| Title | : | Wrath (The Faithful and the Fallen, #4) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1447259688 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781447259688 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 720 |
| Publication | : | First published November 17, 2016 |
| Awards | : | David Gemmell Legend Award Best Fantasy Novel (2017), David Gemmell Ravenheart Award Best Fantasy Cover Art (2017), BookNest Award Best Traditionally Published Novel (2017) |
Meanwhile Corban has been taken prisoner by the Jotun, warrior giants who ride their enormous bears into battle. His warband scattered, Corban must make new allies if he hopes to survive. But can he bond with competing factions of warlike giants? Somehow he must, if he's to counter the threat Nathair represents.
His life hangs in the balance - and with it, the fate of the Banished Lands.
Wrath (The Faithful and the Fallen, #4) Reviews
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Masterpiece.
Mark my words, if this series ever gets adapted into a television series with the same production value given to Game of Thrones, it will create a myriad of fan bases all over the world. Watch out George R. R. Martin, while you’re waiting for the breeze from the Winds of Winter to come, John Gwynne has appeared out of nowhere and he has conquered the genre; the apprentice has become the master.
Wrath is, in my opinion, the best out of the four books in the series, which means the series always got better with each installment and with its completion I’ve decided to include John in my list of favorite authors of all time. That makes him one of my very few auto-buy authors; along with Brandon Sanderson and Joe Abercrombie, I’ll be content with buying every book they write.
“It will be a dark day, a bloody day, a proud day, for this is the day of our wrath.”
I'll start off my review with two simple questions.
1. Does this series provide something new to the genre?
No, almost every single plot device here has been done before.
2. Is it good?
No, good is a really huge understatement. It’s damn near perfection for its genre. The series is written in a way that will hit home for most every epic fantasy lover of the Good vs Evil theme; it triggered a strong sense of nostalgia and reminded me why I love the theme in the first place, but with a slight changes that this time: the undertone is darker in a sense that it's quite similar to GRRM’s A Song of Ice And Fire series.
I won't go into any details on what the plot is about; so don't worry, you're safe to read this review if you haven't started the series. I'll let you know some basic outline of the series, such as the entire series revolves around the concept of 'Good vs Evil’, which grows in complexity as the series progresses. The entire story spans around five years and during this period of time, a lot of characters development and monumental events transpire. After the bloody cliffhanger of Ruin, Wrath starts off right where the story left off and manages to conclude everything that was initiated in Malice with a satisfying and emotional ending. It's a fantastically written culmination of the entire series and if that still doesn't convince you to read it, please continue reading this review.
Although throughout the series the story only gets darker as it progresses, I must remind you that this epic fantasy never goes into the 'grimdark' territory. The main reasons for this are because all the main characters are really compelling and lovable, other than one or two characters, and none of them has a gray moral code. Once you reach the second book, it's really clear who belongs to which side of the coin in the story.
The entire series is really massive in its scope with Ruin & Wrath being the biggest. It's the only series I read so far that uses the entire map; literally ALL locales are visited throughout the series, and it's also filled with a uniquely huge cast of characters. I'm not exaggerating, there are literally more than one hundred characters to remember. This may intimidate some readers but don't be afraid, John's writing makes it really easy to remember all of them once you managed to get through the first book. Plus, starting from the second book and so on, there’s a glossary of characters right at the beginning of each book with a brief summary of what happened to each of them in the previous installment. Although we follow more than fifteen perspectives throughout the entire series, it's amazing that none of the narratives ever sounds the same, but are all unique and intriguing. ALL of these characters will evoke all kinds of emotions in the readers; you’ll love the protagonists, you'll care about them and fear for them. And as for the villains, you'll hate them and you’ll look forward to seeing vengeance poured upon them. They are all so well written that it’s almost impossible to be unconcerned about their fates.
“To my thinking, though, it's what happens before death that's important. All of us die. How many really live?”
The Faithful and the Fallen contains tons of action spread throughout the series and all of them are superbly written. Now, sometimes when there are too many action scenes in a series, it gets harder to connect with the characters. This is what the first book is for: it's a foundation, it provides nourishment for the rest of the series. Malice is a really slow-paced and character-driven book, exploring every important characters' backgrounds and personalities and everything else that makes us truly care about them. We see the growth of the surviving characters, and there are plenty of amazing developments lying in store for them. Valor, Ruin, and Wrath are really plot and action-oriented with the characters' development on the secondary pedestal. This means that the pacing becomes faster and faster as the series goes by; not only did chapters end with cliffhangers most of the time, it’s practically war after war from the second book until the conclusion of Wrath, making for an addictive read.
The greatest praise I could give towards Wrath will have to be regarding its climax sequences. The final war in Wrath literally involved all of the armies in the entire world of the Banished Lands in one single location. Humans, animals, giants, and mythical creatures all clashed, and the rapid POV shifts between both opposing sides resulted in a phenomenal manifestation of chaos and destruction. As I said before, the whole series has always been full of action sequences with a great climax in each installment, but Wrath managed to take it up to a whole new level within its mind-blowing 160 pages of climax sequences. A myriad of coup de grace was delivered to both good and evil sides. It’s relentless, brutal, poignant, savage, and epic in the true meaning of the word. It’s one of the best actions sequences I've ever read in my whole life. It’s pretty obvious that John’s knowledge of close quarter combat is really vast, because the battle details are superb, intricate, highly imaginative and exhilarating, providing a rich and immersive experience.
John's writing has always been impeccable since the first book and it always improves with each installment. During multiple circumstances, the words actually transformed into literal scenes in my head. It's like I wasn’t even reading anymore; I was actually living inside the letters. I watched all the scenes play out from the characters' POV vividly. I was actually inside the story and that is one of the best senses of immersion I could ever receive as a reader. It's the kind of experience I'm looking for in a book.
For the past nineteen days, I spent most of my life in the Banished Lands. Other than working for my basic needs of consumption, I literally spent all of my time reading this series and it was totally worth it. It’s bittersweet, really. Wrath wrapped up everything with a really satisfying and emotional conclusion. I’m filled with gratitude for getting the chance to read this series, and even discuss it with the author himself as I progressed through it. However, I’m left with sorrow that my time in the Banished Lands is at its end (for now), and it’s really depressing to know that a lot of other underwhelming series are famous as hell, while here we have a work of excellence which is highly overlooked.
It’s time for me to say goodbye to the Banished Lands, at least for now, until John’s next series Of Blood and Bone get published next January. A Time of Dread, the first book in the new series, will take place around 130 years after the events of Wrath and I can’t wait to read it already. The nostalgia factor that this new series will hold will be huge and judging from the time gap, I envision we will get to see all our beloved characters as legendary figures.
For those of you who haven’t read this series, do yourself a favor; it's time to catch up and enjoy this emotional roller-coaster. The Faithful and the Fallen provides one hell of an experience and there’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn't read this series if you love the epic fantasy genre. I’m going to recommend the shit out of this series to every fantasy reader I know as right now, in my opinion, John Gwynne is one of the kings and the most underrated author of all time in the genre. The Faithful And The Fallen managed to go down not only as one of the best epic fantasy series I've ever read but also as one of my top three best series of all time. Welcome to the big leagues, John. You deserve it, completely. Truth and Courage!
Series review
Malice:
4.5/5 stars
Valor:
5/5 stars
Ruin:
5/5 stars
Wrath: 5/5 stars
The Faithful and the Fallen: 19.5/20 stars
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A breathtakingly incredible finale to one of the greatest fantasy series of all-time!
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Wow. I'm not sure I will be able to come up with the words to adequately explain how wonderful I thought this book, and this series were. I read a lot of fantasy, and I can confidently say that Wrath is now easily one of the best books I have ever read, and this series as a whole is now my second favorite series of all-time.
First, I want to talk about Wrath specifically. This book had the huge burden of having to wrap up a series that had been fantastic up to this point, and to bring in the culmination of a large number of character arcs that have been slowly developing over time. Not only did it achieve this, but it absolutely knocked it out of the park in spectacular fashion. While I can't say that every single character arc felt ultimately satisfyingly, as there were many main character deaths in this book, but they all felt earned and appropriate for the moment.
The story itself wrapped up a bit predictable, but the journey that you were taken on as a reader was fantastic. This story was the definition of epic, and the writing was done in such a vivid way that you really felt there with the characters. The last 1/3 of this book had me glued to the book, and emotionally invested in the events in a way that very few books have ever done. I don't often have emotional reactions to events in books, in fact the only books I can remember having literal goosebumps from have been books written by Brandon Sanderson and Steven Erikson - but this book had many moments that left me breathless and put chills down my spine.
I am absolutely in love with how well John Gwynne got better at his writing skills as these books went along, particularly in his expert usage of shifting POVs. He absolutely nails the strategic use of shifting the POV of characters at pivotal moments, not to leave you with a cliffhanger, but to give you an alternate view of the same moment from someone else. In this book he uses it routinely in pivotal moments, and it was appreciated every single time he did it.
The battle scenes in this book were incredible, and possibly the best I have ever read. The final battle in Malazan: Book of the Fallen was possibly just as good as the final battle in this one, but more so due to the epic scope of that battle than the writing of the battle itself. I am not a huge fan of battle scenes, and I typically lose a bit of focus and don't entirely understand what is happening and am less interested than the rest of the book. But Gwynne writes in such a way that you understand exactly what is happening, and it feels intense and real. He really is the king of writing battle sequences.
