A War to End All

Manifest Delusions #3

by Michael R. Fletcher

Sanity, true cleanliness, and order;
Such things only exist after all else has been burned away.

Genres: Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Fiction, Ebooks, Epic Fantasy

422 pages, Paperback

First published September 18, 2023

About the author

Michael R. Fletcher is a science fiction and fantasy author, a grilled cheese aficionado, and a whiskey-swilling reprobate. He spends his days choreographing his forklift musical (titled "Get Forked"), and using caffeine as a substitute for sanity. Any suggestions that he is actually Dyrk Ashton in disguise are all lies.

Blog (kinda): http://michaelrfletcher.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRFlet...

Twitter: @FletcherMR

Instagram: fletcher_michael_r

Reviews

[Petrik · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

A War to End All is a philosophical and tepid conclusion to a brilliant grimdark fantasy series.

“The Old Gods were broken by wars and plagues of the mind, left reeling like the most bloodied veterans. Infected with horror at the cost of their actions, they retreated into dementia. Insanity as escape. Seeking to free themselves, they fled to a world of delusion, a world uncorrupted by jealousies and psychoses. And yet, in the end, even this they would pollute. So deep their need, so desperate their flight from their bitter past, they ignored the one truism all must bow before. Belief defines reality.”

This will most likely be an unpopular opinion, and to Fletcher and Snyder, if any of you are reading this right now, skip reading this review. Let me begin this review with this. To say I’m feeling conflicted right now is a massive understatement. No one is sadder about this rating than me. When I finish reading a book, I will usually write a review for the specific book immediately or wait at least a day or two before I write the review. But in the case of A War to End All, it took me a week before I sat and wrote my review for it. And believe me, writing this review does not give me any sense of pleasure. It actually made me feel like a jerk because I requested a review copy of it, too. For that, I will have to apologize. But as always, honesty must always be given in every review. A War to End All, the third and final book in Manifest Delusions, is not only one of my most anticipated books of this year, but it is also one of my most anticipated grimdark fantasy novels in the past 7 years. I absolutely loved Beyond Redemption, The Mirror’s Truth, Swarm and Steel, and I even did a reread of them in preparation for this concluding volume. And as a big fan of the Manifest Delusions series, I am happy this has reached a conclusion. Unfortunately, I cannot deny A War to End All is my least favorite installment in the series.

“Happiness is an affliction of delusion. You can wallow in misery one moment and, at a wink from a handsome lad, be gloriously happy in the next. In reality, nothing changed. Misery, however, is sanity. You know this to be true because misery always returns as the delusion of happiness fades.”

There are two major reasons why A War to End All did not work with me as much as I wanted. The first one is how different it is compared to the previous books in the series. Having the refreshed experience of going through the twisted world of Manifest Delusions from the beginning again made me feel this is a totally different kind of book compared to the previous books in the series. The story in A War to End All takes place immediately after the end of The Mirror’s Truth, and the badass cover art illustrated by Andrew Maleski and the epic title pulled me into expecting A War to End All will repeat and upgrade the magnificence of The Mirror’s Truth. But it did not turn out that way at all. A War to End All barely have any epic convergence moments. It is filled with philosophical, travelogues, and somber dialogues. This is not to state these did not exist in the previous installments of Manifest Delusions, but the balance between them and memorable battle scenes with ramped-up intensity were handled wonderfully. To put it simply, in results, The Mirror’s Truth felt like the real climax sequence of the series, and A War to End All is the long meandering anti-climatic epilogue of the series. I cannot help but feel the book is longer than it should be.

“People say, ‘Violence never solves anything,’ but it’s immediately obvious to any historian that every single major change in the world came about due to violence. Violence is the only way to make real, lasting change. Armed revolution is infinitely more effective at toppling governments than strongly worded letters.—Geschichts Verdreher, Historian/Philosopher”

At the end of the day, though, the biggest reason why A War to End All did not work was due to the decision to sideline the main characters of Beyond Redemption and The Mirror’s Truth. The main trio of Bedeckt, Witchtig, and Stehlen is one of the strongest factors of the series. Although Bedeckt earned his relatively satisfying closure, Witchtig and Stehlen are sidelined for the majority of A War to End All. And I was not a fan of this decision. Generally speaking, it is one of my pet peeves when the last book of a fantasy series starts introducing many new POV characters and focuses the narrative on them instead of the main characters of the previous books. Raven’s Shadow by Anthony Ryan did this. The Books of Babel by Josiah Bancroft did this. And A War to End All follows a similar method. Witchtig and Stehlen are sidelined into secondary characters, and Morgen and his doppels take the central stage. Despite the dysfunctional relationship of the main trio of Manifest Delusions, they were relentlessly compelling. I did not get that with Morgen’s doppels. And unfortunately, the narrative in A War to End All is dominated by them. The good thing about all of these is that Witchtig’s character did develop throughout the trilogy, and his story was easily one of my favorite parts of Manifest Delusions. It was definitely the best part of A War to End All, as few as it was.

