The third in The Faithful and the Fallen series, Ruin by John Gwynne continues the gripping battle of good vs evil. Honestly, I found Malice to be a little slow, and perhaps a little bit laborious: there are times when excessive detail in the child PoVs becomes repetitive. Malice (and, to some extent, Valour) carefully builds the web of character relationships that is then brought beautifully to the fore in Ruin. Large-scale battles (which I found distant and impersonal in earlier books) are visceral and immediate, featuring character-driven narratives that make the fighting feel less glorious and more real. .

Riding bears?).

. Godless, but green: Gwynne’s settings are, in many ways, unapologetically familiar.

Nathair has been deceived, but now he knows the truth.

This works fantastically for making battle scenes tense and pacy, and just overall keeps the pages turning.

Furthermore, our heroes’ predicament becomes direr with each page you turn; and the author finally gives us a peek inside the minds of some of the series’ most hated characters. While nowhere near the ‘shades of grey’ you’ll find in books by Mark Lawrence or Rebecca Levene, many of Gwynne’s characters – particularly later in the series – show how easy it is to find oneself on the ‘wrong’ side of a conflict, and how ‘evil’ can be a matter of perspective. By the time you reach book three, you’re invested in the characters and the story, but you’re possibly also wondering if and when the shit is going to hit the fan. Ruin is one of the very few books that has ever managed to bring me to tears (a reaction previously provoked only by Robin Hobb and Steven Erikson) and I confess to feeling physically sick with nerves at several points during both Ruin and Wrath while I waited to see what became of a beloved character. The quartet begins with just a handful of PoVs – including the ‘main’ protagonist, Corban. At his back stands the scheming Calidus and a warband of the Kadoshim, dread demons of the Otherworld. LOOK AT HIM! Amazon UK   Amazon USA    Waterstones   Barnes & Noble. And book three, Ruin, is notably populated with strong female characters of all ages, races and stations – as well as one or two non-humans.

Clearly influenced by the likes of David Gemmell and Bernard Cornwell, Gwynne’s prose is as economic as it is brutally beautiful. He yearns to wield his sword and spear to protect his king’s realm. High King Aquilus summons his fellow kings to council, seeking an alliance in this time of need. 09-10-19, Release date:

Nathair becomes embroiled in the wars of the west as Queen Rhin marches against King Owain. So next time you’re in a bookshop and you hear somebody muttering “giants… where are all the giants?” you’ll be able to step in and give them exactly what they need. The third in The Faithful and the Fallen series, Ruin by John Gwynne continues the gripping battle of good vs evil. Dragons, elves, wizards and dwarves are nowhere to be seen; nope, instead, the Banished Lands are populated with giants, draigs, fallen angels and – yes!

With all seven under his command, he can open a portal to the Otherworld. The God-War is not good vs. evil: it’s well-meaning villains and tired refugees; messy skirmishes and small-scale ambushes; confusing conflicts with people on both sides getting lost and making mistakes; losses piling up as constant fighting takes its toll both physically and mentally. The Banished Lands are torn by war as the army of High King Nathair sweeps the realm challenging all who oppose his holy crusade.

–  wyrms.

He has choices to make, choices that will determine the fate of the Banished Lands. Nathair has ideas - and a lot of plans.

Only when he loses those he loves will he learn the true price of courage.

The weight of history and prophecy and the sheer lore of the world creeps up on the reader rather than smacking them in the face; but although the series takes a little while to get going, before you know it you’ll be hooked. Then there will be a war to end all wars. …, Events are coming to a climax in the Banished Land…, Charity Anthology: All proceeds going to MSF (Doct…, John Gwynne Faithful and the Fallen Collection 4 Books Set, John Gwynne Faithful and the Fallen Collection 4 B….

Nothing special about him at all.

Then Asroth and his demon-horde will finally break into the Banished Lands and become flesh. They plan to bring Asroth and his host of the Fallen into the world of flesh, but to do so they need the seven treasures.

or 1 credit. Ruin, however, totally blew me away. Having read the entire series, however, I now appreciate the first book’s investment in character-building. Corban wants nothing more than to be a warrior under King Brenin's rule - to protect and serve. If you are still wondering how to get free PDF EPUB of book Wrath (The Faithful and the Fallen, #4) by John Gwynne. There are areas I didn't like and conclusions I didn't feel satisfying, but overall I thought they were 7.5/10.
And with Calidus and Queen Rhin, Nathair will do anything to obtain the rest. NATHAIR – The Fresh Prince of Balara; a bit of a tit. I mean Proper Wyrms, the kind that show up in Germanic myths without wings or even legs and looking like pants-shittingly gigantic– well, worms. Readers who like their fantasy more epic than a flame-breathing oliphaunt, however, should be aware that this series is something of a slow-burn. Having read the entire series, however, I now appreciate the first book’s investment in character-building. Furthermore, the skills he does possess are a result of growing up within a hard-working warrior culture. CYWEN – Corban’s fiery knife-throwing sister. At his back stands the scheming Calidus and a warband of the Kadoshim, dread demons of the Otherworld. I present to you: “The Faithful and the Fallen” fantasy series by British fantasy author John Gwynne. By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. 5 Reasons to Read ‘The Faithful and the Fallen’, The Banished Lands are Eerie, Atmospheric and Beautiful, View thefantasyhive’s profile on Facebook, View thefantasyhive’s profile on Instagram. Here he will witness the birth of a rebellion in Nathair's own realm.

Furthermore, the skills he does possess are a result of growing up within a hard-working warrior culture. When she isn’t working on a manuscript or writing for the Hive, you're most likely to find her on Twitter, playing Dragon Age, or hoarding polyhedral dice.


The second in The Faithful and the Fallen series, Valour by John Gwynne carries all of the excitement of the first. "War eternal between the Faithful and the Fallen, infinite wrath come to the world of men.

Nonetheless, it remains admirably character-centred. The author’s portrayal of certain characters’ motives and emotions becomes much more powerful, granting the reader intriguing insights into nearly every aspect of the overarching conflict. Still not convinced? Really? A significant part of book two, Valour, takes place in a Romanesque setting, while books three and four (Ruin and Wrath) introduce misty marshes and mighty forests; ancient fortresses and windswept mountain peaks. No matter how grand the situation or how large the scale, Gwynne never lets us forget that this entire series is a sprawling net comprised of a thousand little strands of humanity – and it’s this that makes it such an engaging and emotional read. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. Only when he loses those he loves will he learn the true price of courage. And Wrath is a fitting finale to a worthy series: a spectacularly epic and ambitious tale that delivers everything it promises, and more. It's received some very high praise on a couple of review blogs I frequent, but haven't seen them discussed much here or elsewhere. Here’s five more reasons why you might just love it.