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The Ties That Bind #3
The Price of Faith
NOT EVERYONE HAS A DESTINY. Separated and miserable, Thanquil Darkheart and Jezzet Vel’urn both have their reasons for wanting to leave the Dragon Empire. Jezzet flees from the wrathful fury of an Empress scorned while accompanied by the ever insidious Drake Morrass and Thanquil sets out to find and judge his one heretical loose end.
366 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2013
114 people are currently reading
1017 people want to read
About the author
Rob J. Hayes
44 books1,933 followersWinner of Mark Lawrence's 3rd Self Published Fantasy Blog Off (SPFBO) with Where Loyalties Lie
Rob J. Hayes has been a student, a banker, a marine research assistant, a chef, and a keyboard monkey more times than he cares to count. But eventually his love of fantasy and reading drew him to the life of a writer. He’s the author of the Amazon Best Selling The Heresy Within, the SPFBO-winning piratical swashbuckler Where Loyalties Lie, and the critically acclaimed Never Die.
Rob J. Hayes has been a student, a banker, a marine research assistant, a chef, and a keyboard monkey more times than he cares to count. But eventually his love of fantasy and reading drew him to the life of a writer. He’s the author of the Amazon Best Selling The Heresy Within, the SPFBO-winning piratical swashbuckler Where Loyalties Lie, and the critically acclaimed Never Die.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
June 25, 2017
Overall rating = 4.5 stars
Full review over at Fantasy Book Critic
CLASSIFICATION: The Ties that Bind is a dark fantasy trilogy with terrific characterization and a twisted plot that is very reminiscent of the works by Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence and Scott Lynch.
ANALYSIS: This book has been re-released by the author after he got his rights back from Ragnarok Publications and readers can read more about that in this interview and over on the author's site. I'm reposting my review with a few edits and to espouse the brand, new cover and re-release of the entire trilogy. I've been a big fan of Rob J. Hayes since I first got my hands on his debut book The Heresy Within. However it was The Colour Of Vengeance, which simply blew my mind and convinced me of the awesomeness of this trilogy and the author. With this book, I was waiting to see how the author would end his trilogy. This volume also featured the return of Jezzet and Thanquil who were conspicuously missing from the second volume. A warning to readers, I'lll be discussing certain things which can be considered spoilers for the preceding titles so be forewarned.
The Price Of Faith begins once again with Thanquil who now finds him being hunted. His prey now has turned predator and the witch stalks Thanquil in his dreams as well as the awakened stage. Thanquil is still bitter about his parting with Jezzet who now finds herself as the court of the Dragon Empire and a friend to the Dragon Empress. A stranger in a strange land, Jezzet finds herself drawn to the weird customs and a certain dark and dangerous pirate who also happens to be the paramour of the Dragon Empress. Drake Morass is feared by everyone and for good reason. His antics in Chade haven’t gone unnoticed however he has a bigger game in mind.
Lastly there’s Betrim “Black Thorn” Thorne who now finds himself as the head of a new crew of deadly misfits and a drunken sot named Anders. Betrim still hungers for revenge for the events that befell him at the end of the first book and just maybe he might find the person who bested him. However can the Black Thorn best those far deadlier than him and his crew. These are the many questions posed in this final volume. However this story is about our three leads introduced in the first book, they all have changed. Jezzet was a killer however by the end of the first book became a true blademaster. Betrim was a scoundrel and murderer however he became a deadlier leader and now leads the motley crew of Henry, Pern, Ben Six Cities, Anders and Riley. This third volume is about the change that befalls Thanquil. We get to learn how he acquired the sobriquet of Darkheart that has followed him around since his initiations as an arbiter. We get to see what really happened in his childhood and how he was “saved” by Arbiter Prin.
We get to see his connection with the Templar Jacob Lee as well learn why the Emperor chose him for the furtive mission. All of this and more is laid bare, in this ending volume. As is the case with the preceding two volumes, characterization once again is the author’s forte. We get all our main POV characters back however once again it’s the side character cast who make the read that much more rewarding. Last time around we got to know Henry, Pern and Anders and while they are back, it’s pirate captain Drake Morass who steals the show every time he graces the pages. Oozing menace and charm in equal measure; Drake Morass is a charmer who is poison to those he opposes.
He however also steals scenes whenever he appears and confounds our POV characters as much as he does the readers. I believe the author is setting him up for something pivotal in the future and he will be playing a major role in the books to come. Not that he doesn’t play any less of a significant one in this one as well. The action sequences are no less exciting than the preceding volume, however this time around; there are pirates, dragons and demons involved. All the threads introduced so far come to an exciting, action-filled climax which answers some pretty fundamental questions about the nature of reality of the world, the aspect of calling upon a god’s power and also concept of avatar-hood.
All the characters from the previous two volumes make an appearance (at least the ones left alive) and there are a few new ones to hook the reader’s interest. There’s also the character arc, with this book it’s Thanquil who gets the treatment and we get a peek into his madness. This book makes him even more sympathetic and a little crazy. He’s been pushed to the end of his wits due to the fact that Jezzet is somewhere and needs his help. Thanquil’s background and powers are laid bare and as a reader it was good to read what makes such a complex character tick.
Going on to the drawbacks of the book, one factor going against is that not all threads are completely closed. In fact the epilogue alone puts a whole new spin on the entire story that has happened within the space of three books. Also there’s the aspect of character deaths and particularly a couple of characters meet untimely ends. This on a whole kept the story exciting however on a personal note, I was just saddened by it. Lastly the only other thing that might cause heartache for readers is the fact there’s a resolution provided but that might not be what they expect. To some it might be underwhelming in a way. I think that was the author’s intent to undercut expectations and it will be up to each reader to gauge how successful the author was.
CONCLUSION: The Price Of Faith brings to an explosive end to a trilogy that while being self-published can be safely considered as a superb dark fantasy trilogy. It will have its detractors but the fans outnumber them sharply. The Price Of Faith is indeed about the faith that the characters have invested and the price it extracts when their conventions are challenged. Simply put this is a fantastic end to a great trilogy and a terrific beginning to Rob J. Hayes’ career.
Full review over at Fantasy Book Critic
CLASSIFICATION: The Ties that Bind is a dark fantasy trilogy with terrific characterization and a twisted plot that is very reminiscent of the works by Joe Abercrombie, Mark Lawrence and Scott Lynch.
ANALYSIS: This book has been re-released by the author after he got his rights back from Ragnarok Publications and readers can read more about that in this interview and over on the author's site. I'm reposting my review with a few edits and to espouse the brand, new cover and re-release of the entire trilogy. I've been a big fan of Rob J. Hayes since I first got my hands on his debut book The Heresy Within. However it was The Colour Of Vengeance, which simply blew my mind and convinced me of the awesomeness of this trilogy and the author. With this book, I was waiting to see how the author would end his trilogy. This volume also featured the return of Jezzet and Thanquil who were conspicuously missing from the second volume. A warning to readers, I'lll be discussing certain things which can be considered spoilers for the preceding titles so be forewarned.
The Price Of Faith begins once again with Thanquil who now finds him being hunted. His prey now has turned predator and the witch stalks Thanquil in his dreams as well as the awakened stage. Thanquil is still bitter about his parting with Jezzet who now finds herself as the court of the Dragon Empire and a friend to the Dragon Empress. A stranger in a strange land, Jezzet finds herself drawn to the weird customs and a certain dark and dangerous pirate who also happens to be the paramour of the Dragon Empress. Drake Morass is feared by everyone and for good reason. His antics in Chade haven’t gone unnoticed however he has a bigger game in mind.
