John Gwynne

The fourth in The Faithful and the Fallen series, Wrath by John Gwynne is the breathtaking, pulse-pounding conclusion to an epic series. It’s time to brave the final battle . . . Events are coming to a climax in the Banished Lands, as the war reaches new heights. King Nathair has seized the fortress at Drassil, and now possesses three of the Seven Treasures. And with Calidus and Queen Rhin, Nathair will do anything to obtain the rest. They will allow him to open a portal to the Otherworld – so Asroth and his demon-horde can break into the Banished Lands and finally become flesh. Meanwhile Corban has been captured by the Jotun, warrior giants who ride enormous bears into battle. His warband scattered, Corban must make new allies to survive. But can he bond with competing factions of warlike giants? Somehow he must, to counter the threat Nathair represents. His life hangs in the balance – and with it, the fate of the Banished Lands. Truth, courage and loyalty will be tested as never before.

Wrath

The fourth in The Faithful and the Fallen series, Wrath by John Gwynne is the breathtaking, pulse-pounding conclusion to an epic series.Events are coming to a climax in the Banished Lands, as the war reaches new heights. King Nathair has taken control of the fortress at Drassil and three of the Seven Treasures are in his possession. And together with Calidus and his ally Queen Rhin, Nathair will do anything to obtain the remaining Treasures. With all seven under his command, he can open a portal to the Otherworld. Then Asroth and his demon-horde will finally break into the Banished Lands and become flesh.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. Truth, courage and loyalty will be tested as never before.

As a conclusion this book was a lot of wrapping up where as the last book had me white knuckled and like crying a lot. But this here was the quote. Because you can’t just opt out of opposing hate and evil, without choosing it. And further I appreciate that it points out that if you think that’s what you are doing, you’re a coward to boot. 

Apiecalypse Jen

Read this, my fellow fantasy lovers, it is truly one of the best sagas I have ever read.

So this is it, huh? This is the end of the saga. I can’t say I’m ready to let go of this world, of the set of characters or of this story in general, but I’ve prolonged my reading journey as much as possible and today marked the day I finished Wrath, with it the Faithful and the Fallen saga. Straight after putting the book down, bawling my eyes out, I knew that this series had far surpassed most of the fantasy epics I have read so far, moving up my favourites shelf until it secured a spot right next to LotR.

Any time I get to the final book in a series as massive as this one, there is this underlying fear that the ending might not be worthy to the rest of the storytelling – this was not the case here. I’ve rarely enjoyed a more epic, more fitting end to a story than with Wrath and that is largely due to one thing I’ve complimented throughout the whole reading journey: John Gwynne does not do things half-assed, if it’s in the book, it’s there for a reason, if you can’t see the reason yet, you might need to wait a few more chapters, because no single thing in these books is not thought through. There are details coming back to importance in this last book that have been mentioned in one of the first chapters of book one or two, glimpses into past dialogues, lessons taught by characters a long time ago – it all comes back. The fallen brothers and sisters in arms still turn the tide of a battle sometimes, a favour owed years ago might change the outcome of a situation.

I have thoroughly enjoyed watching these characters grow up, older and bolder, they constantly evolved but I don’t only mean the “good” side, also the opponents, the traitors and opportunists. There’s no character decision that might be called unbased, because they all grow into different versions of themselves and whatever choice they make, it checks out. Sometimes there’s been turmoil in me, wondering if I might want some of the bad guys to finally grow a conscience, come to their senses or if I wanted to see them suffer for the choices they had made thus far.

John Gwynne has this unique ability to invest the reader in every single story arc, every “side” character so much, that they all feel like the main thing. I’ve grown to love and hate sidekicks in these books almost more than the main characters, because their stories were told as detailed and thoroughly as the main characters’ lives. I’ve rooted for them, swore at them when they made stupid choices (that still checked out with their backstories, mind you), wept for them and grieved them. I’ve had a giddy smile on my face, when love was found in hideous places, hope glimmered faintly when all seemed lost and a sacrifice meant, more of the characters would live to see another day.

All of this combined with an utterly beautiful style of storytelling and finely crafted worldbuilding was so insanely captivating for me, that I never wanted this book to end. Now I feel lost, empty and sad, because I can’t come back for these guys and gals, these absolute legends of characters. I’ll remember them for a long time, from the huntsman who kept collecting strays, to the old wolf who found something to live for again, to brothers on different sides of history, a princess who grew to be nothing short of a queen, to a battlechief with a bright brain and a conscience, the shieldmen sworn to protect and also ridicule their friend, the healer with sharp words and sharper knives, the crone and her crow with their prickly words and open hearts, a young prince with cunning and no fear, to the older brother father figure, the furball and the young lad, who had to grow up way too fast.

I don’t want to spoil anything, just read these books. Invest the time to get to know the characters, this isn’t a GoT style introduce then kill em off kind of book, but really, really well-woven storylines connected, inter-threaded and made into a beautiful saga worthy of the praise a high fantasy saga should receive.

