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John Gwynne
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Malice Paperback – August 1, 2013

by John Gwynne (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 8,150 ratings
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The Banished Lands has a violent past where armies of men and giants clashed in battle. An uneasy peace reigns, but now giants stir once more, the very stones weep blood and there are sightings of gigantic worms. Those who can still read the signs see a prophecy realised: sorrow will darken the world, as angels and demons make it their battlefield.

Young Corban watches enviously as boys become warriors and yearns to join them, determined that he will make his family proud. It is only when everything he knows is threatened that he discovers the true cost of becoming a man.

As the Kings look to their borders, and priests beg answers from the Gods, only a chosen few know that the fate of the world will be decided between two champions, the Black Sun and the Bright Star. And with their coming will be a war to end all wars.
Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 4
    The Faithful and the Fallen
  2. Print length
    628 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Tor
  5. Publication date
    August 1, 2013
  6. Dimensions
    5.12 x 1.54 x 7.76 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    9780330545754
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0330545754
  9. See all details
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  1. Treasures had been forged from the starstone, seven Treasures–cauldron, torc, necklace, spear, dagger, axe and cup.
    Highlighted by 355 Kindle readers
  2. Asroth was first-created, Elyon’s beloved, captain of the Ben-Elim, the Sons of the Mighty.
    Highlighted by 263 Kindle readers
  3. Brenin, Lord of Dun Carreg and King of all Ardan, his royal torc and chainmail coat glowing red in the first rays of morning. On one side of him rode Alona, his wife, on the other Edana, their daughter.
    Highlighted by 209 Kindle readers
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0330545752
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tor; UK ed. edition (August 1, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 628 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780330545754
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0330545754
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.12 x 1.54 x 7.76 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 8,150 ratings

About the author

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John Gwynne

John Gwynne

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I am the author of epic fantasy series The Faithful and the Fallen, Of Blood and Bone and The Bloodsworn Saga. I’m also a Viking re-enactor and enjoy nothing more than standing in the shield wall with my three sons, who are as passionate about swords and axes as I am (when I’m not stuck in my coat of mail; it’s harder than it looks).

I live on the south coast of the UK with my beautiful wife, three sons and my daughter, and an assortment of animals (at the moment three dogs, a horse and a lamb who thinks she’s a dog).

My dogs think I am their slave.

Malice, my debut novel, was published by Pan Macmillan in 2012 and went on to win the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Fantasy Debut of 2012. That was a truly wonderful moment, as David Gemmell is a hero of mine and one of the reasons I write.

The following three books in the series – Valour, Ruin and Wrath, were all shortlisted for the David Gemmell Legend Award for Best Fantasy Novels of 2014, 2015 and 2016.

My second series, of Blood and Bone, is set in the Banished Lands, the same world as the first series. Book 1, A Time of Dread, begins 130 years after the events of the first series.

A Time of Courage, book 3 Of Blood and Bone, made the Spiegel Bestseller’s List in Germany.

My latest book, The Shadow of the Gods, book 1 of the Bloodsworn Saga, will be published in May 2021. It is inspired by Norse mythology, Beowulf and Ragnarök.

I am represented by Julie Crisp.

You can find me online at:

https://john-gwynne.com

https://twitter.com/JohnGwynne_

https://www.instagram.com/john_gwynne_author/

https://www.facebook.com/john.gwynne.12

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
8,150 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

ReneArt31
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Series
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2024
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5 Stars for the entire series. I had such a fun experience reading all the books. They are addictive and I read all 4 back to back. Better than any tv show that I can watch. Malice was a perfect set up for the series and the way John Gwynne writes has you invested in each character. This is where he shines, the characters are all different and brings life to the world of the Banished lands. I am fortunate that I had the opportunity to read all the books together, because there are a lot of characters and plots. It was easier to remember the story. Read this series and let yourself be immersed in the Faithful and the Fallen.
2 people found this helpful
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Harris
4.0 out of 5 stars A very engaging start
Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2021
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The book screams quality. The vocabulary, the descriptions, the juggling of many characters and the rich story, all give the sense of something really good building up.

