Contemporary Authors

• Malice Orbit (New York, NY), 2013
• Valor Orbit (New York, NY), 2014.
• Ruin Orbit (New York, NY), 2015
• Wrath Orbit (New York, NY), 2016

1. Wrath LCCN 2016951999 Type of material Book Personal name Gwynne, John, 1968- author. Main title Wrath / John Gwynne. Edition First U.S. edition. Published/Produced New York, NY : Orbit, 2016. Description xv, 713 pages : map ; 24 cm. ISBN 9780316386340 (trade pbk.) CALL NUMBER PR6107.W96 W73 2016 CABIN BRANCH Copy 1 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms - STORED OFFSITE 2. Ruin LCCN 2015943701 Type of material Book Personal name Gwynne, John, 1968- author. Main title Ruin / John Gwynne. Edition First U.S. edition. Published/Produced New York, NY : Orbit, Hachette Book Group, 2015. ©2015 Description xiii, 782 pages : map ; 24 cm. ISBN 9780316386326 (softcover) 0316386324 (softcover) Shelf Location FLM2016 120837 CALL NUMBER PR6107.W96 R85 2015 OVERFLOWJ34 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms (FLM2) 3. Valor LCCN 2014935819 Type of material Book Personal name Gwynne, John, 1968- author. Main title Valor / John Gwynne. Edition First U.S. edition. Published/Produced New York, NY : Orbit, 2014. Description xi, 673 pages : map ; 24 cm. ISBN 9780316399746 (pbk.) 0316399744 (pbk.) Shelf Location FLM2015 045292 CALL NUMBER PR6107.W96 V35 2014 OVERFLOWJ34 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms (FLM2) 4. Malice LCCN 2013913826 Type of material Book Personal name Gwynne, John, 1968- author. Main title Malice / John Gwynne. Edition First U.S. edition. Published/Produced New York, NY : Orbit 2013. ©2012 Description 646 pages : map ; 24 cm. ISBN 9780316399739 (pbk.) 0316399736 (pbk.) Links Contributor biographical information http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy1503/2013913826-b.html Publisher description http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy1503/2013913826-d.html Shelf Location FLM2014 199058 CALL NUMBER PR6107.W96 M35 2013 OVERFLOWA5S Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms (FLM1)

• John Gwynne Home Page - http://www.john-gwynne.com/about-john-gwynne-author/

  About the Author
  Well this is a strange thing, writing about myself.
  I was born in Singapore while my dad was stationed there in the RAF. Up until he retired that meant a lot of traveling around, generally a move every three years or so.
  I live with my wife and four wonderful (and demanding) children in East Sussex. Also three dogs, two of which will chew anything that stands still. I have had many strange and wonderful jobs, including packing soap in a soap factory, waitering in a french restaurant in Canada, playing double bass in a rock n roll band, and lecturing at Brighton University.
  I stepped out of university work due to my daughter’s disability, so now I split my time caring for her and working from home – I work with my wife rejuvenating vintage furniture, which means fixing, lifting, carrying, painting and generally doing what my wife tells me to do…
  And somehow during this time I started writing. I’ve always told my children stories at bed-time, and they pestered long and hard for me to write some of it down. At the same time I felt that my brain was switching off a little – vintage furniture is my wife’s passion, whereas my passions are much geekier!
  That’s how The Banished Lands and Malice began, though along the way it became more than just a hobby. I’m still in shock that it is actually a real book, rather than just pages on my desk.
  I hope that you enjoy the book, the website and the blog. I intend to have some fun on here, as after all, having a book published is a bit like true love – it doesn’t happen everyday. Please bear with me as this is all very new to me and I’m not the most technically proficient. I’ll try not to blow the internet up.
  All the best,
  John

• Fantasy Fiction - http://fantasy-faction.com/2016/john-gwynne-interview-wrath-and-the-faithful-and-the-fallen

  Quoted in Sidelights: “Malice was the first thing I’ve ever written, creatively–up to then the sum total of my writing career was all essays and a couple of Dissertations–so four books later I really hope I have become a better writer,”
  JOHN GWYNNE INTERVIEW – WRATH AND THE FAITHFUL AND THE FALLEN
  FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016
  John GwynneHere at Fantasy-Faction we’re delighted to host John Gwynne, author of the epic fantasy quartet The Faithful and the Fallen. John’s books have been nominated within all three categories at the David Gemmell Legend Awards. Book one, Malice, won the Morningstar Award for Best Debut in 2013, and since then the series has received more and more praise with each instalment.

  John’s joining us today to celebrate the recent release of Wrath, the fourth and final novel of The Faithful and the Fallen.

  Firstly, congratulations on wrapping up your first series! How does it feel?

  Thank-you, Laura. Finishing WRATH, and with it, the whole Faithful and the Fallen series, has been quite a moment for me. There are a lot of emotions tied up in it. It feels exciting, fantastic, a little bit terrifying. And very strange to not be thinking about the next part. Bittersweet is a word I’ve used a lot when thinking or talking about finishing the Faithful and the Fallen. It’s been a part of my life for over fourteen years.

  Getting to write Wrath was like present-opening time. When all those threads and scenes I’ve had in my head for so long finally happened. I loved that – writing scenes that I’ve been imagining for soooo long. But writing those scenes was also a bittersweet experience, because it meant it was THE END, and that meant saying goodbye to characters that have become possibly a little too real to me!

  In saying that, it’s not out yet, so saying goodbye to a series in this publishing world is a staggered, lingering, drawn out goodbye. You finish the first draft. Then comes the edit. After that the copy-edit. Then the proof read. And eventually publication. And now finally we’re here. It’s definitely not a clean-cut ending, which in this case is a good thing. It eases the blow a little.

  Wrath (cover)Readers are already saying that Wrath is your strongest work to date. From Malice to Wrath, to what extent would you say your writing has evolved as the series has developed?

  The short answer is I don’t really know. I hope that I’ve become a better writer, I’ve certainly strived to. Malice was the first thing I’ve ever written, creatively – up to then the sum total of my writing career was all essays and a couple of Dissertations – so four books later I really hope I have become a better writer. It’s probably best to leave that up to you and the readers of the series. I would say I think there’s less padding in my writing, now. A little more confidence in seeing a scene clearly and just getting on with it.

  As a reader, I agree wholeheartedly. I found Malice (and to some extent, Valour) lacked the sense of straightforwardness and urgency that characterises the later books. Ruin was utterly gripping, and Wrath is even more so!

  For me, it wasn’t the reviews that persuaded me to read your books. It wasn’t even the blurb. No, it was the glorious sight of Malice adorning the tables at my local Waterstones. Even in paperback, it’s simply gorgeous!

  How did you feel when you first saw Malice in print? (Admit it: you had a major ‘Gollum’ moment, didn’t you?)

  It really was like that. The magic of receiving author copies of a book never goes away, I love it, but that first time, it really is special. I remember my editor Julie Crisp – now a fantastic literary agent, by the way – sent me a single copy before I received my box of official author copies. She was so happy with how the book had come out and wanted me to have that moment of glee as soon as was physically possible! Opening that box and seeing the shiny hardback of Malice with that awesome red-hilted sword was utterly amazing. It was definitely a ‘wow, this is a real book,’ occasion. There have been a few ‘dance-a-jig,’ moments along the way, and that was one of them.

  Marc Turner said something similar when I interviewed him. Seeing your first book in print seems to be a universal ‘milestone’ moment!

  I’m sure others will agree that you struck gold regarding your covers. In fact, your books are amongst the most beautiful I own. It’s no coincidence that I voted for Paul Young in the Ravenheart category at this year’s Gemmells: just like the others, Ruin’s art is subtle yet epic, and the design is simply stunning.

  How much influence did you have with regards to cover design?

  Malice (cover)I’m so glad you like the covers, Laura. I LOVE them. Paul Young at Pan MacMillan has done an amazing job on all four covers. To me they really are the perfect fantasy cover; simple, with classic weapons, a sense of gritty history as well as epic fantasy, and the backgrounds, subtle but saying a whole lot about the story. Whenever I see them my eye is drawn to them, and I don’t think it’s just because they’re mine (precioussss).

  I don’t know how much influence I’ve had on the cover art. It’s a dialogue, and there has certainly been a lot of that between myself, Julie Crisp and Bella Pagan at Tor UK. Concepts, ideas, attempts at setting the tone of each book, and a multitude of images, all are emailed back and forth. I have to confess it is one of my favourite parts of the publishing process, and seeing what Paul Young and the design team at Pan Macmillan put together is always glorious.

  They really are beautiful… and, of course, preciousssss.

  John, you’ve spoken on many occasions about the late David Gemmell and the great influence he’s had on your own writing. The Faithful and the Fallen subtly emulates many features and themes of the Drenai saga. Arguably, the most distinctive of these (aside from the writing style itself) is that ever-present sense of light amongst the darkness; the hope that good will push back against evil, no matter how grim the situation may seem.

  The similarities are obvious. But what would you say are the biggest differences between your work and Gemmell’s? (Did you consciously try and ensure that there were differences?)

  Legend (cover)David Gemmell is one of my favourite authors, and it’s true that a disproportionate amount of my teenage years was consumed by his books. Legend was the first book that I stayed up all night to read, because I just had to know what happened next! When it comes to comparing my writing to Gemmell’s, though, I have to say I’ve never thought about it in terms more detailed than I love Gemmell’s work. Much like you are what you eat, I suppose, there is an element of you write what you read!

