What do you think?
Rate this book
Tales of the Plains #3
The Iron Road
The epic new finale to the unmissable Tales of the Plains trilogy from the master of modern fantasy, David Wragg. Rebellion’s about the journey, not the destination.
Ree is at war. Determined to free the townships from the Guild's larcenous rule, she can’t take her eyes off victory. Not now, with the scent of blood in the air. Not for her consort, not even for her kid.
Javani is ready for her own adventures. She’s no longer a child and determined to blaze her own trail, even if that means leaving Ree behind.
With rebellion stirring, the past Ree's been running from and the future Javani’s striving for will collide. As tensions rise between mother and daughter, Guild and rebels – and with the fate of the Plains on the line – all that's certain is an explosive finale on the Iron Road.
Praise for the Tales of the Plains
'Gritty, sharp, and yet criminally funny!' Sunyi Dean, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Book Eaters
'Wragg's brand of fantasy deserves its own grassroots fantasy. Small in scale, large in heart, with underdog heroes you can't help but root for' Amber A. Logan, author of The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn
'Heart warming, wrenching and stopping in equal measure' Cari Thomas, Sunday Times bestselling author of Threadneedle
Ree is at war. Determined to free the townships from the Guild's larcenous rule, she can’t take her eyes off victory. Not now, with the scent of blood in the air. Not for her consort, not even for her kid.
Javani is ready for her own adventures. She’s no longer a child and determined to blaze her own trail, even if that means leaving Ree behind.
With rebellion stirring, the past Ree's been running from and the future Javani’s striving for will collide. As tensions rise between mother and daughter, Guild and rebels – and with the fate of the Plains on the line – all that's certain is an explosive finale on the Iron Road.
Praise for the Tales of the Plains
'Gritty, sharp, and yet criminally funny!' Sunyi Dean, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Book Eaters
'Wragg's brand of fantasy deserves its own grassroots fantasy. Small in scale, large in heart, with underdog heroes you can't help but root for' Amber A. Logan, author of The Secret Garden of Yanagi Inn
'Heart warming, wrenching and stopping in equal measure' Cari Thomas, Sunday Times bestselling author of Threadneedle
- GenresFantasy
472 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 11, 2025
15 people are currently reading
171 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 6, 2025
Review
“Night was falling across the plains, the sun swallowed by the distant blue ridges of the western horizon, its lingering band of golden fire casting the tattered blanket of clouds beyond in vivid hues of amber and rose. The darkest clouds loomed directly overhead, their edges blood-hued by the dying sun like cleaving blades. Ree hoped it was
not an omen.”
The rebellion is in full swing and the Guild must be brought down before it manages to gain anymore power. Ree is super focused on this goal, she’s a General in this war, a fighter, a strategist, a killer. Yet she is also a mother. Javani is no longer just a kid, she’s becoming a woman with ambitions, dreams, a life of her own. As tensions rise these two will collide but the rebellion must continue nonetheless. With rebels, Guild assassins, technological advances, old and new alliances all coming into play the fate of the Plains hangs on a thin thread.
The Iron Road by David Wragg is the explosive, action packed, grand finale to the Tales of the Plains trilogy.
At the heart of this series has always been the mother/daughter relationship between Ree and Javani and their explosive conflict. Their relationship has always been strained with Ree being an ill-tempered, overbearing and at times micromanaging parent. In turn Javani has never understood Ree’s cautiousness, the constant demands her mother is under, she misinterprets love for annoyance and so is at constant odds with Ree. Wragg depicts such realistic characters here because Javani desperately needs to grow up and Ree desperately needs to allow her to do so. Yet this is the book which the narrative allows for this to happen. With Ree being gravely injured this pulls her out of the action for the majority of the story and in her absence her daughter is the one to step up. Yes, Javani still makes mistakes, still behaves petulantly and rashly, I mean she is fifteen years old so she was never going to instantly have wisdom, however she does begin to listen to others and as her role in the rebellion becomes leading and motivating everybody else to fight back against the Guild and not simply accept defeat, she discovers she’s actually quite good at it. Walking in her mother's shoes gives her a deeper understanding of what her mother encountered every day, it gives her a glimpse into an adult who had everybody rely on her and the weight of that understandably caused her to be irritable. Again this is such a realistic representation, how often have we misunderstood our parents until we’re faced with the same decisions they had to make? Until we’re faced with the same responsibility? Ree and Javani were illustrated as two sides of the same coin and their whole dynamic was just superbly crafted.