Lastly there’s Betrim “Black Thorn” Thorne who now finds himself as the head of a new crew of deadly misfits and a drunken sot named Anders. Betrim still hungers for revenge for the events that befell him at the end of the first book and just maybe he might find the person who bested him. However can the Black Thorn best those far deadlier than him and his crew. These are the many questions posed in this final volume. However this story is about our three leads introduced in the first book, they all have changed. Jezzet was a killer however by the end of the first book became a true blademaster. Betrim was a scoundrel and murderer however he became a deadlier leader and now leads the motley crew of Henry, Pern, Ben Six Cities, Anders and Riley. This third volume is about the change that befalls Thanquil. We get to learn how he acquired the sobriquet of Darkheart that has followed him around since his initiations as an arbiter. We get to see what really happened in his childhood and how he was “saved” by Arbiter Prin.
We get to see his connection with the Templar Jacob Lee as well learn why the Emperor chose him for the furtive mission. All of this and more is laid bare, in this ending volume. As is the case with the preceding two volumes, characterization once again is the author’s forte. We get all our main POV characters back however once again it’s the side character cast who make the read that much more rewarding. Last time around we got to know Henry, Pern and Anders and while they are back, it’s pirate captain Drake Morass who steals the show every time he graces the pages. Oozing menace and charm in equal measure; Drake Morass is a charmer who is poison to those he opposes.
He however also steals scenes whenever he appears and confounds our POV characters as much as he does the readers. I believe the author is setting him up for something pivotal in the future and he will be playing a major role in the books to come. Not that he doesn’t play any less of a significant one in this one as well. The action sequences are no less exciting than the preceding volume, however this time around; there are pirates, dragons and demons involved. All the threads introduced so far come to an exciting, action-filled climax which answers some pretty fundamental questions about the nature of reality of the world, the aspect of calling upon a god’s power and also concept of avatar-hood.
All the characters from the previous two volumes make an appearance (at least the ones left alive) and there are a few new ones to hook the reader’s interest. There’s also the character arc, with this book it’s Thanquil who gets the treatment and we get a peek into his madness. This book makes him even more sympathetic and a little crazy. He’s been pushed to the end of his wits due to the fact that Jezzet is somewhere and needs his help. Thanquil’s background and powers are laid bare and as a reader it was good to read what makes such a complex character tick.
Going on to the drawbacks of the book, one factor going against is that not all threads are completely closed. In fact the epilogue alone puts a whole new spin on the entire story that has happened within the space of three books. Also there’s the aspect of character deaths and particularly a couple of characters meet untimely ends. This on a whole kept the story exciting however on a personal note, I was just saddened by it. Lastly the only other thing that might cause heartache for readers is the fact there’s a resolution provided but that might not be what they expect. To some it might be underwhelming in a way. I think that was the author’s intent to undercut expectations and it will be up to each reader to gauge how successful the author was.
CONCLUSION: The Price Of Faith brings to an explosive end to a trilogy that while being self-published can be safely considered as a superb dark fantasy trilogy. It will have its detractors but the fans outnumber them sharply. The Price Of Faith is indeed about the faith that the characters have invested and the price it extracts when their conventions are challenged. Simply put this is a fantastic end to a great trilogy and a terrific beginning to Rob J. Hayes’ career.
October 29, 2013
4 stars. Not 5. Because I'm angry with you Mr Hayes. Angry for killing...ah, you know who.
4 stars because I cannot get rid of the lump in my throat.
Just because of that.
Weren't it for it, I'd have rated this book 5 stars.
Unfortunately, I'm too angry and too sad just now.
4 stars because I cannot get rid of the lump in my throat.
Just because of that.
Weren't it for it, I'd have rated this book 5 stars.
Unfortunately, I'm too angry and too sad just now.
November 27, 2018
Review and rating to come!
November 10, 2020
Excellent.
Rob J. Hayes continues to deliver. I truly enjoy his work, the worlds created, the action, conflict, the devastating losses, totally unpredictable. The characters are truly remarkable and unforgettable. A favorite of mine for all time, thank you for all of your work here, Rob Hayes, please continue. Work appreciated and well done.
Rob J. Hayes continues to deliver. I truly enjoy his work, the worlds created, the action, conflict, the devastating losses, totally unpredictable. The characters are truly remarkable and unforgettable. A favorite of mine for all time, thank you for all of your work here, Rob Hayes, please continue. Work appreciated and well done.
April 1, 2019
3 Stars
While the Price of Faith was a bit of an underwhelming end to the trilogy, it capped an overall entertaining grimdark trilogy from an author in Rob Hayes who is an obviously skilled storyteller.
After focusing on the Black Thorn last time, the narrative returns to Thanquil and Jezzet. The story starts with the two of them in the Dragon Empire, though things soon take an unexpected turn.
This book had all of the same grimdarky goodness of the first two books. The characters were still great, the action (when it happened) was furious, and the writing (typos aside-and there seemed to be a lot of typos) was excellent.
Despite all that, this was easily the weakest book in the series for me. Both of the previous books had relatively slow starts, but things never seemed to drag. In this book, I was struggling. I kept watching the percent number on my kindle go up and kept waiting for the story to really take off. It was well over halfway into the book that things heated up. A solid third of the early portion of the book could have been cut with no loss to the story.
One other aspect that frustrated me in this book was Jezzet. She was easily one of the most interesting characters in the first book, and I was excited to see her again. However, in this book she made idiotic decision after idiotic decision. At one point she is manipulated and betrayed by another character, and her response amounted to a glare and a shoulder shrug. That didn’t seem to fit at all with her character. There was also a male character she interacted with frequently, and EVERY. SINGLE.TIME. she had an internal monologue about how pretty he was. He just woke up? He looks so good after he sleeps. He just got rained on? He manages to look good wet. It’s a Tuesday? He also looks wonderful on Tuesdays. It became extremely obnoxious.
This was a tough book to rate. The first half of the book was probably closer to a 2 than anything else, but the last quarter was more like a 4. I split the different and gave it a 3.
Overall, this is an entertaining grimdark trilogy that, while (in my opinion) it is unnecessarily crude and has a few other issues, also features some memorable characters and great storytelling. If you like Joe Abercrombie, you’ll probably enjoy this series.
While the Price of Faith was a bit of an underwhelming end to the trilogy, it capped an overall entertaining grimdark trilogy from an author in Rob Hayes who is an obviously skilled storyteller.
After focusing on the Black Thorn last time, the narrative returns to Thanquil and Jezzet. The story starts with the two of them in the Dragon Empire, though things soon take an unexpected turn.
This book had all of the same grimdarky goodness of the first two books. The characters were still great, the action (when it happened) was furious, and the writing (typos aside-and there seemed to be a lot of typos) was excellent.
Despite all that, this was easily the weakest book in the series for me. Both of the previous books had relatively slow starts, but things never seemed to drag. In this book, I was struggling. I kept watching the percent number on my kindle go up and kept waiting for the story to really take off. It was well over halfway into the book that things heated up. A solid third of the early portion of the book could have been cut with no loss to the story.
One other aspect that frustrated me in this book was Jezzet. She was easily one of the most interesting characters in the first book, and I was excited to see her again. However, in this book she made idiotic decision after idiotic decision. At one point she is manipulated and betrayed by another character, and her response amounted to a glare and a shoulder shrug. That didn’t seem to fit at all with her character. There was also a male character she interacted with frequently, and EVERY. SINGLE.TIME. she had an internal monologue about how pretty he was. He just woke up? He looks so good after he sleeps. He just got rained on? He manages to look good wet. It’s a Tuesday? He also looks wonderful on Tuesdays. It became extremely obnoxious.