I was a bit disappointed in the previous two books that we didn't get much development in the magic that is used in this series, and we didn't have any more descriptions of mythical beasts. But these were both brought home in this book and it left me incredibly satisfied.
I cannot recommend this book enough, and I can confidently say that every book in this series kept getting better. The first book was a 5/5 stars, but somehow each got better than the last.
Now, I want to talk about this series as a whole. This is a special series, and as I mentioned above is my second favorite series of all time now behind Malazan (which I don't think will ever be topped). There are so many reasons I loved this series, but I want to point out a few that really stood out to me.
Without ruining anything, there is one character in this series who is a big fan-favorite for obvious reasons, who goes from a very minor character in the first book who doesn't have a POV, to one of the most incredible characters of all-time and a main POV. I don't ever recall this happening in a book I have read before, where you slowly realize over time the person you are reading about is one of the best characters in all of fantasy.
The use of POVs in this book was incredible, and I love how Gwynne introduced some different POVs in each book. Too many fantasy books stick to the same group of POV characters in each of their books, and I really think authors can benefit by using what Gwynne did here by bringing in more variation in each book.
Finally, the way that Gwynne used a mix of morally good, bad, and grey characters was incredible. Many books (think Sanderson) have very clear morally good/bad characters, and many books (think Abercrombie) have very clear morally grey characters. But Gwynne mixed in both of these in such an amazing way, and it was very satisfying that he was able to give readers who enjoy both of these archetypes something to enjoy.
If you haven't read The Faithful and the Fallen yet, and you call yourself a fan of fantasy books, you need to drop everything you are doing right now and go start this series. -
I'm prepared for everything to be set to rights and for me to have my happy ending in this book. Not!
The beginning bits of this book and other parts of this book made me so freaking happy I thought I was going to fall over!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you, Brina! I love you, I love you, I love you! And for certain people dying!!!! Yessssssssssssssssssssssss!
And then there were the moments toward the end that you couldn't even speak to me. I was too angry and heart heavy.
Our heroes and EVIL ones battled on until their last breath through-out the book, well last breath for some! It was all freaking epic. All four of the books in this series are nothing but EPIC!
We got to watch Corban grow from a boy to a warrior through-out these books as well, with his wolf, Storm, by his side.
And Corban had the most wonderful friends. I loved them all, the ones that lived, the ones that died. Cywen: his sister. Gar: his father figure, trainer, best friend. Brina: the healer and friend. Dath: his best friend. Coralen: his friend & his love interest. Look, there are just too many people to name.
If you love epic fantasy that will rip your heart out this is the one. It's filled with bloody battles, giants, cool animals, awesome warriors, great friends and a whole lot of evil and cray.
Book 1 :
Malice
Book 2 :
Valor
Book 3 :
Ruin
Book 4 :
Wrath
These books were so awesome. Kudos to John Gwynne for this debut series. I hope more people read these books and loathe and love them as much as I did, they are truly worth it. Just don't love any characters too much - you have been fore warned
Even though more people died, I am very happy with the ending and I shed tears through the whole book from all kinds of feels. That's what makes a book a book - the feels.
And trust me, you will find those feels in this book!
FIN
MY BLOG:
Melissa Martin's Reading List -
If you follow the frequency of my reviews then you will be able to analyse that I have devoured the stories from John Gwynne's fantasy epic saga, The Faithful and the Fallen at an inhuman pace, and the reason for this is that they are spectacularly envisaged works of art. I always find the final book in a series that I have committed about seventy hours of my time into reading is the most difficult to write a review about. This is due to no longer being able to escape within and have my senses bombarded by the unpredictable, exhilarating action of The Banished Lands, which has an emotional impact on me, and also that a certain amount of what I have stated in the previous novels' reviews about characters, techniques, devices and editing are still prevalent here; however, I do not wish to recycle the same points written previously.
The book commences after the bloody battle of Drassil which can be seen at Ruin's finale. The Bright Star's band of varied companions seem to be beaten, battered and scattered following on from the events that were presented at the prior novels' climactic conclusion. Up until that stage, they were truly united by the undying hope that the God Elyon will return and that the macabre dark Satan-esque Asroth will not be made flesh to wreck havoc on the world. The opposing forces lead by Nathair and Calidus are in control of Drassil now, the Giant erected magnificent fortress where the majority of the seven legendary treasures are currently kept guarded within their possession. However, an important issue that haunts both sides as the book begins is the question, worrying all involved because of the impact it could have on the God-War is - where is Corban?
Similar to the previous striking spectacles in the series, there are sparring factions and confrontations throughout the entire landscape of the Banished Lands, however; all involved now seem to acknowledge that they are part of something larger than their own existence with the looming likeliness of a true convergence at an ultimate showdown that hangs the future of the world in a balance.
There are so many epic duals, showdowns, battles, betrayals and bloodshed that Wrath arguably contains more action than a Jet Li highlight reel. The pace is breakneck and constant too after the foundations are set at the start of the story. Family, loyalty, honour and respect are important aspects also. It isn't all dark and despondent. Some characters cross paths who met early on in Malice or Valour and I could relate completely to the emotions felt from the elegance of the writing and the journey that I had walked in the footsteps of these individuals. Whether is is Maquin crossing paths with one of his nemesis's Jael or Veradis meeting Cywen again, who previously respected but never quite understood each others' needs or views - some of the reuniting makes for amazing drama. I occasionally was given goosebumps. Although the world and cast are huge, until this story all the players and cities had not been introduced or frequented, respectively. This adds to the level of the excitement as there are still secrets and unscratched surfaces for readers to find out about. This time we are introduced to the Jotun giant race who are very important in Corban's narrative and we follow a certain faction to the believed abandoned grassland plains of Arcona, with the ambition of finding the Starstone Torc. We meet a few people in confrontations that I truly believed were only the work of the world's fables or legends. The history is so well developed now that is almost a living breathing entity in the pages here. In addition, I had a soft spot for the new addition, orphan forest-child Meg who becomes important to Edana and Camlin's storyline. Slightly off topic but I have to state that two of the most interesting members of the epic's ensemble are not human. Corban's Wolven companion Storm and arguably, one the best and most influential characters is Craf, the talking crow.
The warbands are now aligned and set in stone about halfway through this book. The people whose minds we have been floating within for three and a half books meet characters we have also known for that amount of time and their meetings happen prior to the showdown, yet are not always convenient, straightforward and without confrontation. As well as the above-mentioned character reuniting scenes; it is interesting when individuals who know each other often only by notorious, confused or opposing reputations meet. Corban meeting Veradis and Alycon meeting Balur-One Eye are just two fine examples. It is intriguing to see how these characters we have known, loved, hated and despised all intertwine and what effect it has on the overall outcome.
A feature I really liked about this series is that the majority main characters were present in all the stories; of course if they were still alive. So unlike, A Song of Ice and Fire or Malazan: Book of the Fallen where main protagonists are not featured in numerous tales in-between, such as Anomader Rake who appears in Malazan #3 and then does not reappear until Malazan #8, I truly felt close to the created cast of The Faithful and The Fallen.
It is really interesting when points of view characters discuss in their mind people on the horizon, in the battle or in their peripheral vision and I found it quite gratifying being able to acknowledge who they are talking about. Putting the pieces of the puzzle together for the final sections of the series.
Another engaging factor too is that some highly influential characters whose actions and deeds were only presented by other points of view perspectives previously have their own point of view chapters here. Most notably in Nathair. It adds greatly to his already complex characters depth and I analysed that there is no such thing as either black and white or wholly good and evil within the human characters. Nathair's internal monologues about his mother, about his First Sword and his potential destiny, did make me sympathise with him, made me shout at my page to "wake up", "snap out of it", "you are better than this" and this side of his persona hadn't been presented before.
The final twenty-five percent is arguably one the best-composed battle sections I have read in fantasy and then the following on resulting events. It is like a game of chess but unlike the Ancient Greek Gods, the human's are the characters that are predominantly in charge, making the moves and the domino effect, ripples and repercussions of certain actions which take the adventure down highly ingenious and unpredictable avenues.
Please do not tell anybody, but I did cry at certain segments whilst reading this book. Occasionally from joviality, however, more often from utter despair. I told my housemate I had some dust in my eye so hopefully he still thinks that I am a cool person. I found the end sequences highly engrossing, satisfying, quite brutal and heartbreaking with some of the deaths but fascinatingly, so much could still happen in The Banished Lands. Gwynne advised me his next book DREAD is set there many generations later. I am intrigued to see if the characters we have followed here and in the previous three books become the new legends and mythical heroes embroidered in his future narrative.
James Tivendale. -
Another buddy read with my besties at BB&B
5 BRIGHT STARS ★★★★★(ง •̀_•́)ง
'DEATH TO OUR ENEMIES,
TRUTH AND COURAGE'
‘I’m coming for you, Lykos,’ Maquin bellowed through cupped hands, ‘and neither demons from the Otherworld nor flesh and blood will stop me.’
Seriously how does one right a review for such an incredible book? This book has changed my life and this review will be emotional mess with a lot of word vomit.
This book was so brutal I can't even believe I got through it, do not read this book unless you are a blood thirsty little petal like myself, it is hectic and probably the most brutal/badass book I have ever read in my whole entire life.
