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A Vengeful Realm #1
The Scales of Balance
“It is difficult to overstate the storytelling prowess of author Tim Facciola.” — Independent Book Review
Peace bought by blood seldom lasts, for vengeance knows no end. The same is true for mortals and Gods alike. Decades, centuries, eras may pass, but the cycle remains. As war and revolution rise again, Zephyrus finds himself at the center of it all. Chosen by the Gods, hailed as a prophet of liberation, and forged as a weapon to break the kingdom and restore balance to the realm, hope rests squarely on his shoulders.
If only he could remember…
Enslaved as a gladiator and thrust into a prince’s game of espionage, Zephyrus has only two clues to help unlock his shattered past: a prophecy foretelling destruction, and a letter to the enemy king, promising peace. Now Zephyrus must survive the dangers of the gladiatorial arena, the cunning fury of the Prince’s enemies, and the Gods’ torment if he is to find the truth of his identity and fulfill his fate. But to have any hope of breaking the cycle, first he must secure his freedom—and not just from his slavers.
Within this vengeful realm, a queen protecting her kingdom, a prince defending his father, and a gladiator slave haunted by a prophecy each contend for their own brand of freedom. But the Gods have an agenda of their own, and they'll use any vessel—patrician, plebeian, or slave—to see it done.
The scales must be balanced. By peace. Or by blood.
“Arena-set action sequences shine … but even more impressive is the constant political maneuvering, as characters mingle with enemies while plotting against them. There is, of course, plenty of mystery, and Facciola amps up excitement with signs of magic, appearances from gods, and betrayals.” — Kirkus Reviews
“A sprawling cast of vivid characters and a meticulously crafted realm, with exposition and world-building unraveling seamlessly alongside the plot…an original work of fantasy that doesn't trod familiar ground” — Self-Publishing Review
Peace bought by blood seldom lasts, for vengeance knows no end. The same is true for mortals and Gods alike. Decades, centuries, eras may pass, but the cycle remains. As war and revolution rise again, Zephyrus finds himself at the center of it all. Chosen by the Gods, hailed as a prophet of liberation, and forged as a weapon to break the kingdom and restore balance to the realm, hope rests squarely on his shoulders.
If only he could remember…
Enslaved as a gladiator and thrust into a prince’s game of espionage, Zephyrus has only two clues to help unlock his shattered past: a prophecy foretelling destruction, and a letter to the enemy king, promising peace. Now Zephyrus must survive the dangers of the gladiatorial arena, the cunning fury of the Prince’s enemies, and the Gods’ torment if he is to find the truth of his identity and fulfill his fate. But to have any hope of breaking the cycle, first he must secure his freedom—and not just from his slavers.
Within this vengeful realm, a queen protecting her kingdom, a prince defending his father, and a gladiator slave haunted by a prophecy each contend for their own brand of freedom. But the Gods have an agenda of their own, and they'll use any vessel—patrician, plebeian, or slave—to see it done.
The scales must be balanced. By peace. Or by blood.
“Arena-set action sequences shine … but even more impressive is the constant political maneuvering, as characters mingle with enemies while plotting against them. There is, of course, plenty of mystery, and Facciola amps up excitement with signs of magic, appearances from gods, and betrayals.” — Kirkus Reviews
“A sprawling cast of vivid characters and a meticulously crafted realm, with exposition and world-building unraveling seamlessly alongside the plot…an original work of fantasy that doesn't trod familiar ground” — Self-Publishing Review
528 pages, Paperback
First published June 12, 2023
106 people are currently reading
3686 people want to read
About the author
Tim Facciola
8 books64 followersWhen Tim isn’t writing epic fantasy, he can often be found in his garage-gym or in the mountains where he lives. A virtual fitness professional by trade, he integrates his creative passions into movement, training with maces, clubs, staves, and swords to unlock his inner gladiator.
More than writing, reading, gaming, playing music, hiking, and paddle-boarding, Tim loves story. If he’s not working on his own story, he’s helping others develop theirs as an author coach.
Living in Arizona with his wife, Colleen, Tim continues writing epic fantasy novels while exploring different storytelling mediums so he can inspire others to hope. To live. And to believe.
More than writing, reading, gaming, playing music, hiking, and paddle-boarding, Tim loves story. If he’s not working on his own story, he’s helping others develop theirs as an author coach.