  Occasionally I will receive an email from a budding writer asking for tips and advice. I don’t feel overly comfortable in dishing out advice, but the one thing I can say is what worked for me. Write what you want to read. That’s what I did, and I guess the writers that you love to read will have an influence upon what you create. I loved Tolkien’s epic-ness (is that a word?) Cornwell’s historical grittiness (and no-one writes a battle scene like Cornwell) and Gemmell’s flawed, human characters who still manage to say something about courage and heroism. When I sat down to write I made no conscious decisions about similarities or differences from my favourite writers, but I suppose I hoped I might capture something of those elements that stand out to me. Epic and intimate was my mantra, what I strove to create. By epic I mean sweeping, grand vistas and a conflict that rose above border disputes or politics, and by intimate I mean connecting with characters, caring about what happens to them.

  A tough balance to strike, but somehow you make it look easy!

  Just one more Gemmell-related question:

  Your agent is, of course, John Jarrold. I’m curious to know what he first said to you all those years ago. What was the main reason he gave for him scooping you of all people from the top of the pile? (Is it a first-name thing? It is, isn’t it?)

  John is a complete professional. He’s worked with just about everyone in the business, whether as editor or agent. He has a lifetime of knowledge and a terrific reputation in the publishing world, and I was over the moon when he took me on as a client. I won’t put words into his mouth, but loosely paraphrasing he said something along the lines of this: To take on a new client, firstly I have to love the manuscript on a personal level. Secondly, I have to believe that it has commercial legs, that it will fit well in the current fantasy market.

  Also, he only works with people named John.

  I knew it!

  Switching the focus to the future: eighteen months ago, you announced that you’d re-signed with Pan Macmillan for another epic fantasy series. You’ve since announced the first book in this series will be titled Dread (which is VERY cool). When can we readers expect to get our grubby mitts on it? (Also, which drawer do you keep your super-secret manuscripts in? Asking for a friend.)

  DREAD is finished. Well, the first draft, anyway. That means there’s still the edit, copy edit and proof read to go. I haven’t been given a publication date yet, but I would guess at the latter half of 2017. But don’t quote me on that.

  The manuscript is locked in my office drawer, watched over by a stuffed crow who may or may not shout STEALER at anyone brave enough to open the drawer!

  Nice! Bet it’s no match for Craf, though. 😉

  John, you’ve also confirmed the new series is set in the Banished Lands, aka. the same location as the Faithful and the Fallen. What else can you tell us about it without giving too much away?

  Yes, indeed. I couldn’t quite prise myself away from the Banished Lands! DREAD takes place 130 years after the events of WRATH, and is really about how the world has changed as a result of those events. It also explores parts of the Banished Lands that we didn’t see so much of in The Faithful and the Fallen. And of course, not everything is rosy…

  Sounds ominous… but not entirely unexpected from a book titled Dread!

  Speaking of titles… Malice, Valour, Ruin, Wrath, and now Dread. How long do you plan on continuing the tradition of kickass one-word titles? And what happens when you run out of cool nouns to use?

  Valour (cover)I’ll carry on with one word titles until I can’t think of any more, or I have no more books set in the Banished Lands left to write. I think all ‘Banished Lands,’ Tales should have one-word titles. It’s a little strange, because the original title of Malice was So Deep a Malice, which is part of a line from Milton’s Paradise Lost. I still like that title, but Bella Pagan at Tor UK suggested the shortened version, for multiple reasons – the punchiness of it, plus the marketing perspective – back then books sales were shifting towards thumbnails, which has only grown, and so presented another set of criteria to consider in the complex science that is book covers. I have to say, Bella was right, Malice and the continuing one-word titles feel perfect fits for the series.

  They’re certainly very striking!

  Now, you’ve also written one or two short stories based on characters from the Banished Lands and featuring in anthologies such as Blackguards and Legends II. Do you plan on writing more? Enough for, say, a Joe Abercrombie/Sharp Ends-style collection?

  I loved that book! I’m writing a short story set in the Banished Lands at the moment, a tale about how Balur the giant became Balur One-Eye. Because I’m a bit weird and think of the Banished Lands as a semi-historical reality, there are endless stories to tell. It’s a bit like plucking moments from history! So, yes, I think the short stories could go on indefinitely. A bit like Tolkien’s Silmarillion, I suppose. I do have some short stories set in other worlds in the pipeline, as well.

  The Banished Lands feel so real – I’m not surprised you (and your readers!) think of them as semi-historical. I look forward to eventually glimpsing these other worlds and characters, too. But for the time being: if you could choose one character from The Faithful and the Fallen to take on a spinoff adventure, who would it be and why?

  Alcyon, the giant. He’s got a story that has a lot of room for exploration, and he’s a character that has really grown during the series.

  Also Craf, Brina’s talking Crow. I think he’s got a lot to say, and is very good at getting himself into awkward and potentially entertaining situations.

  Craf is great! I actually laughed out loud earlier today at one of his scenes. I was reading Wrath on the train, and got one or two funny looks…

  You’ve been asked many times before about the writers who influenced you, most frequently listing David Gemmell, Bernard Cornwell and J.R.R. Tolkien in your responses. Are there any other authors who’ve made an impression on you more recently – or even influenced your writing in any way?

  Ruin (cover small)Oh, absolutely. I’m always reading something and thinking, “They’re fantastic, I wish I could write like that!”

  When it comes to prose amongst contemporary fantasy writers I don’t think you’ll find anyone better than Mark Lawrence. There’s a sparse poetry to his writing that is beautiful. Joe Abercrombie is a genius with character, where you can tell who’s who just by reading a sentence of their dialogue. Bernard Cornwell’s mentioned above, but he’s still writing, and reading his work is like viewing a masterclass. I love Christian/Miles Cameron’s books, both his fantasy and historical novels. For me he has that elusive balance in his writing, where everything comes together perfectly. Adrian Tchaikovsky’s Shadows of the Apt is a great series, and I love Sebastien de Castell’s Greatcoat’s books – a wonderful blend of rip-roaring pace, loveable rogues and action. Another historical novelist whom I admire greatly is Robert Low, who has written the Oathsworn series about a hard-nosed band of Vikings. It’s fast-paced and fantastic, with prose that I wish I could emulate. Also, Conn Iggulden, what a terrific writer that man is!

  So many others – Robin Hobb, George R.R. Martin, Brian Ruckley, Giles Kristian, Manda Scott, Justin Cronin…

  I think I might be getting carried away here!

  No, no – I love your enthusiasm!

  That’s quite a list… so let’s narrow it down. If you could pick any 3 living authors to blurb your books, who would you choose and why?

  Any of those mentioned above! Actually, I’ve been fortunate enough that some of those mentioned above have read my books! Conn Iggulden read Malice and posted his review on Amazon, which blew me away. When I first saw it I just thought it had been written by some imposter, or unlikely namesake, but as time went on it gnawed away at me – was it THE Conn Iggulden??? Eventually I messaged his agent, asking them to put me out of my misery, and it turned out it was the real Conn Iggulden. That really made my day!

  Also, Mark Lawrence is quoted on the front cover of WRATH, and Christian/Miles Cameron has been heard to say kind things about my books! Thinking about it, that’s pretty awesome!

  That really is something! I imagine having established authors praise your books (particularly without being solicited to do so) must feel like a stamp of validation – not to mention an enormous confidence boost.

  Though actually, when it comes to praising your work, some of your keenest supporters can be found under the same roof. Anyone who has ever spoken to you – either in person or via social media – knows that you’re a proud husband (to one) and father (to four). In fact, you’ve said before that your family is the reason you write. Is it true that you would never have started writing The Faithful and the Fallen without their (rather forceful!) encouragement?

  That’s absolutely true. Caroline, my wife, has said for more years than I can remember that I should have a go at writing a book. I’m not even really sure why she used to say that. Maybe because of the bed-time stories I’d tell our children. I used to tell her stories, too, but mostly snippets from Lord of the Rings or The Silmarillion – this is back before the films had been made. I do recall telling her the tale of Beren and Luthien while we were sat having a coffee whilst out shopping. I remember she cried – though at the time I thought it was because she wanted me to stop, or her bum had gone numb, or something like that!

  Ha! So romantic…

  I made the definite decision to have a go at writing in 2002, when we all came back from seeing The Two Towers at the cinema. We were all sitting around the table having dinner, and Caroline voiced again that she thought I should write a book. Of course my children all added their voices to that. Initially I told them what a silly idea that was, and gave a few reasons. Some quite important ingredients were missing, I said, such as plot, character, and a significant dose of talent. But the wave of opinion could not be silenced so easily, and after a while I thought, ‘Why not? I’ve been thinking about a hobby I could pursue from home,’ (my daughter, Harriett, is profoundly disabled. I used to teach at my local University, but stepped out of it to help Caroline in caring for Harriett. So I found myself largely at home 24/7, and was thinking about some kind of a hobby, a bit of me-time.)

  So I thought, ‘Okay. Let’s give this writing-a-book malarkey a go.’

  That was only the beginning, of course, and starting a book is one thing, but finishing it (especially when it just won’t stop growing!) is entirely another! The support of my family, particularly from Caroline, made writing Malice possible, and without her or my children’s support I am certain that it would never have seen the light of day.

  Sweet! And now (fourteen years later!) it must be incredibly special having children who’ve essentially grown up with your series in the same way you did with Gemmell’s. Am I right in saying that two of your sons are particularly devoted followers of Corban and co.?

  Yes, you are, although, to be fair, they haven’t had much choice in the matter. My eldest son, James, managed to escape much of the madness by becoming a responsible adult, getting a job and moving out. He’s a dairy farmer, works all hours but I have still managed to suck him in! ? It was his farm field where my author-photo was taken, and he can be spotted wielding a sword in the photos, though he is covered in a lot of blue woad!

