A Cask-Aged Blade

Rainfallen #3

by Benjamin Aeveryn

The intense conclusion to the post-apocalyptic fantasy series inspire by The Witcher, The Last of Us, and Arthurian Legend.Unable to set the past behind him, Galahad plots to bring justice to the Unholy King. But when his fury draws the attention of an ancient danger, he must set aside revenge if he's to save New London from destruction.

It's time for Galahad to take up his cask-aged blade one last time, and stand as protector of the realm.

Genres: Fantasy

450 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 5, 2024

About the author

Benjamin Aeveryn is an author of upmarket SFF about love, nature, and monsters. He lives in Cambridgeshire with his beautiful wife and a grumpy old cat. His debut Salt in the Wound was both an SPFBO and BBNYA semi-finalist and his novella Blackcap was a SFINCS finalist.

Grab a free fantasy novella at benjaminaeveryn.com/mailing-list

Reviews

[Nick Procter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Cask-Aged Blade is a satisfyingly fitting conclusion to the intense and imaginative Rainfallen trilogy.

From start to finish, this series has brilliantly blended genres and delivered engrossing storylines through the viewpoints of interesting characters whose physical and emotional journeys have been hugely impactful.

Those character arcs have risen to some great highs and fallen to deep lows as they battled internal and external conflicts, whether their own weaknesses and flaws or human and inhuman foes.

Aeveryn recounts their plights with prose which is sometimes lyrical and other times blunt, but always effective in keeping you flying through the pages.

There continues to be a noir-esque tone and an Abercrombie-like sardonic wit in the authorial voice running throughout, which perfectly suits the atmosphere of this edgy, horror-tinged fantasy fusion.

As you’d expect, the stakes are raised even higher in A Cask-Aged Blade and it delivers some climactic action, particularly one combat scene in chapter 27!

Dramatic fights aside, what the author again most successfully achieves is deep emotional resonance as we discover what the fates have in store for our “heroes”.

I use the speech marks because, despite the strong Arthurian influences in the story and motivations of Galahad and his friends, these characters are anything but the pure and perfect ideals of the more chivalric and romantic notions of the legendary king and his round tablers.

Aeveryn excels at portraying traumatised people trying to cope with the range of issues real life throws at you.

Rainfallen deals in hope and despair, triumph and tragedy, at all levels of the scale of human suffering, and the tremors of loss and grief are felt for long after each new trauma.

But there is heartwarming friendship and love to balance the betrayal and anger, justice and harmony to counter the injustice and brutality, as Galahad seeks to heal the kingdom and put his demons to the sword in the process.

These strong themes are played out against a backdrop of political jousting and civil strife as the author takes aim at the corruption of power by the ruling classes and wheels are set in motion for change.

The framework of our recognisable world has proved to be a solid foundation for this series and the author has cleverly rebuilt it as a captivatingly anachronistic melting pot.

It seamlessly merges Medieval and Victorian aspects in a post-apocalyptic setting where much of the infrastructure has fallen into decay or turned to dust and society has regressed.

There is a brilliant mix of the past, present and future, as well as the familiar and unfamiliar, with twists on place names such as kingdoms based on Dark Ages Britain and cameos from creatures of folklore.

There has been lots to admire about Rainfallen, from the author’s biting wit and vivid imagination to the accomplishment of creating this post-apocalyptic fantasy world and showcasing characters who are so real and believable.

I’m going to miss sheltering from the rain and its dreaded rainwights and witnessing the chemistry between the characters as they stumble from one challenge to another.

The Rainfallen series has been one hell of an adventure. I’m so glad I started this reading quest and discovered such a treasure trove within its pages.

I received an arc of the book and this is a voluntary and honest review.

[Jamedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review originally on JamReads

A Cask-Aged Blade is the third and final book in the grimdark fantasy series Rainfallen, written by Benjamin Aeveryn. A novel which picks directly after the ending of Secret of the Thistle, with a Galahad that claims revenge for what the Unholy King did to his town, and which takes us to paths that definitely we didn't expect, but which marks the ending to Galahad's story.