“What is a tyrant but a man who expects results, and not seeing them, takes matters into his own hands until satisfied?—Denkendis, Gefahrgeist Philosopher”

I am unsure whether reading more of Fletcher's other books in his other series would enhance my experience of A War to End All. I have not read the second and third books of Obsidian Path and the last book in City of Sacrifice series by Fletcher, but I know his books are related and connected in one universe. There is a slight chance I would enjoy this more if I had finished reading Obsidian Path series. But comparing my experience with reading Fletcher’s other books, it really felt like Fletcher struggled in writing a conclusion for Manifest Delusions. I felt that as I was reading the book, and in the acknowledgment, Fletcher mentioned that without the contribution of Clayton Snyder, he would not be able to finish writing it. But these are all my assumptions. And as I said, based on the reviews I have seen for A War to End All, I am clearly in the minority.

Love is a double- edged sword, primed to cut anyone holding it.

Despite my disappointment with A War to End All, Manifest Delusions is still one of my favorite grimdark fantasy series. I'm glad it has ended, and I will continue to recommend this series to those who love reading grimdark fantasy with exceptional world-building. Just remember to set your expectations accordingly and be prepared that the third and final book of the series is a philosophical book about Morgen and Konig rather than an epic concluding volume centering around the trio of Beyond Redemption and The Mirror’s Truth, and I think you should be good. This is the first series by Fletcher I finished, and I look forward to reading the remaining books in The Obsidian Path trilogy as soon as I can.

“It means we see the world based on how we feel about ourselves. When we’re kind and giving, we see that in others. When we’re cruel and distrustful, we assume everyone else is the same.”

Series Review:

Beyond Redemption: 4.5/5 stars
The Mirror's Truth: 4.5/5 stars
A War to End All: 2/5 stars

Manifest Delusions: 11/15 stars

You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)

The quotes in this review were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel

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[James Harwood-Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fuelled by will & belief. A narcissism powered by a need to control. A chain of manifested delusion spiralling towards inescapable chaos.

Complete insanity dialled to the max! Incredible finale to maybe the most crazy unique series out there. A mind bending humour filled masterpiece.

[Marc *Dark Reader with a Thousand Young! Iä!*]

At 100 pages I found I simply wasn’t interested in going on. It’s written well, brutal and creative. What was missing, I think, was fleshed-out characters with goals that I wanted to see them work towards. There were at least nine POV characters and six of them were Morgen, and every one was on a clear path to destruction, not development. This could be enjoyable but I just experienced something very similar with Needful Things and didn't care much for the approach there either. Gone is the trio of characters that were the main draw of the first two books; one survives but was on very few of those first 100 pages.

Maybe it had simply been too long since I read The Mirror’s Truth. Since Beyond Redemption and that one, I haven’t taken any real pleasure in Fletcher’s books, and it’s time for me to abandon further attempts to enjoy them. It irks me that his stuff seems to not be for me, because I think the concepts behind his books are awesome. Le sigh.

[Sean Halpin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the easiest five stars I've ever given a book, i can't imagine a better ending to Manifest Delusions. It made me tear up a bit, which shocked the hell out of me. This is my book of 2023 I'm pretty sure. Full review to come soon


EDIT: I am planning on doing a full reread of the entire trilogy starting today, its been like six months since i read the previous books, and i want to do the book justice, and beyond that, i just want to reread it again. This is the first time i've wanted to reread a book within weeks of finishing it, and actually doing so. that is how good this book is.

[Mike Voss · Rating 5 out of 5]

As it begins, Michael R Fletcher's Manifest Delusions trilogy proposes that in a world where insanity determines reality, it should be easy enough to create a god. As the first book, BEYOND REDEMPTION, shows - not that easy, but not exactly difficult either. Yet if a god can be created, no reason it can't be stolen from its creator before fully attaining its godhood. And as the series continues, it becomes apparent that a god that can be stolen away can be manipulated for the ends of others - including the manifest delusions of the god himself - doppelgangers who represent singular apects of that god.

This is where Morgen, a god created for the benefit of another, finds himself at the beginning of A WAR TO END ALL, the trilogy's finale. Each of his doppelgangers, existing only to project one facet of his personality, believes they are purer and therefore greater than he who manifested them, bogged down by all those other pesky personalities buried within his psyche. Adding fat to the fire, Konig, Morgen's original creator, is back to try and regain control of his creation.

Meanwhile, members of the team that stole him from Konig in the first place, torn apart in the aftermath, also re-emerge to hone their own destinies after losses that would leave any other self-respecting denizen of such a crazy world in the dust. Wichtig, self-created Greatest Swordsman in all the world, and Stehlen, who cannot help but steal and kill thanks to her own insane manifestations, find themselves navigating a world largely defined by various factions' attempts to gain control over Morgen.