So here we go for a debut series, I am so impressed. John Gwynne is an amazing author & an amazing person. He had everything in this series; awesome characters, awful bad guys, Giants, wyrms, draigs, wolvens, demons, Angels so basically you name it, I bet it was in the story. He definitely has a fan for life and I'm proud to say I'm one of his biggest fans. Yay. But I must say you have killed me and it hurts so much.‘This day,’ he cried, shouting now, ‘we will live or die, but whatever the outcome, this will still be the day we avenge ourselves for those we’ve lost, the day we right the wrongs done to us, or die in the trying. It will be a dark day, a bloody day, a proud day, for this is the day of our wrath.’ ‘WRATH,’ the cry went up, ringing and echoing through the branches. ‘WRATH.’
One of my most anticipated books for the year and I was not disappointed at all. and it was basically just one big battle. I literally wish I could give this book one thousand stars, seriously what a fantastic ending to an awesome series, I am so impressed by this book I can't even breath when I think about it. I am going to try my hardest to not burst out crying while writing this review, this book was an emotional rollercoaster to say the least and it did kill me. I have never felt so hurt after reading the last book to a series, normally the last book is rainbows and kittens. This book certainly wasn't, everyone I love either died or was badly hurt, there were points were I couldn't even keep reading because my heart was so heavy and I literally had no more tears left to cry. I have never been so emotionally drained after a book in my life. But in saying that it was FUCKING EPIC & I don't have words to tell everyone how much I LOVED IT. That ending omg, I just want to scream and cry tears of joy/sadness.‘Yes. So don’t go getting carried away and running off to stab people.’ ‘This is a day for stabbing people.’
This book is definitely going on my favorites shelf, I found this book to be the best of all four and probably my second favorite book ever, so YES I LOVED IT THAT MUCH. I had no issues with the writing, I did however find five spelling mistakes but I'm going to totally let them slip because the story was so amazing, I also didn't like the overuse of the word 'Ach' it annoys me but it was still so brutal and badass. Wrath was extremely fast paced and all questions us readers had were answered. The last 30% of this book is seriously probably one of the best endings to a series I have ever read and the greatest thing I've ever read aswell. I'm not going to go into details because the whole review would be spoilers.‘The enemy of my enemy,’ Corban shrugged, remembering Balur had said those same words to him in Murias. ‘That’s no answer,’ Ildaer rumbled. ‘What do you fight for, if not Elyon?’ ‘For my kin and loved ones. So that we will not be enslaved or murdered. I’ve seen the Kadoshim, seen only a brief glimpse of what they would do, and it is terrible. I fight against that. I fight for my freedom.’
I love all the character development in this book, especially Corban. I honestly can't believe how strong his character has become. All he cares about is his friends and family and I love that. I found Corban less childish in this book and feel like he finally fits the boots of the Bright Star.The warrior’s face filled her mind, beaten and scarred. Proud. Fierce.
Maquin & Fidele, I don't want to say to much but I love them so much. They are my favorite book couple ever and Maquin is one of my favorite male characters ever, my old wolf <3 he did a complete 360 in this book and turned into a fucking psycho I loved it so much. I could literally write my whole review just on Maquin. Like seriously how many warriors can kill everything and everyone even with their bare hands.. None except for my old wolf.Ahh Maquin *dreamy sigh then bursting into tears*In half a dozen strokes of his sword four men were dead or bleeding out on the floor. Maquin screamed wordless joy as the battle-rage took him and he strode through them like death itself, parrying, chopping, stabbing. He left one of his swords stuck in an enemy’s spine, drew a knife and fought on .
My favorite part of the whole book; *heart eyes*You are precious to me,’ she finished, her courage fading at the last, her eyes dropping away. A silence settled on them. The chattering of the stream, the sounds of Veradis’ warband making ready for their expedition, all faded around her. Maquin moved, suddenly close to her, a handspan between them, and her heart was racing. He leaned closer and kissed her lips, a soft caress. ‘I came back from death for you,’ he said, his voice a whispered tremor. ‘For me it was always forever, however long that may be. And those words you just spoke, they are the greatest gift I’ve ever been given. They are written upon my heart and soul.’ ‘Then let me give you another gift,’ she said, smiling, her heart soaring, grabbing his leather jerkin
Thanks for melting my heart and making me cry tears of blood (pun intended)
Coralen impressed me throughout the series and it's safe to say she's so badass.
Cywen is another character who impressed me from beginning to end. She's so fierce, passionate, caring & badass. She's the whole package.
I thought I felt sorry for Nathair ... Turns out I didn't haha.'Nathair considered his allies. A drunken pirate. A demon-possessed attraction to flies and a half-burned Kadoshim. How have I sunk so low?'
Brina was so amazing in this book, she's an incredible character that I will never forget and Craf <33 he was so polite in this book lol.'Brina, are you sober?’ ‘What?’ ‘You don’t usually appear to like anyone, is all.’ ‘I like Storm,’ Brina said and poked him with a bony finger. ‘Make the most of it,’ she added, ‘I doubt it’ll last.’
There was some EPIC battles in this book, like some of the best I've ever read in my life. Move over George RR Martin you are no longer king of writing battles that title goes to John Gywnne now :)
If you guys wanna no more I suggest reading the series because my lips are sealed on this one :D
Right now I'm just going to go and ugly cry for eternity. Yep seriously. Bye.
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What a superb finish to this series. This is fantasy with heart.
Wrath continues the story exactly from where Ruin’s…ruinous ending left everything hanging precariously in the balance. I kid you not when I call the closing chapter devastating. My poor heart was tested to the limit with a seriously heart-wrenching scene.
Pain shuddered through Corban’s chest, as if someone were gripping his heart, squeezing and twisting it. He couldn’t breathe; his sorrow was a physical thing that crushed the air from his lungs.
So does John Gwynne take it easy on us and just ease our troubled minds in the opening chapter? NOPE. Suffer, suffer, suffer, stress, stress, stress. *points out new grey hairs. I would love to give you peace of mind that all is well with our loved characters if you have been through the same tumultuous ROLLER-COASTER OF PAIN, but sorry friend. *waves hand – this is not the review you are looking for. NO SPOILERS. Muhahahahaha.
The story is so much of everything I love. Whilst continuing the story of right and wrong with lots of grey, Wrath is so much more than a fight between two sides with the future of the world in the balance. It is sum of the characters put to page and the relationships they build. The loyalty they both evoke and express and the lengths they will go to for one another, how they will fight when hope is but a dream. This is evidenced time and time again throughout this series and makes it a pure joy to read.
‘‘And if there is no chance of victory, then what of vengeance? Do more than talk and whine: seek your vengeance for those fallen. Or would you rather wallow in self-pity than try to save your loved ones?
The pace is relentless, and it does not falter at all – 700+ page book? Pfft, felt like 400 pages. There is humour, action, love, death, betrayals, surprises, lots of fighting with glorious battles both small and large and magnificent sword fights, angels, demons, magic, giants, wolves, draigs and much more! Bloodthirsty? Step right up!
It was the figure that was always surrounded by billowing clouds of flies. It paused before her, one fist grabbing her chin and lifting it to stare into her eyes, though there was nothing there; its eyes were black, soulless wells. A lunatic grin twisted its mouth and a black tongue flickered out from its mouth, thick and swollen, and slowly licked her cheek. She retched from its foul breath, but the Kadoshim held her immovable while flies crawled over her face, up her nose. ‘One day, soon,’ it whispered in her ear. ‘I will crush your skull and suck the jelly from your eyes.’
I loved it and I’m convinced most fantasy lovers will too.
My one dislike, was that so many of the good guys crossed the Bridge of Swords. That’s Banished Land-ish for ‘died’ to those of you yet to dip your toe into the Faithfull and Fallen series. While very realistic and not unexpected with battles of this quantity and scope, I fervently wished for them all to make it through unscathed and was saddened several times in the closing stages. Like I said though, not unexpected.
Bottom line is John Gwynne has managed to write a satisfying conclusion with this thrilling finale of what is one the best epic fantasy series in recent years. Frankly it is a crime how many people are unfamiliar with it and if this genre is your thing and you have not yet read this, change that ASAP.
This series is without a doubt Sword and Sorcery of the highest echelon! I cannot wait to reads his next series set 150 years or so into the future of this same world.
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*** 4.65 ***
A buddy read with the Fantasy Fanatics at FBR Group...“Truth and Courage!”
"..."‘This day,’ he cried, shouting now, ‘we will live or die, but whatever the outcome, this will still be the day we avenge ourselves for those we’ve lost, the day we right the wrongs done to us, or die in the trying. It will be a dark day, a bloody day, a proud day, for this is the day of our WRATH!’"..."
Our little boy, our naive and carefree boy we met in the fields, playing with his friends and dreaming of adventures, our Corban has grown up to be a man of Valor, rejecting the rain of Malice and surviving through almost the complete destruction and desolation of Ruin, to emerge as one of the least prepossessing, but highly beloved young heroes of the Epic Fantasy Genre. And when I think how many times I resisted starting this last book in the series, because I was terrified of how things might go... I was at least partially right to be afraid - John Gwynne has no issues killing beloved characters off left and right, completely ignoring the pain and agony that might cost us, the readers... Yes, I am all for reality in my Fantasy, but sometimes, just sometimes, give us a break and let us believe that some of them get to have a happy life somewhere off page and we never have to worry about them again...
"...“To my thinking, though, it's what happens before death that's important. All of us die. How many really live?”..."