  John Gwynne and Family

  Awesome! And the other two?

  Edward and William weren’t so lucky. I must confess to reading chapters of Malice to them as bedtime stories, and plot twists would often be the topic of conversation around the dinner table. There was no escape for those two, bless them. William has an amazing memory and eye for detail – I think he’s a budding proof-reader – and often pulls me up about errors and inaccuracies I’ve made (hopefully before the books went to print!), and Edward has been my companion throughout the series. My first reader (rule of thumb, if Edward cries, it’s working) and shieldman to every convention, event and book launch I’ve attended. It has made a lot of great memories – stand out amongst them is catching them re-enacting battle scenes from the books! I can tell you, that makes a fantasy-writing dad very proud!

  That sounds phenomenal!

  (No, I’m not crying. YOU’RE crying. *sniff*)

  Do you think that having your family so closely involved with the writing process affects your stories (in terms of language, plot choices, character arcs, etc.)?

  Yes, most definitely. When I started writing my family were my audience, the only people that I was certain would ever read my scribblings. My rule of thumb has always been, ‘write what you want to read,’ but of course I hoped that they would enjoy it, too. The Faithful and the Fallen is not a series of children’s books, but it never became too graphic in its adult-ness (though some of the battle-scenes in the last two books may be pushing that a little!). I’ve never thought of the Faithful and the Fallen as a sermon or preachy morality tale, but it does show characters in dark situations, and hopefully highlights how important individual choices are to our lives. Not just the big events, but the small choices that no-one sees except us. The famous quote by Edmund Burke is wrapped up in The Faithful and the Fallen – “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men to do nothing.”

  You know, I actually noted down a quote from Wrath that sums that up really well. Corban tells the Jotun leader, “If you choose not to fight against Asroth, then you have already chosen him.” Pertinent, and brilliant.

  Is there anything you (or your sons!) would say to anyone who hasn’t yet read your books?

  Malice (cover)I would say, if epic fantasy with a historical twist and a large dose of betrayal is your thing, then give them a go. What have you got to lose?

  Ed: If you’re looking for a series with characters that you love like your brothers-in-arms, or hate like they’re your worst enemies, then this could be for you.

  Will: Make sure you have some free time if you start reading the Faithful and the Fallen, because once you start, you won’t stop.

  *I will be paying Ed and Will handsomely for these spontaneous quotes!

  Spontaneous, perhaps, but both accurate summations!

  Before we finish, I have one or two super-serious questions. For instance, who would win in a fight between a draig and a velociraptor?

  Oh, a draig, probably without breaking sweat. Think, giant Komodo Dragons, bigger than a horse, on steroids and with anger issues. A pack of velociraptors might have a chance, or at least draw some blood, but one of them! Nope.

  Eek! Move over, Godzilla! Speaking of whom…

  If you had to pick just one of your characters to defend the world against Godzilla, who would you choose and why?

  Maquin, no question. His focus and lack of ego, combined with his all-round badassery, of course, would single him out as the man to get the job done.

  Now THAT’S a fight I’d pay to see.

  Thanks for taking the time to join us, John. Congratulations again on completing the series, and good luck with the next one!

  Thanks so much, Laura. It’s been a real pleasure, and thank-you for thinking of me and taking the time to make this interview happen.

  Always a pleasure!

  Wrath, the fourth and final book in John Gwynne’s epic fantasy series The Faithful and the Fallen, is available to buy in the UK RIGHT NOW and is due out in the US on December 6. Check out our recent review of Wrath here. You can learn more about Wrath and The Faithful and the Fallen series on John’s website!

  Rating: 10.0/10 (6 votes cast)

Wrath
Publishers Weekly.
263.44 (Oct. 31, 2016): p58.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Wrath
John Gwynne. Orbit, $16.99 trade paper (736p) ISBN 978-0-316-38634-0
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Gwynne brings his Faithful and the Fallen epic fantasy series to a melee-laden climax in this violent fourth volume
(after Ruin). He begins with a splash as two of his heroes, Veradis and Alcyon, fall from a tower into a river to escape
from Calidus, a demon in human form who's trying to gather seven treasures to bring a host of demons into the world
of flesh. The pair join with remnants of an alliance led by another hero, Corban, who was defeated at the ancient
fortress of Drassil. Corban has been captured by the Jotun clan of giants, but the rest of his forces seek to reunite and
continue fighting against the demons and their allies and thralls. In the west, two queens clash, one a staunch ally of
Calidus and the other refusing to believe that the God-War is upon them. Those who enjoy fantasy warfare will relish
this installment, as there are endless skirmishes, duels, pitched battles, raids, ambushes, and every other form of
combat. Some parts feel a bit derivative, though, as when a small band seeks to destroy powerful artifacts while a
diversionary assault rages, a la The Return of the King. (Dec.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Wrath." Publishers Weekly, 31 Oct. 2016, p. 58. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA470462530&it=r&asid=1db29749a59691c93d1afc9d730b0246.
Accessed 7 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A470462530
10/7/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1507419066953 2/2
Quoted in Sidelights: “but it’s nothing bad; the story grinds to a halt at points, but at others, there’s plenty of action.”
Gwynne, John: MALICE
Kirkus Reviews.
(Dec. 1, 2013):
COPYRIGHT 2013 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Gwynne, John MALICE Orbit/Little, Brown (Adult Fiction) $16.00 12, 3 ISBN: 978-0-316-39973-9
A middling Middle Earth-ish extravaganza with all the usual thrills, chills, spills and frills. All modern fantasy begins
with J.R.R. Tolkien, and Tolkien begins with the Icelandic sagas and the Mabinogion. Debut author Gwynne's
overstuffed but slow-moving contribution to the genre--the first in a series, of course--wears the latter source on its
sleeve: "Fionn ap Toin, Marrock ben Rhagor, why do you come here on this first day of the Birth Moon?" Why,
indeed? Well, therein hangs the tale. The protagonist is a 14-year-old commoner named Corban, son of a swineherd,
who, as happens in such things, turns out to be more resourceful than his porcine-production background might
suggest. There are bad doings afoot in Tintagel--beg pardon, the Banished Lands--where nobles plot against nobles
even as there are stirrings of renewed titanomachia, that war between giants and humans having given the place some
of its gloominess. There's treachery aplenty, peppered with odd episodes inspired by other sources, such as an
Androcles-and-lion moment in which Corban rescues a fierce wolven ("rarely seen here, preferring the south of Ardan,
regions of deep forest and sweeping moors, where the auroch herds roamed"). It's a good move: You never can tell
when a wolven ally will come in handy, especially when there are wyrms around. Gwynne's effort pales in comparison
to George R.R. Martin's gold-standard work, but it's nothing bad; the story grinds to a halt at points, but at others,
there's plenty of action.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Gwynne, John: MALICE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2013. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA350763049&it=r&asid=2e6c24350928d9f9e48c962161a99b83.
Accessed 7 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A350763049

"Wrath." Publishers Weekly, 31 Oct. 2016, p. 58. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA470462530&it=r. Accessed 7 Oct. 2017. "Gwynne, John: MALICE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2013. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA350763049&it=r. Accessed 7 Oct. 2017.

• Fantasy Book Review
  http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/John-Gwynne/Wrath.html
  Word count: 1344

  Quoted in Sidelights: “There are so many epic duels, showdowns, battles, betrayals and bloodshed that Wrath arguably contains more action than a Jet Li highlight reel. … 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.”
  Wrath by John Gwynne
  Wrath book cover
  Free preview
  Rating
  9.8/10
  Spectacularly envisaged works of art
  A Recommended Book of the Month
  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 novel's 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 duels, 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 it is Maquin crossing paths with one of his nemesis' 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 Anomander 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 character’s 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 had not 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 humans 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.
  This Wrath book review was written by James Tivendale

• Reading Lamp
  https://reading-lamp.blogspot.com/2016/12/review-wrath-by-john-gwynne.html
  Word count: 1504

  Quoted in Sidelights: “Wrath is an incredibly strong close to what has become one of my favorite Fantasy series in recent years,” reported a Reading Lamp critic, adding: “Every single plotline in the book felt valuable to me. I cannot claim that I didn’t enjoy any one of them. John Gwynne did an amazing job splitting the plotlines while having them all contribute somehow. … Everything is in its place by the end.”
  Review: Wrath by John Gwynne
  Labels: Fantasy, John Gwynne, Reviews, The Faithful and the Fallen, Tor Posted by DarkChaplain at 12/31/2016

  Finishing a series of books you enjoyed is always a bittersweet experience. Sometimes more so than other times. Wrath is definitely that. I was deeply invested in this series once I realized how moving it was, and this is the perfect book to end 2016 on, both on my list on Goodreads and as far as reviews go. There's a few left that didn't quite make it in time for December 31st, but I'm happy to say that this did. Let me preface my swooning with a simple statement: Buy this series, it is amazing.

  The Story:
  "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"

  The Review:
  Wrath is, with no real doubt, my favorite novel of 2016. It is the perfect book to end the year on for me. I was worried that the final book in the series would end with an unsatisfying conclusion or wouldn't wrap things up neatly enough, but oh boy were those fears unfounded. Wrath is an incredibly strong close to what has become one of my favorite Fantasy series in recent years.

  The story picks right back up from where Ruin left off - Drassil has fallen to Nathair and Calidus, Corban's diverse warband of men and giants scattered in Forn Forest. Immediately things kick off again, giving the reader opportunities to refamiliarize themselves with the characters and their griefs. I was worried that I might have lost track somewhere, since I read books one to three over the course of a month at the start of 2016, but it pulled me right back in within a few chapters and I was on top of events once more.

  Every single plotline in the book felt valuable to me. I cannot claim that I didn't enjoy any one of them. John Gwynne did an amazing job splitting the plotlines while having them all contribute somehow. More than in the previous novels, paths cross here and many strings turn into one. Of course, the story centers in and around Drassil, but we still get glimpses from outside Forn, including the journey of Edana and Camlin, and their resistance against Queen Rhin. The tension all across the Banished Lands is palpable, even though everything runs right back to Drassil for the grand finale. And what a finale it was!

  I'll be honest. I cried many times throughout the book. I cheered just as often if not more, and I ended up shouting "No! No! No!" in disbelief in instances. The book made me happy, it made me incredibly sad, and it had me excited all the way through. John Gwynne's a bastard for writing this book, but damn me if I don't love him for it. Wrath is the epitome of an emotional rollercoaster, just that instead of a boring, abrupt end to the ride, everything felt settled and satisfying here. Everything is in its place by the end, whether directly stated or implied, and the story of Corban and the rest ends on the best possible note - looking back to what was, yet also towards the future. It is a bittersweet end, for sure, but one that had me emotionally invested and happy.

  But getting there wasn't easy. There is a lot of action here. The God War is presented as brutal, visceral, full of grief and wrath, but Gwynne manages to still focus on the men behind the shield walls, or wielding the axes and swords, and give us genuine looks on their beliefs, their fears and their valour. A bunch of you reading this will probably be aware that, while I read a lot of action-heavy books (40k says Hi), it is the characters, the drama between them, and the dialogue which keep me invested - and Wrath, like the entire series, nails those aspects. Personal drama is at an all time high here, especially as some heroes catch up to their nemeses and things get bloody. Seeing the Old Wolf in action once more was glorious, for example, yet also struck me with a lot of grief for what humanity he has lost since the early books. Seeing other characters fight with their own demons and making their final choices was incredible. Honestly, there are more characters in here that I cared about and came to love since the first book than I can count here.

  In places, the book broke my heart. It made me utterly sad and stunned me with its little twists. And yet I never really wanted to stop reading. It never turned me off from going on with just another chapter, just another, and stay up deep into the nights. It stayed consistently engaging, which is no small feat for a book that hits you with over 700 pages! Not once did I feel it wasn't worth getting here, through three other books about as long as this one, to see the massive conclusion of the God War. When the novel was painful to read, it was not because it was a bad book in any way, shape or form (this ain't Star Wars: Aftermath!), but because I cared so deeply for everything that was happening and wanted the cast to settle down with a happy ending. Instead Gwynne kept heaping loss and sadness onto his characters, and the reader, and made this mythical war between good and evil feel so much more alive and relevant, so much more scary and earth shattering. A lot of authors can learn a thing or three from this epic finale, in my opinion. The betrayals cut deep, the bonds of loyalty hold firm. It is an emotional and dramatic highlight all around.

  I'm dancing around plot details, though. I don't want to spoil things needlessly, because I fully believe that this entire series is worth reading, worth being surprised by as you go through it. I don't want to blunt the victories or tragedies before you stumble over them. Heck, I didn't really know anything about the series going into it back in late January. All I knew was that my girlfriend had recently started reading Malice and really seemed to enjoy it. So I picked it up myself, and before I knew it I sat with Ruin finished and facing a 10 month wait for the final book. Thankfully, now they are all released and you won't have to wait like I did.
  As for myself I can say that Wrath is one of the few series finales that actually made me want to go back and start the series all over immediately after getting through it. For now I am restraining myself and not giving in, due to how much fresh material I have still left to read, but I don't doubt that I'll be coming back to The Faithful and the Fallen in the future. I am looking forward to it already.

  You got me, John Gwynne. You got me excited, you got me to weep, you got me looking forward to the next book with your name on it. Wrath, standing head and shoulders above most fantasy series' finales over the past many years, guarantees that I'll read whatever its author is working on. Of Blood and Bone, was it? Starting with Dread? Well, I'm in. Thank you, John, for ending my 2016 with a big and glorious bang.
  Now if only somebody could tell me how I can get these massive tomes signed, that'd be swell...

• Fantasy Book Review
  http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/John-Gwynne/Malice.html
  Word count: 2091

  Quoted in Sidelights: “John Gwynne manages to take what looks like a stereotypical fantasy-trope and build it into something different and new,” reported Joshua S. Hill, writing online at Fantasy Book Review. Another critic on the same site, going by the name Floresiensis, noted that Gwynne manages to weave multiple narrative threads “into a story that is very rich, involving, and one where I never knew exactly what was coming.”
  Malice by John Gwynne
  Malice book cover
  Free preview
  Rating
  7.6/10
  A thoroughly entertaining new fantasy story.
  "That is my prayer, what use is prayer to a God that has abandoned all things..." - Halvor
  Gwynne's debut is the foundation of what will arguably be a perplexing but ultimately breathtaking fantasy saga. One that is flowing with age-old and perhaps cliched elements preparing for the ultimate battle. Good vs. Evil. It features a whole range of species such as humans, giants, wolvens, draigs and also incorporates a friendly intellectual talking crow.
  A few wise people have envisaged through their extramental powers and knowledge that the ever-present threat of a God war; one that was fabled over 2000 years ago may be very close to fruition.
  The mythical race the Ben-Elim revered two Gods. Asroth and Elyon. One of these ascendants has turned his back on humanity and all who dwell within The Banished Lands. It is foretold that both sides will have a champion. One entitled the Black Sun and one known as the Bright Star.
  The narrative follows about 7-8 points of view all in third person perspective. What is interesting and I respect Gwynne for this is that, barring one obviously evil character all the main focus characters are good people in this disturbing, dark and deceptive world. Whichever side of the Good vs. Evil foundations they are frequenting we hear it from good hearted people. To the extent where - although both characters are involved throughout the whole book - until the ultimation, we have no idea who is the Black Sun and who is the Bright Star - and I guess even then we can't be 100% sure. From this tactic of the author with writing pleasant point of views, the story starts off quite upbeat and charming with a royal wedding - known in this realm as a "handbounding". The reality is that with the ever present war this vibe does not continue too long.
  I would say 50% of this book follows young Corban. A youth from Ardan who is dealing with bullies, family issues and the ever present knowledge that he needs to work hard before his looming manhood challenge; sitting the Long Night where he can prove he is a warrior which is his main ambition. He wants to make everyone proud if possible. It doesn't always appear easy for young Corban with the challenges he faces on this road to ever looming manhood. Well, if he makes it that far. Not a spoiler. Just may end up being a fact in this rotten world.
  In this novel - so many of the presented personae are complicated, some are likable and others are intensely mysterious. Characters that stood out most to me, and there are a few which speaks volumes in itself - were Tull, Storm, Nathair, Envis, Cywen, Maquin, Camlin amongst about 47 others. You will get attached and yes; it will hurt.
  The world is intricately created incorporating nationalities, races, religions, family ties etc... I mentioned before that some cliches worm their way throughout this book, however; fantasy is my favourite genre so if it isn't broke then why fix it. A cliche of my own!
  I do not wish to discuss too much of the actual plot, characterisation or outcomes and trust me- you will thank me because this is a book you don't want to have ruined. If you haven't read this book then - stop reading reviews!!! (After this one of course) Spoilers do lurk so be careful. I was aware of one or two before the conclusion, unfortunately.
  Apart from it being a typical fantasy - which isn't really a problem, I do have one criticism. For a published novel by TOR, I noticed a handful of errors. Main character names spelled wrong, missing "-marks from sentences, repeating exactly the same statement a paragraph later when that point; for the progression of the book did not need to be repeated. In the introduction, Gwynne thanks 9 people; excluding an editor for proofreading his manuscript. It is a shame that errors sneaked through. (I know I make spelling mistakes - probably even in this review yet I don't sell these at Waterstones). Spelling errors alas, but still a spellbinding story and I can't wait to start Valour well, probably in about 7 minutes.
  The ending was a great culmination of all the threads (or should that be threats?) and it does finish with most events being nicely tied up. No major cliffhangers. A few of my friends said that this book's finale brought tears to their eyes. I will not argue - it is brutal and utterly devastating and unpredictable at some points. It didn't upset me too much following on from reading the heartless deaths in Malazan and also the fact I am a cold hearted psychopath. Unless, it involves animals. I saw a dead cat once and cried. If a character's' pet animal (who you will love) got injured I threatened to throw this and the remaining three books into my fire. And I will. You best think that over Gwynne before you release Wrath, or you with honestly feel my Wrath. Grr.
  Oh wow, I reviewed this and didn't mention Games of Thrones. Damn. I just did.
  James Tivendale, 8.4/10
  The worst thing that can happen to a book is for a good idea to be poorly executed. More and more I’m finding that the publishing industry seems to be letting its guard down on the quality they publish. Like a car that has been cleaned by using spit and a dirty rag – it looks OK at a distance, but the closer you get, the more you see the stains and streaks that would have been taken care of with a bit of polish.
  John Gwynne’s debut novel, ‘Malice’, falls into this category of a book that could have done with a bit more editorial polish. The creative germ of an idea is enticing, but the execution lacks the refinement you would expect from a book published in 2014 – which is disappointing, because John Gwynne manages to take what looks like a stereotypical fantasy-trope and build it into something different and new.
  Malice starts out distressingly like so many other fantasy novels – boys in their teens thrust into roles of responsibility we can barely comprehend for someone their age: One is a young boy from a village, another is a youngest son – all very typical. However, Gwynne then takes these characters on a journey that does away with the ‘typical’ and puts his own spin on things.
  Gone is the ‘suddenness’ of other versions of this story – we are allowed the opportunity to slowly grow with the characters, to see one grow brave and to see the other become unhinged. There is no rush to the story – something for which I was immensely grateful. In this way we experience actual character growth, growth which is shown over a period of time, rather than told to us in repeated info-dumps.
  In fact, Malice manages this slow growth so well that the book is hard to put down – despite its editorial lapses. One wonders just how much better this book would have read with even one more edit, to pick out the inconsistencies, grammatical errors, and lazy writing. In this, I place blame on the editorial process and not the author. A writer myself, I understand how difficult it is to step away from your own creative work and critically judge where you have gone awry. John Gwynne has crafted a beautiful tale, which takes fantasy tropes we have come to love and hate in equal measure, and build upon them something new and entertaining. Sadly, the editorial attention paid to that work has let him down, somewhat.
  The characters we meet and interact with, however, redeem this story beyond warning you away. The world and its slowly-revealing horrors are utterly fascinating, and I cannot wait until I am able to return to the world Gwynne has created. Weaved in and around the story of these young people are tropes I love, and to experience them in a new way is downright enjoyable. Add to that the contrasting views of right and wrong, so wonderfully explored through the eyes of innocent and culpable characters alike, and you have what could be a one of the most refreshing new entrants onto the fantasy scene in quite a while.
  While I may harp on about editorial oversights in John Gwynne’s Malice, I still recommend the book to any who like a good read. You may in fact find no fault at all with the writing, and you will therefore enjoy a thoroughly entertaining new fantasy story. Nevertheless, this book is definitely worth the entry price, if for no other reason than to see if the author grows in his writing with the oncoming sequel, ‘Valour’.
  Joshua S Hill, 6/10
  I found my reading of Malice to be a little happier than that experienced by Josh. I do however agree with a lot of the positive elements he mentioned and I was similarly impressed by how Gwynne managed to take much that is stereotypical or derivative in the fantasy genre and breath new life into it.
  The reason I am so willing and happy to forgive any perceived weaknesses (in my opinion) is because I found the book just so damn easy – and enjoyable - to read. It is by no means a small book, and at 640 pages big even by epic fantasy standards, but I flew through the pages and before I realised I was nearing it, the end was reached. I found it was admirable in its ambition and I was especially impressed with its style as it provided me with an immersive reading experience reminiscent to those that David Gemmell, Raymond E Feist, George R. R. Martin and - of course - J. R. R. Tolkien provided me with over the course of the last three decades. And to those authors and Gwynne I will always be grateful.
  I did at times find events a little unlikely, the use of deus-ex-machina jarred on a couple of occasions and a few of the major characters merged into one, leaving me finding it a little difficulty remembering who exactly each one was, where they were from, who their King was and what role in the story they were playing - but that is really all that I can say that is negative.
  It is the book’s structure that is so reminiscent of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire as all chapters are titled and feature the story from a major character’s point-of-view. The book was definitely Gemmell- and Tolkien-inspired but it was Raymond E. Feist’s Magician that I was most put in mind of while I read it, and again, all the above are good things. As the story progresses these separate threads converge into a story that is very rich, involving, and one where I never knew exactly what was coming as the plot continued to weave and flow in unexpected directions.
  The biggest compliment I can pay is to mention that the day after I finished Malice I picked up Valour, the second book in the series, and began to read it. And as I know from experience with trilogies once the world, character and story building has been done by the first installment the second book can really fly as the reader is now so comfortable with the fantasy world and those that inhabit it.
  I would happily recommend Malice to people like me – those who a) love a good fantasy story and b) grew up loving authors like Eddings, Feist, Gemmell and Tolkien.
  PS. Book two, Valour, has begun really well…
  Floresiensis, 8.5/10
  This Malice book review was written by James Tivendale and Joshua S Hill and Floresiensis

• Fantasy Book Review
  http://www.fantasybookreview.co.uk/John-Gwynne/Valour.html
  Word count: 1083

  “a stunning novel” :
  Valour by John Gwynne
  Valour book cover
  Free preview
  Rating
  9.0/10
  Valour itself is a stunning novel
  A Recommended Book of the Month
  "One thought circled in his head like the black birds swirling about the mountain peaks. They must be stopped." - Corban
  Valour carries on literally minutes after the action when Malice presented us such an amazing breathless finale. We witness the so-called Bright Star Corban; and his bizarre accumulated band of all sorts that incorporates warriors, witches, Queens and outcast woodsmen - following on from the evacuation of Dun Carreg due to the unforeseeable monstrous actions that took place, with the effects still lingering amongst the groups' morale. It also picks up with readers favourite, Maquin awakening in the tombs underneath Haldis after the ultimate betrayal and follows him overcoming his tragic loss, knowing that his main ambition is now purely revenge.
  All the point of view perspectives from Malice, if the characters are still alive that is; still continue here and Gwynne has united a bond between player and reader throughout the narrative. We really care about these guys as in one book we have already been through so much together. The Malice players perspectives would only cover about fifty-five percent of the world's happenings so many new and just as engrossing characters are introduced who let us prance around their minds and hear what is going on. These include hardened female Giant-fighter Coralen, Jehar warrior top-dog Tukul and Uthas, a giant who was featured in the first book of the saga but whose motives are unique and mysterious. The need for these new perspectives is so that when factions cross as either friends or foes, we have someone we can relate to on both sides which will help us understand the necessary camaraderie felt or potential hatred.
  Corban is still the main perspective that we follow. At the start of this book, he doesn't accept or even really believe his foreseen destiny. He envisages that the people closest to him who believe these predictions are a little bit mad and focusing on fables and faery-stories, however much that he loves these comrades. He still trains with former stablemaster, Gar for reasons he doesn't understand but Corban will not yet even contemplate what the truth could be. We can see that he is growing up to be a very clever, respected and influential individual. People are still awestruck when they see him fight or train with Gar but he doesn't know why. Throughout the tale, more and more different factions become intertwined and infected with his destiny. This book really presents a lot regarding the unity, joy, and camaraderie of friendship. Once, a Camlin scene comes to mind, it was slightly unrealistic with his statements regarding his change from hard brutal forest warrior to Corban's kinsman and troop leader essentially. I like the positive sides of people so if a character could change this much and it is for a progressive story reason I will not see it as a negative. Corban also notices these weird things that keep staring and smiling at him. Ladies. Will a love story impact on our heroes destiny? It would not be the first book that such a dilemma had occurred.
  Valour is highly focused around three amazing sieges and battles following High King Nathair and his alliance with Rhin in the West of the Banished Lands which is where the majority of this tale frequents. Nathair believes he is the heralded Seren Disglair and has been advised by his Lord that he needs to obtain the seven Giant treasures to save the world from darkness. It is obvious that Gwynne knows his swords, weapons and can create the most amazing battle sequences, arguably some of the best I have read in fantasy. The shield-wall reminds me of the Battle of Red Cliff in China. The warfare is full of unpredictable awesomeness, betrayals, tricks and not forgetting the side who decide to trick the side who just tricked them.
  The tale in the East follows the 'Old-Wolf' Maquin, an honourable hero who has somehow failed in keeping all his vows in life thus far. I will not say too much but this side includes brainwashing, fighting pits, degradation and extreme inhumanity.
  We analyse the point of views from both sides of the armies, so we know exactly what their opinions represent even when it happens. Such as analysis and proof that enemies have shapeshifting demons amongst the flanks, an undefeatable shield-wall and not forgetting a talking crow, raven and a brutally loyal extreme skin piercing howling Wolven are in the mix.
  The ending was unique and as a critic, I have nothing critical to say about it. Instead of the one aforementioned (see my Malice review) scene to finish off Malice, we have three to "enjoy". I will say that word lightly as like me, you will have no idea what will happen before this novel's conclusion. All three scenes end up with enticing cliff hangers. I have to wait two days until I can afford Ruin and that really annoys me. I was debating on whether I was going to give this book a good or a great rating. After much deliberation, I decided that the only reason I would rate this as being only good is that I think the next book will be better. Valour itself is a stunning novel so I will not be distracted by how great the extremities are that this saga could reach. It earns the score I have given it.
  In my mind, and I know Gwynne has a lot of respect for the gentleman, and I do not blame him, but I think this series is superior in consistency, the amount of amazing characters and superb point of views to ASOIAF. I know that is a huge statement. Let me hope my sweeping statement is not premature with two books left to go. From what all my Goodreads and book blogging friends say, there is no way I will be disappointed. I hate to admit, a couple of errors came through in the novel, I saw two spelling mistakes and a few randomly missed speech-marks. I have a critical eye and these small, very minute issues did not detract from my enjoyment at all.
  This Valour book review was written by James Tivendale

• Tor
  https://www.tor.com/2016/11/28/the-faithful-and-the-fallen-a-truly-epic-fantasy-series-of-valour-in-the-face-of-malice-wrath-and-ruin/
  Word count: 2235

  Quoted in Sidelights: “Ruin is one of the very few books that has ever managed to bring me to tears.”
  “Wrath is a fitting finale to a worthy series: a spectacularly epic and ambitious tale that delivers everything it promises, and more. Trust me when I say it’s worth the wait.”
  ”The Faithful and the Fallen: A Truly Epic Fantasy Series of Valour in the Face of Malice, Wrath, and Ruin

  Laura M. Hughes
  Mon Nov 28, 2016 9:00am 8 comments 3 Favorites [+]

  Have you ever found yourself ambling around your local bookstore, mumbling as you search the shelves for something – anything – that will fulfill your need for fictional giants mounted on giant bears?

