Do not fear the shadows, but what lives inside them.
When Ludo Vica was only eight years old, he lost his twin brother and his eye when a horrific fire turned his village to ash. The last thing he remembers is a dark figure, wreathed in flames, stalking toward his childhood home. His brother, Gado, was still inside. Then came the explosion, the burning pain where his eye should've been, followed by blessed oblivion.
The man deemed responsible for it all was Cainan, a dark sorcerer known as the Fire Eater, who was brought to justice and imprisoned in the legendary fortress known as Comman Dur. In the two decades that have passed since that fateful night, Ludo's every waking moment has been focused on the only thing he has left to live revenge. So when the Fire Eater escapes, Ludo is determined to hunt him down and avenge his brother's death, a path that leads him into the shadows and mysteries of Lostwood.
What awaits him in the shadows will change everything.
Fans of A Game of Thrones, The Stormlight Archives, The Kingfall Histories and The Fatemarked Epic will enjoy The Forsworn Oath. Start your 5,000+ page epic adventure today.
Get a FREE short story from David Estes' #1 Amazon bestselling epic fantasy series, Fatemarked, when you sign up for his mailing list: https://www.subscribepage.com/b2v6v3
David Estes has written more than 40 science fiction and fantasy books. He loves chatting with his readers, all of whom he considers to be his friends. David lives in Hawaii with his beautiful Aussie wife, Adele, his moody cats, Bailey and Luna, and his rambunctious sons, Beau and Brody.
-The Fatemarked Epic- For fans of A Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, and The Way of Kings! Four kingdoms. A century-old war. One ancient prophecy that could change everything.
-The Kingfall Histories- a follow up series to the #1 Amazon bestselling series, The Fatemarked Epic
-Strings- “A wonderful retelling of the Pinocchio story…I simply couldn’t put this book down.”—Rysa Walker, bestselling author of TIMEBOUND
-The Dwellers Saga and the Country Saga. Voted books to read if you enjoyed the Hunger Games on Buzzfeed and Listopia.
-Salem's Revenge trilogy- the witch apocalypse begins!
-Slip Trilogy- "Someone must die before another can be born..."
-The Adventures of Nikki Powergloves- Kid superheroes? 'Nuff said.
When I started writing Fatemarked EIGHT years ago, I had no idea where it was leading. Now, eleven books and three series later, my world keeps growing. Forsworn is the latest epic fantasy novel in the combined world, and the first in a new series called The Forsworn Oath. As with Fatemarked and Kingfall, writing this book/series has been a labor of love, in which I connect with my characters on a level where I feel them get under my skin and in my heart, until they live in my soul. I hope you enjoy reading about their adventures as much as I enjoyed writing about them. And, as always, your support and enthusiasm for my books means THE WORLD to me. Happy reading.
I’ve been a huge fan of David Estes ever since I read his scifi dystopian book The Moon Dwellers years ago. And then he started writing his epic fantasy series starting with the Fatemarked books. I’ve read everything he’s written to date, in several different genres, but I really think that high fantasy is what he really excels at.
I know David is a huge fan of Lord of the Rings, and it shows as his love of the genre is showcased in first his Fatemarked series, then in his Kingfall series, and now in his Forsworn books. All of these epic series are set in the same world but in different areas of the world. Every once in a while, an earlier character will show up in his new world and I’m always so thrilled to see an old friend.
As always in David’s books, you fall in love with the characters quickly and Forsworn is no exception. Bryony, Tomas, Perfidy, Soraya, Ludo, Gruff, Corinthia, and more…. So many!! And then you can’t get enough of the book so you stay up way too late because you have to find out what happens next to one of your favorites.
And the twists…!! Oh my! I sat straight up late one night because I couldn’t believe what just happened.
If you haven’t read Fatemarked or Kingfall yet, it’s ok. You can read each series as a standalone series. But I’m betting that if you enjoy Forsworn, you will probably grab Fatemarked, and then move right on to the Kingfall books.
I will definitely be doing a reread of Forsworn by audiobook as one of my favorite narrators performs the Forsworn series, Tim Gerard Reynolds.
I have read all three book 1s of David Estes's epic fantasy series. This one had his best prose and plot advancement, but was also the one I liked the least. Allow me to explain.
I can see clearly his growth as a writer. His prose is much more polished here. There's still his typical 'hopelight' anathema to grimdark. I feel comfortable in these pages. He has meaningful characters moments like always, but doesn't dwell in them as much as in Fatemarked; meaning that the plot moves along at a quicker pace and more is accomplished in this story.