The Banished Lands is in the last throws of the God War. The sides are clearly delineated and the side of the Bright Star seems to be loosing on all fronts... The stronghold has been taken over by the Evil
Black Sun and the minions of Asroth, who is the Big-Bad in the Otherworld, and they seem to have overtaken most of the kingdoms in the land. The rag-tag survivors are trying not only to gather themselves once again, but to find a reason to fight, a reason and a symbol to hang on to their honor and continue fighting for all the good and loving things we all cherish. It is very difficult to do so, when the people are debilitated by fear, overwhelmed by hopelessness, and panic has overrun their higher thinking, bringing everyone down to the level of self-preservation at any cost. But little by little, the broken pieces of the resistance begin healing themselves and some semblance of fighting spirit returns, letting them rise again.
"..."All feel fear, both the coward and the hero, and all those in between... it's what we do about it that counts."..."
Let start by reminding everyone that this is Mr. Gwynne's first ever series. The writing has improved dramatically from the first book on and I can say, by this book he is a master of telling one dynamic and very engaging story. The multiple POV's make it seem like a movie made with multiple cameras and you can perceive the action and plot from all sides, giving you just enough room for surprises and little blind-spots, so you are constantly on your toes. As entertaining and emotional as the story is, there were some things I would have liked to know more about, particularly the seven treasures, which in my opinion, turned more into scavenger hunt objects, instead of real mythical objects with weight and history of their own. I also had issues with characters continuing their life span quite artificially, beyond their true usefulness as prominent players, since they had already made a very memorable mark, but I guess no one is perfect and the bad was overwhelmed with degrees by the good , so I am not going to complain about it. Yes, there were characters I would have rather seen staying alive by the end of the book, but once again, I have to trust the author with knowing what fits best the story he wants to tell us. Once I actually started reading, I could not put the book down and I feel lucky to have stumbled across this series from the moment it came out, giving me the privilege to be able to follow this very talented author as he grows.
If you are a fan of Fantasy and Epic Fantasy with some dark realism to it, this is a series I would heartily recommend. For all the blood and gore, there are no gratuitous violence or unnecessary cruelty. This is another book in the tradition of Good vs. Evil and the readership is richer for its existence. Now I am going to go curl up with some tea and chocolate and cry for the characters I loved ... Maybe I will feel better later...
"...“So much emotion wrapped up in weakness, leading you to attempt the impossible, lying to yourself, time and time again. Hope, I think you call it.” ..."
Now I wish you all Happy Reading and may you find what you Need in the pages of a good book!!! -
Actual rating: 4.5 stars.
A glorious ending to a masterful series! Well, it is, but that wasn't the first thought that crossed my mind as I closed the book. Actually, my mind was something more like this: "Fucking hell!", and not in a "This was so awesome!" way but in a "I want to punch something!" way. I was so angry that I almost knocked off a star but I couldn’t because I love this series too much. It’s like waking up next to your partner and thinking; "I could smother her/him with a pillow or I could make breakfast. *Sigh* Pancakes it is".
It’s hard to explain why I was so angry without spoilers so read the next section at your own risk.
SPOILER
The main reason for my anger is Lykos and not because of the fact that he was an evil fucking bastard but because I had to read six hundred fucking pages to see him dead. This asshole managed to slip from being killed too many times and that was really annoying but I wasn’t mad solely because of that. The last time he kidnapped Fidele was really unnecessary but I can understand the Gwynne wanted to give Maquin the reason to follow him to the island of Kletva but that should have been the end of him. Maquin could have killed him there and save Fidele and one of those Kadoshim could have escaped with the torc. Instead, Fidele died because of this slippery fuck. I felt sorry for her but I wasn’t mad. I was mad because of Maquin. After all the shit he’s been through, he even returned from the dead for fucks sake, he deserved a better ending. After Fidele’s death he lost the will to live and sacrificed himself to save Haelan so he could be with her beyond the bridge of swords and have a poetic ending. Fuck that, I say! Even the death of Krelis could have been avoided but because Lykos escaped death, AGAIN, he was another pointless victim.
I had issues with Rafe as well. He also escaped death too many times and because of that Halion died, but my main issue with him is that he had his final fight with Camlin instead of Corban. He even drank from the starstone cup and became Captain Ardan and wanted to use those newfound powers to kill Corban and avenge his father’s death. He and Corban were rivals from the beginning and their rivalry should have ended with their final Court of Swords. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad Camlin killed the annoying bully but I would have been much happier if Corban did it.
END SPOILER
With the negative stuff out of the way, I should explain why I loved this book/series so much.
I’m a big fan of Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings trilogy so whenever I finish reading a series such as this, I always find myself comparing it with LotR and this series is the closest thing I’ve read in terms of the epic proportions of the story. Great story doesn’t mean shit without great characters and this series has an abundance of great, compelling and diverse characters and it was hard for me to pick the favorite but if had to, I would pick Maquin and Camlin because their progression had a great impact on me and it showed that Gwynne has great talent when it comes to the characterization.
This book is all about the final showdown so if you enjoy reading about sword fighting and similar close combat encounters, this is a book for you because there are myriad of battles here that will keep you at the edge of your seat. There is a plethora of small details used to vividly express each fight and make them believable and the attention to those details is simply astonishing.
This was a long journey that ended in a satisfying way and I’m very glad I was a part of it. This series now takes place in my top five and Gwynne has cemented himself on my favorite authors list. His next book A Time of Dread, which starts the new series Of Blood and Bone, has the number one spot on my most anticipated books list and I can’t wait to once again roam the Banished Lands and experience another epic journey which I’m sure I’ll enjoy as much as this one. -
Truth and courage
Astonishing, amazing, beyond all expectations, this series is just the best, love all the books in the series.
The battle scenes were just amazing! The different POVs made it even better, don’t even get me started on the depictions, I still can’t believe that this is a debut series, I can only think of a few authors that write this great. The friendship and loyalty of the characters is the best I’ve ever read. All but one of my ship is now sailing.
World building and Writing
I’ve already mentioned in my reviews of the other books in this series how great the world building is, yet the author still managed to wow me with its improvement, not to mention the amazing depiction of one new location in this. The book is still written in third person multiple POVs like the rest, just one new POV of an old character, the rest POVs are same with the previous books.
If you are spoiler sensitive or haven’t read the first three books, I’ll suggest you don’t go further, because in as much as this is spoiler free, I’ll still mention events that happened in the previous books
Characters
Corban my favourite in the whole series, his character development is just the best, we get to see him grow into the role of the Bright Star, he is such a great leader, one of the best things about him is that he listens, he is stubborn but listens to people around him when they advice him, he is not a pushover and always do what is in his heart as long as it is right.
Cywen his elder sister, I love her so much, she is so skilful with knives and now she has added the skills of a healer into the list of things she can do, she is not bossy nor try to pull elder shit with Corban but listens to him, their love for each other is boundless.
Coralen is the badass female character here, one who I also enjoy her character growth, she started off as standoffish but now she has adapted into the inner circle of Corban and friends, they plot and execute the plans together.
Veradis is a gem, he abandoned everything he ever knew when he realized he was on the wrong side, mind you wrong not the losing side, he is indeed a true heart, I really love how events turn out for him in this.
Nathair, I actually felt bad for him at first, but now I don’t. He killed Aquillus when he thought he was the Bright Star cause of greed, he is too desperate and cause of that he sold his soul to Astroth, now that is a step too far.
Camlin another gem heart, he started off bad but found his way and haven’t lost it since then, he stayed with them when he could leave, he is not even from Ardan but from Narvon. I love his relationship with Edana, love that she and the other men don’t judge him for past but for his present actions, don’t even get me started on Meg that he adopted, him and that girl is the perfect companion, they need each other.
Lykos the only bad guy that I love his POV, his internal monologue is crazy, he knows he is evil and has accepted that.
Dath and Farrell, the kind of friends I need, I remember them in the first book and I can’t believe how far they have come, they are loyal AF, and also selfless.
Storm is as amazing as ever! Same as Craf and Buddai, her cubs are just like her, I’ll not want to be Corban’s enemy.
I’ll just mention the rest characters that I love, they are just too many to discuss individually, Brina, Gar, Edana, Halion, Vonn, Maquin, Fidele, Krelis, Tahir, Haelan, Javed, Laith, Alycon and a host of others. -
Here is a link to a wonderful discussion of Wrath that I was invited to join. Thank you to Petrik, Abby, Allen, Philip and Alex for sharing your thoughts on The Faithful and the Fallen. Truth and Courage!
Wrath - Discussion -
John Gwynne is a damn psychopath
-
Full review now posted!
Rating: 6/5 stars
This is the most satisfying finale I’ve ever read.
I just spent some time rearranging my bookshelves, because this series has become one I desperately want in my living room. I want it to be one of the first series people see when they walk in my house. It’s now gracing a shelf with Harry Potter, The King Killer Chronicles, and Tolkien’s Middle Earth books. The Faithful and the Fallen has truly usurped A Song of Ice and Fire in my heart and mind, and has relegated my copies to the study. Remember when I said, “Move over, GRRM, because Gwynne is here to steal yo’ girl,” in my review of Malice? That’s literally what happened to my bookshelf. GRRM has been deposed, and has lost the game of thrones when it comes to bookshelf dominance.
“To my thinking, though, it's what happens before death that's important. All of us die. How many really live?”