So in a world where belief becomes reality, what could possibly go wrong for any of these characters? If you are seriously entertaining such an inquiry, you've either not read the previous two volumes, or hugely misunderstood them.

At some point in A WAR TO END ALL, Wichtig claims that sanity is itself an illusion, a state no one can really attain. And throughout the series the reader is confronted with myriad forms of insanity that seem to prove Wichtig's point. When reality is determined from the illusions of the insane, can any truly sane person exist? It's a notion worth considering: what role might a sane person play in such a universe, if any? For believing oneself to be sane in this world is not enough to make it so. Just as Morgen needs believers to prop up his godhood, any self-professed sane person would need the belief of others to make it so. And, like Wichtig, few in this world truly believe in the concept of sanity.

As Morgen, his doppels, Konig (and HIS doppels), Wichtig and Stehlen seek to twist reality to their own wants and needs, other competing individuals stifle their wishes and crush their dreams, all in pursuit of that unattainable solution: that their own reality is paramount. The truths they all encounter in this war of selves are inevitable and fitting. Other characters from the previous volumes play key parts in this latest narrative, chief among them Gehirn, the Hassebrand so often used that she has, like many in A WAR TO END ALL, proclaimed for herself. She takes no prisoners - she simply burns them with her mind in a flaming path that, if she has her way, means burning everything away, including herself. Will this be the way this world of madness finally comes to its end? You'll have to read A WAR TO END ALL to see. 

Fletcher is joined in this endeavor by previous co-author Clayton W Snyder. After crafting the brilliant NORYLSKA GROANS together, here they craft a fine finale for Fletcher's craziest universe. My thanks to both for this unforgettable series of adventures, and for an Advance Review Copy to give you a brief peek at this upcoming series conclusion, due Sept 18. If we all lived in Fletcher's universe, and believed it to be so, that could be tomorrow!

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished A War to End All at 4am this morning! What a miserable, hilarious, inevitable ride. I think what impressed me the most was how I wasn’t able to tell the difference between Clayton and Mike’s chapters, for the most part. I think the chapters where the characters were making fun of all the ridiculous names were Clayton’s, but I could be wrong. They definitely wrote in a similar style and it made for a smooth reading experience.

I think we knew this wasn’t going to end well for anyone or anything, so the fun was finding out just how badly the fates would play out. Seems like everyone created, and met, their own personal hell, and boy howdy was it justified. I don’t think I ever felt so much glee for such a series of miserable endings. Maybe I belong in this world. Maybe we all do. Maybe we all are?

4.25 / 5

[Douglas Lumsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to think about this book for a few days before writing a review. My initial response was that it was either f'ing brilliant or an ambitious failure. After letting the book sink in, I'm convinced that it is, indeed, a brilliant piece of work (I was kind of leaning that way from the beginning).

The first two books in this series--Beyond Redemption and The Mirror's Truth--were unquestionably brilliant, and two of the best dark fantasy books I've ever read (especially The Mirror's Truth, which has one of the best climaxes to a story I've ever read). For A War To End All, Michael R. Fletcher brought another of my favorite dark fantasy authors, Clayton Snyder (the pair also co-wrote Norylska Groans), to lend a hand, and the two of them turned out a series finisher that defies standard description. Beyond Redemption introduced the reader to an amazing world in which delusions shape reality, and the most powerful people are the ones whose delusions are strongest (a message that resonates strongly in Trump's America). A War To End All brings this irrational world to its rational conclusion, as the delusions of powerfully insane people clash and tear the world apart.

What makes A War To End All unique is a sub-theme that may or may not have been intentional (and maybe I just imagined it, but that makes it real, right?) As readers, we see this world come apart within the mind of the author(s). And, yes, every written story is the creation of the author, but this story, more than most, gives the reader that opportunity to observe an author (Fletcher), with the help of another author (Snyder), reduce his creation over two previous books to its component parts and expose it as a created story. A reference to a greater god in this book strikes me (and I could be mistaken as to the author's intent, but then that's MY delusion, right?) as the author himself (guided by an unseen muse?) typing the words of the story onto a computer screen. In an incredibly striking scene, characters deconstruct (de-create?) into poorly drawn cardboard images falling at the foot of a child's drawing of the sky. It reminded me of the Saturday Night Live Star Trek sketch in which the TV execs inform the characters in the show that the series has been canceled as workers cart the pieces of the set off the sound stage.

And while all this is all happening (or ceasing to happen), we're treated to a terrific story of conflicting delusional 'gods' (for want of a better word), the descent of characters into either oblivion or eternal damnation, and, finally, entropy. It's ambitious, unique in its presentation, and, yes, when all is said and done (see what I did there?), brilliant.