Living in Arizona with his wife, Colleen, Tim continues writing epic fantasy novels while exploring different storytelling mediums so he can inspire others to hope. To live. And to believe.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
July 9, 2024
This is Roman-inspired fantasy, featuring gladiatorial arenas, ludi and Domiuses, and a kingdom on the verge of being broken. Whilst there is peace now, there are those plotting to overthrow the King and seize power—including the king’s own wife.
Zephyrus is presented as a Celestial Prophet, either the Wielder of the Harbinger, yet he remembers nothing about his past when we are introduced to him.
He is captured by slavers in the Temple he received his prophecy, only to be bought by Laeden, the king’s disinherited elder son. Zephyrus is sent to join a gladiator house to see if he can unmask the conspirators.
Everything is mounting as increasing tension between different factions surrounding the Treaty of 940 demanding Celestics were enslaved, mages were executed.
”You have more control over your fate than you might think. These prophecies, they're just holes in the future, waiting to be filled. If your prophecy contains elements of each of the Three, it sounds like you are destined for greatness, regardless. But what you do with that greatness is up to you."
I went into this with exceedingly high expectations as all the reviews are raving. However, this didn’t reach the heights I hoped.
There is a myriad of perspectives which was overwhelming at the start. I do enjoy multi-perspective stories to add depth and cast a wider net of motives and sides, yet perhaps this was slightly too ambitious for book one all at once.
I also found the Celestials, the Judges, the Six Gods confusing to wrap my head around as not much background information or easing of the facts are provided. Perhaps a glossary or short appendix may have helped.
I did like the Roman-esque atmosphere and how characters must grapple with slavery, glory, and bloodlust.
Surprisingly, it was the women for felt the strongest in the story. Whether they be devious, clever, compassionate… They may not have the same standing as men, but they fight for everything they want in different ways.
”I want a love that listens. A love that sacrifices."
Mother shook her head.
"There's no love like that, my sweet. Only in the songs."
Overall, I think this will appeal to fans of the action and motivations of Red Rising and the themes and environment of the A Voice in the Wind.
Bookstagram
Zephyrus is presented as a Celestial Prophet, either the Wielder of the Harbinger, yet he remembers nothing about his past when we are introduced to him.
He is captured by slavers in the Temple he received his prophecy, only to be bought by Laeden, the king’s disinherited elder son. Zephyrus is sent to join a gladiator house to see if he can unmask the conspirators.
Everything is mounting as increasing tension between different factions surrounding the Treaty of 940 demanding Celestics were enslaved, mages were executed.
”You have more control over your fate than you might think. These prophecies, they're just holes in the future, waiting to be filled. If your prophecy contains elements of each of the Three, it sounds like you are destined for greatness, regardless. But what you do with that greatness is up to you."
I went into this with exceedingly high expectations as all the reviews are raving. However, this didn’t reach the heights I hoped.
There is a myriad of perspectives which was overwhelming at the start. I do enjoy multi-perspective stories to add depth and cast a wider net of motives and sides, yet perhaps this was slightly too ambitious for book one all at once.
I also found the Celestials, the Judges, the Six Gods confusing to wrap my head around as not much background information or easing of the facts are provided. Perhaps a glossary or short appendix may have helped.
I did like the Roman-esque atmosphere and how characters must grapple with slavery, glory, and bloodlust.
Surprisingly, it was the women for felt the strongest in the story. Whether they be devious, clever, compassionate… They may not have the same standing as men, but they fight for everything they want in different ways.
”I want a love that listens. A love that sacrifices."
Mother shook her head.
"There's no love like that, my sweet. Only in the songs."
Overall, I think this will appeal to fans of the action and motivations of Red Rising and the themes and environment of the A Voice in the Wind.
Bookstagram
August 27, 2023
Wait! What? The ending just made my jaw drop! If you love epic fantasy this has to be part of your library. After reading his first book in the A Vengeful Realm trilogy, I put Tim Facciola right up there with Brandon Sanderson and John Gwynn. Yes! This book is that good. It has everything, magic, gods, deception, deceit, murder, war, conflict, false accusations, heroes, gladiators and many other things that make this a great epic fantasy. I don’t want to give away spoilers because you have to experience this without knowing what’s going to happen. At the beginning there is a lot of names and world building being set up and it can be overwhelming but hang in there because the payout is worth it. I can’t wait for book 2. January can’t get here fast enough. I listened to the audiobook. The narrator Landon Soelberg is fantastic. I now have to go get a physical copy. Read this book!