This is a hard series to review without spoiling, so I’m going to refrain from mentioning any specific characters, though I long to do so. If you’ve read the books and would like to discuss, find me on Goodreads and I would be more than happy to discuss them with you. If you’re just picking them up and want someone to gush and mourn with you as you read, I’m your girl. But in the hopes of convincing others to read this marvelous series, I’m not going to get into specifics so that I don’t accidentally spoil them for anyone. I’ll instead be writing about what the books, this volume in particular, have made me think and feel as I journeyed through them.
"You speak of truth and courage. Forgiveness can be the greatest act of courage.”
What an emotional roller coaster this series was. I’m not exaggerating when I say that Gwynne made me laugh and cry and gasp as I read. I had actual nightmares about certain scenes; not because they were particularly scary or anything, but because I was so emotionally invested. There were so many characters that I cared deeply about, man and woman, beast and giant included. There were twists that I didn’t see coming. There were losses that blindsided me and victories that made me cheer, startling my husband in the process. GRRM has become infamous for killing off characters who were central to the story, but Gwynne made me care so much more about character deaths, because he made me care so much more about the characters.
"All feel fear, both the coward and the hero, and all those in between... it's what we do about it that counts."
I don’t know that I’ve ever read about a war whose outcome I cared more about than the God-War. This was the ultimate battle of good against evil, of courage in the face of overwhelming odds as others compromised their morals, of love and loyalty pitted against greed and selfish ambition. This final book was all about the final battle between the Ben-Elim and their Bright Star against the Kadoshim and their Black Sun. I won’t tell you which side prevailed, but I will say that the final battle was one of the most brutal and intense battlefield scenes I’ve ever read. This might not sound like the biggest compliment but I promise that it is; I was never, ever bored. During a battle scene that lasted roughly 150 pages, I never started skimming or wishing that it was over already. I was engrossed and invested and completely enthralled by every chapter of this book.
Within this book, we witness loyalties being tried and tested. Sometimes, loyalty is not enough once a person’s eyes are opened to the truth of the one they follow, and those loyalties are broken despite the pain such a decision brings to someone with honor. Other times, loyalties don’t shift so much as they expand to hold those whom they thought would forever be their enemy. When love is mingled with loyalty, it can’t help but expand. Love broadens; it does not narrow. And the love in this book is palpably real. We watch romantic love blossom, the love between friends strengthen, and the love for one’s home define. It’s moving to behold.
"This is not who I am. One act of darkness, of treachery. But also many of loyalty, too. Judge me by the sum of my deeds, not just the one mistake.”
Once again, I just have to say that one of my favorite aspects of this series is Gwynne’s beautiful renderings of relationships between man and beast. The animals of the Banished Lands have big personalities of their own, and their loyalty to the humans or giants they choose to love is beyond reproach. And man, can they be vicious. Other series have tried to craft relationships between man and beast, and some have succeeded. But none have succeeded as well for me as The Faithful and the Fallen. I’ll definitely never look at crows and ravens the same way again!
There is nothing Gwynne could have done differently to improve this finale, in my opinion. Yes, I would have loved for all of my favorite characters to still be living when I finished the final chapter, but their deaths added a poignant realism that would have been lacking otherwise. But this ending was epic and surprising and emotional and never felt rushed. I loved how humor and heartache and hope all intermingled in the final pages.
So far, I’ve recommended this series to eight members of my family. My dad is reading Malice right now, with my brother waiting next in line. I’m recommending TFatF to people who aren’t even fantasy fans because it was one of the most phenomenal stories I’ve ever consumed. If you like stories about good standing against evil, you should read this. If you like your books with lots of heart, please at least give this series a try. I expect to have to buy new copies of these four books in the years to come, because I foresee them being tattered and worn from being reread and lent out. I have no qualms about proclaiming The Faithful and the Fallen my favorite completed adult fantasy series that I’ve read so far. And I hope that you pick them up and love them just as much as I have.
“Truth and Courage!”
Original review can be found at
Booknest. -
See this review on
www.bookbastion.net
__________
And so ends the most epic journey in fantasy fiction I've been on so far this year.
In terms of sheer fantasy awesomeness, this book has it all: battles to the death, memorable character moments and a culmination of 4 books worth of material that I won't soon forget. John Gwynne has solidified himself in my mind as a powerhouse name to remember in the fantasy genre, and I will forever keep an eye out for books for future offerings from him. As I'm fairly certain he reads his reviews, I'd like to say: You do great work Mr. Gwynne! I'm a big fan!
Thematically, Wrath hits all the right notes in the way it sets about closing out the storylines that have been spun since page one, when we first walked into the Banished Lands alongside a young Corban. While the battle between Good and Evil isn't a new concept, John Gywnne's strength in crafting realistic and human characters that you want to root for - or to root against - makes this book stand out as a must read. I was never for an instant bored as I watched the characters I had grown accustomed to set off on their final journey against the forces of darkness.
Everyone comes full circle in this book. As those of you who have been following my reviews will know, I hate spoilers, so I'm going to avoid naming characters specifically for fear of spoiling who lives and who crosses the bridge of swords. Still, regardless of who lives or who dies, the endings to each character's story aligns beautifully with the people they were in Malice, years before the turmoil and war began, but also compliments all of the beautiful character growth that they've experienced over the years.
Through all the death, heartache and strife, these characters retained their emotional heart and my connection to them is still so strong that I hate the thought of their story being over.
I would happily take another 4 books set in the Banished Lands, following up on the events here just so I don't lose out on seeing my book babies keep growing and changing now that this particular story is over.
As always, the battle scenes are the real crowning glory of this series, and in fact it just keeps getting better and better with each book. It's clear that John Gwynne is quite familiar with close combat battle practices - whether it be via research or the careful study of other works of fiction, I'm unsure as I can't speak on the technicalities of it all. It all flows and works beautifully to paint tense and always moving fight scenes that have only increased in scope as the story moved along.
The last quarter of this book is centered around the final battle in the war for control of the Banished Lands, and it does not disappoint! It's epic in scale, and involves every single character, kingdom, giant clan and species of creature that we've come across in an epic battle to the death. The scale of this final skirmish is just enormous, and only a tactical mind such as this author could handle drawing all of those threads together over the scope of 4 books to see things to their close.
My emotions ran the gamut while reading this book! I was laughing one moment, cheering in the next breath only to be brought to tears a few pages later - and I wouldn't have it any other way. The emotion is right there in the characters, within their interactions and the ease with with the reader can relate to their worries, goals and cares. I can easily see this series holding great appeal for fans of series like Game of Thrones, who want strongly built characters but also aren't afraid to say goodbye to some along the way as John Gwynne is another author who isn't shy about culling the herd when the story calls for it.
One thing I really wanted to point out as my absolute favorite aspects of this series is the way things evolve and change over time. Characters grow, and their hopes and desires are influenced by the things that happen around them. It's delightful to think that things are going to go one way for a certain character, or for two characters you think are going to clash, only to have a plot event impact that course of motion and set them off on a new journey. It kept things fresh and allowed the plot and characters both to grow organically without seeming forced forward on rails like some plots certainly feel like at times when authors forget to let characters guide them.
Again, if you're a fan of tense, action-oriented epic fantasy, this series needs to be on your radar if it's not already! Get going and start the journey today!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ = 5/5 Perfect Stars from me! A new favorite series for my shelf!
Image taken from my bookstagram @bookbastion. Follow me there for more snaps of the books I read and review! -
I can hear your collective *how-dare-you!* gasp GoodReads, but here it is. A one-star review for one of the worst books I have read in a while.
I won’t pretend, I have had hopes. Ruin had some merit to it, and at times I really enjoyed reading it, so I thought that perhaps Mr Gwynne is an author who needs time. Authors do change, they develop and mature. Not everyone is like Scott Lynch, who sprouted a
masterpiece as his first book (and did not manage to meet his own standards in his subsequent novels). Also, I am not someone who dismisses writers because of one bad publication. While the memory of my first meeting with Maggie Stiefvater still gives me
shivers, later I
apologised for my harsh words. The fact that young Jemisin gave me
mental nausea, does not mean that I am not ready to duel anyone challenging the justice of giving her Hugo for
the Broken Earth (pistols at dawn and all - who wants to be my seconds?). Who knows, maybe one day I will even enjoy
Naomi Novik or
Victoria Schwab.
But. But there are authors who grow in a different way. They do not grow up, rather they grow in and certain hallmarks of their writing become only more and more pronounced. They are like a perfume that becomes stronger with each distillation and from an initially pleasant scent changes into a monstrous (mal)odour. (Yes, Sarah J. Maas, that is you.) It seems to me that Mr Gwynne also belongs to this group.
There are so many things I didn’t like (writing style, world building, characters, plot) that I do not want to repeat the whole, long litany again. Everything I wrote about in my earlier reviews is still there, possibly in bigger quantities and more concentrated doses than before, so there is a huge chance that if you liked the previous instalments, you will love Wrath too, and if you disliked but continued the series, you will hate the finale or even leave it unfinished (not that you will regret it as the final outcome is as disappointing as it is predictable).
Among the things that rekindled my personal ire, you will find:
- crossbreeding issues (I found it ludicrous and unacceptable on many levels);
- common sense offences (again suspension of logical thinking and natural laws) ;
Crow pretends to be a raven and everybody thinks it is OK! How come is this fine? What is next? Cat pretending to be lynx? A duck impersonating a goose?