I for one, count John Gwynne as one of my all time favourite authors. And I will recommend this series until I tire of reading altogether. This is a five outta five, straight to my favourites kind of book and I’m not ready to say goodbye, just yet. But I will stop rambling, for now.

Leonie

Read this, my fellow fantasy lovers, it is truly one of the best sagas I have ever read.

 

So this is it, huh? This is the end of the saga. I can’t say I’m ready to let go of this world, of the set of characters or of this story in general, but I’ve prolonged my reading journey as much as possible and today marked the day I finished Wrath, with it the Faithful and the Fallen saga. Straight after putting the book down, bawling my eyes out, I knew that this series had far surpassed most of the fantasy epics I have read so far, moving up my favourites shelf until it secured a spot right next to LotR.

Any time I get to the final book in a series as massive as this one, there is this underlying fear that the ending might not be worthy to the rest of the storytelling – this was not the case here. I’ve rarely enjoyed a more epic, more fitting end to a story than with Wrath and that is largely due to one thing I’ve complimented throughout the whole reading journey: John Gwynne does not do things half-assed, if it’s in the book, it’s there for a reason, if you can’t see the reason yet, you might need to wait a few more chapters, because no single thing in these books is not thought through. There are details coming back to importance in this last book that have been mentioned in one of the first chapters of book one or two, glimpses into past dialogues, lessons taught by characters a long time ago – it all comes back. The fallen brothers and sisters in arms still turn the tide of a battle sometimes, a favour owed years ago might change the outcome of a situation.

I have thoroughly enjoyed watching these characters grow up, older and bolder, they constantly evolved but I don’t only mean the “good” side, also the opponents, the traitors and opportunists. There’s no character decision that might be called unbased, because they all grow into different versions of themselves and whatever choice they make, it checks out. Sometimes there’s been turmoil in me, wondering if I might want some of the bad guys to finally grow a conscience, come to their senses or if I wanted to see them suffer for the choices they had made thus far.

John Gwynne has this unique ability to invest the reader in every single story arc, every “side” character so much, that they all feel like the main thing. I’ve grown to love and hate sidekicks in these books almost more than the main characters, because their stories were told as detailed and thoroughly as the main characters’ lives. I’ve rooted for them, swore at them when they made stupid choices (that still checked out with their backstories, mind you), wept for them and grieved them. I’ve had a giddy smile on my face, when love was found in hideous places, hope glimmered faintly when all seemed lost and a sacrifice meant, more of the characters would live to see another day.

All of this combined with an utterly beautiful style of storytelling and finely crafted worldbuilding was so insanely captivating for me, that I never wanted this book to end. Now I feel lost, empty and sad, because I can’t come back for these guys and gals, these absolute legends of characters. I’ll remember them for a long time, from the huntsman who kept collecting strays, to the old wolf who found something to live for again, to brothers on different sides of history, a princess who grew to be nothing short of a queen, to a battlechief with a bright brain and a conscience, the shieldmen sworn to protect and also ridicule their friend, the healer with sharp words and sharper knives, the crone and her crow with their prickly words and open hearts, a young prince with cunning and no fear, to the older brother father figure, the furball and the young lad, who had to grow up way too fast.

I don’t want to spoil anything, just read these books. Invest the time to get to know the characters, this isn’t a GoT style introduce then kill em off kind of book, but really, really well-woven storylines connected, inter-threaded and made into a beautiful saga worthy of the praise a high fantasy saga should receive.

I for one, count John Gwynne as one of my all time favourite authors. And I will recommend this series until I tire of reading altogether. This is a five outta five, straight to my favourites kind of book and I’m not ready to say goodbye, just yet. But I will stop rambling, for now.

 

Read this, my fellow fantasy lovers, it is truly one of the best sagas I have ever read.

 

The fourth in the Faithful and the Fallen series from John Gwynne, an epic fantasy perfect for fans of George R. R. Martin, Brandon Sanderson and David Gemmell. Events are coming to a climax in the Banished Lands, as the war reaches new heights. King Nathair has taken control of the fortress at Drassil and three of the Seven Treasures are in his possession. And together with Calidus and his ally Queen Rhin, Nathair will do anything to obtain the remaining Treasures. With all seven under his command, he can open a portal to the Otherworld. Then Asroth and his demon-horde will finally break into the Banished Lands and become flesh. 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.

I’ve never cried quite as much. A phenomenal final, that broke my heart as much as it made it.

Aimee Johnson

Celeste Richardson

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.

Deborah Kerr

TRUTH AND COURAGE.

I truly have been personally victimized by John Gwynne.

What a freaking spectacular ending to a new favorite series!




Judy McClure

A very satisfying, thrilling ending to this series. Sad because I didn't want it to end and have to say goodbye to the characters within.

Whitney Barkman

Absolutely loved this series. Honestly took me about 3/4 into the first book before I connected, but after that I couldn't put them down. Found myself smiling and crying throughout. Wonderfully written and an amazing story and I loved the characters.

Wrath

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