The plot itself just isn't there yet for me with this series. It's on the same planet as his Fatemarked and Kingfall series, with this continent being the weirdest one in vibe and culture. It just hasn't come together yet for me.
We have 5 main POVs. Two of them missed for me. One was just a bland character along a slightly bland arc. The other was annoyingly written, with really cringe speech patterns; who was in a kind of interesting 'magic school'/'x-men adjacent' arc that I also just need more time in. No issues with the three others, want more time with them. Tomas, to note, easy fave.
I have book two on my shelf, but need a little time before reaching for it.
Oh baby we're back!!! Finally back in the wonderful world created from the amazing mind of David Estes! "Foresworn" book 1 in his new (and third) series "The Foresworn Oath", set in the same world of both "Fatemarked" and "Kingfall Histories", just in a different land. Fans of Estes and his previous high fantasy series will immediately feel right back at home with this new epic adventure. Lightly sprinkled references from the previous 2 series make their way into Foresworn and boy does it get you thinking of what "could" come later in this new epic...could we get a tie-in to them and finish an unfinished story involving a old (favorite) character and their story arc?! 😏 Oh man do I hope so! 🔥
Estes once again paints a sprawling detailed and magical setting for our new group of multiple characters to explore and experience. Unpredictable wonders, hidden realms and bustling kingdoms do their best to exist along side of building tension, strange monsters and a ever growing dark forest with hidden powers the world may not be ready for. With royal families at odds and seemingly ready for war, prophecies threatening to bring death and destruction, and protectors of the realm possibly fighting the very oaths they swore to uphold...this starting entry offers everything we love about David's writing and then twists all of it into a mind blowing first book that has you guessing who to root for, and turning pages at breakneck speed to confirm these thoughts.
Multiple POV's again, (as with the other series) is what we get to enjoy. David has never had an issue keeping the many character arcs running smooth during our reads and Foresworn is just another addition to the resume. Many arcs, yes...but man does it paint an incredible journey that keeps every new chapter and character fresh and sooo gripping. No real slow points as this is obviously building to another massive Epic, so be ready for a lot of character building chapters (that I quite enjoyed) that are necessary. With that said, when we get through the main story, David leaves us with 3 short character stories at the end. These were great back stories to main characters that just took each arc and blew them right open! Wow those were fantastic additions, enjoy these extras! 📚
Bottom line, this was a gripping start to another Estes Epic that puts you through all the paces and emotions. Grab this chonker, find a comfy, quite spot and settle in...this is a ride that will require your full attention! The shadows move with a purpose, trust your senses and keep your guard up...full control of your emotions and abilities will be tested, may the gods bless your journey! 🔥
4.5⭐ for this journey starter dripping with sweet, golden, liquid power! Well done once again David! 🍻📚🔥
Story grabs imagination immediately and does not relent.
Intriguing characters, intense world building, magic strengths and a well developed storyline makes for hood reading. Strong book one, impossible to put down, great cast of characters. Well done David Estes. Onto book two.
Forsworn by David Estes is a gripping and intense start to a new series that left me completely captivated from beginning to end. The characters are complex, the world is immersive, and the plot twists will keep you constantly guessing.
One of the strengths of Estes’ writing is his ability to make you question every character’s motives. Throughout the book, I found myself doubting nearly everyone’s intentions, never quite sure who to trust. Perfidy, one of the central characters, quickly became a favorite of mine. Her journey is filled with conflict, both internal and external, and I was deeply invested in her choices. Tomas, too, is a character that intrigued me, especially as his path becomes darker as the story progresses. I couldn’t help but be drawn into his struggles, even while sensing
The world-building is rich and textured, with moments that are deeply unsettling and vividly drawn. A particular scene with the “river of life” was especially haunting, sticking with me long after I put the book down. It’s one of those moments where you can’t stop picturing the imagery, no matter how jarring it might be. I also loved the smaller details, like Morg, a character so delightfully dangerous that I kind of want a plush version of it.
The pacing is excellent, and as the story builds toward its climax, it becomes nearly impossible to put down. One of Estes’ great talents is teasing threads that you know will pay off later, keeping you on edge as you try to piece it all together.
Forsworn is a book that will make you think, second-guess, and become fully immersed in its world. If you’re a fan of character-driven stories with high stakes, emotional twists, and intricate world-building, I highly recommend diving in. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next installment, and I’m especially looking forward to seeing where characters like Perfidy and Tomas go from here. And of course, the tease of
This is a fantastic start to a new series that any fan of David Estes will love.
Wonderful sweeping epic with lots & lots of captivating characters. Follow interwoven characters across a well detailed world. Not a short story, but it is a great start on a great literary voyager.
I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
David Estes has been one of my favorite authors for years now, since I came across his book Fatemarked back in 2019. If you haven't yet, I highly recommend you add that book and series to your TBR!! The Fatemarked and Kingfall series that David previously published are set in the same world as this new Forsworn Oath series, just in different parts of the world...but we do get some cross over characters, which I LOVED!
This new series introduces us to some wonderful new characters, using multiple POV's, that come from all sorts of backgrounds: be they royalty, ex-assassin, mage (I use this word as the best substitute for the magic wielders of this world) or commoner they each bring something that makes this amazing epic tale come together. One of my favorite things about reading fantasy is seeing the different magic systems that authors come up with and David has truly given us a very unique system here. The world building, as is usual for David, is extensive and beautiful! BUT... my most favorite thing about David Estes books are his Postludes. I have never seen another author do this in all the many many books I have read, but at the end of his books David gives us 3-4 Postlude chapters that feature either a character that didn't have their own POV chapters in the main book or are about a POV characters life before the time of the books beginning. I LOVE this and wish all authors did it!
I am truly honored to have been one of the first people to experience this new story and all it's many characters. Please pick this book up and read it, you won't be disappointed!
We, the readership need you to keep going: more continents, more heroes, more villains and plenty more magical themes.
I honestly feel you can keep this world going for the rest of your life. It’s amazing and surely must be picked up for adaptation and serialisation at some stage!
It’d be nice if you can speak to the printers and get huge and massive leather bound volumes created of each series (a series to a volume), as these stories are more than superb; they are legendary.
Additionally, how about ‘special edition’ releases containing Maps & Artwork along with ‘Lore’, ‘Novellas of discovery’ & ‘Character Insights?’ This would be a real bonus on top of the quality already on display.
To me, this is a very worthy contender for filling the gap left post GoT. You have created a world of amazing people and stories and long may it continue.
Absolutely fantastic. This book held me from the start and never let go. The story builds at a steady pace with a climatic fight that was probably one of the best fight sequences I have read. The characters are unique and come together in a very organic way that just adds more to the stories scope. David Estes really writes them with, in my opinion, a loving depth. You find yourself connecting with them in a meaningful way. The world building is top notch, and yoy will be pulled right into it. Highly, highly recommend!.
Superb writing that builds a story and the characters right along with it. Each person has a unique and expressive personality that jumps from the page. The descriptions of the forests and towns are so very vivid but drawn with the detail of an artist. The plots are unique and each character has a different agenda and point of view. It has been a great while since I have read a book like this. This is what every writer should aspire to. I look forward to more of this epic story. Highly recommended.
This book was one of the hardest for me to get through as it seemed that there were a multitude of things going on at different times without really explaining what was going on or why. Even the ending had a lot to be desired with both brothers being crowned king in different kingdoms and being set to go to war; with no explanation on how or why. This leads the reader totally confused. As for the next book in the series I think I'll wait on purchasing it if at all. Because if it's anything like the first one it won't be worth the $7.
This was a great first book to the new series. As usual, David does a fantastic job developing characters to care about, handle multiple POVs without getting confusing and create an amazingly rich world for it all to exist. I like how he makes some connections with characters from the prior series to keep the connective tissue between them alive. He is one of the my favorite writers and I can't wait to start the next book!
Loved everything about this story and I can’t wait to dig into book 2. I just wish the audible version was available. I like to whisper-sync my books so I get the best of both formats; reading at night & listening when I’m working on projects. I’m sure it’ll happen soon enough but just not now.
I enjoyed the many characters and there stories. That is quite the imagination you have Mr.Estes. l am hoping the rest of the story is coming soon. Thank you for a great read.
Estes is masterful in crafting the world surrounding the Forsworn. Character development, intrigue, action, multiple intertwining storylines. This series is replete with all the elements of an instant classic. Not to be missed!
Took till act 3 to really pick up. Not a big fan of the world building thus far but at least it does not feel derivative. Characters feel a bit childish thus far, some of the prose feels targeted at 12 year old's.
Outstanding first book in what promises to be an excellent series. Love the characters and looking forward to following them through to the next set of books/adventures!
Forsworn immediately grabbed my attention with its intriguing characters. The world-building is intricate and captivating, creating a vivid backdrop for the characters. The unique motivations of each character help propel the story forward. Looking forward to book two!
Lots of characters, lots of twists and turns, lots of diverse character development required to bring it all together. Truly excellent writing to do just that.