While the initial focus of the series is more the mythical world that appears in this post-apocalyptical context, in comparison A Cask-Aged Blade puts more the focus on the system that emerged after it, and how the corruption and greed have only brought suffering to the lower classes. Seeking for revenge against the Unholy King, Galahad and Fey will travel to New London, but soon will discover that the problem is rooted much deeper than in a single person, proving that the system is rotten to the core.
However, there is still space for more mythical creatures, as New London will be threatened by a dragon; it's in those moments that Fey will assume the role of leader to help those unfavoured, while Galahad plays as the hero in a subplot that might be inspired by the myth of Saint George and the dragon.

I liked Galahad from the previous books, but the wide range of emotions that he shows during A Cask-Aged Blade are what made him one of my favourite characters at the end; idealism has a limit, and seeing Galahad experiencing depression because of what he perceives as his failure is heart-breaking.
In comparison with the other books, he plays a more leading role, taking a great part of the spotlight, but still allowing Fey to get the space to shine; and we will even have some apparitions of great characters such as Kade Blackcap.

Definitely, I cannot say this is what I expected A Cask-Aged Blade to be, as Aeveryn took it in a different way that what I imagined; but at the same time, this was the appropriate ending for Galahad and the Round Table. The Rainfallen series is simply excellent, and if you like Arthurian myths, complex characters and a post-apolyptic world as much as me, I totally recommend you to pick it.
And who knows, maybe the end is just the beginning of something new.

[Dimitris Kopsidas · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the final instalment of the Rainfallen series, Aeveryn tries to expand the plot a bit, but ultimately for me this final book felt a bit unnecessary and I enjoyed it less than the previous two books.
That said if you enjoyed spending time with the main characters you'll enjoy this just as much but a had a few issues.
Firstly the main plot revolves around the dethroning of an emperor, but the execution is too simplistic and hasty to feel even remotely believable. Also we got to know so little about the bad guy that the motive for the whole mission didn't get through to me.
There were some other things that didn't click with me, but I don't want to sound too negative about an otherwise solid fantasy series. The first two books were really good and made the series a nice read. The final book though you could skip or read just to spend more time with the MCs and get a nice closure.

5,8/10

[Charles Cavendish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review to come

A Cask-Aged Blade is wonderful conclusion to one of my favourite series of recent times. We get to see more of the intriguing Rainfallen world and our protagonist’s are in the thick of it as usual.

A really hope that we will get more books from this world as I’m sure there are many tales left to tell.

In the meantime I’d highly recommend picking this up when it comes out in June

[Josefine · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can find my review for the entire series (spoiler-free) here: https://youtu.be/Wa3ZZy1CJ5s

There are two things I loved about the first two books: The depth of the characters and the uniqueness of the story.

What I like about the series are the characters and their struggles. Where other stories rush through the psychological aspects of their characters, this series makes it a focus. Incredible job of keeping things straight, not rushing the development, and treating mental challenges with detail and respect. This continues in book 3 and never slows down.

As for the plot, Nathan's Fantasy Reviews said it best already. It's not what I expected. The plot is going in a slightly different direction, and once I realized that, I had to let go and adjust to the new mood. I'm still sad though that book 3 ended up leaning a bit more towards mainstream fantasy elements and didn't utilize more of the uniqueness of the previous two entries.

Still, this book is a solid 4 stars.
Benjamin Aeveryn's writing is incredible and he took it to a whole new level with the last entry in the series. He tied up all the loose ends (maybe a little too detailed in some cases) and left me with a new favorite series. The magic system, the characters, the world: this series checks so many boxes and the author has managed to create a beautiful, melancholic series that stands out in the genre.

I really hope he writes more in this world (or anything other). Incredibly talented author who I need more of.

[E J Doble · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 ⭐

This series is incredible: defiant, riveting, despairing and brightly hopeful, Rainfallen is a fantastic trilogy, and this book is no exception. Galahad, Elaine and Fay retain their place as strongly developed, traumatised, uniquely driven characters, in a world of shifting powers and dynamics that places one constantly on their toes. The storyline for this particular novel was well constructed and illuminated a lot of great concepts, ending in a beautiful finale that felt secure and resonant where so many other great trilogies fail. Perhaps Galahad's storyline was slightly over complex, but that's a minor issue with the breadth and beauty this series has to offer. I could not recommend it more highly; bravo, Sir Aeveryn!

[DarkStar's Book Cavern · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third and final book in the Rainfallen trilogy and Benjamin very kindly sent me this ARC and I am not sponsored, and I am not paid. I am just enabled to give my 100% honest review.

This one opens with Errol witnessing the hanging of six nobles, Bill’s father among them and a tense conversation with his own father afterwards. It sets the scene that the political maneuverings which were ticking along in the background of the second book and steadily growing in threat, culminating in the events at the end of the second book, take center stage in this one. Conspiracy, murder, blackmail all exist under the stone of New London and not just in the dark underbelly of the city.
Following the cataclysmic events of the ending of the second book, Galahad is grieving his parents’ deaths. He, Elaine and Fay are trying to rebuild the town of Wickerton by trying to replicate the magic of the Empire of the Thistle, the magic to repel the rainwights but it’s not going very well – more trial and error. The grieving process has him in its grip and his feelings of failure, resentment, loss, revenge and justice gone undone are all internalised so much so that he wonders what it all is for anymore. However, there is one character that he can focus this unfettered, unyielding anger upon – the reason for all the trouble he has been through and all the loss he and others have suffered and are still suffering. Rohin Armin - The Unholy King of Mercia. Galahad has the barest outline of a plan but that is all he needs to get himself going, a goal to hone in on. But one thing I’ve learned about this world is that nothing should ever be taken for granted and one big event can pale in comparison to what that event awakes. Once the wheels of myth and legend are set in motion it very rarely can be stopped.

The covers on these books continue to be a delight. Where the first book was bright and hopeful, the second book was dark and ethereal. The third takes the hopeful light of the first and the darkness of the second and entwines them in this pivotal scene.

I was wary of starting this as, for me, it had a lot to live up to in the series it had to bring to a close. A lot of expectations to meet. A lot of questions to answer. And while it didn’t go entirely in the direction I thought it might, that is no detriment to it. In fact it is much, much better than I even dared to imagine. At every page turn, I expected to be gut punched and by the end I had felt every emotion humanly possible, I both wanted to know how it ended and also never wanted to get there. This didn’t answer all my questions but some mysteries are made more impactful by having no explanation or answer.
The characters themselves go through so much in this book, not one is left unscathed by events surrounding them. You get to see a side of them that you haven’t before and more of an insight into their past and why they are the way they are and how far they have come since we first encountered them all.
The author’s writing style continues to be clever at weaving old legends and folktales into the narrative without them being overly obvious. There is a scene close to the end that I was internally squealing at because of its significance in true Arthurian legend and while, at the time it is skimmed over as a nothing, it has a strong resonance. Thus, the series ends, but the Rainfallen world is so vast and encompasses so much that although the author has ended this journey and will probably go on to write something completely different, but do I believe he will never return, no. Not with the same characters but characters which are part of this world.


YouTube Review: https://youtu.be/WgtYs0wlBiU

[Nathan Fantasy Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tl;dr: A Cask-Aged Blade is a thematic triumph as Benjamin Aeveryn takes his characters and puts them through the wringer one final time. Aeveryn leans hard into the Arthurian elements of his series, including a literal dragon, which has the unfortunate consequence of pushing some of the other cool aspects of this series aside. The rainwights, the initial hook for the series, play a very small role here, which I cannot lie was a big dissapointment for me. However, if you come into A Cask-Aged Blade willing to meet the book where it is rather than what you expect it to be, it is a suprising, emotional, and page-turning grand finale.

