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Revanche Cycle #1-4
The Complete Revanche Cycle
Control the papacy, rule the world.
As Pope Benignus withers on his deathbed, conspiracies swirl across the empire. Bounty hunters and assassins flock to the frozen north, searching a city of thieves for an exiled politician while a storm of war and witchcraft brews on the horizon. As gambits play out, contenders die and the dominoes fall, a rare few will determine the course of history.
Livia Serafini. Pious. Zealous. Driven. With her sights set upon her father's throne, Livia refuses to be a pawn of the conspirators that surround her. She'll risk it all to rise above the tempest and lead her people to peace. Her pure-hearted ambitions may cost more than she knows: her reputation, her life, even her very soul.
Mari Renault. Honorable. Brutal. Lost. A war orphan from a land under a conqueror's yoke, Mari is haunted by the horrors of her past and an impossible dream of knighthood. When she finds her dark savior, she'll learn how dreams can come true...and how a ragged refugee girl can become a champion of the night.
The Owl. Brilliant. Ruthless. Sadistic. The witch and her disciples, on a mission of vengeance, are lured into the battle for control of the papacy. Despite all of her well-laid plans, the Owl soon finds herself walking a strange and twisted road. One that pits her against the most deadly foe of all -- her own coven -- and rekindles passion in her ice-sheathed heart.
Renata Nicci. Honest. Devoted. Daring. She's just a dockside tavern barmaid. That's what everyone tells her. That's all anyone ever expected her to be. But when her lover Felix is swept into a battle between banking families and the machinations of a criminal kingpin, she'll take up a blade and cross a war-ravaged land to save him.
Four women, four lives on a collision course. When the dust settles, their world will never be the same...if anyone is still alive to see it.
Collected for the first time, this omnibus includes all four books (roughly 400,000 words) of the Revanche Cycle: Winter's Reach, The Instruments of Control, Terms of Surrender, and Queen of the Night, all at a special box-set price.
As Pope Benignus withers on his deathbed, conspiracies swirl across the empire. Bounty hunters and assassins flock to the frozen north, searching a city of thieves for an exiled politician while a storm of war and witchcraft brews on the horizon. As gambits play out, contenders die and the dominoes fall, a rare few will determine the course of history.
Livia Serafini. Pious. Zealous. Driven. With her sights set upon her father's throne, Livia refuses to be a pawn of the conspirators that surround her. She'll risk it all to rise above the tempest and lead her people to peace. Her pure-hearted ambitions may cost more than she knows: her reputation, her life, even her very soul.
Mari Renault. Honorable. Brutal. Lost. A war orphan from a land under a conqueror's yoke, Mari is haunted by the horrors of her past and an impossible dream of knighthood. When she finds her dark savior, she'll learn how dreams can come true...and how a ragged refugee girl can become a champion of the night.
The Owl. Brilliant. Ruthless. Sadistic. The witch and her disciples, on a mission of vengeance, are lured into the battle for control of the papacy. Despite all of her well-laid plans, the Owl soon finds herself walking a strange and twisted road. One that pits her against the most deadly foe of all -- her own coven -- and rekindles passion in her ice-sheathed heart.
Renata Nicci. Honest. Devoted. Daring. She's just a dockside tavern barmaid. That's what everyone tells her. That's all anyone ever expected her to be. But when her lover Felix is swept into a battle between banking families and the machinations of a criminal kingpin, she'll take up a blade and cross a war-ravaged land to save him.
Four women, four lives on a collision course. When the dust settles, their world will never be the same...if anyone is still alive to see it.
Collected for the first time, this omnibus includes all four books (roughly 400,000 words) of the Revanche Cycle: Winter's Reach, The Instruments of Control, Terms of Surrender, and Queen of the Night, all at a special box-set price.
- GenresFantasy
1322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 26, 2016
197 people are currently reading
369 people want to read
About the author
Craig Schaefer
43 books1,333 followersCraig Schaefer's books have taken readers to the seamy edge of a criminal underworld drenched in shadow (the Daniel Faust series), to a world torn by war, poison and witchcraft (the Revanche Cycle), and across a modern America mired in occult mysteries and a conspiracy of lies (the Harmony Black series).
Despite this, people say he's strangely normal. Suspiciously normal, in fact. His home on the Web is www.craigschaeferbooks.com.
Despite this, people say he's strangely normal. Suspiciously normal, in fact. His home on the Web is www.craigschaeferbooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 29, 2019
Fantasy Masterpiece
I have read every Daniel Faust and Harmony Black novel. He has spun a wonderful world that rivals Stephen King's stories. When I finished the last Faust book, I found this recommendation and dove in. Wow. Other fantasy writers need to take lessons. This is how you build a fantasy world. The story always moves forward in every chapter. Most fantasy authors( this includes Tolkien and Martin) spend pages on exposition to explain the rules of their creations. Schaefer shows the world and trust the reader to go with the flow. It made a complicated story easy to follow with several WTF moments that jar you. GoT ends this year, but if your looking for a replacement, someone please adapt these books.
I have read every Daniel Faust and Harmony Black novel. He has spun a wonderful world that rivals Stephen King's stories. When I finished the last Faust book, I found this recommendation and dove in. Wow. Other fantasy writers need to take lessons. This is how you build a fantasy world. The story always moves forward in every chapter. Most fantasy authors( this includes Tolkien and Martin) spend pages on exposition to explain the rules of their creations. Schaefer shows the world and trust the reader to go with the flow. It made a complicated story easy to follow with several WTF moments that jar you. GoT ends this year, but if your looking for a replacement, someone please adapt these books.
January 29, 2018
Excellent
Even though this series isn't the urban fantasy style that we are used to from this author, you should definitely give it a chance! Great characters that run the gambit from good to evil to do incredibly bloody evil, but also fight that age old battle of doing bad things for good reasons. The author also lays the foundation for some of his future characters which is very interesting. I read the series as a bundle on kindle unlimited which was perfect. Give it a chance!!
Even though this series isn't the urban fantasy style that we are used to from this author, you should definitely give it a chance! Great characters that run the gambit from good to evil to do incredibly bloody evil, but also fight that age old battle of doing bad things for good reasons. The author also lays the foundation for some of his future characters which is very interesting. I read the series as a bundle on kindle unlimited which was perfect. Give it a chance!!
March 13, 2024
En väldigt bra serie, som utspelar sig i ett renässansitalien i en annan värld. Likheterna är enorma, problemen - såsom med övermäktiga furstar på andra sidan bergen eller havet - är de samma. Huvudpersonerna är intressanta och växer med sina uppgifter. Magisystemet är självbalanserande och gott. Utmärkt hantverksprodukt, som borde kunna överleva sin skrivandegeneration.
May 25, 2018
JUST AWESOME
Everything Craig Schaefer writes is brilliant. I read this for the first time a few years ago and loved it. I was just about to start Sworn To The Night and felt a re-read was in order. I'm so glad I did because the books are so much better after immersing myself in Mr. Shaefer's multiverse. This is a magnificent story and I love this world. I can only hope his new series gives us a glimpse of it again. You really need to read these books, I promise you won't regret it!!!
Everything Craig Schaefer writes is brilliant. I read this for the first time a few years ago and loved it. I was just about to start Sworn To The Night and felt a re-read was in order. I'm so glad I did because the books are so much better after immersing myself in Mr. Shaefer's multiverse. This is a magnificent story and I love this world. I can only hope his new series gives us a glimpse of it again. You really need to read these books, I promise you won't regret it!!!
April 25, 2021
Craig Schaefer is one of the most reliable pulp craftsmen out there. Here, he goes for a gritty low-fantasy Game of Thrones-ish tale, and it absolutely does not pay off for him. The worldbuilding is completely indistinct and uninteresting, though the characters largely work. The strangest part was the change in his writing style. Schaefer's intricately-constructed sentences are often a highlight of his books, and separates him from many of his contemporaries. Here he's almost perversely lazy, leaning heavily on fragments that aim for punch but never once land.
October 12, 2017
Mr. Schaefer has crafted a compelling and delightful fantasy tome with The Revanche Cycle. Poignant, fun, heart-breaking, gritty, and with enough sheer volume to allow you to completely immerse yourself in another world. The series is replete with intrigue, action, mystery, doses of romance - all the fundamentals of a fine yarn. The characters aren't cookie-cutter and utterly predictable, although some of their transformations over the course of the series strains credulity just a wee bit. My only grouse came with a bit of story disruption in the last book that seemed illogical and not conducive to a full suspension of belief - I wanted to slap the editor and say "Hey, why'd you let this section slide?" But I'd be hard-pressed to even be able to point it out now - it's irrelevant to the whole scope of the work, and didn't negatively impact the tale enough to make me want to stop reading. If you're fond of lengthy tales set in a world masterfully painted by a deft scribe's hand, read The Revanche Cycle with confidence.
September 25, 2018
Truly excellent series
There's so much epic fantasy out there that it's really hard to find the good stuff. Some of it feels bloated and too much like taking a class on the history of some other place. Some of it wanders too much, gets bogged down in too much detail, feasts on pages and pages of feasting. It's overwhelming.
This, though, is a lean, cunning story with a plan, and it doesn't waste time as it moves along. I'm a big Schaefer fan, and this is some of his best work.
I devoured this series, and even though I just finished it, I find I miss it. Might have to flip to page one and start it again.
There's so much epic fantasy out there that it's really hard to find the good stuff. Some of it feels bloated and too much like taking a class on the history of some other place. Some of it wanders too much, gets bogged down in too much detail, feasts on pages and pages of feasting. It's overwhelming.
This, though, is a lean, cunning story with a plan, and it doesn't waste time as it moves along. I'm a big Schaefer fan, and this is some of his best work.
I devoured this series, and even though I just finished it, I find I miss it. Might have to flip to page one and start it again.
May 27, 2017
Some of the author's best work. I read the entire series via Kindle Unlimited but I bought this anthology just so I can leave a verified review. It's intense, fast paced and has a sense of emotion and realness I don't often see in traditional fantasy. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes the genre. You could totally make a better Game of Thrones show out of this. Way more intense than his urban fantasy work.
May 26, 2018
Not my usual read
Ended up here because of the Faust series. I don't usually read fantasy like this, but I gave it a go. Can't say that I loved it, as I found it hard going, but that is on me not the book. Readers who like this kind of thing should love it. It's well written and twisty.
Ended up here because of the Faust series. I don't usually read fantasy like this, but I gave it a go. Can't say that I loved it, as I found it hard going, but that is on me not the book. Readers who like this kind of thing should love it. It's well written and twisty.
June 16, 2018
Different, yet Refreshing
If you came to the Revanche Cycle from the Daniel Faust Series, you, like me, will probably be a bit disappointed at the first. However, I grew up reading epic fantasy and that is what he he has written. He may not ever be drowning in Awards and accolades like Martin, but Schafer has proven he's George's equal in the genre. Well done, sir, well done.
If you came to the Revanche Cycle from the Daniel Faust Series, you, like me, will probably be a bit disappointed at the first. However, I grew up reading epic fantasy and that is what he he has written. He may not ever be drowning in Awards and accolades like Martin, but Schafer has proven he's George's equal in the genre. Well done, sir, well done.
November 5, 2020
Wonderful Epic Story!
I loved these books. The reading was effortless and the characters were oh so interesting! I enjoyed the story-building and how quickly the chapters flew by. The main protagonists and antagonists were deeply created and I could see them as real people. Thanks for a most amazing read, Mr. Schaefer!!
I loved these books. The reading was effortless and the characters were oh so interesting! I enjoyed the story-building and how quickly the chapters flew by. The main protagonists and antagonists were deeply created and I could see them as real people. Thanks for a most amazing read, Mr. Schaefer!!
August 21, 2024
4.5⭐️
There are a lot of plots, and even though it took me a couple of months to finish this, it's easy to follow them and to remember who is who. Normally in books with this many plots, one or more is boring, or at least less enjoyable, but that is not the case here. There are a few too many denouements and everything wraps up a little too thoroughly. An intriguing, enjoyable book that ties into the author's other series in an interesting way.
There are a lot of plots, and even though it took me a couple of months to finish this, it's easy to follow them and to remember who is who. Normally in books with this many plots, one or more is boring, or at least less enjoyable, but that is not the case here. There are a few too many denouements and everything wraps up a little too thoroughly. An intriguing, enjoyable book that ties into the author's other series in an interesting way.
March 24, 2018
A decent read
A decent read but most of the main characters are just unlikable not as one would prefer likeable but flawed or they become unlikable over the course of the books. This is a problem as you cannot justify either their actions nor motivations.
A decent read but most of the main characters are just unlikable not as one would prefer likeable but flawed or they become unlikable over the course of the books. This is a problem as you cannot justify either their actions nor motivations.
July 29, 2018
I liked the how Schaefer brought most of his lead characters into the dark blurs the line between hero and monster. I loved his portrayal of female characters here-they were for some of the time smart, ruthless, competent:) wish more books did that
November 27, 2018
Might have liked it better if I hadn’t read the complete thing at one time. It got a little tiresome about th middle of the second book. After tha, I just wanted it done.
December 25, 2019
That's the problem with cycles and series. The first was very, very good, the following ones, in my opinion, gradually less so.
January 4, 2025
Nicely done
There were times when I thought, “That’s just lazy plotting”. Yet overall worth the time spent reading all four books.
There were times when I thought, “That’s just lazy plotting”. Yet overall worth the time spent reading all four books.
September 15, 2022
Intrigue. Betrayal. Politics. Religion. Supernatural. Fantasy. Nuff said ...
March 4, 2025
Ladies and gentlemen. This is how you do it.
As good as it gets. If you like the style of Joe Abercrombie, this is for you.
As good as it gets. If you like the style of Joe Abercrombie, this is for you.
August 26, 2017
There is evil but it can be used for good
Great series. Characters fleshed out. I wish there was another book for when the wheel turned again. But the author did hint his other series tied in a little.
Great series. Characters fleshed out. I wish there was another book for when the wheel turned again. But the author did hint his other series tied in a little.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews