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The Rotstorm #3
The Gauntlet and the Broken Chain
For 312 years the rotstorm has blighted the ruins of the Ferron Empire.
Born of an unholy war between gods themselves, it scours the land with acid mists and deadly lightning, spawning twisted monstrosities from its nightmarish depths.
On the Stormwall, the men and women of the Stormguard maintain their vigil - eyes sharp, blades sharper - defending the Undal Protectorate from the worst of the rotstorm's corruption.
But behind the storm front, something is stirring, kindling the embers of an ancient conflict and a plan to kill a god.
Will Stormguard steel be enough to meet the coming tempest?
---
The land is gripped in a claw winter.
The rotstorm has breached the walls of Undal City.
The children of the storm have claimed the Northern Marches.
The deathless mage has been unchained.
The dead god hunts again.
And Floré will raise her gauntlets against them all.
Born of an unholy war between gods themselves, it scours the land with acid mists and deadly lightning, spawning twisted monstrosities from its nightmarish depths.
On the Stormwall, the men and women of the Stormguard maintain their vigil - eyes sharp, blades sharper - defending the Undal Protectorate from the worst of the rotstorm's corruption.
But behind the storm front, something is stirring, kindling the embers of an ancient conflict and a plan to kill a god.
Will Stormguard steel be enough to meet the coming tempest?
---
The land is gripped in a claw winter.
The rotstorm has breached the walls of Undal City.
The children of the storm have claimed the Northern Marches.
The deathless mage has been unchained.
The dead god hunts again.
And Floré will raise her gauntlets against them all.
- GenresFantasy
416 pages, Paperback
Published April 2, 2024
1 person is currently reading
78 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 4, 2023
5/5 stars! So I somehow didn't realize that this was the last book in a trilogy. But the author still did an amazing job of filling in the necessary details that reading it first was still possible. I enjoy Ian Green's other series, so was very excited to read this book. There is non-stop action in this story and it kept me hooked from the very first page. The conclusion shook and amazed me and I can't wait to see what Ian Green writes next.
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review
I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review
June 29, 2023
Really enjoyed this a fantastic end to the series only downside It left me wanting to read more really 9000 writing the characters are really well done if you haven't read this series you are missing out
August 1, 2023
Another excellent fantasy story in this excellent series: gripping, well plotted and entertaining.
I was glad to catch up with Flore and loved the world building and the plot.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I was glad to catch up with Flore and loved the world building and the plot.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
April 16, 2023
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This, being the third instalment in the trilogy, starts more or less immediately after the previous book ends. It’s seamless. The book continues to follow Flore as she seeks Marta, Ashbringer as she tries to reconcile herself to her new fate, Brude as she faces what really underpins her people’s tragedy, and Tullen, whose true sense of disassociation from the world and its inhabitants becomes increasinglya apparent.
Overall, I continued to like it. The best thing about this particular book was the worldbuilding – most of the loose ends were tied, and we understood much of what drives the main characters and events. The author also shed further light on the history of the world, helping the reader unravel the ambiguity that followed the trilogy since its inception. The characters continued, for the most part, to be interesting (more about this later), and, for me, Brude, Tullen, and Ashbringer really stood out, with an increasingly complex psychological profile of each being woven as the story unfolded.
That being said, this is probably the weakest of the three books, and somehow, it came across as tired. It was much more “philosophical” in nature (referring to the fundamentals of philosophy in the book’s own universe, for the most part), and much less character driven. I frankly lost the plot at some point – the immense volume of details, conflicting narratives about these details (from the perspectives of multiple characters), and longwinded descriptions.
Some loose ends in character development from previous books somehow were never followed up on. Thomas, who was a very interesting character earlier on, lives in the background of this one. Yselda is somehow turned into a whimpering and shattered little girl. Cuss somehow finds peace and is able to kill ruthlessly while staying affable. Flore’s usual pragmatic and ruthless approach to problem solving somehow turns into a random grabbing at straws to save the day. There are more examples, of course.
I also found the pacing even more off the previously. The book progressed in leaps and bounds, and the various scenes felt more like highlights in a TV series than a typical plot progression in a book. This, together with the over abundant focus on worldbuilding and the book’s internal mythology, made this book flow far less well than its predecessors.
The ending was also somehow off kilter, vs the mood in the rest of the book. It’s like a scene from a more-or-less feel-good epic fantasy series bolted on at the end of a grimdark book series. It felt too good to be true, and I found it less rewarding frankly.
Finally, I continued to find the interludes unnecessary. They’re like companion short stories that only diehard fans might want to read, but add very little (if anything) to plot development. The book would have been smoother without this.
I’d, of course, recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the previous book and found the trilogy overall interesting. I’m grateful this was not the first book in the series, as I might not have continued with it. I hope the author’s subsequent books are better able to repeat the near magical first two books of this series.