My question to fandom so that nobody says I am biased in my wrath against the book:
- The awful devolution of Fidele who was one of my favourite characters; and equally abysmal character development shortcuts in Nathair (who at the beginning of the book muses how have he sunk so low and in the end is defeated by his own pride) and Lykos (the formidable warrior and cunning leader tormented by nightmares changed into a lustful alcoholic);
- Plot to action to pages ratio: In a great novel the readers have a feeling of following live and breathing people who lead them and the author alike into unimaginable adventures. In mediocre books, the plot is a predestined, orchestrated affair. The Faithful and the Fallen is predictable to the core and about as natural as a sculpted topiary. . Not only does the book give a feeling of a plot that is painstakingly conceited instead of being spontaneous, but also when reading I had an impression that some things happen purely as an excuse to have battle scenes. Don’t get me wrong, I love good action and admire good fighting scenes, but everything should be in right proportions. Battles are element of overall action, you do not design action just because you happen to be comfortable in writing the battle/duel scenes (only). The plot twists do not reverberate in this series even though there are pages upon pages of writing telling the story from different perspectives. If you have hundreds of pages devoted solely to military issues, give at least half to this volume to explanations as to why and how come certain things happen and certain do not. I am not the type of reader who will be satisfied with one-liners.
- Finally, everyone keeps grunting and snarling (occasionally they rumble), even if they grunt and snarl sentences that cannot be grunted (grunt 1. To utter a deep guttural sound, as a hog does; 2. To utter a sound similar to a grunt, as in disgust.). Also the amount of tears streaking the cheeks and blurring the eyes and the number of grown men weeping render the Escrava Isaura an emotionless production in comparison.
“Some battles find you no matter how cautious you are.”
This one has found me and defeated me soundly. Consider me fallen.
Other reviews:
Pure
Malice
Some
Valour
Ruin-ation -
Wow. Just...wow.
Almost 20 years ago, a friend and I went to the theater to watch "Saving Private Ryan." We walked out of the theater in awed silence, and drove 30 minutes home before either of us spoke.
I felt the same way after finishing
Wrath last night. I closed the book and just stared at it for a long time. My wife asked me if I was ok; I didn't even answer her.
What a series! And what an ending! Some smiles, some heartache, some surprises; but nothing that pissed me off. And no loose ends -- I like that.
As I said in my reviews of the other books in the series, the character development is just incredible. I know these people (and other beings). I'm going to wonder about them for a while! But beyond that, the visuals were amazing; the action, the intrigue, the storyline were all top shelf.
Mr. Gwynne has definitely made my list of favorite authors. -
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Support me ☕“It will be a dark day, a bloody day, a proud day, for this is the day of our wrath.”
Malice ★★★★ 1/4
Valour ★★★★ 3/4
Ruin ★★★★★
Wrath ★★★★★
I have always had a bad luck with Quartets while reading so far and The Faith & The Fallen series has came to prove me wrong and become my favorite Quartet of all time and one of the most entertaining series I have read! As soon as I finished this, I went to GR and added Gwynne to my list of favorite authors because the total rating I gave this series is 19/20 stars and if you ask my friend David, he would tell you that I never give 5 stars (I do but not a common thing!)
If you like GRRM or Rothfuss then you will probably like this series except with a major difference that Gwynne in a consistent writer and he managed to finish what he started and he did that brilliantly! My friends said that this series keep going better with each and every book and I have to include my voice to them because they were so right!
The writing is great as ever, I just fell in love with Gwynne’s writing and I find it hard to be invested in huge books in each and every page but that is what Gwynne succeeded in doing! I also had a book hangover after finishing each and every book in the series, all books were my favorite book of the month when I did my monthly wrap-up so that should tell you how much I enjoyed the series!
I can’t say a lot about the plot as this is the finale but it takes events after the heartbreaking ending of book 3 immediately. I can say that I find the events kind of predictable but for once, I am saying that in the best possible way because I thought if this happens then it would be the best outcome and it did happen! I felt proud for seeing the foreshadowing of the final battle which was AWESOME!!!
The characters are as great as ever… no I am lying, they are better than ever, they kept improving up to the final page! I just loved all the POVs, the deaths were heartbreaking but they made sense and they had a purpose, not just for the sake of drama or being sad! The animal companions in this series are the best I have ever read and CRAF is probably my favorite companion of all time!“TRUTH AND COURAGE.”
Summary: This series is 2500 Pages of awesomeness and it is worth all the hype it is getting! I even think it is an under-rated series and that it should have a TV series ASAP! Gwynne mastered the balance between prose, characters, world-building and action! I am looking forward to the prequel trilogy and to whatever Gwynne writes in the future!!!! -
5 Stars ( Masterclass)
TRUTH AND COURAGE!!
I’m completely blown away by the The Faithful and the Fallen series! This review will be my combined thoughts on both ‘Ruin’(3rd book) and the final and immeasurable conclusion ‘Wrath’. I was so enthralled and mesmerized in the these last 3 months that I’ve barely had a chance to write my review of Ruin! I decided last year that it was time to finish the series but do it consecutively and without stopping. So I’ve re-listened to the 1st book and went full steam into the remainder of the series. I’m in awe, and yes it was incredible!! I know for sure I will have one bad case of Banished lands hangover immediately after this..but it was all worth it.
In the last few years that I’ve become addicted to fantasy genre, I’ve read a few amazing high fantasy series that have blown me away. The top echelon and winner is undoubtedly Sanderson’s ‘Stormlight series’ which for me has become the benchmark for high epic fantasy genre. It’s only drawback is that it’s been 10 years and we’re yet to get a 4th out of 10 books. Other honorable mentions include GOT, Kingkiller chronicle (Rothfuss sucks) and the First Law trilogy. But here it ladies and gents:
The Faithful and the Fallen has been my favorite complete fantasy series of all times!! As of this last book, ‘Wrath' the series sits in the same top echelon as the Stormlight series!
Corban and Storm in action
Why is the Faithful and the Fallen so incredible?
* Amazing unforgettable characters, and incredible development along their journey in the 4 books
* Riveting and unrelenting action scenes that will blow you away and leave your heart racing and likely asking for more
* A compelling and ingenious magic system that is not too outlandish and well integrated in the plotline
* A classic good vs evil story that does not always bode well for the good guys! One amazing thing about Gwynne, is his absolute honesty to his craft.
* At time the books can be quite brutal as some of your favorite and most endearing characters perish- yet it all adds to the narrative and the vision of John Gwynne.
* Nearly every character is unique and shines in his/her own merit!
* An addictive coming of age story about Corban, who transforms himself from blacksmith’s son into the ‘Bright Star’. He's affable, courageous, respectful but won't take any shit from bullies and enemies!
* A supporting cast of Corban’s friends that are rich and unique in each way. From Coralen, to Gar, Brian, Dath, Edana , Farrell...should I keep going?
* And finally, some of the best depiction and integration of animals I’ve seen in any fantasy book...ever. Wolvens, crows, bears, Draigs, ravens. This book blends it all so intricately in the story- that they become almost central to every important scene!
Corban and Storm and Craf
“Family. Friendship. Loyalty. These things have been my guiding stars, my light in these dark times.”
― John Gwynne, Ruin
“To my thinking, though, it's what happens before death that's important. All of us die. How many really live?”
― John Gwynne, Wrath
Some final thoughts must include the way Gwynne has crafted this story out of pure love! He has spent the last 16 years masterminding the world of the Banished lands, and all the wonderfully good and evil characters in it. His tempo and writing is solid and fluent. Words are never used excessively, and especially the fight scenes have a built up crescendo that always raises one’s blood pressure. The fights between humans, between giants, between Corban’s wonderful woven ‘Storm’ and his enemies, the massive battles and the sheer scope of the last war- nearly had me breathless. Gwynne switches often from the third POV to the first POV- making the thoughts of each character in ‘ italic ’- almost as their inner demons. This is just brilliant, and makes the characterization much more convincing and effective.
I will miss my friends and warrior of the Banished lands dearly. Even from the most nefarious villains such as ‘Calidus’ and ‘Rafe’ to beloved Corban, Gar and Camlin. I will miss the gang fighting demons, monsters and occult magic against overwhelming odds. I will miss the sword dance, and how Corban grew not only as a warrior but also as a human being. The series had a true imprint on me- just like Stormlight a few years back. Guess that’s why reading is so much fun and immersive of an experience.
The Faithful and the Fallenis an absolutely mesmerizing and epic high-fantasy series which delivers in every front! The end chapter brings a bittersweet conclusion to the saga, and leaves the reader wanting more. I can’t believe the journey is over, yet the background of the ‘Banished lands’ is the perfect compliment for the beginning of new adventures in ‘Of Blood and Bone’
Epic 5 Stars -
An awesome BR with Craig and Michael :) Best comrades ever!!!!! You are the best ;)
What a book, what a series with an epic finale. The Faithful and the Fallen is a series, which started quite slow for me, but it was a struggle only with the first part of book one. Overall it’s a great mix for readers stumbling into fantasy genre anew and a wonderful journey for those, who consider themselves “Old Wolves” of this reading genre. I just can’t forget the characters, I followed from the very first book. It was amazing to see them reach the peaks of their character development, doesn’t matter villain or goodie. Ban, Cora, Craf (the twin of Crone <3), Cy, Veradis, Maquin and many others will always be in my heart. Not forgetting the wonderful Storm <33333
Let’s return to “Wrath”. It’s the final book and I knew that I’ll be mind-blown, I sure was and also impressed with a perfect blend of subtle politics, true to life and complex characters, and……… quite a lot of blood. And the baddies, oh my, great ones!