[Liza ❤️LIBROCUBICULARIST❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The brilliance of delusional writing of Michael Fletcher had me in awe. I don’t know why I cried at the end of this book though.

This is one of the many books I have read that truly deserves a huge shoutout, and I would like to scream into the void to have everyone read this series. Manifest Delusions is the grimmest, weirdest, craziest, darkest, epic fantasy I have read and it is such an underrated series.

I honestly cannot remember my first grimdark book I've read but Manifest Delusions will be forever engraved as one of my all time favorite. It's such a wonderful trilogy that I will truly re-read time and time again and it feels like reading the genre for the very first time.

The book immediately picks up at the end of book two, The Mirror’s Truth. After the demise of the shattered cabin, Morgen bereft of his friends, and raged and fury against Nacht (his Reflection) manifested four Doppels: Perfection, Taboo, Doubt, and Contamination.

“One and one and one and one. That’s four. A fine number. A square.”

“A war to end suffering,” Morgen said.

“A war to end filth and disease,” Contamination said.

Doubt glanced uncertainly from Doppel to Dopple. “A war to end fear?”

“A war to end immortality and injustice,” said Taboo. “A war to end blasphemy.”

Perfection, the handsomest and most appealing of the Doppels, grinned flawless teeth. “So, it’s agree. A war to end all.”

The plot for these four Dopples made a significant development arc for Morgen. And I cannot believe the author captured the essence of each especially Contamination, which I can admit I was a bit slow wondering why everyone was dying on him (not my brightest moment there).



Meanwhile, Wichtig, The Greatest Swordsman, got himself a new companion, “Pech” who wanted to be the next Greatest Swordsman. Wichtig’s POV broke me from start to finish, and they say you can’t love a morally grey character. Wichtig came a long way from the arrogant ass he was to “you want to scream to the author and say how dare you!” But I love how he wrote Wichtig to such finesse that he became my favorite character, bumping Stehlen as my second.

“There’s this thing my friend used to say about the past,” said Wichtig. “Those who regret the past are contemptible and conceded.”

Oh, Stehlen… I don’t care how filthy you are but I do want to give you a hug. She’s such a badass assassin and I will forever have nightmares about you.

Grey landscape unfurled before Stehlen. Her stomach knotted, she refused to look back.

But the plot itself was as grimdark as best. A lot of manipulation, connivance, betrayal from start to finish. It was beautifully written and I did not expect many things to happen throughout this book. And I feel sad that the trilogy has come to an end. I feel jealous to those who will read this series for the very first time. The same feeling I had when I read The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

Highly recommend who loves Fantasy and not just grimdark. Try it and you will never know if grimdark is for you. Michael Fletcher have my highest praise and I cannot wait what he does next. Maybe a special edition or a Kickstarter? I can only dream.

“My hallucinations make more sense than reality.”

Full spread cover artwork provided by the author.





A massive thank you to Michael Fletcher for providing me an early copy of this book for an exchange of an honest review.

Disclaimer: Quotes used in this review might subject to change as final edits have yet to arrive. I do have permission from the author to use such quotes.

[Phil Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You're so sane," mused Wichtig, "you are the craziest person I have ever met. You cling so desperately to sanity and stability when such things are obviously myths. You believe pretending the world isn't crazy might make it so." He laughed comfortably and added, "You might be the craziest person in all the world."

This quote, from Book #1 Beyond Redemption, defines the premise of the trilogy. The paradox is key. What is perceived as sanity is actually raving madness. The Manifest Delusions, as its title suggests, is full of it.

Gods can be created. Fashioned by gifted humans whose insanity is a consequence of unlimited power. This craziness takes the form of Doppels who are clones of the god, though defined by specific quality of the god's personality - Trepidation, Acceptance, Contamination and Taboo. Insanity, in ones so powerful, enable them to create anything they want. A delusion is an invention driven by insanity but when you're super-powerful, you can make it real. With me so far?

Into this deranged world, people are the pawns of the super-powerful folk. Or, they are assassins, swordsmen and murderers. Good people don't exist here. This is a world where the Grimdark label has been trodden into the mud and covered in manure, taken up and re-attached to the story. Yes, it is that dark. Manifest Delusions takes place in a world where hope cannot exist because it has been corrupted so badly, it sobs into its pillow at night. Add to this, even Death isn't an escape. You're forced to serve whoever has killed you. For our main protagonists, this provides them an army of people they've despatched. It is all so utterly hopeless. This is nihilism squared. No, cubed.

However, this is Michael R Fletcher we're talking about. Within the insanity, the despair, the visceral violence, there is humour. It's snarky, wry and incredibly well-observed. You laugh. Then stop yourself and think, I shouldn't be laughing at that. It's sick. But next time you laugh again and realise your mind must be just as warped as Mike Fletcher's. That's like dunking yourself into an ice bath.