Nothing is rushed and the story unfolds on its own fair pace, with the revelation somewhere in the middle not so much of a shock but still having an impact.

Frankly I enjoy strong villains and the ones here are being slowly evolving and growing in parallel to the protagonist. It’s impressive how the villain is being fleshed and how slowly but surely goes deeper into being evil one small step at a time - to small however for him to realize. Very good job here

The protagonist too shows only hits of being a great hero but I’m sure that will come to pass.

Now story is unfolding nicely, hero and villains are good, then why 4/5 stars? For me and myself only I have 2 criteria for the 5th star:
1) did the book force me to read until it was over ? Well, while this one was very engaging it was not captivating because whenever there was buildup we swapped to another character “killing” the emotion a bit. I know why the writer did that but I don’t know if it worked in his favor
2) am I emotionally swayed? Well not really here I didn’t feel like crying or jumping on my seat or anything. Just a hint of it at some point. This is rare to happen however, very rare so I usually give 5/5 for not being able to stop reading

To sum it up, I am excited for the next book and definitely get on with it ASAP. Is this a masterpiece? Well, no, but it makes me wonder if one of the next books will be, since the foundations are being laid
5 people found this helpful
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JCorrine
5.0 out of 5 stars This is a stand alone to Game of Thrones
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2017
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Yes, it's awesome and fierce and has similarities to Game of Thrones (GOT) but it's different. There are so many surprises and intrigues with the Kings' battles, Giants, prophecies, the Gods, etc. Yes I loveeee GOT read them all. Yet the battle for the kingdoms is led by a demon posing as Elyon's (God) chosen. Elyon's true followers are being hunted and killed. The story isn't told this way but it's more or less how it goes down.

In GOT feels like the heroes are dead, gone for good, as far as the last book is concerned there is no humanity left in the living. Here the characters are avengers and survivors. They're bright, heroic and lovely. I suspect the fallen heroes will gain their wings and rise again to fight in the war, at least i hope they do.

Gwynne teases us mercilessly with so many cliff hangers and as you progress, he answers questions, tying up loose-ends, feeding our greedy imaginations but he does so a little at a time. GOT lead me and I followed willingly and knowing more or less despite the disappointing fact the good guys are decimated in the last published book.

This book you don't know the good guys, the champions and their true identities. They present themselves as different times. What I don't know is whether they are mortal humans or immortal angels? Are they waging war for love of their disappeared God or the sake of the human survivors? And where perchance is the God of Light, Elyon hiding? When does he join the foray? Will he appear or has he already done so?

Intelligent, magical and fierce! Love it!
4 people found this helpful
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JP
5.0 out of 5 stars Some spoiler free comments
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2024
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A great start to the series. Interesting characters, a solid dose of treachery, and a heavy dose of dramatic irony keep the story interesting. There were characters I loved to hate, loved to love, and hated to hate. The book is interesting on its own, but you will almost certainly rush to get the second book after finishing book 1, as I did. (What a finish to book 1!)

To give a bit of context, I happened to be listening to Phil Dragash's LOTR audiobook at the same time as reading this, but had to postpone listening so I could finish this book. And I plan on postponing it further as I start book 2. The most recent fantasy book I read before this was Paolini's Murtagh and, to be honest, this was better.