Each of the book in the series had a share of these parts, but the strongest I felt, was in “Wrath”. The writing is smooth, gripping, full of tension. It left me on the edge of my seat, craving for more. Complex world, fragile alliances, betrayals, scheming, intense descriptive prose, battles for survival. Some felt expected, some not, but nonetheless the touch of greed, cruelty and evil was always there. Does it mean that the great Good was forgotten? Not at all. I think the narrative clearly shows that the larger good can be compromised too easily and can lead to self-justifying evil as well as bad – turn into good. The balance is always changing and engulfing all the characters in a great place of myths.
“Wrath” shows a risky path – there’s more than one unexpected or well-deserved twist. More than once my heart broke and I was so angry to see some rascals, still living through the cruelest battles. Oh, the battles – there was always gore and fighting through the series, but what I got in “Wrath”….. Oh boy, grim, intimidating and explicit, with screams of the dying, clash of the armies, cruel duels……. REAL for sure.
The best part. The characters. Some of my favorite characters finally met up and what a meetings it were. Heart-warming, heart-breaking and so awaited for sure. “Wrath” presented the great development, maturity and depth of the characters I came to love from the very first book. I’ve watched them mature, change, become scarred and broken by events, deaths of their beloved ones and now they are my family.
You’d probably think that I’m insane giving 4 stars after such praise? Maybe I am. I found two flaws which struck me as unbelievable at first as to find such holes, small ones, in plot in the fourth book….. it was unexpected and it made me angry.
I just can’t forgive such things to find in a great series :O But
To sum up and despite these two flaws, “Wrath” is a great, gripping book, a wonderful finale to the series, wrapping it all up in a great treat. -
ALL THE STARS!
This has been one of the best and most satisfying fantasy series that I’ve ever had the privilege to read!
After sitting on this review for days, I’m finally making an attempt to throw something together.
I know there's better and more complicated reviews of Wrath and The Faithful and Fallen series out there.
But what I plan to do with this review is to explain how this book and series made me feel.
Because when it comes down to it, that’s what I want as a reader.
Does it give you hope or dread while reading?
Are your eyes leaking like a sieve?
Can this book and series break your heart in two?
2020 has been a tough year for most of us.
The world is struggling with a pandemic. Economic issues are getting worse. We’re all learning how to stay safe and sane during this whole period of stress and mess.
The reason why I’m bringing this up in my review is I’ve been a mood reader all year. I just haven’t been able to read anything that doesn’t give me some sort of emotion.
And look out...
Here comes Wrath and The Faithful and Fallen series.
I was dreading what was waiting for me and all the emotions when I decided to finish this series in 2020.
I hoped for a great ending and that good would prevail.
I was hoping…and hope is a powerful thing.
You see, there are moments in Wrath and all the books in the series that will make you question if good can actually win.
You’re afraid to flip the pages.
You are in a state of dread if this group of courageous and gritty ass fighters can not triumph.
What type of world is left if they can't stand up and conquer evil?
And trust me, I didn’t know.
I wasn’t sure I could survive if Asroth won this great battle in the Banished Lands. I didn't know if my favorite characters would survive or my fragile heart would be ripped out of my chest!
Wrath caused me to cry.
It also made me pump my fist in the air like I was at a rave during the 90s.
It brought my pulse rate up extremely high and it also made me fall in love with fantasy all over again.
I’ve been a Tolkien and George R.R. Martin fan since I was a kid.
I can now say that John Gwynne deserves to be in this category for this amazing series.
The deaths, the battles, the weapons and the brutality of the time are all brilliant in this fantasy series. The world building, the mythical creatures, to the magic is well done and thought out.
I will think about the love, the camaraderie and all friendships in this series for years to come.
In my opinion, this is a triumph to the fantasy genre and I’m so glad I finally read it.
I highly recommend The Faithful and Fallen series if you love epic fantasy and can handle all the emotions!
Bravo Mr. Gwynne, bravo!!
TRUTH AND COURAGE!!!! -
TRUTH AND COURAGE!
A truly satisfying ending to one of the best fantasy series ever. Seriously, why isn’t this series getting more hype?
A great cast of characters, twists and turns to rival GRRM, a vivid setting and some unforgetable moments. A must read for any fantasy fan.
In today’s world of grimdark fantasy I found this to be refreshing but it’s definitely not worthy of the ‘old fashioned’ labels I’ve seen describing the series.
‘It will be a dark day, a bloody day, a proud day, for this is the day of our wrath.’
I can’t wait to read this series again and jump into the next one. -
Wow, what a truly epic finale and excellent conclusion to The Faithful and the Fallen. This series is something special and has to be one of my favorite epic fantasy series that I've read. This is my favorite of the books and each entry just got better and better. The twists and turns of these books, the play on prophecy, the OUTSTANDING battle scenes, just everything worked so damn well for me.
I'll never forget those that we lost and I am happy with who made it to the end. There was so much heartbreak and pain throughout this series but the conclusion was well worth it. I'm looking forward to reading Of Blood and Bone, just wow. -
Continuing on from the devastating events of
Ruin, this last instalment delivers blow after blow while never quite managing to beat all the hope from you. It’s a book of convergence, as the disparate strands of the plot twist together, the various groups meet in solidarity or blood, there’s little in-between. Some people get what they’ve been needing since
Malice, others broke my heart. But in every sense, this is the book readers have been waiting for. Each offering has been an improvement on the last, in style, tone, and content. John Gwynne now writes with an assured smoothness and a flair for humour and detail that makes you feel confident in his ability to show every truth of these characters we’ve come to love so much, even if he’s like a goddamn reaper and I’m not forgiving him for…. Ok, ok, I’m calm again. This time, the multiple POV allows the reader into minds we hadn’t experienced before as well as the ongoing favourites, if they’re still alive at this point (!!!)… CALM…. Every voice is distinctive and interesting enough that there’s never too overwhelming desire to get right back to another character, keeping the pacing fast and the heartbeat high. With their every thought laid bare, we see more clearly how and why each person has come to this point, at the final battle, though it is never so predicable we know how it will end.
The overarching theme on display throughout the series, that of divine vs mortal responsibility and morality, becomes everything in this book. Corban’s character, laid with careful foundations in Malice, and tested again and again, now matures into its fullest expression. His discovery to know himself has progressed alongside our own and he becomes who he needs to be, not what others want him to be. And it’s not just him, the opposition between self-interest and the pursuit of power, and love, courage, and honour underscores every character decision, every major plot point, every ending. It’s a book that involves Angels and Kadoshim, but what it’s about is human choices. It’s about deciding what matters the most to you and fighting for it. For Corban, it’s his family and friends, but it’s not hard to see the real world relevance of this point. Of course, if you’re not into all that, it also has epic battle scenes, one-on-one contests of skill, backstabbing, and more general badassery than you could ever hope for.
Lastly, but importantly, the book is funny, never undermining the tragedy, but relieving or enhancing it as necessary. There's so much of what i'd consider British style banter, where friends are the focus of insults- the closer they are to you, the harsher the words. It's what makes Corban's warband feel real, the bitching and complaints telling you better than any sappy declarations that these people will fight and die for each other. It's one of Erikson's foremost talents, his Malazan marines are the standard, but it's clearly one of Gwynne's too. Not only that, Gwynne has created one of the most exquisite uses of multiple POV to present diametrically opposed characterisations of one person, Legion, that i've ever seen. And to use it for humour? Bold- and brilliant.
To Team Good, Legion is pretty damn terrifying- a super Kadoshim who likes ripping body parts from bodies with his bare hands and/or eating people, dead or alive. To Team Bad, he's like this annoying, over enthusiastic try-hard they put up with because he has some mad murder skills.
'I've waited long enough on those boats,' the Kadoshim growled, his voice strange, multiplied, as if there was an echo within his own throat. 'It's time to kill something.'
'His name's Legion,' Lykos whispered. 'Not the most patient creature. And angry, most of the time.'
'He ate [...]'s face,' [...] said, shuddering.
'Aye. He has some issues. Handy in a scrap though.'
It works on multiple levels. Firstly, it's really funny.
'I wish I had been there,' Legion muttered. 'I would have smashed their bodies and crushed their skulls, I would have broken their bones and fed from their flesh and danced on their dead and sucked out their souls and-'
'Shut up, Legion,' Calidus snapped.
Secondly, we’re all familiar with someone like this. You know, that person who opens their mouth and you just tense in anticipation of whatever crap or rant they're about to deliver. Well, they're doing a Legion.
'The bitch,' Rhin spat. 'I still cannot comprehend how she dares to chase after me. I'll squash her, hang her from the highest branch, let the crows feast on-'
'Enough,' Calidus said. 'You're starting to sound like Legion.'
And what it makes you do is empathise with Calidus. Calidus! Seriously, mate, we've been there, we feel you on this. You can't get the staff these days. We know, we know. We can imagine what you're thinking: 'For Asroth's sake, Legion, could you just knock it off for five minutes??’ Then the POV changes back to Team Good, you snap out of it, go right back to hating him, and perhaps wonder about yourself for daring to agree with him even for a little while… This alone would be enough for me to rate the book as high as it can go, but it’s just one strand of the book’s excellence. This is classic style fantasy with real heart and even more blood, it shouldn't be missed by any fantasy fan. -
I am proud to stand beside you. I know that none of you fight for riches, nor for glory or for fame. We fight for those we love. On this day we will march out to meet our enemies, those who have slain our kin, stolen our homes and would take our lives, and we shall show them what drives us. TRUTH AND COURAGE.
It will be a dark day, a bloody day, a proud day, for this is the day of our wrath.
That was a breathtaking and truly satisfying conclusion to John Gwynne's debut series, The Faithful and the Fallen. The finale was one long-drawn out battle between the forces of good and evil. Sounds cliche, unoriginal, etc etc? Perhaps, though it was such a wonderful ride that frankly who cares! And what is it exactly that makes it so good?
It's when you hold your breath during the battle scenes, and in particular, the more personal ones.
And when you scream in frustration as the despicable bad guy got away.
Or when you pump your fist in elation at the sweet poetic justice of vengeance delivered (and you wonder when you've become so bloodthirsty).
And especially when your heart breaks and you weep for the deaths of the characters you've grown to love so much during the course of the series.
What made a difference is how much you care about what happens, and believe me when I say that the author does not pull his punches. And that is what made this series so good.
Aside from the characters, the battle scenes are superbly written.
Mr John Gwynne, please take a bow! -
I am sad to see this series end, but end it must. Wrath was an amazing conclusion to an already epic tale of The Faithful and The Fallen. After four books of emotional ups and downs that include heartbreak, rage, joy, hatred, love, and many many other feelings, I have come to the conclusion that I could not ask for a better ending. It has pulled on my heartstrings and fueled the fire of my inner warrior that I wanted to go shout “TRUTH AND COURAGE” to all those who would listen……or look at me like I was crazy more than likely. But I think I have made my point.
While the term “stunning conclusion” maybe overused. It definitely applies to Wrath. I read the last 100 pages twice, and I mean back to back. Like, I’m finished, nope…don’t think so. Here we go again! The way Mr. Gwynn moves through battle scenes to give you every main characters point of view is mind blowing. I am a sucker for sword fights and battle scenes. This finale ranked right up there with the best I have ever read.
Speaking of the characters, every one of our heroes and villains get to take center stage at some point in this book. There is plenty of revenge and retribution that has been building up for our heroes over the previous three books, but the grim reaper (Mr. Gwynn) won’t make it easy. I will stop right there, before I say too much. I could go on and on, but I don’t want to give too much away.
To wrap it up I will just say if you haven’t read this series you need to ASAP. If you have read this series you need to read it again. I most certainly will be, and probably sooner rather than later.
-
8/6/2018: Wow! It's still as impressive as the first time around. Tears and joy, what an amzing end to The Faithful and the Fallen...
24/11/2016:This will not be a very long review since I literally just now turned the last page of Wrath, there are only a few things I would like to share...
This series has easily become one of my all time favorites and I loved every book in it. Wrath... just wow...!! It completely lived up to my (very) high expectations. The ending, with tears and a smile, for me, is perfect.
I need a few moments now to completely come back from the Banished Lands, but I'm certain I will return! -
Tragedy all over the place. I actually cried here and there. The pacing of the book is just amazing - I just don't like the endings in general, they tend to feel "permanent".
I wonder if there is going to be a sequel story, I would be ready to experience a brand new story in this word! -
This is how you wrap everything up properly.
Now, #tropes. There's a lot of people out there who can't stand tropes and will roll their eyes whenever they stumble upon one. Well, the whole "Faithful and the Fallen" series relies on a huge heap of very common fantasy tropes. Is that a bad thing? Probably, to some people, it's the ultimate sin. Me? I couldn't care less about originality and avant-garde. I mean, I reckon there's definitely some value in both, all right. But, at the end of the day, if you can't write a gripping story, both originality and avant-garde turn into a monumental load of bollocks and the epitome of strawman argument for mediocre, boring & inane books usually praised by uppity intellectual twats. Bottom line: give me a princess in distress, a villain, a knight, conflict keeping the whole thing together plus a satisfying ending, and I'm a happy camper. So kudos, Gwynne! You've got an A+. Go to the head of the class. -
Some months back I was asked by Mr Gwynne himself if I would like to beta read for his upcoming series, Of Blood and Bone. After dancing several jigs and hopping around the house I replied, stating that I would of course love to offer my services. John seemed happy, I was over the moon and that was that. I was told I'd receive the manuscript once it had been completed.
Disclaimer: I've been an enormous fan of The Faithful and the Fallen series ever since Malice came out all those years ago. In fact, I would battle anyone for the title of biggest fan.
Now, fast-forward six weeks or so and I get an email saying that the manuscript was ready, but there was a problem. The new series, as part of its histories explains a some of the events that occur in Wrath. So! I was offered a choice, I could read Wrath now, or I could wait for its hardback release in November before I beta read Dread. I say it was a choice, it wasn't, not for me at least. So now not only am I reading Dread, I'm reading my most anticipated book of 2016!!!!!
The following days and nights I don't really remember as I pretty much read around the clock.
This will be strictly non spoilery. Anyone wanting to know what happens with regard to the cliff-hanger at the end of Ruin will have to enter an auction where I will spill to the highest bidder. The reserve is set at one million quid.
Only joking... you'll have to wait till November.
Right! Wrath.
Leading up to the fourth and final book we had a LOT of questions. There was a lot of subplots that were coming to their own exciting conclusions and in turn would contribute to the main thread. At the end of Ruin things are looking pretty dire. Our band of good guys are facing some pretty overwhelming odds and the end result doesn't look hopeful.
And that is Wrath in many ways, it's a fight against a greater enemy, not because dying in a blaze of glory like a band of brainwashed Spartans is considered courageous. No. It is fought because it is the right thing to do.
Is that enough, though?
John has done a fantastic job, he really has. It was quite the juggling act he had to perform with so many characters, but he pulled it off beautifully. Everyone gets their deserved screen time and no one feels neglected in the race to the finish.
I touched on this earlier but you really can't predict the outcome, and I don't mean the big picture only, as I said, each subplot has its own exciting conclusion and I found that each one kept me guessing right up until I read the actual end result. It is these exciting, emotional and powerful scenes that keep Wrath's pace constant all the way through.
Let's talk action, an area of fantasy that John has nailed down — with big fat scary iron nails from a medieval dungeon! Smaller one on one battles are sharp, exciting and plentiful! Always fresh and never feel repetitive. Then there's the BIG battles, which is a completely different art. And I'm happy to say that John has the pallet, brush and the talent to paint his masterpieces. There are a handful of major battles where John manages to utilise the peoples of his world to make them all unique. We have the shield wall! We have warhammer swinging giants! We have master swordsmen! We have cunning woodsmen and archers, deception and misdirection, and, and UTTER CHAOS!
But you are never lost, John tends to zone you in on a specific moment through a characters pov while the narrative tells the bigger story. Truly, he is up there with Christian Cameron, who I consider the finest teller of battles in fiction today.
I don't want you to think that Wrath is all fighting fighting fighting. It is so much more, there is real emotion in those pages, and there was one occasion where I was crying. The book has heart, the overriding concept of the Faithful and the Fallen, to me at least is the importance of being faithful, to your friends, family and sometimes even your enemy. The mantra and battle cry among the good side is "Truth and courage" and this spills onto the pages. Noble as this is it makes you care that much more for the fate of our hero's given their selflessness and sincerity. Not a bad side-effect, it must be said.
I found no part of the story disappointing and I guess the only criticism I could make if I had to was that certain phrases are used across the board of pov's, but really I'm nit-picking. John's true strength is storytelling, and in Wrath he has written a conclusion worthy of one of the finest modern day epic fantasies. I believe it his finest work to date.
I would like to finish by saying I feel incredibly honoured and privileged to been able to read Wrath before its release. The Faithful and the Fallen has been an incredible journey, one that I have loved and, I'm sure, will reread many times over. So thanks, John. It was awesome!
And before you all start assuming everyone survives Wrath as there is another series set in this world, it's a hundred years afterwards. So . . . happy reading! -
To Whom It May Concern,
You have been followed same trodden path with footsteps of all those who came before you.
As did I.
You have probably been wanting and most definitely expecting even before you made your first step on this final journey.
As did I.
So that’s why I write to you this letter with gleam of hope you’ll find it somewhere on your way.
A letter of encouragement. Even persuasion, perhaps.
Take your time.
There will be specter of emotions before you arrive here where I stand.
Joy. Fear. Rage. Joy.
Take your time; time with beloved characters John so selflessly wrote for us and enjoy it.
But… even if my plea falls on (your) deaf ears - I will understand.
Because for the reasons we both well know, by the time you read it through, this book will consume you. :D
Truth and Courage. -
Wow, I have no words at the moment. Need to sleep on this and will give my thoughts in the morning.🥴
So I slept on it and am still not sure I can find the words to express how I feel... overall, a phenomenal fantasy series! The world building, the growth of the characters, etc, was fantastic. You love certain characters, absolutely hate others, and then there's even those that you despise and that downright make your skin crawl (I'm looking at you, Lykos!). The battle scenes are epic as usual. My nerves were shot and my stomach was in knots, so you can't ask for anything better when reading a book. The ending was satisfying, but I would've loved to have seen an epilogue and time jump to see more of how everyone moved on. I love that in these kinds of stories. However, I can definitely understand some of the critics about this series being long and drawn out. There's a part of me that feels this could've been successfully done as a trilogy. There were times when I was like, "okay, can we just get on with it already?" But I can't recommend this series enough, and John Gwynne has definitely shot to the top of my list of favorite fantasy authors!