I want to thank NetGalley and First Torch Books, LLC for a free copy of the audiobook. This review is made from my own opinions and voluntarily given.
I want to thank NetGalley and First Torch Books, LLC for a free copy of the audiobook. This review is made from my own opinions and voluntarily given.
January 2, 2024
5.25 / 10 ✪
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
I usually write my own setup, but this time I skipped it in favor of the official blurb. We’ll get to why in a little.
—
I saw a lot of comparisons to the Spartacus series: Blood and Sand. Interestingly enough, my 5.0 rating of this almost exactly mirrors the TV series’ 52% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 54% on Metacritic.
—
This was one of the more challenging reviews to write, and took far longer than the usual hour it takes me to compose a recap and rant about it. As occasionally happens, my rating fell a good one star over its course, as I struggled to explain/recap/conclude events. You’ll see why.
The Scales of Balance took a little for me to get into due to its distinct lack of world-building and explanation of the plot, but with a little persistence an immersive and well-crafted story is revealed—albeit one with its own set of challenges.
To start with, the world-building never gets any better. And so this story takes place in an otherwise empty hall full of cardboard cutouts, none of which contain anything deeper than surface detail. Now, it’s not as if I’m terribly interested in things like the extent of banditry amongst the Klaytans, or how the harvest season in Altarcia affects the price of grain in Stockhelm, but I would’ve liked to hear something about the outside world. Like how the Bay of Bastards got its name. Or how the magic system works. Or what the world is like outside the mere snapshots we get of a given city.
Or, like, how the prophecy they keep banging on about affects the world in any way, shape, or form.
But the book fails to ever divulge such details. There’s just a prophecy… and that’s that. It’s not explained, but I suppose the reader is expected to just fill in the blanks. Problem is—there are an awful lot of blanks. This is what IS explained—there are three key figures: the Wielder, the Harbringer, and… the other one. Each will be reborn. The Harbringer is obviously bad, the Wielder just as obviously good. I can’t remember what the other one is for any more than I recall its name. The Harbringer gives rise to the Wielder. The Wielder must unite the three treasures, at which point… um. That’s pretty much it.
We need to stop the Skeleton King. This line appears on page 102, with no context whatsoever. The Skeleton King is mentioned only in passing, and only once or twice more, but I’m guessing that’s the big bad. What they do or who they are or why we should care—not explained.
But that’s not it. The Revivalists (the rebellion against the rulers of New Rheynia) are mentioned in close connection with the book’s plot, yet never explained further. Like, why are they rebelling? The King is nearly assassinated in the second chapter, blamed on the Revivalists, and everyone’s like, “damn them”—and then move on with their lives. Further things that aren’t explained include: the prophecy, the world and its state of affairs, most romances or rivalries, the gladiatorial system, the magic system—to mention a few.
So, throw out the world-building, the prophecy, the concept of the overarching plot—why should you care? Well, while this book lacks polish or depth, it does tell quite a good story. Surprisingly so, given how little I really understood it. Despite all my misgivings, despite all my extensive issues with this, I managed to get sucked in, to the point that I was actually quite invested in the tale by its outset. Immersed… well, kinda. I was immersed in the story itself, but not the world. Which made for a strange time, as I can’t really remember any other books that replicated this. And as such, I can’t bring myself to write it off entirely. Much like the real world, Scales of Balance is more complicated than just a choice between black or white.
TL; DR
I came into this knowing little at all about this book, but I did hear quite a lot of comparisons to the Starz series, Spartacus. And there’s a good reason for that. The Scales of Balance reminded me quite a bit of Spartacus: heavy on action, blood, and drama, light on world, intrigue, and detail. Problem is, there was a reason I’d come off it by the end of the first season. Now there’s more to this than just action action blood sex drama… there’s an actual story within that’s intricate and interesting. It’s just that the the world around it, and—to an extent—many of the characters within, are not.
As I said before, I’m a little torn. While I don’t feel like there’s enough here for me to recommend, it’s not nearly bad enough to write off entirely. So. If you’re after the embodiment of Spartacus, a gladiatorial thriller, or a action-heavy fantasy that somehow manages to tell an entertaining story—it’s probably worth a go. If you’re after an epic, sweeping fantasy with a deep, intricate world and complicated characters—look elsewhere.