This was a tough book to rate. The first half of the book was probably closer to a 2 than anything else, but the last quarter was more like a 4. I split the different and gave it a 3.
Overall, this is an entertaining grimdark trilogy that, while (in my opinion) it is unnecessarily crude and has a few other issues, also features some memorable characters and great storytelling. If you like Joe Abercrombie, you’ll probably enjoy this series.
May 7, 2025
The Price of Faith by Rob J. Hayes is a stunning, convincing conclusion to The Ties That Bind trilogy. It wraps up the story in a way that feels deeply satisfying, yet leaves just enough of a tantalizing hint about what might lie ahead in the same world, within a new series.
I will soon be revisiting Where Loyalties Lie, which will show the future for some of these characters. It's also one of those books that sticks with you long after you've finished.
The characters in this series are truly unforgettable. Hayes has crafted a group of protagonists who, while far from perfect, feel incredibly real. They make their way through a brutal and unforgiving world, leaving a trail of bloody chaos in their wake, yet their struggles, flaws, and motivations are what make them so relatable. They may be killers, but they’re never one-dimensional. They’re complex, flawed, and, at times, downright lovable in spite of their grim choices.
If you enjoy fantasy that is both dark and visceral, but with a perfect blend of snarky humor and sharp wit, then you’ll find The Price of Faith to be a rewarding read. The ragtag team of misfits at the heart of the story are equal parts dangerous and endearing, offering a unique mix of gore, action, and character-driven moments. Despite the grim violence they engage in, there's something strangely compelling about their journey and their camaraderie, which keeps you rooting for them even as they make morally questionable decisions.
However, it's important to note that this series doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to its darker themes. There’s plenty of blood, violence, death, and moments that deal with heavy subjects like sexual assault (including off-page rape). The series doesn’t shy away from the grim realities of the world these characters inhabit, and it can be a tough read in parts. It also features quite some scenes inside brothels, and mercenaries do like to talk about cocks.
For those who enjoy gritty, unflinching fantasy, it's precisely what makes this series stand out.
Be warned, The Price of Faith is incredibly addictive. It’s the kind of book you won’t be able to put down, and before you know it, you’ll find yourself lost in its pages for hours. Don’t say I didn’t warn you if you’re late for work after starting it!
I will soon be revisiting Where Loyalties Lie, which will show the future for some of these characters. It's also one of those books that sticks with you long after you've finished.
The characters in this series are truly unforgettable. Hayes has crafted a group of protagonists who, while far from perfect, feel incredibly real. They make their way through a brutal and unforgiving world, leaving a trail of bloody chaos in their wake, yet their struggles, flaws, and motivations are what make them so relatable. They may be killers, but they’re never one-dimensional. They’re complex, flawed, and, at times, downright lovable in spite of their grim choices.
If you enjoy fantasy that is both dark and visceral, but with a perfect blend of snarky humor and sharp wit, then you’ll find The Price of Faith to be a rewarding read. The ragtag team of misfits at the heart of the story are equal parts dangerous and endearing, offering a unique mix of gore, action, and character-driven moments. Despite the grim violence they engage in, there's something strangely compelling about their journey and their camaraderie, which keeps you rooting for them even as they make morally questionable decisions.
However, it's important to note that this series doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to its darker themes. There’s plenty of blood, violence, death, and moments that deal with heavy subjects like sexual assault (including off-page rape). The series doesn’t shy away from the grim realities of the world these characters inhabit, and it can be a tough read in parts. It also features quite some scenes inside brothels, and mercenaries do like to talk about cocks.
For those who enjoy gritty, unflinching fantasy, it's precisely what makes this series stand out.
Be warned, The Price of Faith is incredibly addictive. It’s the kind of book you won’t be able to put down, and before you know it, you’ll find yourself lost in its pages for hours. Don’t say I didn’t warn you if you’re late for work after starting it!
January 18, 2016
The Ties That Bind series is a Sword and Sorcery series by Rob J. Hayes. It is an adult fantasy, contrasted to dark fantasy, which contains foul-mouthed antiheroes who live in a world of slavery as well as causal violence. Jezzet Vel'urn, Inquisitor Thanquil Darkheart, and the Black Thorn are all objectively terrible people but they're perhaps slightly less terrible than many of the people around them.
They also make each other better.
The previous book followed the adventures of the Black Thorn after the events of The Ties that Bind novel and this book follows up with Jezzet and Thanquil. They have taken up service in the Dragon Empire, which is Sword and Sorcery China. Thanquil is continuing his hunting of witches, regardless of their morality, while Jezzet is the unwilling BFF of the Empress. We also get the thoroughly punchable smug snake Drake Morass, quite possibly the least likable lovable rogue in the history of fiction.
But he's meant to be that way.
I think.
The price gives an insight into a very unusual sort of character in Sword and Sorcery: a man of faith. Thanquil Darkheart has a number of terrible qualities, including the willingness to murder the innocent for the greater good. However, on a basic level, he truly does believe in his God-Emperor and that what he's doing is the best road for humanity. Given the world he inhabits is so cynical, it's interesting to see Thanquil's piety is played straight despite the obvious corruption of the Inquisition.
Jezzet is also trying to deal with something she never expected in her burgeoning conscience. I like the character development she has of actually starting to care about people and the world's unfairness due to Thanquil's influence. It's hilarious, in a really morbidly dark sort of way, that a religious fanatic capable of great atrocities starts to open Jezzet up to the wonders of helping others.
This being grimdark fantasy, it doesn't entirely work out for her.
The book resolves many of the outstanding plots from the previous two books while also setting up the next arc in the series. For three books we've been dealing with the traitors in the Inquisition and their plans to create an army of demon-possessed humans. Here, we get an understanding as to why they are pursuing this insane course of action and what has gotten them so frightened. There's a lot of surprisingly insightful bits about the arbitrary nature of power, shifting nature of morality, and the peculiar yet ever present power of faith. Thanquil Darkheart believes in the God Emperor in spite of several logical inconsistencies yet still manages to make it look better than Drake Morass' belief in nothing.
While perhaps a bit stereotypical in its depiction of fantasy China, the Dragon Empire avoids orientalist tropes and manages to adapt the setting to his world with a minimum of fuss. The Dragon Empire is as dark and seedy in its own way as Sarth and other cities we've dealt with. I would have been interested in more stories set there with Jezzet and Thanquil dealing with the various cultural differences we see them run into separately. I also find the fact Jezzet challenges cultural assumptions by her very existence intriguing as well as the fact they can be a patriarchal society despite a absolute monarch Empress.
I would be remiss in my review if I didn't mention that this book has a very controversial ending which has already had quite a few detractors amongst his fandom. Rob J. Hayes makes a choice to do something which George R.R. Martin would approve of. I'm, honestly, a bit iffy about it since I think the people involved were some of the most developed in the series with their loss diminishing the story rather than strengthening it. The fact it didn't immediately end with the hunting down and exterminating of the character responsible for it also irritated me tremendously. There's a couple of other dropped plot threads like the Prince's witch-wife that I thought could have been handled better.
Despite this, I'm a big fan of The Price of Faith. I liked the depiction of the main characters, enjoyed their reunion with the Black Thorn, and thought everyone was likable (including the villain) except for Drake Morass. Given the previous volumes had some truly reprehensible people in it, it's surprising how entertaining and sympathetic nearly everyone is. I'm still mad about the ending as I think it disrupts the dynamics of the characters too much and there was a lot more room for the characters involved to develop but it doesn't kill my interest in the series.
9/10
They also make each other better.
The previous book followed the adventures of the Black Thorn after the events of The Ties that Bind novel and this book follows up with Jezzet and Thanquil. They have taken up service in the Dragon Empire, which is Sword and Sorcery China. Thanquil is continuing his hunting of witches, regardless of their morality, while Jezzet is the unwilling BFF of the Empress. We also get the thoroughly punchable smug snake Drake Morass, quite possibly the least likable lovable rogue in the history of fiction.
But he's meant to be that way.
I think.
The price gives an insight into a very unusual sort of character in Sword and Sorcery: a man of faith. Thanquil Darkheart has a number of terrible qualities, including the willingness to murder the innocent for the greater good. However, on a basic level, he truly does believe in his God-Emperor and that what he's doing is the best road for humanity. Given the world he inhabits is so cynical, it's interesting to see Thanquil's piety is played straight despite the obvious corruption of the Inquisition.
Jezzet is also trying to deal with something she never expected in her burgeoning conscience. I like the character development she has of actually starting to care about people and the world's unfairness due to Thanquil's influence. It's hilarious, in a really morbidly dark sort of way, that a religious fanatic capable of great atrocities starts to open Jezzet up to the wonders of helping others.
This being grimdark fantasy, it doesn't entirely work out for her.
The book resolves many of the outstanding plots from the previous two books while also setting up the next arc in the series. For three books we've been dealing with the traitors in the Inquisition and their plans to create an army of demon-possessed humans. Here, we get an understanding as to why they are pursuing this insane course of action and what has gotten them so frightened. There's a lot of surprisingly insightful bits about the arbitrary nature of power, shifting nature of morality, and the peculiar yet ever present power of faith. Thanquil Darkheart believes in the God Emperor in spite of several logical inconsistencies yet still manages to make it look better than Drake Morass' belief in nothing.
While perhaps a bit stereotypical in its depiction of fantasy China, the Dragon Empire avoids orientalist tropes and manages to adapt the setting to his world with a minimum of fuss. The Dragon Empire is as dark and seedy in its own way as Sarth and other cities we've dealt with. I would have been interested in more stories set there with Jezzet and Thanquil dealing with the various cultural differences we see them run into separately. I also find the fact Jezzet challenges cultural assumptions by her very existence intriguing as well as the fact they can be a patriarchal society despite a absolute monarch Empress.
I would be remiss in my review if I didn't mention that this book has a very controversial ending which has already had quite a few detractors amongst his fandom. Rob J. Hayes makes a choice to do something which George R.R. Martin would approve of. I'm, honestly, a bit iffy about it since I think the people involved were some of the most developed in the series with their loss diminishing the story rather than strengthening it. The fact it didn't immediately end with the hunting down and exterminating of the character responsible for it also irritated me tremendously. There's a couple of other dropped plot threads like the Prince's witch-wife that I thought could have been handled better.
Despite this, I'm a big fan of The Price of Faith. I liked the depiction of the main characters, enjoyed their reunion with the Black Thorn, and thought everyone was likable (including the villain) except for Drake Morass. Given the previous volumes had some truly reprehensible people in it, it's surprising how entertaining and sympathetic nearly everyone is. I'm still mad about the ending as I think it disrupts the dynamics of the characters too much and there was a lot more room for the characters involved to develop but it doesn't kill my interest in the series.
9/10
October 24, 2017
Amazing final book in an excellent trilogy.
The characterisation is fascinating. I found myself liking characters that at first I didn't like and not liking characters that at first I did like amid a fast paced story line.
The book twists and turns with beautifully descriptive prose.
I recommend the whole trilogy.
The characterisation is fascinating. I found myself liking characters that at first I didn't like and not liking characters that at first I did like amid a fast paced story line.
The book twists and turns with beautifully descriptive prose.
I recommend the whole trilogy.
December 22, 2017
This series needs some good proofreading, but overall it's great. Read it.
December 6, 2023
4.5 stars (rounded up)
Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting to binge through this trilogy in a week’s time, but here we are. Full of dragons, pirates, demons, and foul-mouthed antiheroes, The Price of Faith is the unconventional though absolutely perfect finale to this addictive grimdark delight of a series! Slightly incoherent gushfest, incoming in 3, 2, 1... I LOVED THIS!!!!
Whereas book 2 focused on The Black Thorn & co. dealing with the fallout of the events of book 1, this third book catches us up with Arbiter Darkheart and the Blademaster Jezzet who now find themselves in the Dragon Empire; and they have not been sitting idle.
Now, I know I said in my review of book 2 that I didn’t even miss these characters while they were absent there, but damn was it good to reconnect. I don’t know what it says about me that I am so fully invested in characters who have such questionable morals and who commit some truly heinous acts, but well… I just love them with my whole heart.
We get to learn a lot more about Thanquil’s past through some compelling yet gut wrenching memory sequences, and I absolutely loved seeing glimpses of his early days in the Inquisition. At the same time, we also learn more about how Jezzet came to be such a fierce Blademaster, and holy smokes… the respect I have for this woman is off the charts.
Every single character just got their time to shine in this finale, and there were some touching reunions that hit me right in the feels. These characters are all equal parts menacing and charming, which is exactly why they are so morbidly fascinating to follow. And fuck, if Hayes doesn’t write some deliciously loathsome characters who you just want to punch in the face… while sometimes also wanting to kiss them at the same time (do I have a thing for the suave Drake Morrass? Maybe… no further comment).
Anyway, another thing I loved about this story is how the world just kept expanding over the course of the series. Every time I thought I’d seen all there was to see of this dark and intriguing world, Hayes peeled back another layer and I was struck with wonder all over again. The Dragon Empire (think, Sword & Sorcery China) completely captured my heart, even though I doubt I would be thriving there with the way they view women…
The revelations about the inner workings of the Inquisition were also truly horrifying, yet I can’t say I was expecting anything less from that institution full of weird and creepy zealots. While the main objective in this series is to root out the corruption within the Inquisition, I think it’s more of a looming threat in the background and it’s actually these characters’ tumultuous personal journeys that really take the centre stage and drive the narrative forward.
Still, the final resolution was incredibly satisfying. Well, that's actually a lie. This finale is objectively unsatisfying and I fully acknowledge that it will be extremely controversial... but it just worked for me, okay?!
Yes, some character arcs come to an end in very unexpected ways (FUCK YOU, HAYES), and yes, there is a truly shocking epilogue that puts a completely different perspective on all the events you just read about over the course of the last three books, but I just adored the wild ride.
Every single emotional beat landed, the dark humour had me cackling, all the revelations had me buzzing with excitement, the thrilling action scenes gave me heart palpitations, and I was just fully immersed in this story from beginning to end. I also highly recommend consuming this story via audio, because the narrator Jaret Ross just brought these already vibrant characters to life even more for me.
Even though this series is relentlessly dark and completely fucked up, this binge read has easily been one of the most enjoyable reading experiences of 2023 for me. With the way this ended, I am now desperate to jump into the Best Laid Plans duology, because I can’t get enough of this world!
If you are not afraid of a fantasy series that takes some unconventional twists and turns, then you have come to the right place. Full of dark humour, unlikable yet frustratingly charming characters, imaginative settings, dangerous magic, religious zealotry, and all the brutal back stabbings and betrayals, The Ties that Bind is character-driven grimdark fantasy at its very best.
Well, I certainly wasn’t expecting to binge through this trilogy in a week’s time, but here we are. Full of dragons, pirates, demons, and foul-mouthed antiheroes, The Price of Faith is the unconventional though absolutely perfect finale to this addictive grimdark delight of a series! Slightly incoherent gushfest, incoming in 3, 2, 1... I LOVED THIS!!!!