With less skilled penmanship, these three stories would be the grimmest of Grimdark. They might sicken you. But, (and it's a big but), the quality of writing is so evocative, the themes are there in every simile, metaphor and aanlogy. You're left marvelling at the quality of description distilled into every throw away line. I had thought about quoting examples but found myself unable to find any that surpassed all the others. I'd quote all 3 books.

The cast of characters is epic. All with German names. (Why German? Such a difficult language to pronounce!) They are a diverse crew of misfits and lunatics, all with hang-ups and flaws that make them revolting and despicable. But you engage with them and you feel dirty for doing so. They pull you in as you keep telling yourself, this can't get any worse. Then it does.

It is important to add that Clayton Snyder is a joint author of Book #3, A War To End All. They make an exceptional double act. If you haven't read Norylska Groans, go check it out. It is truly superb. It is equally as bleak, don't expect unicorns and rainbows. But these guys can tell a story as individuals. When they collaborate, the work vanishes off the scale.

I'm grateful to Mike for an advanced reader copy of Book#3. Like all of his stories, I'm left reeling. Not just at the events of the story but, primarily, at the quality of writing. A War To End All comes out in September. Go, order it now. For this is a work of such magnitude, people will be talking about it for a long time.

[Steve Kimmins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final volume in the Manifest Delusions trilogy and this one is a collaboration between the author of the earlier books, Michael Fletcher, this time with Clayton Synder (they collaborated previously on the darkly brilliant Norylska Groans). These guys write the darkest and most imaginative Grimdark I’ve read. I’ve largely gone off this fantasy sub-genre in recent times but if I dare to try it then I think these’ll be my goto authors for it.

This volume is very different from the previous two in the series. Previously we saw the insane world mainly through the eyes of a trio of tough, mutually mistrusting but classic Grimdark heroes; a world where belief shapes reality, where madness goes hand in hand with supernatural power, eventually destroying those at the peak of their powers, and where some may ‘ascend’ to become godlings. Funnily enough I’d come across the concept some time ago that such gods are only as powerful as the belief in them in the humorous Discworld book, Small Gods, one of my Terry Pratchett favourites. No other links though between these books.

In this final volume the trio have broken apart due to events at the end of volume 2 and only the ‘greatest Swordsman in the World’ (which he possibly is), Wichtig retains a prominent role, where his self deluded bumbling and enormous ego provide some light relief. But only some! The book is mainly given over to the supernatural powers; the priests, their deluded but powerful acolytes, and the godling. All may have aspects of their personality (e.g. Perfection, Doubt), becoming a real being or maybe just rival, scheming reflections in a mirror. If people are killed then being brought back from the ‘Afterworld’ is a strong possibility. This really is a deeply thought out mad world of insanity. I never got bored as you simply didn’t know what twists this world would throw at you and they mostly worked.

I did miss the more human side expressed by the trio of companions in the first two books, and you could argue that this volume is almost an independent follow on story based in that same crazy world. But it was enjoyable in the way that dark Grimdark stories can be and it was certainly very different, which counts a lot for me in my reading.
It’s not persuaded me to go looking for new Grimdark reads in general anytime soon, though I will be looking out for these authors.

Only one major complaint, and one I make for 90% of volumes in any series with widely separated publication dates - the absence of a ‘story so far’ summary in the new volume. When you read dozens of other books between such volumes it helps to get that reminder. I’m getting too old to do full rereads of previous volumes to a new publication! This story was memorable enough that a quick skim through volume 2 got me more or less up to speed for volume 3. And there are appendices with summaries of main characters, places, and the stages of madness that various powerful characters can achieve!
4.5*.

[Big Jeezy · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

[Ethan Weissel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit all over the place. From a story point of view this sort of makes sense when the key premise of the series is that people's beliefs define reality. But for me it did feel far more convoluted than the previous entries and not in a way that helped the story.

It felt pretty clear there were characters the author really wasn't sure what to do with along with a not so certain idea of how to get to the ending of the series. Because of that characters that were essential to the story in previous books felt unimportant and half baked. I also feel like a few characters had their character voice changed somewhat significantly. This might be due to the book being co-authored but I'm not sure.

There were also a few too many 4th wall breaks that took me out of the story, more personal preference but completely took me out of the story at some points.

Overall I will look back at manifest delusions fondly knowing that the ending somewhat missed the mark.

[Sebastian Calderon · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a quarter to 3 in the morning and I’ve spent several hours in the same uncomfortable position in my bed reading.

Holy shit.

This was everything I wanted it to be.

Just.

Perfect.

[Jozua · Rating 5 out of 5]

More insane dialogue, ideas and situations...
What an ending to the Manifest Delusions series! Loved every second of it!

If you loved the first books, then this is a need to read book.
For other people who thought they were okay or weren't into those books...it's more of what you read in the other books turned up to 11...

[Vojtech Sroub · Rating 2 out of 5]

After two great books, I was kinda dissapointed with this one. I have no idea what happened, but it felt like anti-climatic jibber jabber. Great characters that we liked are replaced with boring ones and new ones....which is big crime in last book of series. Plot was boring, worldbuilding non-existent and new characters didnt bring anything new. Someone f...up a big time with this one...more so, that first two books were great.

[Ryan Mandelbaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

First and foremost, a huge thank you to Michael R. Fletcher for hooking me up with an ARC for this after an incredibly cool interaction with him on reddit. I have no idea how someone could be so friendly and down to earth while also being able to write with such utter depravity. It honestly makes the whole thing that much more impressive.

With Manifest Delusions, Michael has created one of the most horrific and downright psychotic fantasy worlds ever put to pen, and A War to End All is the appropriately cataclysmic conclusion that this series was been hurtling towards since book one. In a world already teetering on utter collapse - where the gods have lost their minds and the laws of reality have been broken, leaving the mad and the traumatized with horrifying powers that ravage every corner of the map - the threat, or rather PROMISE of downright apocalypse has loomed over this series from the very beginning. Not so much a matter of if or even when it will happen, but more of a mad dash to the finish line between a whole cast of potential harbingers. The results are nothing less than utter, maximum carnage.

I kid you not when I say that this is the one series that can hang with the 40K universe in terms of utter grimdark depravity, and yet instead of falling victim to self indulgent, overly serious tropey-ness, it manages to be incredibly well written and, most surprisingly of all, consistently hilarious. For a series that contains the most horrific and nightmarish ways to die (and somehow seems to up the ante on this front every single chapter) these books never manage to feel like a slog, or even particularly heavy in subject matter because Michael writes them in a way that somehow feels fun? The dialog is always snappy and witty, the dynamics between characters at times laugh out loud funny, and all of this while the world crumbles around them with disease and fire and POV characters are literally rotting from the inside out. I think maybe these books have just pointed out what a sicko I really am as I feel like I've found the perfect balance of humour and horror, and to be honest I just feel grateful to have found a writer who is there to indulge that part of me (even if that part of me should probably be locked away in a dark basement).

[Dave Kirschner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started strong, I really felt like the previous books were playing towards a big pay off and this really seemed to be heading in that direction, but there was a real tonal shift that kind of pulled me out of the story.

Stehlen was interesting and just on the verge of sympathetic, her ending felt undeserved (trying to be spoiler free) and as much fun as the chaos of the crumbling Geobrene collective delusion was it relied on characters introduced in this book, which felt kind of undeserved.

I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars because I really enjoyed the world building, and the magic system was balanced and interesting and the characters were fun but this book kind of poked fun at the system that I was super enthusiastic about, and that kind of shook my immersion.

I'm leaning towards 4 starts mostly because of how much I liked the series as a whole, and as fun as this book was I was a little disappointed by the ending

[Chris Griglack · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty definitive ending to the world of Manifest Delusions. I'm sad to see the series at an end, but also grateful that I don't have to attempt to pronounce any of the way too long and consonant heavy Germanic words anymore. Everything else that follows is spoilery, so read on at your own risk.

While reading I kept hoping that Bedeckt would somehow come back, because his voice as basically the only sane character in a world of complete delusion really made the previous books stand out, but also I'm glad that he wasn't brought back through some deus ex machina device that would have cheapened his death. It was interesting seeing Morgen's delusions and how they view the world from their unique positions and his knowledge and memories. Doubt was definitely the standout of this book, with contamination not far behind.

I also really enjoyed seeing the Enemy of Both Sides spill over into this world as well as brief mentions to some of the other deities of the City of Sacrifice books. Because some of these also make appearances in the Obsidian Path, I'm hoping that at some point there'll be something that cohesively ties the different series together like with Sanderson's Cosmere.

[Ahmed Rivera · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A War to End All" is a fitting title for the final book in this wonderful series. The story picks up immediately after the conclusion of the second book. Similar to its predecessors, new characters with extraordinary powers are introduced. The excitement of discovering these new abilities, their impacts, and their roles in the narrative was wonderful.

Contrary to some opinions, I appreciated Michael and Clayton's decision to give more spotlight to other characters. While it's always enjoyable to follow your favorite trio (or in this case, duo), expanding the narrative to include other characters enriches the world and Michael's intricate magic system. It becomes more expansive, diverse, and utterly fascinating. If you enjoyed the first two books, I highly recommend this final installment.

To Michael R. Fletcher:
I doubt you will ever read this, but I wanted to express my gratitude nonetheless. Thank you for crafting this amazing series! I understand your creative skills may lead you to other projects, other stories clamoring for life, but I sincerely hope other stories from this world pull a Wichtig on you (appear with the perfect pose, light angle, perfect hair, and smile) to call for your attention. While I still have "Swarm and Steel" awaiting me, I'll continue hoping for more from this captivating universe.

[Chris Antal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy 5 stars!

"A War to End All" - a masterpiece of delusional insanity that absolutely lives up to its title! Having read other of Fletcher's works, I knew I was going to like this series, but holy shit! This has been a ride through the "shite-filled" gutter of human psyche. Combined with the dark, twisted humor and raw emotion, I'm just left exhausted.

I really have to hand it to Michael R. Fletcher and Clayton Snyder. They dared to go there and they didn't do it timidly. Honestly, one of the best endings to a series ever. Kudos!

[Hayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fitting ending to the most brutal series I have read! Excited to read more from these authors.

[M J · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Trilogy ends with this book. A crescendo of utter madness and apocalypse.
I enjoyed this book slightly less than the 1st 2 books but only because my favourite characters weren't the main focus of this book.
Overall the trilogy is absolutely excellent and is an absolute must for lovers of Grimdark.

[Allegra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was painful to read. I skimmed through most of the book and even so because I needed a finish to what were two good ones. The third one, full of skippable scenes, endless monologues.

[Marco Landi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come ogni libro di Fletcher è geniale, intelligente e profondamente umano, a livello emotivo, psicologico e di disturbi!!
Ero inizialmente dubbioso su come sarebbe stato un lavoro così importante, scritto però a 4 mani..e devo dire che i due autori sono così perfettamente integrati che sembrava scritto da un unico autore: un Michele Snyder o un Clayton Fletcher.. 😅😅
Come sempre è un libro folle, irriverente, sanguinario, crudo, folle e disturbato.. Impossibile da non amare!!
I migliori protagonisti sono i 4 Doppel di Morgen: da fuori di testa!!!
Bellissime le illustrazioni interne di Maleski così come la cover che dipinge un momento fighissimo del libro..
Se proprio devo essere onesto, ho trovato questo finale di saga un po' più debole dei precedenti lavori.. soprattutto perché nelle ultime 100 pagine mi sarei aspettato una grande e pirotecnica convergenza, verso un finale memorabile..e invece va a svanire piano piano, in un modo che personalmente ho trovato un po' debole.. e non mi ha fatto impazzire la parte finale con l uomo di Ossidiana, perché in pratica non viene spiegato molto di come succedono certe cose o del perché.. è un crossover con le altre sue saghe, ma avrei preferito fosse meno criptico e più spettacolare come il resto della saga.. per questo la stella in meno!!
Resta comunque una saga eccezionale!

[Stanko · Rating 3 out of 5]

First 2 books were simply unique and amazing. This one, meh...

[Ritvik Vallambhatla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Micheal Fletcher is a fucking genius. This was the best series ender I've read in a while, and taken together, Manifest Delusions is one of the most creative and insane book series I have ever had the privilege of reading.

And no, I'm not being paid or some shit like that, the man's work speaks for itself.

The most sane thing you can do, as an author, when writing a book about a bunch of insane people whose beliefs shape their reality, is to end it with reality itself dissolving. Because after all, reality can't twist and bend so many times according to the whims of each person who wants something.

I feel like this book is so much more than just a creative and original premise, it's also a wonderful story with great characters that's executed really well. It really refuses to hold back, and I love the way the entire story ended.

I'm still getting chills thinking about that ending. I love the way all the character arcs ended. It was fitting that Wichtig would be the last man alive. In his selfish quest for immortality, to be known as the greatest swordsman in the world, he basically burned and destroyed everything that ever mattered to him. If he didn't try to mess with Morgen in the beginning. Same can also be said about pretty much every other character.

One thing I was a bit disappointed about was Zukfunt's lack of character arc. She got really sidelined this story, and I feel like the whole band of random gefargheists basically being sent by the big baddies to do something crazy, only to not really do much at all was reminiscent of the last book. Except, the dragon lady, dude who could exorcise inner demons from people, and the earth girl were more terrifying than this batch of killers.

Still, I think Morgen's doppels really stole the show, and I'm glad Stehlen and Wichtig got their just deserts, as did Bedeckt.

It's kind of funny because at the end of book 2, I was feeling bad that Bedeckt's end was dying with no possibility for an afterlife, but now, comparing the fates of basically every single other character's death in this novel, he got off pretty light.

This is a really great book that perfectly encapsulates "grimdark" in every sense of the word, and it's a wonderful conclusion to an insane and awesome story. Loved it!

[Joel Minty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the world of Manifest Delusions, with the Mirror's Truth being one of my favourite climaxes all time and Beyond Redemption being one of my favourite books period. I also loved Swarm & Steel, which is wholly just as amazing. Never forget to read it, too, Manifest Delusions fans! A book called 'A War to End All' to finish the series with insane cover art is right up my alley.

