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Ruin

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About this listen

Shortlisted for the 2016 David Gemmell Legend Award for Best Novel.

The third in The Faithful and the Fallen series, Ruin by John Gwynne continues the gripping battle of good vs evil.

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.

Continue the epic fantasy series with Wrath.

 Dystopian Epic Fantasy Science Fiction Royalty Emotionally Gripping Scary War

Critic reviews

Mythical, magical, intense, brutal, poignant . . . utterly brilliant.
The battles are brutal and bloody, just as they should be (especially when you chuck giants, bears, draigs and huge wolf like beasts into the mix). All through the book it builds, the smaller battles leading towards bigger and bigger ones and leading to a climax that will knock you for six . . .don’t expect to come out of it with your heart in one piece.
Triumphant . . . A masterful thrill ride of a book.
Dark, thrilling and bloody. But Ruin’s strongest point is, for me, its characters. The author takes character relationships crafted throughout the first two novels – between friends, family, loved ones and, especially, animals – and brings them beautifully to the fore without overstating them, whilst also forging new ones along the way.
This was an incredible follow-up . . . 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.
All stars
Most relevant
Very tense, very funny and a great story. The descriptions of the fight/battle sequences are spectacular at times. Very well done.

Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!

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Just catching my breath now. What a whirlwind. Rollercoaster of emotions. On to the next book.

WOOOOW

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In true epic fantasy style, Gwynne takes the reader on a rollercoaster of hope and devastation as the scale and scope of Calidus's scheming and manipulation is revealed, intent on crushing the growing resistance led by Corban.
There are even more bloody battles, brutal torture, betrayals, redemption, loves found, lives lost.
Each character, (bought to life by Lynch's fabulous narration) feels real, with emotions, conflicting motivations and wavering loyalties. No one is safe, each chapter is started in trepidation (or hope!), wondering if that it's that characters last.
Gwynne has a brilliant ability to switch between several threads of the saga but without confusing the reader. The continuing thread is 'good' resisting 'evil' whilst recognising the blurred, shifting lines between them. Deeds done "for the greater good" cuts both ways!
Is there any hope of saving the world from Asroth? Onto the finale...

This book with Ruin you!

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the fights and cuts feel.real nothing earned without trying. and the the seep of evil becomes to be shown in the characters.

dark and outstanding

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Still loving the story, couldnt wait to start this book. Don't think I've hated a character as much as Lykos. Narrator/Author does a brilliant job making you hate him.

Absolutely Brilliant

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