--

My full review:

A Cask-Aged Blade is a prime example of thinking about what a book is rather than what you wanted it to be. I cannot lie that while I was initially reading this final book that I was a tad disappointed in the direction that Aeveryn chose to go in, but once I accepted what he was going for, I was hooked. The Cask-Aged Blade is a powerful conclusion to this post-apocalyptic fantasy genre mash-up, even as it tends to focus on certain world-building and plot elements while leaving others in the dust.

My initial love for the Rainfallen series came from its intriguing premise - a post-apocalyptic England with demons/wights to come out when it is raining. Salt in the Wound (the first book in the series) gripped me with its thrilling and cinematic action scenes, morally grey characters, and Arthurian myth-making. So, I was disappointed when the rainwights play a very small (to the point of being non-existent) role in the finale here. The drama of A Cask-Aged Blade is grounded, human, and political. The rainwights are what caused the sociopolitical collapse of global society, but Aeveryn takes that as a worldbuilding fact rather than fully integrating them into this final book.

This contributes to what ultimately took this from a five star book to a four star finale - the focus in this last book is a bit too narrow. Throughout the first two books Aeveryn threw a lot of balls in the air - the wights, the Arthurian mythos, various characters, a noir detective from urban London, political strife, magical powers, and more. In this last book Aeveryn struggles a bit to bring those all together, and so many of these elements are tossed onto the backburner. As I mentioned the wights are nearly absent, and many of the characters don't really have that much to do. Nothing illustrates my latter point than Kade, who first appeared in the spinoff novella (and SFINCS finalist!!) Blackcap, and merged with the main plot arc in the second book. Here is just kind of around since it would be weird to just excise him completely, but at the same time he plays no significant role in the plot or other character arcs.

But at some point I needed to let all of that go and recognize that what Aeveryn was doing here was a bit different and unexpected. The post-apocalyptic world was never the focus of the Rainfallen books, but was the foundation to tell a more personal and powerful story of loss, disenfranchisement, revenge, and redemption.

In this regard, A Cask-Aged Blade fully returns to being Galahad's story after the series became a bit more ensemble-based in the second book. Galahad has gone through quite the journey over this trilogy - from a determined man with a noble goal to essentially a villain to a more level-headed hero by the end of the second book. A Cask-Aged Blade sees Galahad in a bit of a backslide, as his worst tendencies to "be the hero" rears their ugly heads as Galahad decides to get revenge for his family and town by orchestrating a political coup. This was a fantastic use of character development because humans are messy, and our lives don't make narrative sense. We don't grow in a linear way. When Galahad was beaten down and low, he matured and became more level-headed, but now that he has his new-found magical abilities, the power makes him reckless again. I loved that Aeveryn allowed Galahad to have this uneven growth without it ever feeling like he was sacrificing Galahad's character for the sake of the plot.

Galahad's journey also makes sense as Aeveryn very much rolls into the Arthurian influences of this story and his characters. This is both for the actual plot itself - including the characters having to slay a literal dragon - and also the characters coming to term with these heroic personas they adopted as children. Aeveryn uses his post-apocalyptic setting to examine how we all perform as characters in our everyday lives, often because we are afraid of being who we really are. The thematic work in A Cask-Aged Blade is the highlight as the book, even as the plot abandons a lot of what drew me into this series in the first place.

In sum, A Cask-Aged Blade is a worthy finale to the Rainfallen series as long as you moderate your expectations for what the book is vs. what you may be expecting.

[Graham Dauncey · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is always sad to see the end of a series - the characters you have come to know walking off into the distance is always bittersweet. This is probably the most uneven entry in the Rainfallen series to date with a less focused plot, but it is still a highly enjoyable read.

Having failed to save Wickerton in Secret of the Thistle we start off with our gang dwelling on that failure and how to go about rebuilding their lives and purpose. Galahad's sole aim had been to provide for his family and community and he is particularly affected by this failure. His anger turns quickly to justice (or vengeance depending on how you look at it) and he embarks upon a new quest to confront the King whose greed has caused his grief. However, what he finds is enough to change the fate of the country, awakening a new beast in the wilds and uncovering conspiracies at the heart of the kingdom.