This, being the third instalment in the trilogy, starts more or less immediately after the previous book ends. It’s seamless. The book continues to follow Flore as she seeks Marta, Ashbringer as she tries to reconcile herself to her new fate, Brude as she faces what really underpins her people’s tragedy, and Tullen, whose true sense of disassociation from the world and its inhabitants becomes increasinglya apparent.
Overall, I continued to like it. The best thing about this particular book was the worldbuilding – most of the loose ends were tied, and we understood much of what drives the main characters and events. The author also shed further light on the history of the world, helping the reader unravel the ambiguity that followed the trilogy since its inception. The characters continued, for the most part, to be interesting (more about this later), and, for me, Brude, Tullen, and Ashbringer really stood out, with an increasingly complex psychological profile of each being woven as the story unfolded.
That being said, this is probably the weakest of the three books, and somehow, it came across as tired. It was much more “philosophical” in nature (referring to the fundamentals of philosophy in the book’s own universe, for the most part), and much less character driven. I frankly lost the plot at some point – the immense volume of details, conflicting narratives about these details (from the perspectives of multiple characters), and longwinded descriptions.
Some loose ends in character development from previous books somehow were never followed up on. Thomas, who was a very interesting character earlier on, lives in the background of this one. Yselda is somehow turned into a whimpering and shattered little girl. Cuss somehow finds peace and is able to kill ruthlessly while staying affable. Flore’s usual pragmatic and ruthless approach to problem solving somehow turns into a random grabbing at straws to save the day. There are more examples, of course.
I also found the pacing even more off the previously. The book progressed in leaps and bounds, and the various scenes felt more like highlights in a TV series than a typical plot progression in a book. This, together with the over abundant focus on worldbuilding and the book’s internal mythology, made this book flow far less well than its predecessors.
The ending was also somehow off kilter, vs the mood in the rest of the book. It’s like a scene from a more-or-less feel-good epic fantasy series bolted on at the end of a grimdark book series. It felt too good to be true, and I found it less rewarding frankly.
Finally, I continued to find the interludes unnecessary. They’re like companion short stories that only diehard fans might want to read, but add very little (if anything) to plot development. The book would have been smoother without this.
I’d, of course, recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the previous book and found the trilogy overall interesting. I’m grateful this was not the first book in the series, as I might not have continued with it. I hope the author’s subsequent books are better able to repeat the near magical first two books of this series.
October 7, 2023
This is another book I have been looking forward to reading. The concluding novel in The Rotstorm trilogy.
This lived up to my expectations and I especially enjoyed the epilogue, which provided a heart warming end to the series.
Ian Green has crafted a world filled with unique creatures and the Rotstorm itself is a unique premise, which set this apart from other fantasy novels.
I am hopeful that Ian will continue to write novels in the world he has crafted, as I have enjoyed this trilogy and would recommend to any fantasy fans.
The main character Flore is a fleshed out character and Ian conveys her emotions and human failings in a natural way, which makes the story more engaging and realistic.
This lived up to my expectations and I especially enjoyed the epilogue, which provided a heart warming end to the series.
Ian Green has crafted a world filled with unique creatures and the Rotstorm itself is a unique premise, which set this apart from other fantasy novels.
I am hopeful that Ian will continue to write novels in the world he has crafted, as I have enjoyed this trilogy and would recommend to any fantasy fans.
The main character Flore is a fleshed out character and Ian conveys her emotions and human failings in a natural way, which makes the story more engaging and realistic.
August 6, 2023
I received a review copy from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.
This was an enjoyable enough read, bringing together the overall trilogy's characters and story lines to form an epic conclusion. I was very glad for the (incredibly efficient) summation of the previous books at the start.
However, it's also a book that didn't manage to leave a big impression on me, one way or another (hence this very short review!) There were a lot of moving parts, and I didn't engage fully with all of them because of that, but it also wasn't a "tricky" book to get through - it was engaging enough to keep me reading.
This was an enjoyable enough read, bringing together the overall trilogy's characters and story lines to form an epic conclusion. I was very glad for the (incredibly efficient) summation of the previous books at the start.
However, it's also a book that didn't manage to leave a big impression on me, one way or another (hence this very short review!) There were a lot of moving parts, and I didn't engage fully with all of them because of that, but it also wasn't a "tricky" book to get through - it was engaging enough to keep me reading.
February 2, 2024
Good ending
December 16, 2023
Originally posted on Just Geeking by.
Content warnings:
The Gauntlet and the Broken Chain by Ian Green is the final book in a trilogy that has been gripping from start to finish. Green has created a world that is dark, hostile and bleak, where characters are constantly fighting to survive against difficult odds. Unlike other fantasy series, it’s believable, with realistic consequences for their actions.
It is those consequences that Floré and her companions face in The Gauntlet and the Broken Chain. In the previous book, Tomas’ decisions led to the legendary immortal mage Tullen One-Eye breaking the chains placed upon him by god-bear Anshuka. The first thing that Tullen did was to take out the only mage powerful enough to stop him; Floré husband the salt mage, Janos. Believed to be dead, everyone (including the reader!) was shocked to find that Janos had not indeed died as previously believed and had been kept alive by a malicious organisation. His reunion with Floré was short-lived when he tried to stop the newly unchained Tullen in an extraordinary battle and instead lost his life.
Reeling from losing Janos for a second time, Floré has no time to grieve as she and her companions find their way back from the island they were abandoned on. Her daughter Marta is ill, dying from the powerful skein-magic inherited from her father. Once again, Floré’s duties are split. As a mother she wants to find her daughter more than anything, but as Commander she knows that if they don’t stop Tullen from getting his revenge and killing the god-bear Anshuka then no one will ever be safe, including Marta. It’s a race against time as the group splits to accomplish the impossible; stop the man who cannot be killed.
Once again, Green has served up a thrilling no-holds barred fight for survival. After the events of the previous book it was clear going into The Gauntlet and the Broken Chain that anything could happen, and from the start of this trilogy Green made it quite clear that there will be casualties. Despite the obvious dire circumstances, there is a lot more happening than just the final battle. As seen in the previous book, the chains that were holding Tullen captive were tied deeply with the entire world and when they broke they had repercussions felt deeply. In the main story and in interludes Green explores these repercussions, while also exploring theological concepts about belief and gods.
The final battle was well written and, as I’ve come to expect from Green’s writing over the course of The Rotstorm trilogy, original while still grounded in epic fantasy conventions. The Gauntlet and the Broken Chain is an epic conclusion to a trilogy that is a must-read for fantasy fans, especially those who like their fantasy dark and unique.
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Content warnings:
The Gauntlet and the Broken Chain by Ian Green is the final book in a trilogy that has been gripping from start to finish. Green has created a world that is dark, hostile and bleak, where characters are constantly fighting to survive against difficult odds. Unlike other fantasy series, it’s believable, with realistic consequences for their actions.
It is those consequences that Floré and her companions face in The Gauntlet and the Broken Chain. In the previous book, Tomas’ decisions led to the legendary immortal mage Tullen One-Eye breaking the chains placed upon him by god-bear Anshuka. The first thing that Tullen did was to take out the only mage powerful enough to stop him; Floré husband the salt mage, Janos. Believed to be dead, everyone (including the reader!) was shocked to find that Janos had not indeed died as previously believed and had been kept alive by a malicious organisation. His reunion with Floré was short-lived when he tried to stop the newly unchained Tullen in an extraordinary battle and instead lost his life.
Reeling from losing Janos for a second time, Floré has no time to grieve as she and her companions find their way back from the island they were abandoned on. Her daughter Marta is ill, dying from the powerful skein-magic inherited from her father. Once again, Floré’s duties are split. As a mother she wants to find her daughter more than anything, but as Commander she knows that if they don’t stop Tullen from getting his revenge and killing the god-bear Anshuka then no one will ever be safe, including Marta. It’s a race against time as the group splits to accomplish the impossible; stop the man who cannot be killed.
Once again, Green has served up a thrilling no-holds barred fight for survival. After the events of the previous book it was clear going into The Gauntlet and the Broken Chain that anything could happen, and from the start of this trilogy Green made it quite clear that there will be casualties. Despite the obvious dire circumstances, there is a lot more happening than just the final battle. As seen in the previous book, the chains that were holding Tullen captive were tied deeply with the entire world and when they broke they had repercussions felt deeply. In the main story and in interludes Green explores these repercussions, while also exploring theological concepts about belief and gods.
The final battle was well written and, as I’ve come to expect from Green’s writing over the course of The Rotstorm trilogy, original while still grounded in epic fantasy conventions. The Gauntlet and the Broken Chain is an epic conclusion to a trilogy that is a must-read for fantasy fans, especially those who like their fantasy dark and unique.
BLOG | REVIEWS | REVIEW SCHEDULE | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST |
November 1, 2025
I enjoyed the final battle, that part was fantastic. The worldbuilding remains my favourite part of this series and I would love to see more set in this world. I was very happy to see more glimpes of other parts of the world.
Unfortunately, the ending wasn't very satisfying. It wasn't bad, it was kinda just meh. The rebellion plotline seemed to be completely dropped and unresolved which made me wonder why it was there in the first place.
I loved this trilogy but I think the execution of the ending felt awkward and the ending itself was pretty plain.
Unfortunately, the ending wasn't very satisfying. It wasn't bad, it was kinda just meh. The rebellion plotline seemed to be completely dropped and unresolved which made me wonder why it was there in the first place.
I loved this trilogy but I think the execution of the ending felt awkward and the ending itself was pretty plain.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews