Wrath: Book four of The Faithful and the Fallen: 4

One of the best modern fantasy series, an excellent blend of classical and modern fantasy tropes and characters. The characters mostly quite black and white, a surprisingly enjoyable break from the morally grey characters we tend to see more often in fantasy these days. You will love the heroes, you will hate the villains. Extremely action-packed series, the fourth and final book Wrath almost all action, but that makes perfect sense, as the entire series had been building up to this epic final battle of good vs evil. However, while I absolutely love John Gwynne’s battle scenes and action sequences, it did feel like an action overload and an absolute bloodbath towards the end. I found it hard to eventually keep track and remember the final fates of several characters, including who died / survived. One side quest in particular got especially annoying and dragged on a bit too long. The series has some memorable characters, fantastic duels, and the best animal companions. There is plenty of loss and heartbreak, but in the midst of it all, truth and courage stand tall. Another thing I love about Gwynne’s writing is that there’s no painful wait, each book immediately starts where the previous one left off. Unlike a particular series I love, that will remain unnamed for now, which involves painfully long set-ups with the payoff perhaps two or three thousand page books later, with Gwynne, the satisfaction / resolution is almost immediate. Though the good folks, being too nice at times, perhaps drag certain conflicts a bit too much. Despite a massive cast of characters, it was never difficult to keep track or get confused, as Gwynne writes each character well and makes them memorable. Overall, a four-star ending to a five-star series. With Faithful and the Fallen, John Gwynne is now easily one of my favourite fantasy authors. Very highly recommended in general, but specially for A Song of Ice and Fire / Game of Thrones fans.

Fourth and final volume in the fantasy novel series 'The Faithful and the Fallen'. This began with 'Malice' by the same writer. New readers should start with that, since there's no exposition in here to bring you up to speed. Regular readers, read on. This book runs for six hundred and eighty five pages. It has one hundred and twenty seven chapters. It begins with a cast of characters, with brief details as to who each are and what they've done so far. Then there's a map of the setting as well. Since there's no reprise of what went before, it's best to read that cast of characters in order to refresh your memory if it's been a while since you read book three. Picking up from where book three left off, Corban's war band has been shattered. He's been captured by warrior giants. Can anyone stop the plan to unleash the Asroth now? As with book three, this does have an awful lot of viewpoint characters, so it does take a while to get familiar with them all once again. That's why it really is best to read that cast of characters first. Yet, slowly, steadily, this does turn into a book that really does grab you and keep you going. You do get used to all of them once again. It is also very clever in how it juggles the viewpoint, going between characters in a scene as the chapter changes. The prose is very readable and the pages really do turn fast. And there is an appealing depth to some of the characters as well, so you do find yourself caring for them. Even a few of the villains of the piece are very three dimensional also, with solid motivations rather than just being bad for the sake of it. And this does bring it all to a conclusion nicely, making this the final volume of the series as mentioned. It's perhaps a 4.5/5 book, as certain aspects of it are a little over familiar in the genre, and the sheer number of the viewpoint characters is tricky at times. Yet there are points when it really does grab and become a five star book, so I'm rounding my rating up. A very good end to a very good series.

Loved this.....great characters and world building yep its a bit predictable and yeah its a bit macho boys fantasy tale, but ain't that why most of us read fantasy world novels to see the young kid of prophecy become what he was phropheciesd to do? Characters are great and well arc'd the big bad guy isn't fleshed out enough but his minions this side of the otherworld are the ones you want dealing with most. Gutted I'm through them all now but would highly highly recommend to any SOIAF fans wanting filler and to anyone else at that matter wanting a decent passed fantasy escape....bravo John Gwynne

A story rarely feels so complete, satisfying and totally engrossing. Over the course of the four books my time has been segmented into when I am in the Banished lands (the setting of the story) and when I have to come back to reality, begrudgingly! John Gwynne has created a cast of characters that you love, hate respect and understand. Sometimes these feelings exist all in one character. Their motivations are clear and based on the personality traits and moral compass that you come to recognise in each person, creature or beast. The world building is crafted masterfully so much so that the banished lands were complete in my mind before I even realised a map existed on the kindle version. I must admit to always dying to get back into the story that I did not look at all the content sections until after the finale. As someone experienced in martial arts and weapon systems combat in literature often disappoints. Congratulations must be awarded to the author and his team in this case. The action is visceral in every sense. The combat descriptions are intense and every move is clearly imagined so that the duels and battles live in the mind almost as if I was in the shield wall or facing my nemesis. The ending is greater than epic, nothing disappoints. The endings of many fantasy novels are unsatisfactory in my opinion. The finale is rushed and the story ends almost with a "...and they all lived happily ever after..." Not so with Wrath. Buy this; enjoy, you too will be leaving a great review I'm sure. I will miss the banished lands, fare thee well!

What a brilliant, seat-of-the-pants, final book. Every plot line & character arc tied up. So many moments of heartbreak - I defy anyone not to shed a tear at some of the scenes - a testament to how invested you get in these characters. Fabulous series from start to finish.

This series of books are brilliant. I was addicted and feel empty now I have finished last book. Great characters and so many exciting moments and some sad. I found myself shedding a few tears as the book drew to a close.

On the surface and after a few pages in, you might start thinking you have Johns work pinned down under a classic fantasy trope of “bad fights evil” or “boy from nowhere rises up”. I must admit halfway through the first book that things were following an expected, even if well done, path. But then things change. Before I realised what was happening, I was drawn in, engaged, invested and unable to put this book, or the subsequent 3, down until I had finished them all. What John manages to do so incredibly well is blur the lines. It isn’t classic good v evil. There’s more to it and the nuances of each fleshed out character and the beliefs they hold make sure that each person reading the series will have a different opinion on what is right and wrong. Jaw to floor action scenes are delivered at pace and what some may consider “book finishers” or “end points” crop up in the most unexpected places. Skills of characters, particularly the main protagonist, Corban, feel earned in an incredibly authentic way. The world building is extremely well done with just the right amount of depth without feeling like you are reading the wiki page for one particular tree. I went into this book with no expectations and was left feeling incredibly grateful that I got to experience this work. Fans of Robin Hobb, fantasy in general, epic worlds and true page turners will love this. It deserves its place on the shelf of “great fantasy reads” and watching (or reading) John grow in strength as an author through the series was an absolute joy. Truth and Courage!

A very enjoyable series to read on the whole and a fitting finale.

It was an excellent finale to a great series. Each novel is packed with so much tension that it isn't easy to put it down at all. Finished the four book series in a month and it was time well spent. Thanks Book Cob.

Consegna puntuale come sempre. Ottimo questo libro che conclude degnamente la saga. Non vedo l'ora di leggere altre opere di questo autore,

This will not be a very long review since I literally just now turned the last page of Wrath, there are only a few things I would like to share... This series has easily become one of my all time favorites and I loved every book in it. Wrath... just wow...!! It completely lived up to my (very) high expectations. The ending, with tears and a smile, for me, is perfect. I need a few moments now to completely come back from the Banished Lands, but I'm certain I will return!

I grew up a bookworm. No, you don't understand. When I got into trouble as a kid, my parents didn't ground me from friends or TV....They grounded me from books. But unfortunately, college murdered that love of reading by throwing so many atrociously boring books in my face and assigning neverending, 30 paged papers on said boring books. I haven't been able to read a book sense. Not until this series, anyways. Now, "Malice" took me a year to read. Not that it was a bad book--quite the contrary, in fact--but I just couldn't muster the will to read period. In fact, it was only because my students have to read a book for 20 minutes every day in a certain class period that I would pick up "Malice" just to set a good example. Immediately after finishing "Malice," I picked up "Valor" and DEVOURED it in a month. Same for "Ruin." Because of the craziness of teaching in COVID-19, it took about two months to read "Wrath," and I finished it last night! This was such an intimidatingly large series, but they were so excellent that, at long last, I found my love of reading again!! Bravo, Mr. Gwynne!! The series, overall, is 5 stars, no questions asked. The character growth, the character's journies, the plot twists, the fact that even important characters die (I mean, he did warn us that "Even the brave will fall"), the humorous bits (Craf is just amazing), the superb action sequences, I mean, I can go on--but I have places to be, and I bet you do too. However, there were a few elements in "Wrath" that knocked it down to 4.5 stars for me. ****SPOILERS BELOW*** (This kind of goes for book 3 too, but it just got too much on my nerves in book 4.) I was just so disapointed in the character of Coralen. I LOVED her in her first two chapters, and...that's it. She got on my last nerve from then on. She was so promising! But ultimately she was by far the flattest main character in the series. (No, Dath, Farrell, Gar, Kulla, etc., are side characters. Side characters don't get full characterization, I get that. But Coralen was a main character with her own point of view.) It was like she was just brought in to be a love interest for our guy Corban, and just reduced to arm candy. All her thoughts ever seemed to be was that Corban was an idiot, Corban was handsome and strong, she liked Corban despite the fact that she rolls her eyes at such emotion, Corban is in danger, she has to save Coraban, and Corban is, once again, an idiot. But an honorable idiot and she loves him. And so on. Other character's descriptions of her were even all the same: she was pretty, she was always scowling and hot-headed, her red hair was always in the sun and it looked pretty. All her character's purpose seemed to be was to be your cliche, hot-tempered and pretty ginger, to save Corban when he needed it, and take up the spot of a female warrior who is as strong as any male warrior (and she'll tell you as such). Don't get me wrong, as a woman, I love seeing strong females! Especially women who can kick butt! And what I loved about John Gwynne's female characters was that they were all so strong in their own unique way, without losing their femininity, and they were all so entirely different! They were by no means weak. This man knows how to craft awesome, strong female characters. Cywen, Edana, Brina, Rhin, Fidele, Nemain, Ethlinn, and even Roisin were just joys to read about! And that's why I'm so puzzled that Coralen was just so static and flat--an empty shell for Corban to claim as a simple love interest. He could have done much better by her. If you've been hardcore shipping Veradis and Cywen like I have, you'll be very disappointed in this book. John Gwynne has been such a TEASE with these characters! And finally, when they're on the same side and safe at Corban's camp, they don't even have a conversation. No, correction: they don't even have a conversation in the entire book. Oh, Corban and Coralen can make out and you'll be stuck with mushy, teenage-ish thoughts from both of them. Maquin and Fidele have a whole dramatic love story happening. Cywen and Veradis don't even have a single conversation. They blush, they quietly acknowledge the other's presence and are very glad that they see each other. But that's it. I totally understand that this book series does not have a place in the romance genre--it's about war and the end of the world! I don't want a romance book. But having to deal with Corban/Coralen for so long, and of Maquin and Fidele's obsession with one another (but in their defense, that romance definitely moves the plot along with their storylines), the couple that has been hinted at happening since book 2, the couple that wouldn't have been overly mushy, dramatically obsessive over one another, the couple that would have been so darn COOL (the Dark Sun's loyal, right hand guy having a thing for the Bright Star's sister!), never even got a moment to have a verbal conversation. I kept waiting and waiting and waiting. I got to smile a little at the last few pages, but it was a half smile. So between these two disappointments, I'm giving this terrific book 4.5 stars. These things are minor in the big picture of such a grand series, but they really irked me as a reader.

Wrath by John Gwynne is exactly how a great fantasy series should end—epic in scale, emotionally charged, and deeply satisfying. From start to finish, this book delivers nonstop intensity. The stakes are at their highest, and you can feel it in every chapter. Gwynne doesn’t hold back—there are moments of triumph, heartbreak, and shocking twists that genuinely keep you on edge. What really stood out is how well everything comes together. Character arcs that have been building across the series reach meaningful and often unexpected conclusions. You feel the weight of every decision, and the emotional payoff is huge. Some moments hit hard—in the best way. The battle scenes are outstanding—fast-paced, vivid, and easy to follow, even when multiple storylines are colliding. It all feels cinematic without ever losing clarity. Highlights: A truly satisfying and well-earned conclusion Strong emotional impact—both uplifting and devastating Memorable character payoffs and growth Epic, well-written battles that keep you hooked It’s rare for a long fantasy series to stick the landing this well, but Wrath absolutely does. If you’ve made it this far in the series, you won’t be disappointed. An incredible finale and a must-read for any epic fantasy fan.