Also: shout out to the absolute best character art I've ever seen sprinkled throughout a novel.

My biggest gripe is that this book spreads out wide like a late-stage Robert Jordan novel, covering many characters simultaneously in a somewhat precarious way. We follow multiple doppels, a few splinters, various Geisteskranken, and then our central POVs on top of those. I felt it was too much. If I left the book for a few days I'd have trouble remembering who was with who and where, and because each of the above characters need other characters to converse with, the cast is further expanded to boot. Now, a part of that is on me - I very much do believe the reader has a responsibility to 'read the book swiftly enough and with proper attention' if they are going to claim to 'know it' and later review it - for not keeping it up, even while enjoying each dip back in the incredible universe. Short chapters made it easy to digest, but also easy to tuck away and return to, exacerbating the above challenge. In response to the actions of the doppels in this book, I found myself missing Chapter 2 of Beyond Redemption where they exist in close quarters and are crabs in a bucket. I think that close proximity really heightens their engagement.

I really liked what 5 of the 6 main characters from the previous books did, or how they were treated, with one exception which was by no means too big a deal. I also really enjoyed the climactic scope of the novel and there was lots of chaos to go around. The quotes at the start of the chapters are still fabulous. It's cool that Fletcher has warped Manifest Delusions into a kind of EU with his other great series, and I'll be back to reading him again (Ash and Bones, methinks) soon enough!

[Clint Stevenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A War to End All is the concluding novel in the Manifest Delusions trilogy. Overall, this is a worthy ending to what was often a dark, demented, and hilarious series.

With the rest of the series helmed by Fletcher, book 3 brought in the talented Mr. Clayton W. Snyder, author of SPFBO 9 finalist Cold West (also a wonderfully dark read). I haven't read many novels with collaborations, but I had read these authors' previous book together Norylska Groans, so I came into this with the expectation that the tone/voice would not be thrown off by the inclusion of Snyder. I was not let down. I'd actually be curious to know which POVs were written by who!

Book 3 picks up where book 2 leaves off, which at first was a bit confusing since I'd read The Mirror's Truth years ago. But after a few chapters, the events came flooding back, so no issues there.

A War to End All is insane... in a dark, bloody, fantastic way. In a book where the delusions of the main characters come to a head, I was not disappointed. If I had anything I wished more of, or changed, two of the main characters from the previous novels don't have the conclusions I'd hoped for. In fact, besides mentioning one another, they didn't have an interaction. But I know I can't have it all! If I had to pick a favorite character interaction, it'd have to be between Doubt and the talking horse. There's some comic gold in these pages, I swear.

If you haven't picked up book 1, Beyond Redemption, please do so you can reach the end of this mind shattering series.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

i was fortunate enough to Beta Read this earlier this year.
To sum it up:
Could sanity be the single most powerful delusion?
No...
Unless the sane are less sane than everyone thinks

This third book in the Manifest Delusions Trilogy is an absolutely fitting ending for the trilogy.
By the end I was feeling so sad for Wichtig. The conversations he had with his "companion" - priceless.
Other character arcs are coming around in a satisfying way to End All.
The ending is quite surreal but really well done.
Overall a thrilling ride till the end were the hope of any kind of happy ending is crushed in a wave of delusions.
Manifest Delusions has had a deep impact on my view on mental health and capabilities within the mind. Once in a while nearly everyone (I think) has a Doppel that can be Perfection, Taboo, Contamination and/or Doubt. And all fight for survival in our minds for the pre-dominant state of being, depending on the situation. How we deal with them, is the point. Mike makes you think and reflect in his grim, sometimes funny, weird, crazy, brutal and bloody way.
Masterfully done!

We see without what we see within.

[Louise Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a fan of the Manifest Delusions books, then you shall not be disappointed with the third instalment of the story. Prepare for it to reach a crescendo of madness and delusion that will leave you fascinated, horrified, yet yearning for more.

The book picks up where The Mirror’s Truth finished, with the aftermath of a fight and many people dead. Morgen, the godling who wants nothing more than a pure, perfect, clean world, is on his crusade to take all the city-states, make the people worship him and admass the power to become a true god. Nacht, Morgen's Mirror, has other ideas and begins to walk to the beat of his drum, countering his Mirrors plans where he can. And Konig, creator of Morgen, wants nothing more than to pull down his creation and take the power of faith for himself.

This book is so beautifully written, and while I say beautifully, I do mean horrifically. It is Grimdark at its very best, with descriptions that leave you disgusted while also bringing the filth and gory insane world into sharp focus. A must-read (but only if you have read the other books) so I guess I am saying you need to read all of them.

Chop chop, get to it!