This review should be free of major spoilers but as it is the review of a sequel it will contain some very minor spoilers akin to the blurb on the back of each book - but nothing major - Enjoy
Ruin is the third book in John Gwynne’s The Faithful and the Fallen series and it doesn’t disappoint.
Corban is emerging as a true leader of men, his destiny as the Seren Disglair now revealed and known. The identity of the Black Sun, the great enemy, although known to the reader, is finally revealed to the character in question. The fight to attain the seven giant Starstone relics takes precedence in Ruin as whomever can gather them all together will surely emerge victorious in the Godwar.
The end of Valour sees a great evil unleashed upon the Banished Lands, the Kadoshim, the demon servants of Asroth. In Ruin Calidus and the servants of Asroth now march to assert an evil dominion over the realms of men.
Reunited with his sister Cywen, but at heavy cost, Corban must make the decision to march south to aid Edana and liberate Ardan or follow the prophecy to Drasil. Nathair struggles with the great deception against him and his own place in the prophecy. Maquin is on the run from his enemies and rebellion is brewing. Maquin has become one of the most kick-ass characters in the series for me, along with Veradis, but he was always kick-ass.
The books are still gradually getting darker. There are some more gruesome parts than we have seen so far that come with the emergence of the Kadoshim. There are battles and plenty of well written fight sequences, as we have come to enjoy from Gwynne’s work. The ending chapters of ruin literally had me shouting out loud, there are some emotional moments, and the book leaves us on a tragic and uncertain cliff-hanger, more so than the previous endings which left me immediately wanting more. Gwynne is slowly notching up every aspect of The Faithful and the Fallen and in this third book the great and powerful forces we have been building up to are finally aligned against each other. If you loved the first two books, Ruin will not disappoint.
Thanks for reading
Lee
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