Note: As this is a debut, the author and the story will both likely only improve. Now I um had definite issues with this, but also more than enough to love. Just because I’m on the fence with the first, I hope no one will completely write the author off. They’re human, they can change.
https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com...
I usually write my own setup, but this time I skipped it in favor of the official blurb. We’ll get to why in a little.
—
I saw a lot of comparisons to the Spartacus series: Blood and Sand. Interestingly enough, my 5.0 rating of this almost exactly mirrors the TV series’ 52% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 54% on Metacritic.
—
This was one of the more challenging reviews to write, and took far longer than the usual hour it takes me to compose a recap and rant about it. As occasionally happens, my rating fell a good one star over its course, as I struggled to explain/recap/conclude events. You’ll see why.
The Scales of Balance took a little for me to get into due to its distinct lack of world-building and explanation of the plot, but with a little persistence an immersive and well-crafted story is revealed—albeit one with its own set of challenges.
To start with, the world-building never gets any better. And so this story takes place in an otherwise empty hall full of cardboard cutouts, none of which contain anything deeper than surface detail. Now, it’s not as if I’m terribly interested in things like the extent of banditry amongst the Klaytans, or how the harvest season in Altarcia affects the price of grain in Stockhelm, but I would’ve liked to hear something about the outside world. Like how the Bay of Bastards got its name. Or how the magic system works. Or what the world is like outside the mere snapshots we get of a given city.
Or, like, how the prophecy they keep banging on about affects the world in any way, shape, or form.
But the book fails to ever divulge such details. There’s just a prophecy… and that’s that. It’s not explained, but I suppose the reader is expected to just fill in the blanks. Problem is—there are an awful lot of blanks. This is what IS explained—there are three key figures: the Wielder, the Harbringer, and… the other one. Each will be reborn. The Harbringer is obviously bad, the Wielder just as obviously good. I can’t remember what the other one is for any more than I recall its name. The Harbringer gives rise to the Wielder. The Wielder must unite the three treasures, at which point… um. That’s pretty much it.
We need to stop the Skeleton King. This line appears on page 102, with no context whatsoever. The Skeleton King is mentioned only in passing, and only once or twice more, but I’m guessing that’s the big bad. What they do or who they are or why we should care—not explained.
But that’s not it. The Revivalists (the rebellion against the rulers of New Rheynia) are mentioned in close connection with the book’s plot, yet never explained further. Like, why are they rebelling? The King is nearly assassinated in the second chapter, blamed on the Revivalists, and everyone’s like, “damn them”—and then move on with their lives. Further things that aren’t explained include: the prophecy, the world and its state of affairs, most romances or rivalries, the gladiatorial system, the magic system—to mention a few.
So, throw out the world-building, the prophecy, the concept of the overarching plot—why should you care? Well, while this book lacks polish or depth, it does tell quite a good story. Surprisingly so, given how little I really understood it. Despite all my misgivings, despite all my extensive issues with this, I managed to get sucked in, to the point that I was actually quite invested in the tale by its outset. Immersed… well, kinda. I was immersed in the story itself, but not the world. Which made for a strange time, as I can’t really remember any other books that replicated this. And as such, I can’t bring myself to write it off entirely. Much like the real world, Scales of Balance is more complicated than just a choice between black or white.
TL; DR
I came into this knowing little at all about this book, but I did hear quite a lot of comparisons to the Starz series, Spartacus. And there’s a good reason for that. The Scales of Balance reminded me quite a bit of Spartacus: heavy on action, blood, and drama, light on world, intrigue, and detail. Problem is, there was a reason I’d come off it by the end of the first season. Now there’s more to this than just action action blood sex drama… there’s an actual story within that’s intricate and interesting. It’s just that the the world around it, and—to an extent—many of the characters within, are not.
As I said before, I’m a little torn. While I don’t feel like there’s enough here for me to recommend, it’s not nearly bad enough to write off entirely. So. If you’re after the embodiment of Spartacus, a gladiatorial thriller, or a action-heavy fantasy that somehow manages to tell an entertaining story—it’s probably worth a go. If you’re after an epic, sweeping fantasy with a deep, intricate world and complicated characters—look elsewhere.
Note: As this is a debut, the author and the story will both likely only improve. Now I um had definite issues with this, but also more than enough to love. Just because I’m on the fence with the first, I hope no one will completely write the author off. They’re human, they can change.
August 19, 2023
There is so much to Love about Tim Facciola‘s A Vengeful Realm we follow Zeb who just wants his memories back in as he goes from one fight to another he questions whether he is fighting for the right person when a king wants nothing but war how does his son rebel… With peace? He is so busy fighting he never won’t stops to think how did he get there? This book has such a humongous twist at the end and it really blew my mind because I also was not thinking of… Said twist. This book is epic it is so good there’s magic guardians treasure battles kings princess enemies villains slaves and on and on it is so so good this is such a great book and although the summary is awful just know if you love any of the above mentioned things in any order or scenario you absolutely love a vengeful realm it is an awesome awesome epic book. this is one of the better fantasy books I have read this year. Zeb is really a great character to root for because he doesn’t remember his past but he does remember his principles and the things he stands for. I listen to the audiobook and loved the narrator I couldn’t find his name but he is awesome and does a wonderful job I want to think the publisher and Net Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
April 15, 2024
If you’re a fan of the Starz TV show Spartacus and HBO’s Rome, this is definitely the book for you. While this is a fantasy book, there is very little magic or fantasy-type aspects to this book; the ending, without spoilers, definitely leads towards more magical aspects and such in the second book, so if you can hold on until the second, it might get better. There’s a lot of political elements to this story, if you’re knowledgeable of Spartacus, then all the political elements of that is definitely in this book, so again, if that’s your thing, this is your book. I wanted to enjoy this and like this as I am a fan of Spartacus and fantasy too, but I could not get into this; it was a struggle to finish it and while I think part of that comes from the fact I listened to this as an audiobook and I’m not a big audiobook fan, I just could not get into this.
I got free access to this book through NetGalley, so thank you for the opportunity to read this book in advance!
I got free access to this book through NetGalley, so thank you for the opportunity to read this book in advance!
September 30, 2023
It is nice when a book both begins and ends with a bang. Author Facciola knows how to spin a yarn and wrap you into it from the very start. With a blend of mystery, fantasy, and political intrigue, “A Vengeful Realm” will keep you interested on several levels. Narrator Soelberg does a good job bringing the characters to life. Thankfully this book is devoid of sound effects (they grate my nerves).
Four and a half stars is my rating. I liked the protagonists and the secondary characters, the plot, and the pacing. I’m looking forward to book 2 of The Scales of Balance series. My thanks to Books Forward. All opinions are mine and offered without recompense.
Four and a half stars is my rating. I liked the protagonists and the secondary characters, the plot, and the pacing. I’m looking forward to book 2 of The Scales of Balance series. My thanks to Books Forward. All opinions are mine and offered without recompense.
December 31, 2023
4/5
This is what a crossover of Spartacus and Game of Thrones looks like. Gladiators, a corrupt system and gods at war. I could read another 500 pages of this and I believe book two is longer so I definitely will. The narrator for the audiobook made an amazing job. Extra points for calling a kingdom Valencia because that's the region in Spain where I'm from.
I'm not fond of the loss of memory troop tho so from the start I had a bone to pick with one of the main characters. Also some characters felt like a copy paste from characters of the show Spartacus.
I have so many questions hoping to get answers in book two.
This is what a crossover of Spartacus and Game of Thrones looks like. Gladiators, a corrupt system and gods at war. I could read another 500 pages of this and I believe book two is longer so I definitely will. The narrator for the audiobook made an amazing job. Extra points for calling a kingdom Valencia because that's the region in Spain where I'm from.
I'm not fond of the loss of memory troop tho so from the start I had a bone to pick with one of the main characters. Also some characters felt like a copy paste from characters of the show Spartacus.
I have so many questions hoping to get answers in book two.
October 18, 2023
Okay, first up, the foreshadowing in this book? So good. And that ending – WOW. I became a big fan of Phoenix and Zephyr, and by the end, Nallia really grew on me. Super excited to see where the next book goes! Even with heaps of world-building, I’ve still got so many questions about this universe. It was a fresh take on the whole Roman Empire retelling vibe, and I was all in. Yep, it’s a long one (took me a while to get through), but totally worth the ride. Also, the writing is just plain beautiful. Can't wait for the next one!
August 26, 2023
This book has me hooked from the very beginning. The characters are so well developed and you never know who you can trust or what turn the author will take next.
With the way this book ended I can’t wait to read the next in the trilogy.
Definite must read for fans of fantasies such as Red Rising.
With the way this book ended I can’t wait to read the next in the trilogy.
Definite must read for fans of fantasies such as Red Rising.
September 25, 2023
https://www.tiktok.com/@kagedbooks/vi...?
I recently finished A Vengeful Realm Book one. the debut novel of BookTok’s own Tim Facciola.
This is the beginning of an epic fantasy series that centers around the question of if you lose all of your memories then what kind of person are you?
The story focuses on a man called Zephyrus who as I said has lost his memories. Yet is told he is the chosen of the old gods, and hailed as a prophet that will liberate the people…
only to be immediately captured by slavers and made into a gladiator, bereft of allies he falls into service of a prince playing a dangerous game. All while hearing the voice of a god but giving vague and confusing advice.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Landon Soelberg who did a phenomenal job of bringing this story to life.
Clocking in at just over 16 hours at regular speed. Despite a bit of info-dumping in the beginning, it kept me engaged the whole time with solid pacing and plot development.
This first book is titled Scales of Balance and it’s appropriately named the author balances tension and intrigue, with an openness to the reader about what schemes are being hatched by various characters.
There was a lot to like about the series, but i’m hoping that the sequels will have a little more world building. Don’t get me wrong I love a character driven story, I just would like to know a little more about certain aspects of the world.
Honestly I just wanted more of this story as I felt things were really picking up towards the end. Luckily it’s only a few months until I can get my hands on book 2!
Big thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a chance to get in on this book early. I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I recently finished A Vengeful Realm Book one. the debut novel of BookTok’s own Tim Facciola.
This is the beginning of an epic fantasy series that centers around the question of if you lose all of your memories then what kind of person are you?
The story focuses on a man called Zephyrus who as I said has lost his memories. Yet is told he is the chosen of the old gods, and hailed as a prophet that will liberate the people…
only to be immediately captured by slavers and made into a gladiator, bereft of allies he falls into service of a prince playing a dangerous game. All while hearing the voice of a god but giving vague and confusing advice.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Landon Soelberg who did a phenomenal job of bringing this story to life.
Clocking in at just over 16 hours at regular speed. Despite a bit of info-dumping in the beginning, it kept me engaged the whole time with solid pacing and plot development.
This first book is titled Scales of Balance and it’s appropriately named the author balances tension and intrigue, with an openness to the reader about what schemes are being hatched by various characters.
There was a lot to like about the series, but i’m hoping that the sequels will have a little more world building. Don’t get me wrong I love a character driven story, I just would like to know a little more about certain aspects of the world.
Honestly I just wanted more of this story as I felt things were really picking up towards the end. Luckily it’s only a few months until I can get my hands on book 2!
Big thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a chance to get in on this book early. I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
August 22, 2023
*I’ve read this book as an ARC on NetGalley* What a wild ride this book was! If you love epic fantasy with political intrigue and lots of gladiator sword play, this is the book for you! It helps that the author does gladiator sword training, so his fight scenes are fantastically written. This multi POV book will have you reeling, wondering which character is right and which is wrong. All coming from opposing sides, can there be more than one right answer? Our main character, Zephyrus, becomes a slave gladiator who has lost his memories and just wants to figure out who he is and what his purpose is. Filled with morally grey characters, and others who think they are doing the right thing (but probably aren’t), this book hits all the right notes. Bonus points: it’s a trilogy and the next book comes out in January! I cannot wait!
August 18, 2023
A sword-slinging epic fantasy that's hard to put down! I loved learning that the author does "gladiator" training — it totally makes sense because the fight scenes are so detailed and realistic. Fans of Brandon Sanderson will definitely enjoy this one. Excited to know he's working on more books and it's going to be a series!
February 27, 2024
I have really enjoyed this book.
Warriors, magic, and gods!!
Zephyrus is becoming one of my favourite characters and look forward to following his story.
Great job Tim!!
Warriors, magic, and gods!!
Zephyrus is becoming one of my favourite characters and look forward to following his story.
Great job Tim!!
November 17, 2023
And Done! A great story about rebellion, gods interfering in the lives of humans, gladiators, magic, betrayals and so much more! I’ll be interviewing the author in January 2024 so stay tuned for that!
September 25, 2023
As a huge fan of the show Spartacus, this book absolutely worked for me. There were parallels from the show that I picked up on in the book. I found a lot of the speech very similar which I thoroughly enjoyed. The gods and magic aspect were a nice addition and I look forward to seeing the world expand further. And that epilogue? I didn't see that coming...at all 😅
March 20, 2024
Really good! Lots of intrigue, magic, a few diff POVs, roman gladiator style.
June 10, 2024
This book definitely has enough action for me but I found it a bit confusing, there’s almost too much happening. Once I figured out who was who, everything started to make sense. I enjoyed it and will continue the series
September 9, 2023
Vengeful Realm, Book 1 of the Scales of Balance
Complex plot and characters necessitate careful reading to avoid getting lost. In a Romanesque setting a religious conflict is thoroughly intertwined with political intrigue. An abandoned son, Laeden, works to gain notice of his father the kind. The current queen is plotting against the king. Zephyrus is a pawn for some god, not sure which one. In other words, this book may require you to take notes.
Due to the complexity of the book, I found myself unable to get into a rhythm reading it as I kept retracing my steps to find out who someone was and how they related to the plot. I am a fan of magic and enjoyed that aspect grisly as it was.
If you are into intricate this may be the book for you. I never was able to establish a flow but that may be me. It seems well written.
Complex plot and characters necessitate careful reading to avoid getting lost. In a Romanesque setting a religious conflict is thoroughly intertwined with political intrigue. An abandoned son, Laeden, works to gain notice of his father the kind. The current queen is plotting against the king. Zephyrus is a pawn for some god, not sure which one. In other words, this book may require you to take notes.
Due to the complexity of the book, I found myself unable to get into a rhythm reading it as I kept retracing my steps to find out who someone was and how they related to the plot. I am a fan of magic and enjoyed that aspect grisly as it was.
If you are into intricate this may be the book for you. I never was able to establish a flow but that may be me. It seems well written.
January 21, 2024
I really enjoyed this book!
If you enjoy a mix of political schemes, fantasy set in a roman aesthetic, and well developed characters then this book is for you!
The characters in this story come right off the page! Each scene was intentionally described and made me feel like I was watching a movie.
The action/tension filled scenes had me on the edge of my seat and holding my breath!
The magic system flowed really well and was super interesting!
From the prologue to the last sentence, I really enjoyed this book!
If you enjoy a mix of political schemes, fantasy set in a roman aesthetic, and well developed characters then this book is for you!
The characters in this story come right off the page! Each scene was intentionally described and made me feel like I was watching a movie.
The action/tension filled scenes had me on the edge of my seat and holding my breath!
The magic system flowed really well and was super interesting!
From the prologue to the last sentence, I really enjoyed this book!
September 14, 2023
Zephyrus is exactly the main character you'd imagine for a story of gladiators and fighting for freedom. What stands out about him the most is that he knows that things aren't just black and white. There are some of his people who make him their enemy, and some of the higher class who sympathize and want the same things he does. Zephyrus constantly questions himself; he realizes that nothing in this world is perfect or totally evil.
The side characters are all extremely well developed. Even ones with little appearance in the novel are carefully crafted. Personally, I really like Nallia. She is the daughter of a king from a neighboring kingdom, who helps Zephyrus find his lost memories and aides him in his journey for freedom. She is almost like a reader-insert of sorts.
The fighting sequences throughout the novel were beautifully done; the imagery was almost surreal.
While I have never gotten into the gladiator side of fantasy books, I can say that this is certainly the best from the few that I've read in the past.
I would definitely recommend reading this, and I would absolutely buy the sequel when it comes out.
The side characters are all extremely well developed. Even ones with little appearance in the novel are carefully crafted. Personally, I really like Nallia. She is the daughter of a king from a neighboring kingdom, who helps Zephyrus find his lost memories and aides him in his journey for freedom. She is almost like a reader-insert of sorts.
The fighting sequences throughout the novel were beautifully done; the imagery was almost surreal.
While I have never gotten into the gladiator side of fantasy books, I can say that this is certainly the best from the few that I've read in the past.
I would definitely recommend reading this, and I would absolutely buy the sequel when it comes out.
October 6, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and First Torch Books for providing with an arc copy of this book. A Vengeful realm has to be one of the most epic fantasy gladiator books ive read. Whilst not heavily filled with romance it is still very captivating and action packed. From the very first page you are gripped with the storyline of Zephyrus and sucked in as he becomes a slave/gladiator and tries to figure out who he truly is. The book is written in multiple POV and can sometimes be hard to figure out who’s voice you are reading, however its needed for the scale of world building and the amount of characters present in the book.
If you enjoyed movies like “Gladiator” or series like “Spartacus” then this book is definitely for you.
I cant wait for the next book.
If you enjoyed movies like “Gladiator” or series like “Spartacus” then this book is definitely for you.
I cant wait for the next book.
November 3, 2024
A Vengeful Realm: The Scales of Balance is Book 1 of the Vengeful Realm Series.
This is the start of a high fantasy series where the world is based around a roman-style empire.
We do have a long list of characters that we are introduced to and follow, which are of course, very much linked as you will during the course of the book.
The story follows many themes and ideas: from war to classic love and everything in-between as he weaves an epic fantasy with many twists and turns.
Tim's worldbuilding is fantastic and his character development is deep and realistic - you really see how each come into their own, especially when lives start to mingle.
If you enjoy epic fantasies then this is for you!
This is the start of a high fantasy series where the world is based around a roman-style empire.
We do have a long list of characters that we are introduced to and follow, which are of course, very much linked as you will during the course of the book.
The story follows many themes and ideas: from war to classic love and everything in-between as he weaves an epic fantasy with many twists and turns.
Tim's worldbuilding is fantastic and his character development is deep and realistic - you really see how each come into their own, especially when lives start to mingle.
If you enjoy epic fantasies then this is for you!
August 31, 2023
The first book in The Vengeful Realm series definitely took me by surprise. In the beginning, I struggled to get into the book, but once I got through the first third of the book, I flew through the rest. The book raises a lot of interesting perspectives through slavery, different religions, and of course the different rebellious groups that exist to cause change.
I particularly enjoyed the uniqueness of the storyline. It combines concepts of magic, quest, gladiators, kingdoms, etc and it is seamlessly blended throughout the whole book. I am very excited to see what book 2 brings in this series and how things begin to conclude and wrap up
I particularly enjoyed the uniqueness of the storyline. It combines concepts of magic, quest, gladiators, kingdoms, etc and it is seamlessly blended throughout the whole book. I am very excited to see what book 2 brings in this series and how things begin to conclude and wrap up
October 5, 2023
I actually ended up with both the digital and Audio arcs of this title much to my surprise. I enjoyed everything about this title and can not wait to grab a physical copy. I was delighted to experience A vengeful Realm by Tim Facciola. World building was handled excellently alongside superb character development. The multiple points of view set up made the narrative feel like it was flying by and now I desperately need a book two.
May 20, 2024
The suspense in the book is irresistible, the author knows how to entice readers by introducing subplots that increase one’s focus to finish the book
The story developed well, lots of twists/turns, and great supporting characters.
The production was superbly done. It definitely lent an extra layer of enjoyment.
The story developed well, lots of twists/turns, and great supporting characters.
The production was superbly done. It definitely lent an extra layer of enjoyment.
July 4, 2024
Loved this from the first page. This book has slammed to the top of my best book of the year (sorry Mark Lawrence 🤫it just overtook the girl and the mountain on my list)
Had me on the edge of my seat and really cheering for so many of the characters!
It was a wild ride and I absolutely must dive straight into book 2!
Had me on the edge of my seat and really cheering for so many of the characters!
It was a wild ride and I absolutely must dive straight into book 2!
July 7, 2024
4.5⭐️
October 6, 2025
This one definitely took me a minute to get into but it was totally worth it in the end and I can’t wait to dive into the rest of the series!
September 20, 2024
What an epic storyline! It is alot to take in at first but my gosh it's worth it.
I'm struggling to put it into words without giving away the epic twists, drama, magic and essence of this story.
Tim Facciola really knows how to suck your soul into the core of this world, having you on the edge of your seat ready to fight alongside them! Just don't read it while your eating as you will end up waving your knife around like some crazy bat.. ha!
I'm struggling to put it into words without giving away the epic twists, drama, magic and essence of this story.
Tim Facciola really knows how to suck your soul into the core of this world, having you on the edge of your seat ready to fight alongside them! Just don't read it while your eating as you will end up waving your knife around like some crazy bat.. ha!
March 26, 2024
Well written epic fantasy
Well written, good plot twists. If multiple POV is hard for you to keep up with, this one might now be for you. All in all a decent read
Well written, good plot twists. If multiple POV is hard for you to keep up with, this one might now be for you. All in all a decent read
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