“Ree lived close to the knuckle, hard on the plains, and though she'd always known there would be limits she was not ready to face them now.
How much longer could she do this? And what would she leave when she could not?”
Although the previous two books were self-contained stories that technically could both be read as standalones, The Iron Road manages to bring the trilogy together to give a fully rounded view of the story. For those of us who, like me, were missing Anashe and The White Spear from The Hunters are treated to their return and for those wanting more of our grumpy archer, Anri and adorably sweet Manatas and Taurus, then Wragg also satisfies here too. We even have The Commodore, who happens to be a firm favourite character of mine (if you know who she is, you know!) who’s major role in the narrative delighted me to no end. Then we have two new characters, Maral and Kuzari, two assassins working for Beralas, chairman of the Guild. Despite both being highly seasoned killers, and you know being on the enemy’s side, they were both so likeable and Maral’s journey to discovering the truth about her past was a fascinating addition. All these character dynamics worked wonderfully together, all the narrative arcs converged satisfactorily and Wragg delivered such an entertaining read.
Wragg has always been a writer who can deliver on the fun factor and oh my are you in for a treat with this finale! There are so many scenes within this book that made me laugh out loud, they were chaotic, action packed, ridiculously dangerous but incredibly hilarious. The interactions between characters were outstanding, full of witty banter, miscommunication, and sarcasm. Anri and The Commodore were my favourites here, both foul mouthed and bouncing off each other's crude dialogue. Anashe’s more practical and serious approach was a great contrast and made certain scenes even funnier, particularly when the plans within the rebellion were so absurd but highly comical when played out. The majority of the last two hundred pages of the book focuses on a heist on a moving train. There’s alchemical weapons involved, crossbows, explosions, just sheer utter chaos and I loved every page of it. Every character interaction made me laugh so hard as everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I was reminded of why I love Wragg’s books so much, they simply bring me joy.
“The Commodore hurled aside the door, and the entire train shuddered.
A great shock travelled along it, lifting the wagon on its tracks, sending the Commodore sprawling and leaving Javani clinging to the doorframe for dear life as, a heartbeat later, everything came crashing
down once more.
‘What in hells did you do?' Javani bawled at the Commodore, who had pitched into a nest of sacks just inside the doorway.
‘Fucked if I know,' came the muffled response.”
Fun banter, heartfelt character growth and action scenes to excite and delight, The Iron Road delivers a showstopper of a finale.
The Tales of the Plain trilogy are all available now!
“Night was falling across the plains, the sun swallowed by the distant blue ridges of the western horizon, its lingering band of golden fire casting the tattered blanket of clouds beyond in vivid hues of amber and rose. The darkest clouds loomed directly overhead, their edges blood-hued by the dying sun like cleaving blades. Ree hoped it was
not an omen.”
The rebellion is in full swing and the Guild must be brought down before it manages to gain anymore power. Ree is super focused on this goal, she’s a General in this war, a fighter, a strategist, a killer. Yet she is also a mother. Javani is no longer just a kid, she’s becoming a woman with ambitions, dreams, a life of her own. As tensions rise these two will collide but the rebellion must continue nonetheless. With rebels, Guild assassins, technological advances, old and new alliances all coming into play the fate of the Plains hangs on a thin thread.
The Iron Road by David Wragg is the explosive, action packed, grand finale to the Tales of the Plains trilogy.