There is a lot going on this entry into the series, with several plot lines overlaying one another in a frequently messy tangle. We have the political maneuverings of the nobility, the threat of the dragon, the exodus of New London and the renaissance of Wickerton all happening at the same time. Sometimes they overlap nicely and sometimes they clash. That being said, the biggest clash (the nobles starting a civil war just as a dragon attacks the city with very little reference to each other) feels like a deliberate narrative choice. It really acts to highlight just how detached from reality the nobility are and honestly is quite clever in its jarring nature.

It is also interesting to see how the characters have changed. Galahad in his grief seems to have regressed to the angry vengeance driven creature of the first book rather than the more focused character of the second. Faye has really grown into her leadership role and becomes more of the heart of the story than Galahad is - she provides the pathos and the care that the larger society needs. Elaine has also grown, adapting to her whisky given strength but able to show a more tender side too. It is also interesting to see how some of the side characters are looped back into the main story. Errol is now a key member of the gang. We see Kade Blackcap making a reappearance. I am not sure what I feel about Galahad's character direction, but the others are all growing in ways that feel natural and help draw you in to wanting them to succeed.

The world here is the main selling point of this series to me. The creatures, the rainwights, the magic - all these things draw me in. Married to this is the familiarness of the English countryside and place names - these all help place myself in the story but then blast it all into a post-apocalyptic landscape. The quasi-Arthurian references tie the story into established myth but then send it in different and unexpected directions. Benjamin has created a truly special world to play in.

In terms of the main plot lines introduced through the previous novels A Cask-Aged Blade does an excellent job of rounding them out, but the world around is so intriguing that many unanswered questions are left. Why did the rain turn? How did all these creatures/monsters come into being? I really hope that the world is revisited so some of these questions can be addressed.

Definitely sad to see this series end. A deeply impressive debut series that leaves you wanting more.

DISCLAIMER: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Kate Sibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Cask-Aged Blade is the final book in the Rainfallen trilogy and what a book it is! If you are reading this, I am assuming you have read books 1 and 2. If not, stop! Go and read them instead. This will make no sense and you are doing yourself an injustice if you haven't read this highly entertaining series.

A Cask-Aged Blade takes up the story directly from the end of Secret of the Thistle and carries on the story of Galahad, Elaine and Fay. It starts predictably enough, keeps going for a bit in the direction you suspected and then... doesn't. It's one of the things that I loved about this book. It could have gone down the normal fantasy route but I suspect that would have been a much shorter book and probably not as satisfactory. Instead, what Benjamin Aeveryn does is throw a curve ball every so often, just to keep everyone on their toes and make sure they are paying attention. It works really well and makes the story a lot more interesting. There was one particular point that really had that "Oh! Well, what now?" feeling to it (if you've read it, you'll know. But then again, we might not be talking about the same plot point!). The plot suddenly did a complete handbrake turn in direction but it doesn't suffer for it. It adds an element of uncertainty that I thought was delightful. Full points to the author for doing the unexpected!

The characters are well known to us now and, apart from some side characters, there is are no new arrivals. Galahad is still Galahad but with some extra mope (fair enough, if you have read Secret of the Thistle). Elaine is a lot less annoying than I found her in Book 2, so that was an unexpected bonus. Fay is again a strong point. We do see more of Errol and Bill, both with some exciting character development and bringing a new perspective to the proceedings.

The series on a whole has had some excellent worldbuilding - the dystopian future Britain with a medieval setting. A Britain where the rain could kill you (not a great prospect for this wet little Isle). I loved this aspect of the Series and hope that we might see more of it from the author in the future. Although the Round Table's story is done, I think there is a lot more scope in this. I have a major failing for lore, so the histories of the Unholy Empire of Mercia, the Bright Crown of Northumbria and the Empire of the Thistle. I want to know more about the Rain and how that started. If I would complain about anything in this series, it would be that we had a little more lore, even if that meant longer books (I do love a chonker).

A Cask-Aged Blade is a highly satisfactory ending to the Rainfallen series. Highly charged and emotional at time, Benjamin Aeveryn has managed to hit the ending with this one. Twisty and turny to the end, all the various pieces are brought to a grand conclusion. This is a great addition to this series and a worthwhile series to read as a whole. Highly recommended.

I received an advance review copy from the Author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing conclusion to one of the most original fantasy series I have ever read. Seriously... I am going to miss these characters. The character work in this series is so calculated, and I was wholly content with each of their endings. I loved the first 2 books, but this one is on an entirely new level. The writing and pacing are just amazing, and it's chock full of brutal action and satisfying revenge. ALSO... dragons!! The ending had me all in my feels, and I didn't want to say goodbye. I just can't say enough about this series, the characters, the world, everything. Highly recommend to anyone looking for something fresh in fantasy!

[Ben Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The end of a fantastic trilogy. Benjamin Aeveryn's writing blows me away every time. Although this final book may not be exactly what readers were expecting. The adventure of the past two books is laid out totally differently in this book, but the characters you love are all here and by the time you get to the end, all loose ends are tied up, new questions raised and a whole loads of new adventures are left dangling on the edge of your tongue.

[Atrium-V · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good enough for a final book.
Solid writing, good adventures.

I still did not understand what this triology tried to tell us. Maybe ' Revenge is something worth fighting for?' Idk. Not the best message.

It missed depth, tho. It also missed out on an oportunity to really look into the reasons for why and how magic returned to the UK and what the rain monsters are.

[Brian Anthony Rourke · Rating 5 out of 5]

rain fallen series by b aeveryn

Good series, interesting adventures. Totally different than most fantasy stories. I will follow this author. Easy to picture what the author is writing.

[Douglas Lumsden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely satisfying conclusion to an outstanding character-driven post apocalyptic/fantasy trilogy. This volume continues the terrific character arcs of Galahad, Elaine, and Fay as they hold themselves accountable for past actions and take on more mature responsibilities (even Elaine, but very much in her own way).

This series has a great modern fairy tale vibe that resonates with something deep inside me. The characters are not cardboard cutouts; they are shaped by their unique responses to their harsh environment and circumstances, and they develop and grow right before the eyes of the reader. It’s a wild and emotional journey and a true pleasure to experience.

Highly recommended!

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may have taken a more than warranted length of time between reading books one and two from the Rainfallen series by Benjamin Aeveryn but after falling back in love with it I went right from book two into book three A Cask-Aged Blade. I was simply chomping at the bit to find out how this story ended up. Not to mention I wanted to make sure I was caught up with this series before Venomborn book one releases early in 2025.

I really don't read series titles back to back very often. That should elude to how much I was enjoying this story if nothing else.

The pacing of A Cask-Aged Blade follows along with the rest of the series. These books read very smoothly and easily. I do realize some of this just comes down to personal preference with the prose. Other than the fact they seem well edited with very few issues as far as typos go to trip me up. No issues with names of characters or places to cause me any issues either. The only brief struggle I had with names was closer to the end where some characters revert to previous names which took me a bit of time to wrap my head around but it still made a lot of sense to the story.

The world building was unique and interesting. The overall vibe eluded to this being a speculative future where the world has reverted to a more medieval technology but there definitely seems to be a history of a more advanced society which has become no more for reasons. This is a world where monsters and magical creatures have returned for good or ill. Add that to a richly described world with different regions as well as plenty of political intrigue and that is a great foundation for a story.

The character development was also amazing in book three to wrap up this story. The overall character arc for several character across this series was a pleasure to watch unfold. I have begin to realize I'm a bit of a sucker for flawed characters. The only fine line I've seen with these characters is if they seem to be whining to much about those flaws or not. I didn't get that feeling with these characters. They recognize those flaws and for the most part continue to push forward and I believe most of them come out better off by the end.

My biggest mistake with this series was waiting as long as I did before getting to the second book. I really enjoyed this series as well as the finale.

I would recommend this to just about any fan of fantasy books in general. On top of that, anyone who likes at least a loose connection to old Arthurian tales and that rich history of a more advanced time compared to the current events that have become a more magical world and of course the heavy helping of political intrigue along the way.