As for kid friendliness, there are dark themes and obviously there will be violence, but there is no nudity or explicit sexual content. The author draws heavily on Judeo-Christian themes to form the mythos of the world. There are positive themes and, unlike a lot of modern fiction, the main protagonist's family is both competent and refreshingly close and loving.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Kevin
5.0 out of 5 stars Really entertaining
Reviewed in Canada on March 13, 2024
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I wouldn’t call myself a big time fantasy buff but I have always enjoyed reading fantasy series like LOTR and GOT. I had a hard time putting this one down. Interesting characters and great story line.
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C. Fischer
5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping epic fantasy series
Reviewed in Germany on October 1, 2023
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Well, John Gwynne seems to be an author that equally provokes praise and criticism in the reviews about his work. As much as I can understand some of the criticism, I nevertheless would rate his epic very highly for the following reasons:
The Faithful and the Fallen series is more than just another version of "the-boy-who-was-chosen-to-save-the-world"-trope, as readers will find out at the end of volume three (and that is a rather mind-blowing twist). It plays with the trope, looks at many aspects of making decisions between good and bad and the resulting consequences. You can read lots of the POV-characters as variations on the topic. In my opinion Gwynne even manages to lend the "bad" characters a convincing voice, that explains, why they do the things they do in the way they do (e. g. Evnis).
The worldbuilding is mainly based on an early medieval, celtic culture of many small kingdoms with a hint at a Roman Emperor-like high king. It has god a theological aspect: a host of angels and demons fighting in the "Otherworld" and influencing life in the Banished Lands. This alludes strongly to Christian mythology (there is even a kind of "multiple-personality" demon called Legion). Names are also well done, Giantish is more or less Gaelic, there are many other allusions to all kinds of literary works, which I enjoyed a lot.
There are a lot of different plots, which can be a bit challenging at times. With all the names, a kind of Dramatis Personae at the beginning could have been useful.
Points of criticism: There is a lot of fighting. A LOT OF. And "the sound of breaking cartilage" seems to be a favourite phrase of Gwynne's. The action is often filled with brutality, so it's not for the very sophisticated reader. (At least not if you do not appreciate the idea of having a pet that is tearing out the throats of your enemies with its huge protuding canines.)
The map. Rivers do not flow like that. Please, John Gwynne, watch a video on how to draw a fantasy map, before you design your next fantasy world. It can be done better ;-)

To sum up: Recommended for fans of epic fantasy with lots of fighting and multiple POV characters. Surely one of the best series you can read at the moment.
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NEERAJAN SAHA
5.0 out of 5 stars Finishing a book is always a void. It's more of a void when it's ..a story like this.
Reviewed in India on August 11, 2022
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"For whence
But from the author of all ill could spring
So deep a malice." - John Milton

Finishing a book is always a void.
It's more of a void when it's ..a story like this.
John Gwynne is considered to be the best writer of action scenes in the world right now, but did not know he would be equally skilled at creating Epic goosbumpy moments, tearful moments, heartbreaking moments and action scenes that make me want to fight 10 men alone or do 50 pushups.
This was a birthday gift to myself. Glad i did it. And glad I read the last 200 pages, which is arguably the best section of the book, on a windy morning, sitting on the terrace with rains coming in during the final pages.
3 people found this helpful
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Camilla
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
Reviewed in Italy on February 7, 2022
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I loved it. I've already read stuff from this author, specifically the first Bloodsworn book, and I have to say that I really liked this one too. Would recommend.
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Em
5.0 out of 5 stars A really start to an epic fantasy series
Reviewed in Australia on March 3, 2023
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Malice takes us to the Banished Lands, where giants are stirring and the world is hurtling towards the war to end all wars. We follow a colourful cast of characters, though I’d say our MAIN main character is Corban ben Thannon - a boy about to take his warrior trial and become a man. Corban is a delightful cinnamon roll, and manages to straddle the line of being a really good guy without straying into Gary Stu territory.

This book had a very ‘old-school fantasy’ vibe, which I loved. The many interweaving POVs did a great job of giving background to the story from different angles, which I think is what I enjoyed most about it - many of this type of epic fantasy series have a tendency to only tell the story from the perspective of the protagonists. For a good chunk of this book, I wasn’t even sure who the protagonists were. I really enjoy this type of storytelling, and I definitely don’t see enough of it.

I think the characters were all really well developed, and they all felt unique and added something to the story. I think Cywen and Edana were good female characters, though I do hope they have a bit more to do in the remaining books. I’d also love to see another female POV besides Cywen (pretty sure she was the only one, though do correct me if I’m wrong).

One thing that really blew my mind was that this is the author’s debut novel. Very impressive - even among my all-time favourite authors, there aren’t many that had a first book of this quality. Though it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it takes all the classic fantasy elements and executes them really well.

I loved Malice, I’d recommend it to any epic fantasy fan, and I can’t wait to read the rest of The Faithful and the Fallen series!

-Reposted from my Goodreads account-
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