At the heart of this series has always been the mother/daughter relationship between Ree and Javani and their explosive conflict. Their relationship has always been strained with Ree being an ill-tempered, overbearing and at times micromanaging parent. In turn Javani has never understood Ree’s cautiousness, the constant demands her mother is under, she misinterprets love for annoyance and so is at constant odds with Ree. Wragg depicts such realistic characters here because Javani desperately needs to grow up and Ree desperately needs to allow her to do so. Yet this is the book which the narrative allows for this to happen. With Ree being gravely injured this pulls her out of the action for the majority of the story and in her absence her daughter is the one to step up. Yes, Javani still makes mistakes, still behaves petulantly and rashly, I mean she is fifteen years old so she was never going to instantly have wisdom, however she does begin to listen to others and as her role in the rebellion becomes leading and motivating everybody else to fight back against the Guild and not simply accept defeat, she discovers she’s actually quite good at it. Walking in her mother's shoes gives her a deeper understanding of what her mother encountered every day, it gives her a glimpse into an adult who had everybody rely on her and the weight of that understandably caused her to be irritable. Again this is such a realistic representation, how often have we misunderstood our parents until we’re faced with the same decisions they had to make? Until we’re faced with the same responsibility? Ree and Javani were illustrated as two sides of the same coin and their whole dynamic was just superbly crafted.
“Ree lived close to the knuckle, hard on the plains, and though she'd always known there would be limits she was not ready to face them now.
How much longer could she do this? And what would she leave when she could not?”
Although the previous two books were self-contained stories that technically could both be read as standalones, The Iron Road manages to bring the trilogy together to give a fully rounded view of the story. For those of us who, like me, were missing Anashe and The White Spear from The Hunters are treated to their return and for those wanting more of our grumpy archer, Anri and adorably sweet Manatas and Taurus, then Wragg also satisfies here too. We even have The Commodore, who happens to be a firm favourite character of mine (if you know who she is, you know!) who’s major role in the narrative delighted me to no end. Then we have two new characters, Maral and Kuzari, two assassins working for Beralas, chairman of the Guild. Despite both being highly seasoned killers, and you know being on the enemy’s side, they were both so likeable and Maral’s journey to discovering the truth about her past was a fascinating addition. All these character dynamics worked wonderfully together, all the narrative arcs converged satisfactorily and Wragg delivered such an entertaining read.
Wragg has always been a writer who can deliver on the fun factor and oh my are you in for a treat with this finale! There are so many scenes within this book that made me laugh out loud, they were chaotic, action packed, ridiculously dangerous but incredibly hilarious. The interactions between characters were outstanding, full of witty banter, miscommunication, and sarcasm. Anri and The Commodore were my favourites here, both foul mouthed and bouncing off each other's crude dialogue. Anashe’s more practical and serious approach was a great contrast and made certain scenes even funnier, particularly when the plans within the rebellion were so absurd but highly comical when played out. The majority of the last two hundred pages of the book focuses on a heist on a moving train. There’s alchemical weapons involved, crossbows, explosions, just sheer utter chaos and I loved every page of it. Every character interaction made me laugh so hard as everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I was reminded of why I love Wragg’s books so much, they simply bring me joy.
“The Commodore hurled aside the door, and the entire train shuddered.
A great shock travelled along it, lifting the wagon on its tracks, sending the Commodore sprawling and leaving Javani clinging to the doorframe for dear life as, a heartbeat later, everything came crashing
down once more.
‘What in hells did you do?' Javani bawled at the Commodore, who had pitched into a nest of sacks just inside the doorway.
‘Fucked if I know,' came the muffled response.”
Fun banter, heartfelt character growth and action scenes to excite and delight, The Iron Road delivers a showstopper of a finale.
The Tales of the Plain trilogy are all available now!
January 23, 2026
David Wragg has now finished two trilogies My favorite thing about a Davis Wragg book? Has to be the covers, My first David Wragg's book was The Black Hawks , brought just for the cover art. Love the humor and action in Davis's stories, which has a Joe Abercrombie vibe. So first a shout out to Emily Langford and Gavin Reece for the cover art of the books main characters Javanti is now a teenager and is not happy with Ree. mom and leader of the rebel faction.. Javanti wants to prove herself and what better way than to plan a train robbery.
September 14, 2025
4.75/5. Due to this being a new release, no spoilers for this review.
Oh man this is a damn good ending trilogy of a book. There’s so much positive to say about this book and without spoilers, I’ll list a few here.
Extremely good character development. Both the main cast and newer additions from the last two books see some great writing and development in this book. Inai was still the best addition to the series in my opinion.
Action packed, mayhem that doesn’t come off as over the top. I found book one’s action to be glimmers of great but a bit lacklustre. Book two has a typical army vs rebellion action that worked well. This book has train action, that is all.
Tying the bow. We get (not so) unexpected returns from past characters and small plot threads from the series all tied up nicely. It felt earned and offered some closure.
A few surprise decisions regarding characters. Some may like it, some may not. For one character, I was surprised but indifferent about the direction of their story. The other character I adored their arc and Wragg’s decisions when writing them. They maybe my second favourite character of the series.
A classic but fitting end. I won’t say anymore.
My only small gripe is Javani. If you read my previous reviews for this trilogy, I complained in book one that I found Javani insufferable. She was written better in book two, and her arc was more fleshed out with great characters to bounce off that aren’t Ree. In this book I was torn. She has a clear and well written arc again that has been set since the first book. However, her attitude and behaviour still frustrated me. Whilst some stories can get away with unlikeable main characters, this story already has Ree as a morally grey character. Perhaps this was Wragg’s intention. I must say he writes a frustrated and annoying teenager well! It’s this small gripe and my somewhat minor distaste for Javani at points in the story that prevent it being a 5/5.
However, phenomenal book. I was unsure after book one if I’d be a fan of the series but they got better each release. This is a brilliant finale and the writing got stronger each time. There are some extremely loveable characters and can even see spinoffs, if fans wanted more.
Oh man this is a damn good ending trilogy of a book. There’s so much positive to say about this book and without spoilers, I’ll list a few here.
Extremely good character development. Both the main cast and newer additions from the last two books see some great writing and development in this book. Inai was still the best addition to the series in my opinion.
Action packed, mayhem that doesn’t come off as over the top. I found book one’s action to be glimmers of great but a bit lacklustre. Book two has a typical army vs rebellion action that worked well. This book has train action, that is all.
Tying the bow. We get (not so) unexpected returns from past characters and small plot threads from the series all tied up nicely. It felt earned and offered some closure.
A few surprise decisions regarding characters. Some may like it, some may not. For one character, I was surprised but indifferent about the direction of their story. The other character I adored their arc and Wragg’s decisions when writing them. They maybe my second favourite character of the series.
A classic but fitting end. I won’t say anymore.
My only small gripe is Javani. If you read my previous reviews for this trilogy, I complained in book one that I found Javani insufferable. She was written better in book two, and her arc was more fleshed out with great characters to bounce off that aren’t Ree. In this book I was torn. She has a clear and well written arc again that has been set since the first book. However, her attitude and behaviour still frustrated me. Whilst some stories can get away with unlikeable main characters, this story already has Ree as a morally grey character. Perhaps this was Wragg’s intention. I must say he writes a frustrated and annoying teenager well! It’s this small gripe and my somewhat minor distaste for Javani at points in the story that prevent it being a 5/5.
However, phenomenal book. I was unsure after book one if I’d be a fan of the series but they got better each release. This is a brilliant finale and the writing got stronger each time. There are some extremely loveable characters and can even see spinoffs, if fans wanted more.