  Search no longer, my darlings! I present to you: “The Faithful and the Fallen” fantasy series by British fantasy author John Gwynne.

  Beginning with Gemmell Award-winning Malice (Best Debut, 2013), Gwynne’s series is perfect for readers who prefer their fantasy with a touch of grit and darkness (a la the Drenai saga or the Warlord Chronicles) as opposed to the nihilism that the genre is finding particularly fashionable of late. This gorgeously-jacketed quartet – featuring Malice, Valour, Ruin and Wrath – is epic, but not in that sprawling, distant, ‘wait-where-the-hell-am-I-and-who’s-this-character-again?’ sort of way. It’s bloody but not bleak; traditional, but by no means tropey.

  Still not convinced? Here’s five more reasons why you might just love it.

  1.) The Banished Lands are Eerie, Atmospheric and Beautiful

  I don’t know about you, but I often reflect on the fact that there just aren’t enough ‘wyrms’ (with a ‘y’) in fiction these days. And no, I’m not talking about bog-standard dragons who’ve changed their name by deed poll to make themselves sound more interesting. 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.

  The Faithful and the Fallen respectfully eschews elements of ‘high’ fantasy in favour of more unusual, folklore-inspired creatures. Dragons, elves, wizards and dwarves are nowhere to be seen; nope, instead, the Banished Lands are populated with giants, draigs, fallen angels and—yes!—wyrms. (And giants. Did I mention the giants? Riding bears?)

  Malice by John GwynneGodless, but green: Gwynne’s settings are, in many ways, unapologetically familiar. Appearing at first glance to be little more than another ‘Medieval Europe’, the Banished Lands are infused with nostalgia and a gentle Germanic ambience that enfolds the reader in a pastoral utopia.

  But it’s not long before dark, haunting Celtic overtones start to bleed into the Tolkien-esque quaintness. Gwynne’s descriptions are subtly evocative, and carry a rich sense of history – in a similar vein to the works of Miles Cameron or Mary Stewart – which will appeal to folks who’ve visited the greener, untamed parts of Britain.

  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. Such vivid variety is a welcome change from the gorgeous, but overly-comfortable starting location.

  With its shifting scenery (cinematically comparable to Game of Thrones, Ironclad, Spartacus and Lord of the Rings) and mixed mythological influences (from talking birds to wolf companions to legendary weapons to GIANTS RIDING BEARS) Gwynne’s saga is much greater than the sum of its parts: and is no less than a brilliant blend of Arthurian motifs and Brythonic lore scaled to epic, Norse-like proportions.

  2.) The Characters are Compelling, Because Most of Them Aren’t Bastards

  The Faithful and the Fallen is a geographically-sweeping epic full of wicked and wonderful beings. Nonetheless, it remains admirably character-centred.

  The quartet begins with just a handful of PoVs – including the ‘main’ protagonist, Corban. But as the story expands, so too does its cast. Gwynne’s structuring of these PoVs is especially smart: he introduces, and shifts between, new voices in a way that ups the complexity and creates excitement rather than confusion.

  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. Having read the entire series, however, I now appreciate the first book’s investment in character-building.
  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. It’s particularly interesting to watch some of the protagonists develop and change because of careful manipulation by others.

  Here are some of the major players in book one:

  CORBAN – Just your average blacksmith’s son. Nothing special about him at all. Nope.

  CYWEN – Corban’s fiery knife-throwing sister.

  SHIELD – Corban’s badass horse.

  STORM – Corban’s big-ass wolf.

  CAMLIN – Skilled archer and former brigand; fan favourite.

  KASTELL – Unwilling heir; gentle giant-hunter (by which I mean he’s a gentle guy who just happens to hunt giants… not a guy who actively hunts gentle giants).

  MAQUIN – Kastell’s loyal retainer and BFF. Also, HE – IS – SPARTACUS!

  NATHAIR – The Fresh Prince of Balara; a bit of a tit.

  VERADIS – Nathair’s first sword and blood brother (4 lyf).

  Valor by John GwynneMany of you may roll your eyes at seeing such a male-dominated character list. Rest assured, the gender imbalance is addressed in book two, Valour, with the introduction of more female point-of-view protagonists. 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.

  Malice (and, to some extent, Valour) carefully builds the web of character relationships that is then brought beautifully to the fore in Ruin. 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.

  3.) That escalated slowly: The Faithful and the Fallen gets bigger, better, darker

  The characters who survive Malice—several of whom were first introduced to the reader as children—grow and develop in interesting (and unusual) ways throughout the series. Corban’s tale is almost a coming-of-age story; except that the ‘farm-boy-with-a-destiny’ (as seen in The Belgariad, The Inheritance Cycle, The Demon Cycle, etc.) generally becomes omni-talented within an insanely short amount of time, and their eventual success is never really in doubt.

  Corban, on the other hand, is entirely fallible. Love and loyalty confuse his decisions, and he makes plenty of mistakes along his entire journey (not just at the beginning). Furthermore, the skills he does possess are a result of growing up within a hard-working warrior culture.

  But it would be reductive to label The Faithful and the Fallen as ‘Corban’s story’ when Ruin boasts a cast of no less than fourteen point-of-view characters. Unlike A Song of Ice and Fire, however—where you have eighty-nine protagonists spread over a million miles and whom you can easily forget about for entire books at a time—Gwynne’s are surprisingly story-focused. Many PoVs are part of the same group, so that often a change in PoV doesn’t necessarily signify a change in time, or even in location. This works fantastically for making battle scenes tense and pacy, and just overall keeps the pages turning.

  (There’s one extended scene near the beginning of Wrath that utilizes this technique perfectly. Short chapters that switch back and forth between two characters left me breathless and desperate to keep reading until the sequence reached its (very satisfying!) resolution.)

  I’ve mentioned already that neither Malice nor Valour swept me off my feet. Ruin, however, totally blew me away. 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 by John GwynneAnd then you start reading Ruin.

  The Banished Lands are at war. No longer charmingly rural, the Celtic settings have become wild and threatening: large parts of Ruin take place in uncharted forests, treacherous marshes and daunting ruins that create a tangible atmosphere of threat and tension. 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.

  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 last two books are suffused with a grit and intensity that in the first two books is (for the most part) lacking.

  The action comes thick and fast, and it feels as though the reader is right there amongst the combatants: sweating and bleeding and dodging blades and arrows and fists from every quarter. 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.

  4.) Feels and prose and structure

  As the books increase in length and complexity, so too do they become more engaging – a testament to the author’s continually improving skills. Each book is stronger than the last, growing in pace, intensity and sheer readability with every chapter.

  I don’t just mean that there’s more action (although there is!). 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. With so many disparate groups of characters to keep track of, each chapter is a keyhole through which we glean hints of what might happen, and through which we gain numerous perspectives on events.

  With perspective comes understanding, and readers will no doubt find themselves surprised by their own changing attitudes towards certain characters. Viewing a battle—along with its associated victories, losses and deaths—from different sides of the conflict brings humanity to every character, no matter how despicable they may seem. And with humanity comes sympathy.

  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.

  What’s truly special about Gwynne’s stories, however, is that they can be tragic without being ‘tragedy’. The Faithful and the Fallen embraces the underlying hope that traditionally characterises the fantasy genre, that sense of an ever-present light amongst the darkness; the hope that good will push back against evil, no matter how grim the situation may seem.

  5.) The Author is a Kickass, Axe-Wielding Writing Machine

  Clearly influenced by the likes of David Gemmell and Bernard Cornwell, Gwynne’s prose is as economic as it is brutally beautiful.

  Even the brave will fall…

  If my words have failed to convince you, however, then let’s look at the facts.

  Gwynne has released four full-length novels within the last four years. His first quartet is now complete, so you don’t have to worry about cliffhanger endings and decades-long waits! And with a new series (also set in the Banished Lands) slated to begin next year, Gwynne is a solid bet for those who appreciate regular, reliable releases.

  Lastly… who wouldn’t want to read books written by this guy? Really? LOOK AT HIM!

  John Gwynne

  6.) It all ends on December 6th 2016

  Wrath by John GwynneFans of traditional fantasy will fall in love with The Faithful and the Fallen. 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. 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. And Wrath is a fitting finale to a worthy series: a spectacularly epic and ambitious tale that delivers everything it promises, and more. Trust me when I say it’s worth the wait.

  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.

• Written With a Sword
  http://written-with-a-sword.blogspot.com/2014/04/book-review-valour-by-john-gwynne.html
  Word count: 951

  “‘Valour’ is a saga true to form, set in a richly-realised world, and populated with a cast of heroes, heroines and hell-spawn,” “With both ‘Malice’ and ‘Valour’ setting Gwynne’s standards high, it’s safe to say that one of fantasy’s newest authors has raised the bar for his next offering.”
  Monday, 7 April 2014
  Book Review: 'Valour' by John Gwynne.

  The axe isn't just for show...

  Valour – John Gwynne.

  The Good: The stuff of legends, for fans young and old, page-burning pace.

  The Bad: Overcomes the ‘difficult second book’ syndrome and whilst it lives up to the debut I felt that the overarching plot was second to the characters’ journeys.

  The Ugly Truth: The ‘Chosen-One’ offspring of George R R Martin and J K Rowling, raised on the bedtime stories of Tolkien and whipped into fighting shape by David Gemmell…but still 100% Gwynne.

  For Those That Like: Epic battles, Coming-of-age epics, fantasy with a pinch of fairytale-dust, and world-ending prophecies.

  Battle is joined in the Banished Lands.
  A crusade sweeps the land. Kings are put to the sword. Traitors lurk in every shadow. Ancient weapons emerge from forgotten histories…
  But the war of the Gods has only just begun.

  King Nathair has declared war on Asroth the Fallen. With the allegiance of kings, queens, corsairs giants, and the angelic Ben-Elim, Nathair marches to defend his kingdom from the coming of the Black Sun, avatar of darkness. The prophecy has come to pass – ‘at Midwinter’s height, bright day shall become darkest night’ – and as the chosen ‘Bright Star’ Nathair is the last hope for the Banished Lands and those faithful to the benevolent god Elyon.
  Or so it seems…
  Corban and his companions are on the run. Battered and bruised, but not yet broken, the motley company head for sanctuary in a foreign kingdom. Hunted across the land, Corban cannot escape the company’s pursuers, or his encroaching destiny. Trained daily in the sword dance by the mysterious Gar, and schooled in the fabled Earth Power, Corban is coming to realise that a certain prophecy might just have a ring of truth to it.

  Whilst the Banished Lands are plunged into war, dark forces in the Otherworld prepare to enter the fray. The final struggle is nearing, and the Fallen will destroy the Faithful.

  John Gwynne comes out swinging in ‘Valour’, second novel in his ‘The Faithful and the Fallen’ series. Comes out swinging a big axe that is! ‘Valour’ is a saga true to form, set in a richly-realised world, and populated with a cast of heroes, heroines and hell-spawn.

  ‘Valour’ picks up directly from where ‘Malice’ left off, following Corban and company as they flee their home. Nathair’s pursuit is delayed by the politics of the realm and the squabbles of other kingdoms, but his attention turns to greater rewards, namely the Seven Treasures as they once war emerge from the forgotten corridors of history. Maquin should be dead – and he believes he’d be better off that way after witnessing the murder of his friend, Kastell. Driven by the need for revenge, Maquin crosses land and sea to exact his bloody judgement. Cywen has been abandoned by friend and family alike, but she cannot escape the attention of Nathair and his advisor Calidus. If she ever wants to be reunited with those she loves, she’ll have to slip past her guards, a traitorous swordmaster, a giant, a draig, and the ever watchful eye of a god’s avatar.

  Returning to the Banished Lands is as if you never left. The world rushes out to meet you for the pages, the backdrop of myth and legend enriching every detail. The story is wrought with a master plan in mind, and as the plot progresses you can see the pieces moving on the board. Gwynne plays for the long haul, never once revealing his ‘full hand’, giving the reader just enough to keep them hooked. When the checkmate does come in the final chapters it’s so masterfully done that you’re not quite sure if you’re rooting for the winning side, and who exactly is meant to be the hero.

  Whilst I did feel that ‘Valour’ directed the reader away from the overarching plot and instead favoured the individual characters’ journeys and development, I welcomed the cast’s evolution which added further weaves to the ever-thickening tapestry. It’s a hefty tome too, but no sentence is spared. The pace was not sacrificed in light of this, as the book goes from page-burner to page-turner. I snatched time to read between taxis, trains, planes and coffee breaks, and the book in turn snatched me from the real world so much so that I read late into the night and early in the morning.

  Gwynne has gone from strength to strength in the past year, earning critical acclaim, securing further publishing contracts, and winning no less than the David Gemmell Morningstar award. In the past other authors have been backed into the corner with the ‘difficult second novel’ but Gwynne delivers hard-hitting and gutsy. For an author still cutting his teeth in the big blue ocean that is the mainstream fantasy catalogue, John Gwynne wades in with a depth of world building that’d see most newbie authors flounder.

  With both ‘Malice’ and ‘Valour’ setting Gwynne’s standards high, it’s safe to say that one of fantasy’s newest authors has raised the bar for his next offering.

• Dominish
  https://dominish.wordpress.com/2015/09/13/full-review-ruin-by-john-gwynne/
  Word count: 1248

  Quoted in Sidelights: “Where Valour had shown itself to be even better than Malice, Ruin tops the pair of them,” related a blogger at Dominish.”If Ruin can be such a big leap forward from an already impressive series, I really can’t wait to see what the last book will throw at us,”
  Full Review – Ruin, by John Gwynne
  Posted by Dominish on 13 September, 2015
  Posted in: Book reviews. Tagged: ARC Review, Book reviews, John Gwynne, Malice, Ruin, Valour. Leave a comment
  Ruin, Book 3 of The Faithful and the Fallen, by John Gwynne

  Ruin is the triumphant third novel in John Gwynne’s debut series, The Faithful and the Fallen. It’s a bigger book than the previous two, weighing in at over 740 pages, around a full hundred more than both Malice and Valour. As well as its physical size, this is also a bigger book in scope – the world is ever growing, the characters are developing and the set pieces are bigger than ever.

  Where Valour had shown itself to be even better than Malice, Ruin tops the pair of them. John Gwynne is clearly developing his talent and improving with each new release – Malice was far from unrefined but Valour and Ruin have both improved upon the debut novel, showing Gwynne is honing his skill as the story progresses.

  Like Valour before it, Ruin picks up right where the previous book left off, turning the series into one giant, thrilling rollercoaster ride for those reading them back to back. The book is really easy to get in to as the writing style is so accessible, with a natural, flowing pace both in dialogue and description. There’s none of the over-complication that some books of a similar size seem to struggle with, no fillers or repetition of viewpoints, it’s a huge book because it needs to be, rather than being one just for the sake of it.

  Other than the progression of the storyline, with the God War heading towards its culmination, the key element of Ruin for me is the way the characters continue to develop, both in themselves and their relationships. Maquin and Fidele were two who really grew in this third instalment – although Maquin was already well fleshed out, we begin to see another dimension to his character as he battles between his thirst for revenge and honouring fresh vows that might take him away from his goal.

  We also see more of the relationship between Evnis and Vonn, which is handled really well considering the father and son are rarely together in the book, after already finding themselves on opposite sides of the God War. The best developments for me though, involve some favourite characters and some who continue to grow on me.

  Camlin is undertaking a personal journey in Ruin in particular, realising that perhaps he’s fighting for more than he initially thought he was. It’s clear that over the events of the three books the former woodsman has built a strong friendship with his new group, and this begins to really hit home as he’s faced with opportunities to go back to his old ways on more than one occasion. There’s also a few great exchanges involving Camlin and Morcant and then Camlin and Braith as the net begins to close around him and his new friends.

  The second favourite of mine is Veradis, who also finds himself in a number of difficult positions and is involved in possibly my favourite scene of the entire book. Better than Maquin going alone against a party of Vin Thalun invaders, or the great battle outside the walls of Drassil, is one little interaction between Veradis, Calidus and Alcyon. In one scene we learn all about the giant’s motives as well as getting a firsthand showing that Calidus can be a total badass. One of the things I’m most looking forward to finding out in the last book of the series, is where these characters go next.

  Those other scenes mentioned above show one of the areas that John Gwynne’s writing has really moved on to the next level. The battle scenes in Ruin were nothing short of immense, with a fast-flowing, tension-filled style easily translating between different scales of fighting. From one-on-one encounters such as faced by Corban, through the rapid following of one character through multiple opponents, like Tukul or Maquin, right through to great pitched battles such as Drassil.

  While not quite on the scale of Tarmon Gai’don, Dros Delnoch or even Helm’s Deep, the battle outside the walls of Drassil had the potential to find its place in legend. Probably my only real disappointment with Ruin is that not enough was given to this scene, particularly after it had been built up quite extensively. Saying that however, there’s hope that book four in the series can fill that void, with the full might of the Black Sun coming up against the combined allies of the Bright Star.

  There’s a real feeling throughout this book that the strings are all being pulled tighter together, everyone is starting to look in the same direction, rather than being separated and flung to different ends of the Banished Lands. The final book still has plenty to cover off, including a bit more of Queen Rhin, who showed some of her power in Ruin, but wasn’t much featured overall. If she is to be one of the biggest and baddest, there’ll be a lot to look forward to in book four given how Gwynne has been writing his “bad guys” so far.

  The characters who are supposedly on the “wrong” side of the God War are given enough page time and enough life to make you like some of them about as much as you do the “heroes”. Calidus and Alcyon have been a pairing that have intrigued me a lot and Ruin really makes me appreciate their part in the story. Evnis and Rafe each have their parts here and Braith is involved in some good scenes, especially as the feud between him and Camlin continues to grow.

  Nathair, for much of Malice and Valour, seemed a bit woolly to me, the weakest of the “bad” characters. Despite his choices though, he’s not necessarily all bad, and in Ruin you can start to see him despair, see the effect his choices are starting to have on him. Possibly the biggest surprise for me though is Lykos. His character development is one that snuck up quietly on me and he’s the sort of character that you can like for how well he’s written, while disliking the actual man.

  If Ruin can be such a big leap forward from an already impressive series, I really can’t wait to see what the last book will throw at us. This third book is a real treat for anyone who is a fan of epic, heroic fantasy, and shows that there’s plenty of life in the sub-genre so long as there are exciting new talents like John Gwynne popping up every few years.

  Overall: A masterful thrill ride of a book, easily one of the best I’ve read in recent memory.
  Dominish rating: 95%

• Book Frivolity
  http://bookfrivolity.booklikes.com/post/1204574/bookreview-ruin-johngwynne
  Word count: 1237

  Book Review: Ruin by John Gwynne! Let's get personal..
  5:40 am 20 July 2015
  Ruin - John Gwynne
  Corban has been swept along by the tide of war. He has suffered, lost loved ones, sought only safety from the darkness. But he will run no more. He has seen the face of evil and he has set his will to fight it. The question is, how?

