin in an attempt to defend a city of refugees from Saladin's army. Both men have drawn the ire of old enemies within the Order who secretly wish to bring them down. And hidden within Saladin’s ranks, assassins lurk, cultivating their own end to the conflict. Even while the city teeters on the brink of annihilation, a princess seeks to assert her birthright over the crown. The fate of Cutnose and the Kingdom of Jerusalem hangs by a thread, and there is no guarantee of survival of anyone involved.

Continue the gritty war-torn journey through the crusades and the Noctis Bellum, a shadow war spanning centuries between the Order and the Hunted. Filled with legendary characters both barbaric and gray, driven by valor and treachery alike, the Oaths of Blood Saga is an action-packed grimdark historical fantasy best for fans of Joe Abercrombie, Bernard Cornwell, Jay Kristoff, and John Gwynne.

Book Buy Link: https://geni.us/IXHym

Author Bio:

Logan is the author of the grimdark historical fantasy The Oaths of Blood Saga.

A lifelong traveler, he has visited over 50 countries for both for work and for pleasure. Lifted in Arnold’s childhood gym in Austria, asked his wife to marry him in an abandoned castle in Ireland, bartered for jewelry in a Kuwaiti souk, drank beers and sang quite poorly German songs at Oktoberfest in Munich, and burned a Viking ship during Hogmanay in Edinburgh.

Fantasy, historical fiction, and history novels dominate his library. In particular, the works of George R.R. Martin, Steven Pressfield, Bernard Cornwell, and Robert Jordan inspire his work. He currently resides in Virginia, a place with enough history to keep him busy until the end of time, with his wife, son, and a dog named Ronin the Barbarian.

If he has free time, which is rare, he throws axes (usually at targets), is physically active, and loves taking his family on adventures.

And he’s convinced his nieces he’s a werewolf…

Instagram: @logandirons

Editorial Review:

Title: Sands of Bone

Author: Logan D. Irons

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing, Inc

ISBN: 979-8228015654

Rating: ★★★★★

Logan D. Irons’ "Sands of Bone" is a blistering, blood-streaked plunge into the horrors of the Crusades and a masterful fusion of medieval history and mythic darkness. Set during the infamous Battle of Hattin in 1187, this novel is the second volume in "The Oaths of Blood Saga." It aptly strips the holy war of its illusions and buries the reader in a world where smoke suffocates, the sun punishes, and survival is never assured.

The book opens in what can be best described as hell on earth. The Christian army, led by King Guy of Lusignan, is already unraveling- men collapse from heatstroke, stumble through choking smoke, and die of thirst long before reaching the enemy. Irons doesn’t merely describe this misery, he masterfully drags the reader into it.

“The rising sun had brought no reprieve to the Christians’ purgatory. Shouts of dismay escaped from withering throats as they were awakened to the hills surrounding the village ablaze, orange and yellow flames fanned by Saladin’s horse archers… Black smoke swirled over the road covering the enemies’ movements, the wind current trapping the smoke over the army. It was a walk through Hell, and the only part they were missing was the brimstone.”

This isn't a romanticized Crusade—it’s the desperate crawl of an army coming apart at the seams. Irons’ prose is tactile and immersive: every clink of chainmail, every dying groan, every parched prayer is delivered with aching physicality. You don’t just read this book but rather you feel it in your bones.

At the heart of this punishing march is Robert “Cutnose,” a gruff, war-weary soldier. He’s more than his scars and is shown dragging half-dead comrades to their feet while the world collapses around him. Readers will discover that there’s something different about him, something buried and ancient, stirring to life with every hour of sun and blood. His endurance is no accident, as hinted in an early exchange:

“Heat don’t bother me as much as it used to,” Cutnose replied. He squinted at the sun for a moment, knowing that eventually it would take him like the rest, albeit he may be the last man standing when it happened."

These lines seem simple but reveal a hidden truth- Cutnose isn’t just a man but a remnant of something older, darker, and primal. His supernatural nature is revealed gradually, woven into the brutal realism of the story. The shift is subtle and organic, never breaking the immersive historical setting.

As the Christian army marches toward destruction, harassed by Saladin’s forces, doom builds steadily. Leadership falters, discipline collapses, and hope becomes a hallucination. But when the novel finally steps fully into the realm of the fantastical, it doesn’t veer off course but rather deepens. Readers will enjoy how at this point, Cutnose's transformation becomes more about destiny and legacy than about power.

“He had been born in the 1060s, and he had all but died in the sack of Jerusalem in 1099... Yet he had not died. He had been given another life through the mortal sacrifice of the legendary skin-changer, Ulf Bodvarsson… He could feel the wolf inside him at all times. Sensing danger, it growled, biting at his rib cage to be unleashed onto the world.”

From that moment on, the novel peels back its historical mask to reveal a deeper, mythic conflict—one that predates both Christianity and Islam. The Crusade is no longer just a clash of kingdoms, but a battleground between mankind and something primal. Still, the supernatural never takes over entirely. Irons keeps the story rooted in the harsh, chaotic truth of medieval warfare. The battles are frantic, uncoordinated, and cruel and soldiers die in confusion, from thirst, heat, or even friendly fire. The True Cross—a sacred Christian relic—loses its power in the face of overwhelming despair and when the rout begins, the collapse isn’t just bad—it’s total. The army falls apart, men flee in panic, and whatever faith or structure they had is completely wiped out.

“The battle was over before it began… More of Guy’s infantry started to break for the horns. Guy spoke rapidly to the nobles at his sides, pointing with his free hand, but nothing changed. Then the last of the infantry bolted. Cutnose snarled in disgust, running after them. We are a herd of goats hounded by a pack of wolves.”

The structure of the novel is tight and relentless. Chapters move swiftly, but never at the cost of depth. Dialogue is sharp and weary with soldiers cracking bitter jokes, issuing frantic orders, and whispering to saints who never answer. The pacing mirrors the army’s march: driven, desperate, and punctuated by short, brutal halts. While the book features many historical characters (including Guy of Lusignan, Raymond of Tripoli, Saladin, and Balian of Ibelin), it makes creative use of fictional elements. Locations like Krak de Chasseurs and secret orders such as the "Order of the Stag and Cross" are invented, and the inclusion of supernatural warriors adds a mythical edge. A helpful character list at the beginning distinguishes historical figures from fictional ones, grounding the fantasy in a solid historical framework.

At its core, "Sands of Bone" is about more than war. It’s about what it means to carry something sacred and monstrous through a world that’s forgotten what those words mean. Irons offers no easy answers. What does it mean to carry sacred power when the sacred has abandoned you? What does it mean to be monstrous in a world that rewards cruelty? "Sands of Bone" doesn’t moralize but rather demands you feel these questions. This book is definitely not for someone looking for a feel-good historical drama with gallant knights and noble speeches but rather for readers who like their historical fiction gritty, raw, and just a little bit messed up. Its the perfect pick for readers who want to feel the dust in their mouth, the burn of the sun on their back, and the moral collapse of war up close.

Five Stars from The Historical Fiction Company and the “Highly Recommended” award of excellence

---

To have your historical novel editorially reviewed and/or enter the HFC Book of the Year contest, please visit www.thehistoricalfictioncompany.com/book-awards/award-submission