August 25, 2025
A 4.5 starrer
A fantastic trilogy capper, The Iron Road distills the conflicts of the previous 2 books into a primal mother-daughter relationship conflict with the 2nd half of the book moving like its massively inspired by Mad Max Fury Road and a set piece that on an out-of-control moving object
There is a lot of love about this book and in a way, the book goes all the way back to Ree's history. Picking up a few months after where book 2 left out, the conflict has now become larger in scale and Ree plays a prominent role. That does mean a strain in the relationship she was just building with Jawani, who wants to nothing but to prove herself capable and worthy of being part of this struggle. The first half of the book is rooted in this tension despite the strife and conflict everywhere else.
The book does well to expand on the Guild and its ultimate plan - it introduces a few characters (some whom we instantly hate, some whom we sympathize with) and makes them interesting cogs for developments in this book. While the 1st 2 books were in parts, musings about the nature of violence and a life that has lived it, this book is a measure of what happens when a person gets back into that life again and that is all what happens to Ree
Naturally given this book is also about Jawani, she gets into that position of leadership to drive things and she does it in her trademark way with a collection of characters now looking upto her to achieve things and lead them. There are also very interesting character dynamics at work here that keep the narrative fresh and some interesting moments on situational levity.
This is a damn interesting and intriguing book that descends into an action packed 2nd half while still giving us quiet character moments. This has been a fantastic series & I am glad to have picked this one up
A fantastic trilogy capper, The Iron Road distills the conflicts of the previous 2 books into a primal mother-daughter relationship conflict with the 2nd half of the book moving like its massively inspired by Mad Max Fury Road and a set piece that on an out-of-control moving object
There is a lot of love about this book and in a way, the book goes all the way back to Ree's history. Picking up a few months after where book 2 left out, the conflict has now become larger in scale and Ree plays a prominent role. That does mean a strain in the relationship she was just building with Jawani, who wants to nothing but to prove herself capable and worthy of being part of this struggle. The first half of the book is rooted in this tension despite the strife and conflict everywhere else.
The book does well to expand on the Guild and its ultimate plan - it introduces a few characters (some whom we instantly hate, some whom we sympathize with) and makes them interesting cogs for developments in this book. While the 1st 2 books were in parts, musings about the nature of violence and a life that has lived it, this book is a measure of what happens when a person gets back into that life again and that is all what happens to Ree
Naturally given this book is also about Jawani, she gets into that position of leadership to drive things and she does it in her trademark way with a collection of characters now looking upto her to achieve things and lead them. There are also very interesting character dynamics at work here that keep the narrative fresh and some interesting moments on situational levity.
This is a damn interesting and intriguing book that descends into an action packed 2nd half while still giving us quiet character moments. This has been a fantastic series & I am glad to have picked this one up
November 9, 2025
I cannot stop recommending this series to everyone I meet!
I’ve just finished the last book: The Iron Road by David Wragg, book 3 in the Tales of the Plain series, where we find out what happens to kick-ass mother Ree and her wily daughter Javani. This series is perfect for fans of any fantasy that contains “down with the establishment” themes, lovers of Terry Pratchett style banter and high-stakes action adventure!
The number of times I laughed out loud and the number of times I chewed my fingers in suspense were plentiful and equal in measure. The villains are gleefully sadistic and the heroes are wonderfully flawed, making these books absolute gems that I will treasure.
I was lucky enough to read arcs of all three of these books - thank you so much Harper Voyage, but I loved the books so much - I've since bought all three copies including an audiobook of The Company of the Wolf because it's just so blooming good!
I think the mother/daughter dynamic is so expertly done. They clash but they love each other deeply and Wragg explores this in such a way that resonates for me as a mother myself. I love fantasy that has older, as well as younger characters, but not only that – there are some iconic side characters that are just legends (I'm thinking of the Commodore and Anri, although the murderous POV of Maral – is also a corker).
There’s no magic in this world, but frankly we don’t need it - there’s just as much fighting, treachery and plot twists without requiring ‘because magic’. These characters survive (and sometimes don’t survive) on their own merits, which is refreshing. You feel their pleasure and their pain more acutely.
The final book includes recurring characters from the series and Wragg’s universe (the Black Hawks duology), but the first two books could be read as standalone - though why anyone would not want to devour the whole series, I just don’t know! Have I twisted your arm yet?
I’ve just finished the last book: The Iron Road by David Wragg, book 3 in the Tales of the Plain series, where we find out what happens to kick-ass mother Ree and her wily daughter Javani. This series is perfect for fans of any fantasy that contains “down with the establishment” themes, lovers of Terry Pratchett style banter and high-stakes action adventure!
The number of times I laughed out loud and the number of times I chewed my fingers in suspense were plentiful and equal in measure. The villains are gleefully sadistic and the heroes are wonderfully flawed, making these books absolute gems that I will treasure.
I was lucky enough to read arcs of all three of these books - thank you so much Harper Voyage, but I loved the books so much - I've since bought all three copies including an audiobook of The Company of the Wolf because it's just so blooming good!
I think the mother/daughter dynamic is so expertly done. They clash but they love each other deeply and Wragg explores this in such a way that resonates for me as a mother myself. I love fantasy that has older, as well as younger characters, but not only that – there are some iconic side characters that are just legends (I'm thinking of the Commodore and Anri, although the murderous POV of Maral – is also a corker).
There’s no magic in this world, but frankly we don’t need it - there’s just as much fighting, treachery and plot twists without requiring ‘because magic’. These characters survive (and sometimes don’t survive) on their own merits, which is refreshing. You feel their pleasure and their pain more acutely.
The final book includes recurring characters from the series and Wragg’s universe (the Black Hawks duology), but the first two books could be read as standalone - though why anyone would not want to devour the whole series, I just don’t know! Have I twisted your arm yet?
September 25, 2025
what a phenomenal end to the series!!!! so many links back to the rest of the series, so many satisfying twists and turns! javani is delightful and infuriating and such pure teenager, I love her! more of the laugh out loud moments and fabulous insults Wragg is known for, usually at the direst of moments. loved it!
November 8, 2025
Loved it! What a brilliant ending to the trilogy!
August 25, 2025
Copy received from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
The Iron Road completes the adventures of Javani and Ree in an action packed finale that was very satisfying to read.
This story really belongs to Javani. She wants to be seen as an adult and have her own adventure, but Ree is reluctant to allow her daughter to grow up. This leads to a lot of tension between the two in the beginning of the book.
Now, Javani’s opinion that she’s old enough to go it alone might have become very annoying very quickly, but Wragg thankfully manages to navigate that potential issue and she doesn’t come across as a petulant child for the most part. The best thing he does is remove Ree from the picture for most of the story so it gives Javani a chance to figure things out on her own and allows them to come to an understanding by the end of the book. I like how he did it.
The story is just as interesting as the previous books. I really like the world Wragg has created here and the characters are all great to read. I do enjoy the relationship between Ree and Javani, as fraught as it is at times and I liked how it came together at the end of the book.
The Iron Road was a good ending to the series. I enjoy everything from the plot to the characters and it is a very satisfying ending to the series.
The Iron Road completes the adventures of Javani and Ree in an action packed finale that was very satisfying to read.
This story really belongs to Javani. She wants to be seen as an adult and have her own adventure, but Ree is reluctant to allow her daughter to grow up. This leads to a lot of tension between the two in the beginning of the book.
Now, Javani’s opinion that she’s old enough to go it alone might have become very annoying very quickly, but Wragg thankfully manages to navigate that potential issue and she doesn’t come across as a petulant child for the most part. The best thing he does is remove Ree from the picture for most of the story so it gives Javani a chance to figure things out on her own and allows them to come to an understanding by the end of the book. I like how he did it.
The story is just as interesting as the previous books. I really like the world Wragg has created here and the characters are all great to read. I do enjoy the relationship between Ree and Javani, as fraught as it is at times and I liked how it came together at the end of the book.
The Iron Road was a good ending to the series. I enjoy everything from the plot to the characters and it is a very satisfying ending to the series.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews