Malice

By: John Gwynne

Narrated by: Damian Lynch

The first book in acclaimed epic fantasy author John Gwynne's Faithful and Fallen series, Malice is a tale of blind greed, ambition, and betrayal set in a world where ancient monsters are reawakening -- and a war to end all wars is about to begin.

The world is broken. . .and it can never be made whole again.

Corban wants nothing more than to be a warrior under King Brenin's rule -- to protect and serve. But that day will come all too soon. And the price he pays will be in blood.

Evnis has sacrificed -- too much it seems. But what he wants -- the power to rule -- will soon be in his grasp. And nothing will stop him once he has started on his path.

Veradis is the newest member of the warband for the High Prince, Nathair. He is one of the most skilled swordsman to come out of his homeland, yet he is always under the shadow of his older brother.

Nathair has ideas -- and a lot of plans. Many of them don't involve his father, the High King Aquilus. Nor does he agree with his father's idea to summon his fellow kings to council.

The Banished Lands has a violent past where armies of men and giants clashed in battle, the earth running dark with their heartsblood. Now, the stones weep red and giant wyrms stir, and those who can still read the signs see a danger far worse than all that has come before. . .

Critic reviews

"A series that promises the same degree of complexity and depth found in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time books and George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series."—Library Journal (starred review)

"Influenced by Gemmell's Rigante and George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones ... Hell of a debut."—Conn Iggulden

"Middle Earth-ish extravaganza with all the usual thrills, chills, spills and frills ... there's plenty of action."—Kirkus

"Three-dimensional characters, a gripping plot, and a world that became real to me ... this is the type of fantasy I love to read and I truly can't wait to read the next volume in The Faith and the Fallen!"—Fantasy Book Critic

"John Gwynne hits all the right spots in his epic tale of good vs evil . . . there's a lot of pleasure to be had in this debut novel; Gwynne is definitely one to watch."—SFX

"Warring clans, sleeping giants, Banished Lands and omens and portents ... a strong contender for 'if you like Game of Thrones, why not try this?' award."—Independent

Great Epic Story

I buy A LOT of books. It has been a long time since I’ve come across a truly great epic story. The story was well written, the characters interesting, and the pace of the story is just right once you get past the initial charter building. Loved the book and definitely getting the next one.

Complex story well narrated but with small hiccups

This book was very interesting. The narrator is talented and does a fantastic job overall. However, I found it very very hard to determine who was talking at times, even with the accents, in part the authors mistake in giving the vast majority of the main characters names that start with a k or hard c sound, seriously I didn’t read it but at this point we have Cygwin, Corbin (aka ban), Camlin and the Forrest bandit guy whose name is maybe Connor? It’s a lot to follow. If you are reading it I’m sure it’s easier. But for listening it’s very tough. Add that to the way that some of the names are pronounced by the narrator, like Cygwin, whose name sounds so much like Co-Win it is really touch to be sure whose name he is saying. Add that to his fathers friends name which sounds like Da but it’s Gar.

Those confusing things aside, the narrator actually is fantastic. The story is anti troupe and complex. I would like a bit more grasp of why there are so many kings in lands that seem so near each other and don’t really have anything that seems to make them distinct. Like they all speak the same language? They all seem to have the same laws and clearly no democracies. Just would like to comprehend why they are separate kingdoms.

The fact that I am able to critique the storyline and narration so in-depth does point to the fact that I genuinely enjoyed listening to the story and want to read more. I recommend anyone who enjoys Abercrombie or Geist or maybe even GRRM to take a listen.

No one is safe

A good story, bold characters and very nicely read. Overall a very worth while book.

Slow start, but worth it

Malice felt slow for a long while to me. I felt confused and a little overwhelmed by the amount of characters being introduced. I know that's common for fantasy, but I found myself having to go back and remind myself who someone was. Kastell, for example, felt boring and I never did figure out why he was worth getting his pov in some chapters. However, the story really picked up and by the end I was thoroughly enthralled. Looking forward to Valor, when hopefully I'll already know most of the primary cast.

Truly one of the best in the genre

If there is any fantasy book I’d recommend to someone, this is it. The plot is great. The characters are great. The setting is great. The first half of the book is interesting and slowly builds up the characters and gets you grounded in the world. The second half of the book is completely unreal. I was completely consumed by it, and that is rare. Gwynne builds tension and then holds it masterfully for half of a book. It’s incredible.

Those hating on the narration don’t know what they’re talking about. Listen to the entire book and you’ll see how good this narrator is. It was intense. My heart raced for hours.

This book is a masterpiece. I’ve read pretty much every major fantasy series and this might be the best one I’ve ever read. Right around chapter 35, it takes off and won’t release you from its grip. I’m stunned by this.