  With a disparate band gathered about him - his family, friends, giants, fanatical warriors, an angel and a talking crow he begins the journey to Drassil, the fabled fortress hidden deep in the heart of Forn Forest. For in Drassil lies the spear of Skald, one of the seven treasures, and here it is prophesied that the Bright Star will stand against the Black Sun.

  Reviewed From ARC.

  Live tweets reside here.

  POVs: Multiple
  Narrative: Third Person, Past Tense, Subjective, Limited

  When you start reviewing the third book in a series (of at least four), from a consistent writer such as John Gwynne, you begin to realise you've said most of everything that's important in previous reviews! So, if you feel the need, read my past reviews of Malice and Valour and then we shall continue...

  Back with me? Excellent! So this time, I am going to talk about something completely different, and dig about in the depths of what I want from a book, rather than how well it presents from a 'reviewers' stand point. Let's get all D&M..

  In my old age (451 in August! Feels that way at any rate..), I am finding that what I require most from a fantasy is that the characters evoke a strong emotional response in this cold, coal heart of mine.

  Gwynne already has all the Epic Fantasy boxes ticked: great adventure, extreme tension and massive conflicts. My comfortable shoes! The box checked with many a tick, is the ability to create strongly written characters that can arouse a true visceral and emotional response in moi.

  Corban impels a sense of scepticism, the burning cheeks of shy pride, the stubbornness of honour and that gut wrenching pain of not being infallible.

  Maquin drives my eyes to well with tears in nearly every chapter he's in, like I've acquired some sort of hormonal imbalance. And I really don't know why yet!

  Turkul, possibly one of my favourite characters in the book, forces my chest hurt with the pride he has for Gar and Corban.

  Coralen effects a hard-headed strength, and the confusion of justifying that strength against the vulnerability of longing.

  And so it goes on with each and every point of view, and quite often with the secondary characters.

  Now Veradis, he gets a special mention, because my reaction isn't with him, it's for him..

  There have been times during this series that Veradis has had me in a near rage of annoyance. One moment I want to hug him and give him a big ole shoulder punch for being such a loyal, dilligent and humble man. The next I want to cuff him around the head for being a blind-sighted ninny. Other times I want to pull his brains out his nose, jump up and down on them a bit, then insert them back into skull through his ear.

  Let me get one thing straight though, that does not in any way make him a badly written character. In fact, I would go as far to say that writing a character like Veradis is possibly harder to pull off than the usual stereotypes; and by making me spit chips, he's provoked the strongest of my emotional responses. My bloody annoyance! Thus, his job is done, and done well!

  Not including certain characteristics, (such as dumbfounding ignorance) simply because they don't fit within a stereotype, leaves a very small pool of traits to dabble in. In my opinion, that dank, tiny pool is considerably more insulting to me, than characters not obeying my preconceived rules of extreme intelligence and foresight!

  So, in conclusion, Veradis might not be the sharpest tack, but I can still appreciate his role in the series and love his poor confused soul.

  Plus, the others wouldn't look half as intelligent..

  There is one other thing that has given me pause for thought, and given creed to my emotional investiture! Now that everybody is converging on the one point, and one army is much larger and considerably stronger; there are a lot of little skirmishes going on, tactical games rather than all out battle slaughter. So, to make this more cohesive in a non-omnipresent story, Gwynne has employed the tactic of showing a skirmishes result from one side, then rewinds, and switches to the other army to show how the result is achieved. I have read similar devices before (it probably has a name?), but I've never enjoyed going back and seeing the replays from another angle, as I am nothing if not an impatient type of person!

  In the case of Ruin, I relished them. I think the difference here is, that I want to see what all the characters are doing, as I am invested in their actions. When it's just a few un-named warriors running about, I don't care enough to want to see it play out again, the result is enough to satisfy me. However, in Ruin I want to see these particular characters achieve their goals, experience their frustration, watch their brains tick and listen to their little hearts beat faster, whether on the side of The Bright Star or The Black Sun.

  SO! I would say: The maw of my emotional hollow has been fed heartily!

  Ruin did lose half a star from me, for a really specific reason. The ending. In reviewer mode it probably wouldn't have, but in D&M mode it has. It's not actually an inferior ending; in fact it's an explosive one, and the cliffhanger is creating a strong need in me to invent a time machine so I can read Wrath now rather than later! But, If you need to know why and can handle spoilers...

  It brings you back full circle. You end up feeling like you have landed smack bang right in the middle of Valour. Corban is alone in the clutches of the enemy again, his followers are most likely lost, his belief in where he stands in the grand scheme is again inconceivable, and evil is back in control of the game.

  And bloody Maquin is enslaved again!

  It felt like it had doubled back on itself too much. That all that has happened after Corban is rescued the first time in Valour, hasn't actually advanced or detracted from that initial state of everything being 'up in the air'. Having Corban kidnapped again and Maquin re-enslaved just pushed me over the precipice.

  (hide spoiler)

  But! Verdict:

  The Faithful & The Fallen is still standing in my imaginary top ten, and Ruin has made it climb in the imaginary rankings! If you've loved the series so far, Ruin will make you SQUEE with joy!

• Reading Lamp
  https://reading-lamp.blogspot.com/2016/05/review-ruin-by-john-gwynne.html
  Word count: 985

  “Ruin brings about various turning points for the series, which I thought excellently executed. Separate plotlines converge at last, split again for a time to join yet others, and everything is tying ever closer together.” Review: Ruin by John Gwynne
  Labels: Fantasy, John Gwynne, Reviews, The Faithful and the Fallen, Tor Posted by DarkChaplain at 5/10/2016

  With Ruin devoured, I am up to date on The Faithful and the Fallen until fall 2016, when the final book in the series releases. I am eager to dig into Wrath as soon as I can get my hands on it - and review it too!

  The Story:
  "The Banished Lands are engulfed in war and chaos. The cunning Queen Rhin has conquered the west and High King Nathair has the cauldron, most powerful of the seven treasures. At his back stands the scheming Calidus and a warband of the Kadoshim, dread demons of the Otherworld. 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. Nathair has been deceived but now he knows the truth. He has choices to make, choices that will determine the fate of the Banished Lands.

  Elsewhere the flame of resistance is growing - Queen Edana finds allies in the swamps of Ardan. Maquin is loose in Tenebral, hunted by Lykos and his corsairs. Here he will witness the birth of a rebellion in Nathair's own realm.

  Corban has been swept along by the tide of war. He has suffered, lost loved ones, sought only safety from the darkness. But he will run no more. He has seen the face of evil and he has set his will to fight it. The question is, how? With a disparate band gathered about him - his family, friends, giants, fanatical warriors, an angel and a talking crow he begins the journey to Drassil, the fabled fortress hidden deep in the heart of Forn Forest. For in Drassil lies the spear of Skald, one of the seven treasures, and here it is prophesied that the Bright Star will stand against the Black Sun."

  The Review
  TRUTH AND COURAGE!
  This was an incredible follow-up. Most of my points from the previous reviews of Malice and Valour still apply for this installment, like the praise of the grounded magic system and nostalgic feel, or the clever use of tropes.

  However, on top of all that I have already said, Ruin brings about various turning points for the series, which I thought excellently executed. Separate plotlines converge at last, split again for a time to join yet others, and everything is tying ever closer together. There were many occassions where I cheered for situations that have been built up throughout the last two books finally coming to fruition.

  Even though some of these payoffs were predictable to me, I can just reiterate what I said before: Being predictable is not a bad thing. Things become predictable here due to how well character arcs play out and rather than throwing needless deus ex machinae into the workings of them at the last moment, things just naturally evolve into what I would have expected them to. This makes the story and character arcs feel very organic and realistic in a way.

  Of course, Ruin also throws twists at the reader, and preconceived notions about characters can be torn down just as quickly as they might be reaffirmed. Betrayals invariably happen once more, and some of them struck me very deep due to how little I expected them. Others, meanwhile, I expected to turn yet was surprised to find them stay true to Corban and Elyon. And then the book also offered less drastic surprises that made me smile and laugh rather than fear for the characters' lives (though one of those instances towards the end made me both laugh and fear for one of them!).

  Ruin is in many ways the tipping point for the series. Many old grudges find an end. Characters on both sides fall and shift the balance of the God War in their passing. Other actors fall out of favor or regain trust after stepping back from the brink. It is a real shake-up of the cast dynamics, just before the finale coming up with Wrath.

  Throughout it all, Corban and Nathair both come into their own, accepting the roles they are growing into. Bright Star and Black Sun both get serious and let the covers fall in their own ways. Revelations are made, and the God War is entering its hot phase. The preparations are over with, and both Corban and Nathair are firmly set on a collision course that will shake the Banished Lands to their foundations.

  But despite all the horrors of war and demonic forces at work, there is much to smile over. There are many happy moments and touching events to bear the protagonists up. Romance is creeping in more than ever, and hope for the future is everpresent. The books final parts feature some of the highest notes in the series so far - just before reality comes tumbling down again to leave us with a cliffhanger that, to me, beat the first two books in cruelty to the reader.

  Ruin is probably the strongest novel in the series so far. Gwynne did an incredible job leading things to their logical conclusions for massive payoffs, while shuffling things up just enough to make me both dread and anticipate the finale. With so many old ties cut in this book, it will be fascinating to finally read Wrath later this year.

  I honestly cannot wait to see how this series will be wrapping up after this installment.

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