Whereas book 2 focused on The Black Thorn & co. dealing with the fallout of the events of book 1, this third book catches us up with Arbiter Darkheart and the Blademaster Jezzet who now find themselves in the Dragon Empire; and they have not been sitting idle.
Now, I know I said in my review of book 2 that I didn’t even miss these characters while they were absent there, but damn was it good to reconnect. I don’t know what it says about me that I am so fully invested in characters who have such questionable morals and who commit some truly heinous acts, but well… I just love them with my whole heart.
We get to learn a lot more about Thanquil’s past through some compelling yet gut wrenching memory sequences, and I absolutely loved seeing glimpses of his early days in the Inquisition. At the same time, we also learn more about how Jezzet came to be such a fierce Blademaster, and holy smokes… the respect I have for this woman is off the charts.
Every single character just got their time to shine in this finale, and there were some touching reunions that hit me right in the feels. These characters are all equal parts menacing and charming, which is exactly why they are so morbidly fascinating to follow. And fuck, if Hayes doesn’t write some deliciously loathsome characters who you just want to punch in the face… while sometimes also wanting to kiss them at the same time (do I have a thing for the suave Drake Morrass? Maybe… no further comment).
Anyway, another thing I loved about this story is how the world just kept expanding over the course of the series. Every time I thought I’d seen all there was to see of this dark and intriguing world, Hayes peeled back another layer and I was struck with wonder all over again. The Dragon Empire (think, Sword & Sorcery China) completely captured my heart, even though I doubt I would be thriving there with the way they view women…
The revelations about the inner workings of the Inquisition were also truly horrifying, yet I can’t say I was expecting anything less from that institution full of weird and creepy zealots. While the main objective in this series is to root out the corruption within the Inquisition, I think it’s more of a looming threat in the background and it’s actually these characters’ tumultuous personal journeys that really take the centre stage and drive the narrative forward.
Still, the final resolution was incredibly satisfying. Well, that's actually a lie. This finale is objectively unsatisfying and I fully acknowledge that it will be extremely controversial... but it just worked for me, okay?!
Yes, some character arcs come to an end in very unexpected ways (FUCK YOU, HAYES), and yes, there is a truly shocking epilogue that puts a completely different perspective on all the events you just read about over the course of the last three books, but I just adored the wild ride.
Every single emotional beat landed, the dark humour had me cackling, all the revelations had me buzzing with excitement, the thrilling action scenes gave me heart palpitations, and I was just fully immersed in this story from beginning to end. I also highly recommend consuming this story via audio, because the narrator Jaret Ross just brought these already vibrant characters to life even more for me.
Even though this series is relentlessly dark and completely fucked up, this binge read has easily been one of the most enjoyable reading experiences of 2023 for me. With the way this ended, I am now desperate to jump into the Best Laid Plans duology, because I can’t get enough of this world!
If you are not afraid of a fantasy series that takes some unconventional twists and turns, then you have come to the right place. Full of dark humour, unlikable yet frustratingly charming characters, imaginative settings, dangerous magic, religious zealotry, and all the brutal back stabbings and betrayals, The Ties that Bind is character-driven grimdark fantasy at its very best.
April 6, 2024
Yet another series comes to completion for me with reading The Price of Faith by Rob J. Hayes. This was the third book in the Ties That Bind series. I'm not sure if all three of these were the first three books released by this author or not as I know he has quite a few books and series out in the wilds at this point. I do recall seeing that book one was his first release and I could even see the growth in that first book alone let alone as the series progressed. By this point things definitely had that RJH feeling that I've come to expect whether its fantasy or science fiction.
I don't know if it had been too long between reading books one, two and then three here from this series, but I honestly thought at least one of the characters first mentioned in The Price of Faith had died earlier in the series. Or that may just be my poor memory showing itself again. Either way, we have a lot of characters, history and story coming full circle by the end of the third book here and it was a pleasure to see it happen.
The pacing was solid. To this date I have yet to get a feeling of a slog with anything I've read from this author. I felt that Jaret Ross did a really good job narrating the audiobook version. His performance certainly helped bring this world and it's characters to life.
The worldbuilding was good. It didn't feel like we added a lot of girth to the world but a bit more depth in the third book. One of the most interesting aspects was the focus on the Empress and her dragons. Even if she might not be that likeable I thought this added a nice bit of depth to things mentioned throughout the series. There is also some further revealing history that "ties" so much together.
The character development was nicely done. Even though I thought we had lost a character or two that returned in this story, I really liked how things came together throughout this one to the end. There were some really good revealing moments that were surprising for me which if done nicely is always an excellent addition to a read. I'll try to prevent mentioning any names directly which may be a bit of a spoiler but I think one of my favorite character developments was the tattoo rune covered templar killing machine. The moment he returns to the story was tense and awesome.
In researching a couple of items for this review I found out that one of my only remaining reads left (other than his latest Kickstarter series) is actually a duology diving deeper into Drake Morass so I suppose this trilogy is finished but I still have a bit more to experience within this world at least. I'm expecting some exciting tales to be presented in Where Loyalties Lie and The Fifth Empire of Man.
I would certainly recommend that if you've made it this far in the series, continue to wrap it up. If you haven't dipped into The Ties That Bind yet and you're looking for a darker fantasy read with some depth to the world and characters, give this one a shot.
I don't know if it had been too long between reading books one, two and then three here from this series, but I honestly thought at least one of the characters first mentioned in The Price of Faith had died earlier in the series. Or that may just be my poor memory showing itself again. Either way, we have a lot of characters, history and story coming full circle by the end of the third book here and it was a pleasure to see it happen.
The pacing was solid. To this date I have yet to get a feeling of a slog with anything I've read from this author. I felt that Jaret Ross did a really good job narrating the audiobook version. His performance certainly helped bring this world and it's characters to life.
The worldbuilding was good. It didn't feel like we added a lot of girth to the world but a bit more depth in the third book. One of the most interesting aspects was the focus on the Empress and her dragons. Even if she might not be that likeable I thought this added a nice bit of depth to things mentioned throughout the series. There is also some further revealing history that "ties" so much together.
The character development was nicely done. Even though I thought we had lost a character or two that returned in this story, I really liked how things came together throughout this one to the end. There were some really good revealing moments that were surprising for me which if done nicely is always an excellent addition to a read. I'll try to prevent mentioning any names directly which may be a bit of a spoiler but I think one of my favorite character developments was the tattoo rune covered templar killing machine. The moment he returns to the story was tense and awesome.
In researching a couple of items for this review I found out that one of my only remaining reads left (other than his latest Kickstarter series) is actually a duology diving deeper into Drake Morass so I suppose this trilogy is finished but I still have a bit more to experience within this world at least. I'm expecting some exciting tales to be presented in Where Loyalties Lie and The Fifth Empire of Man.
I would certainly recommend that if you've made it this far in the series, continue to wrap it up. If you haven't dipped into The Ties That Bind yet and you're looking for a darker fantasy read with some depth to the world and characters, give this one a shot.
February 9, 2015
What can I say, the end of a promising trilogy was a non sense. So many lose ends at the finale and also a lot of things that add no value or have no reason . Anyway when I read a book I expect to make sense in the end, to be convincing. In The Price of Faith the end doesn't make sense. I feel like I lost my time reading 3 books, I feel cheated of a good finale for no reason...whatever
July 5, 2016
Wrapped up the trilogy quite nicely, with plenty of open room to continue, minus a few characters of course.
All the awesome characters you know from the first 2 books return. Relationships grow and alter course. There's love and heartache, sometimes one turning into the other. There's loss of body parts. An ancient sword crafted from a God that houses a demon...yeah, that shit is cool. Some big twists were made in this one, and they were great!
This series has it all, even dragons (I wouldn't mind them getting more 'screen time' sometime though), and I look forward to more. Rob Hayes is an author you should be following if you aren't already--big things are bound to happen.
All the awesome characters you know from the first 2 books return. Relationships grow and alter course. There's love and heartache, sometimes one turning into the other. There's loss of body parts. An ancient sword crafted from a God that houses a demon...yeah, that shit is cool. Some big twists were made in this one, and they were great!
This series has it all, even dragons (I wouldn't mind them getting more 'screen time' sometime though), and I look forward to more. Rob Hayes is an author you should be following if you aren't already--big things are bound to happen.
July 14, 2013
The Price of Faith is the final book in The Ties That Bind Trilogy, while the second book The Colour of Vengeance was devoted to the Black Thorn and events occurring around him, the final book is largely centred on the Arbitar Thanquil Darkheart and Jezzet Vel'urn the blademaster. Both have travelled to the Dragon Empire but are currently separated as Thanquil tracks the powerful witch who escaped him in the first book, a difficult task as she is protected by a dragon prince. Jezzet is working as a sellsword and is a favourite of the young woman who rules the empire.
The first two thirds of the book feature only their stories and it is not till this point that the Black Thorn and his crew, Jacob the Templar and all the chief protagonists come together for the final battle with Kessick and his demon enhanced army. What we do get however is flashbacks into Thanquil and Jezzet's past which were interesting and bought you closer to these well defined characters.
I must admit I didn't enjoy this as much as the previous novel but I do count that as one of the best I've read, while Thanquil and Jezzet are great characters, they don't have the charisma of the Black Thorn and his crew but it was certainly a satisfactory conclusion with plenty of twists and turns. An epic final battle that follows the traits of other major dark fantasy series in that not all of the main characters survive and a happy ending is guaranteed not to happen for all.
There are also plot threads left that mean there could be further stories to tell in this world and I would definitely like to read more of the Black Thorn and his crew who now operate as bounty hunters. The pirate Drake Morrass also has a significant role to play in this book, a very clever adversary who's scheming is not entirely evident till the end.
In conclusion a highly recommended series and I can't wait for the next offering from this author.
The first two thirds of the book feature only their stories and it is not till this point that the Black Thorn and his crew, Jacob the Templar and all the chief protagonists come together for the final battle with Kessick and his demon enhanced army. What we do get however is flashbacks into Thanquil and Jezzet's past which were interesting and bought you closer to these well defined characters.
I must admit I didn't enjoy this as much as the previous novel but I do count that as one of the best I've read, while Thanquil and Jezzet are great characters, they don't have the charisma of the Black Thorn and his crew but it was certainly a satisfactory conclusion with plenty of twists and turns. An epic final battle that follows the traits of other major dark fantasy series in that not all of the main characters survive and a happy ending is guaranteed not to happen for all.
There are also plot threads left that mean there could be further stories to tell in this world and I would definitely like to read more of the Black Thorn and his crew who now operate as bounty hunters. The pirate Drake Morrass also has a significant role to play in this book, a very clever adversary who's scheming is not entirely evident till the end.
In conclusion a highly recommended series and I can't wait for the next offering from this author.
January 7, 2022
I love his books! But will rate 4.5 ⭐ because it really bugs me when author uses "span" instead of "spun" (a word used in every other chapter, and just as frequently in his other books). Lots of double negatives too.
May 20, 2018
My favourite book of the trilogy. In this we get to find out what happened to Thanquil and Jezzet after the ending of the first book. The story gets wrapped up after many twists & turns, reunions and a sprinkling of pirates. A very satisfying & fun read!
April 18, 2020
Why, oh why? Why for god's sake kill Jezzet? This arbitrary decision makes me furious when I think about this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2024
How can you review books 3 stars yet be happy?
Not sure and it’s not always the case, but with the this series it feels right.
I enjoy the gritty fantasy, I like the short POV characters, characters which are over the top, a little cliche, grim dark to a point where it takes you out of it a bit, yet endearing.
The plot? It’s ok but jot great. I’ve not felt hugely engaged throughout and it’s all felt a little all over the place. I felt underwhelmed.
Having said that, I’m engaged enough to continue reading Hayes, whatever that looks like.
There’s something here, he can only get better surely?
Overall I’d give this book a 6.5 and the series the same.
But a 6.5 which will have me reading more in the future.
Weird I know.
Not sure and it’s not always the case, but with the this series it feels right.
I enjoy the gritty fantasy, I like the short POV characters, characters which are over the top, a little cliche, grim dark to a point where it takes you out of it a bit, yet endearing.
The plot? It’s ok but jot great. I’ve not felt hugely engaged throughout and it’s all felt a little all over the place. I felt underwhelmed.
Having said that, I’m engaged enough to continue reading Hayes, whatever that looks like.
There’s something here, he can only get better surely?
Overall I’d give this book a 6.5 and the series the same.
But a 6.5 which will have me reading more in the future.
Weird I know.
October 29, 2022
Read it! It’s good!
February 5, 2024
Unfortunetully, this was quite a dissapointing ending to what in my eyes became a very missmanaged trilogy.
I really enjoyed Heressy Within, the first book of Ties That Bind trilogy. Then, the book two was just a side quest not featuring the main character, which threw me of a bit, but I was still hoping that RJH can get the momentum back in the final instalment. And for a while, it seemed like that was the case - the first of the five parts of this book was exactly what I wanted it to be, a direct continuation of book one.
But then it derailed and never really got back. The book just meanders for a very long time, it completely drops interesting storylines and then it just kind of ends, while leaving SO MUCH open ended. Maybe I am wrong, but I strongly feel like RJH only had a story figured out for book one and after that, he completely lost track of it.
There is some good. RJH rivals Mark Lawrence as the author whose books I read most easily. There are great scenes, mostly action scenes, the dialogue is very realistic and full of strong one liners and Thranquil is a very cool character.
However, that just does not change the fact, that this book consists of great beggining that gets droped completely, too long meandering section and very short ending, that is not really an ending. And since the book two is just a side quest, that absolutely did not need to be a whole novel, and book one (even though it is very good) makes a lot of promises that do not get delivered upon... I do not think I can really reccomend this trilogy to anybody. That does not mean I am giving up to RJH btw, I still enjoyed 4 out of 6 books I have read by him. 5/10 for Price of Faith, 6/10 for Ties That Bind.
I really enjoyed Heressy Within, the first book of Ties That Bind trilogy. Then, the book two was just a side quest not featuring the main character, which threw me of a bit, but I was still hoping that RJH can get the momentum back in the final instalment. And for a while, it seemed like that was the case - the first of the five parts of this book was exactly what I wanted it to be, a direct continuation of book one.
But then it derailed and never really got back. The book just meanders for a very long time, it completely drops interesting storylines and then it just kind of ends, while leaving SO MUCH open ended. Maybe I am wrong, but I strongly feel like RJH only had a story figured out for book one and after that, he completely lost track of it.
There is some good. RJH rivals Mark Lawrence as the author whose books I read most easily. There are great scenes, mostly action scenes, the dialogue is very realistic and full of strong one liners and Thranquil is a very cool character.
However, that just does not change the fact, that this book consists of great beggining that gets droped completely, too long meandering section and very short ending, that is not really an ending. And since the book two is just a side quest, that absolutely did not need to be a whole novel, and book one (even though it is very good) makes a lot of promises that do not get delivered upon... I do not think I can really reccomend this trilogy to anybody. That does not mean I am giving up to RJH btw, I still enjoyed 4 out of 6 books I have read by him. 5/10 for Price of Faith, 6/10 for Ties That Bind.
May 23, 2014
German Review on GosuReviews
Satisfying ending to the The Ties That Bind trilogy. Thanquil and Jezzet are back in the action and we get to see more about their past and background.
I am a bit unsure of what to think about the first part of the story, it felt like a little setup for later stories, because a number of plot strands were left open, but it was still enjoyable. In the second part we get to see our three friends back together and the conclusion to the main plot with an epic end battle.
All in all a great grimdark fantasy trilogy and a must read for fans of this genre. I'm excited for the next books!
PS: Rob please invest in commissioning a map for your world, I think it would be a great help to get a better orientation.
Satisfying ending to the The Ties That Bind trilogy. Thanquil and Jezzet are back in the action and we get to see more about their past and background.
I am a bit unsure of what to think about the first part of the story, it felt like a little setup for later stories, because a number of plot strands were left open, but it was still enjoyable. In the second part we get to see our three friends back together and the conclusion to the main plot with an epic end battle.
All in all a great grimdark fantasy trilogy and a must read for fans of this genre. I'm excited for the next books!
PS: Rob please invest in commissioning a map for your world, I think it would be a great help to get a better orientation.
April 4, 2018
Lost it
In the first book, Thanquil leaves Jezzet in jail, and he only sees her to say goodbye, in this book it refers back to their relationship ( including physical fights Thanquil lost to her ) that could only have been happening while Jezzet was imprisoned and they weren't in contact. Party.
In the first book, Thanquil leaves Jezzet in jail, and he only sees her to say goodbye, in this book it refers back to their relationship ( including physical fights Thanquil lost to her ) that could only have been happening while Jezzet was imprisoned and they weren't in contact. Party.
January 9, 2023
I've read the past entries in the First Earth Saga and enjoy this particular setting. It is different than the typical fantasy and magic sort of setting with the Inquisition/witch hunters actually being an effective force fighting evil. They may be overzealous at times and do, on occasion, either overstep themselves or get the wrong person. But the evil they fight is real and present, and needs to be combatted.
The Price of Faith returns to the main protagonist from the first book after taking a break to follow another character, the Black Thorn, in the second. Thanquil is one of my favorite protagonists as he is a member of the Inquisition, solid in his faith and belief, and actually accomplishes things. He returns with his sense of snark, penchant for pickpocketing, and solid use of the Inquisition's magic.
Also returning is a protagonist from the first book, Blademaster Jezzet Vel'urn. We get a must bigger look at Jezzet's past, her current thoughts, and just how good a Blademaster she is.
Overall, the book is a welcome return to the setting. If you liked the first, you'll likely enjoy coming back to the same characters another time. The pace can feel off at times and the ending feels rushed, as if the author is trying to fit in every cameo he can in order to make it to the end. As part of the series it is a must read. There are some setup/payoff issues that may irk readers.
One major issue I had with this book is the formatting and editing. There were a lot of proofing mistakes in terms of punctuation, paragraph formatting, and quotations. I haven't seen these issues in Rob's other works and am not sure if this was due to time constraints or losing an editor. There are also homonym issues. For example, when talking about wearing their hair in a ponytail, instead they wear a pony tale. Niggling, but they can pull you out of the story if grammar and formatting are a bit thing for you.
Some spoilers ahead with the plot summary:
Thanquil is hunting a witch in the Dragon empire, picking up from where we left him in book one. He is separated from his lover Jezzat following a quarrel over his membership with the Inquisition. Thanquil tracks down the witch he is seeking, fights here, and before he can deliver the deathblow he is interrupted by a herald from the Empress. Jezzat is under arrest and Thanquil is summoned to deliver judgement.
The issue here is this story thread is never picked up again or concluded. Thanquil departs before he can kill the witch and promises to return. However, due to later issues, he never comes back. The witch remains in power, married to a noble. It is a fun section, but I have to wonder why we spend nearly a fifth of the book on a plotline that won't be brought up again.
Given the immediacy implied at the end of part one, you'd expect to dive into the problems with Jezzet. Instead, we leap into the past and follow Jezzat as she goes about living without Thanquil. She works as a mercenary taking odd jobs and ruminating on her past. While I enjoyed learning more about Jezzet, this detour derails the worry after the end of part one. It isn't until six chapters later that she is arrested and we catch up to where part one left off.
Though it is pleasant to get more information about Jezzet, it bogs down the pacing of the story. We spend another quarter of the book with Jezzet on the run and Thanquil giving chase to her and the pirate captain Drake. Again, it is good character building and enjoyable, but the pace feels slow. By the time we get to the last quarter of the book, things flip into high gear in an unexpected manner.
Thanquil encounters the Black Thorn and crew, reoccurring characters from the first and second book. Some of the pacing issues begin here. I do enjoy seeing characters and interweaving a story, but the inclusion of the Black Thorn and company begin to slow things down. As we close in on the end of the book some characters are split off, sent to cool their heels while the rest venture on. It feels like at this point there wasn't enough story and too many characters vying for attention.
Rob makes an effort to tie up character arcs and give everyone something to due, but at this point there isn't enough time left. Some characters get a single chapter to act and are conveniently sidelined to allow the rest to do something.
I did enjoy this book but the formatting and pacing issues keep it from being a five out of five for the author and series. If Black Thorn had been introduced earlier in the story, the pace would have allowed everyone to get a turn in the spotlight. These are big characters with big personalities and they vie for screentime. This, unfortunately, pushes some people out of the limelight and keeps them from shining.
Rob is usually good about his setup/payoff. While not running convoluted plots a la Sanderson, you can usually count on something being set up in one chapter and paid off a few chapters later. Unfortunately, a few of these setups feel shoehorned in, especially with what happens to Jezzet. It wasn't hinted at earlier in the novel and it feels more like a last minute thought.
If you're a fan of Thanquil and Blackthorn, I'd consider this a must read of the series. Not the best of Rob's work, but a solid entry.
The Price of Faith returns to the main protagonist from the first book after taking a break to follow another character, the Black Thorn, in the second. Thanquil is one of my favorite protagonists as he is a member of the Inquisition, solid in his faith and belief, and actually accomplishes things. He returns with his sense of snark, penchant for pickpocketing, and solid use of the Inquisition's magic.
Also returning is a protagonist from the first book, Blademaster Jezzet Vel'urn. We get a must bigger look at Jezzet's past, her current thoughts, and just how good a Blademaster she is.
Overall, the book is a welcome return to the setting. If you liked the first, you'll likely enjoy coming back to the same characters another time. The pace can feel off at times and the ending feels rushed, as if the author is trying to fit in every cameo he can in order to make it to the end. As part of the series it is a must read. There are some setup/payoff issues that may irk readers.
One major issue I had with this book is the formatting and editing. There were a lot of proofing mistakes in terms of punctuation, paragraph formatting, and quotations. I haven't seen these issues in Rob's other works and am not sure if this was due to time constraints or losing an editor. There are also homonym issues. For example, when talking about wearing their hair in a ponytail, instead they wear a pony tale. Niggling, but they can pull you out of the story if grammar and formatting are a bit thing for you.
Some spoilers ahead with the plot summary:
Thanquil is hunting a witch in the Dragon empire, picking up from where we left him in book one. He is separated from his lover Jezzat following a quarrel over his membership with the Inquisition. Thanquil tracks down the witch he is seeking, fights here, and before he can deliver the deathblow he is interrupted by a herald from the Empress. Jezzat is under arrest and Thanquil is summoned to deliver judgement.
The issue here is this story thread is never picked up again or concluded. Thanquil departs before he can kill the witch and promises to return. However, due to later issues, he never comes back. The witch remains in power, married to a noble. It is a fun section, but I have to wonder why we spend nearly a fifth of the book on a plotline that won't be brought up again.
Given the immediacy implied at the end of part one, you'd expect to dive into the problems with Jezzet. Instead, we leap into the past and follow Jezzat as she goes about living without Thanquil. She works as a mercenary taking odd jobs and ruminating on her past. While I enjoyed learning more about Jezzet, this detour derails the worry after the end of part one. It isn't until six chapters later that she is arrested and we catch up to where part one left off.
Though it is pleasant to get more information about Jezzet, it bogs down the pacing of the story. We spend another quarter of the book with Jezzet on the run and Thanquil giving chase to her and the pirate captain Drake. Again, it is good character building and enjoyable, but the pace feels slow. By the time we get to the last quarter of the book, things flip into high gear in an unexpected manner.
Thanquil encounters the Black Thorn and crew, reoccurring characters from the first and second book. Some of the pacing issues begin here. I do enjoy seeing characters and interweaving a story, but the inclusion of the Black Thorn and company begin to slow things down. As we close in on the end of the book some characters are split off, sent to cool their heels while the rest venture on. It feels like at this point there wasn't enough story and too many characters vying for attention.
Rob makes an effort to tie up character arcs and give everyone something to due, but at this point there isn't enough time left. Some characters get a single chapter to act and are conveniently sidelined to allow the rest to do something.
I did enjoy this book but the formatting and pacing issues keep it from being a five out of five for the author and series. If Black Thorn had been introduced earlier in the story, the pace would have allowed everyone to get a turn in the spotlight. These are big characters with big personalities and they vie for screentime. This, unfortunately, pushes some people out of the limelight and keeps them from shining.
Rob is usually good about his setup/payoff. While not running convoluted plots a la Sanderson, you can usually count on something being set up in one chapter and paid off a few chapters later. Unfortunately, a few of these setups feel shoehorned in, especially with what happens to Jezzet. It wasn't hinted at earlier in the novel and it feels more like a last minute thought.
If you're a fan of Thanquil and Blackthorn, I'd consider this a must read of the series. Not the best of Rob's work, but a solid entry.
May 27, 2015
what an awesome trilogy, i really enjoyed it
September 21, 2019
DNF at 44% due to boredom.
August 19, 2019
Rollicking fun. Gratuitous...everything.
It’s strength is largely the collection of idiosyncratic characters, never softened or made more morally palatable by he author’s clear (and deserved) love of them.
This (self-published?) version is badly in need of another two edits. One for the many typos (not judging — who can fully copy edit themselves?), and one for clean-up of the occasional (not egregious) stylistic...meanderings (same rule of non-judgment applies: can’t see myself editing myself with any more successful thoroughness).
Ultimately, these “mechanical”/“budgetary” flaws are trivial. Occasionally distracting, but far outshone by the entertainingly close-not-quite-utterly-amoral cast of main characters (the “not-quite-completely-amoral” description being true of all save Drake Moran, the one who perpetually seems most heroic, noble, and...hygienic. He’s a right scumbag in a simultaneously endearing and deeply-off-putting and offensive manner. Easily my most loathed of the main characters, though intrinsic and no less entertaining fo all that he is genuinely reptilian.
It’s perhaps the best example of the compelling and even lighthearted (admittedly odd, but no less accurate adjective for such a blood-and moral-transgression-laden tale and its characters). Completely worth the read (all three books in the series). Would be nice if a publisher picked up the rights and gave them their deserved edited polish). Might even deserve a fourth star (as high as I ever go for “excellent read,but not life-changingly profound) if cleaned up.
Not, however for the faint of heart. Bloody as hell. Lacking in anything approaching PC sensibilities save female warriors of equal-or-greater puissance than their male companions. A world of (mostly unexamined, “a-philosophic” slavery, casual — enthusiastic — approach to murder, and an acceptance (though not condoning) of rape as part of life in a truly lawless milieu.
Rarely comfortable — any of it. To end in repetition, however: thoroughly engaging and impressively endearing despite an entire cast and milieu that should make those traits an impossible achievement.
It’s strength is largely the collection of idiosyncratic characters, never softened or made more morally palatable by he author’s clear (and deserved) love of them.
This (self-published?) version is badly in need of another two edits. One for the many typos (not judging — who can fully copy edit themselves?), and one for clean-up of the occasional (not egregious) stylistic...meanderings (same rule of non-judgment applies: can’t see myself editing myself with any more successful thoroughness).
Ultimately, these “mechanical”/“budgetary” flaws are trivial. Occasionally distracting, but far outshone by the entertainingly close-not-quite-utterly-amoral cast of main characters (the “not-quite-completely-amoral” description being true of all save Drake Moran, the one who perpetually seems most heroic, noble, and...hygienic. He’s a right scumbag in a simultaneously endearing and deeply-off-putting and offensive manner. Easily my most loathed of the main characters, though intrinsic and no less entertaining fo all that he is genuinely reptilian.
It’s perhaps the best example of the compelling and even lighthearted (admittedly odd, but no less accurate adjective for such a blood-and moral-transgression-laden tale and its characters). Completely worth the read (all three books in the series). Would be nice if a publisher picked up the rights and gave them their deserved edited polish). Might even deserve a fourth star (as high as I ever go for “excellent read,but not life-changingly profound) if cleaned up.
Not, however for the faint of heart. Bloody as hell. Lacking in anything approaching PC sensibilities save female warriors of equal-or-greater puissance than their male companions. A world of (mostly unexamined, “a-philosophic” slavery, casual — enthusiastic — approach to murder, and an acceptance (though not condoning) of rape as part of life in a truly lawless milieu.
Rarely comfortable — any of it. To end in repetition, however: thoroughly engaging and impressively endearing despite an entire cast and milieu that should make those traits an impossible achievement.
October 2, 2021
As the first 5 books are strongly linked by story line i will rate them together.
The books are better than the average fantasy stories. Even though i am certainly no fan of the current woke cult and loved the older Abercrombie novels i had my problems with the constant rapes, gutter language and a seemingly fixation on the attractivity of persons and certain anatomics the writer showed. Maybe i am just getting old....
The story itself is not bad at all and unlike most authors you don´t see everything coming hundreds of pages ahead. The protagonists are anti heroes but unfortunately most don´t have the same depth or credibility as similar characters by David Gemmel or Joe Abercrombie.
I especially was no fan of any of the female characters in the first 6 books. Absurdly, they all seem to be young, strong, single, childless, independent, attractive and very very libidinous. Despite their claimed outstanding qualities or status they mostly serve as sex/love object/interest for one or the other male protagonists and will of course wait for months or years for them or join them at all costs.... Don´t get me wrong. I love a good believable love story but this is just ridiculous.. Even the old Conan comic series did not go that far...
In fact, the most believable and likeable character for me was the arbiter. But even his plot line was rather far stretched..
Without these issues i would give the series 4 stars, but so i only can give 3.
The books are better than the average fantasy stories. Even though i am certainly no fan of the current woke cult and loved the older Abercrombie novels i had my problems with the constant rapes, gutter language and a seemingly fixation on the attractivity of persons and certain anatomics the writer showed. Maybe i am just getting old....
The story itself is not bad at all and unlike most authors you don´t see everything coming hundreds of pages ahead. The protagonists are anti heroes but unfortunately most don´t have the same depth or credibility as similar characters by David Gemmel or Joe Abercrombie.
I especially was no fan of any of the female characters in the first 6 books. Absurdly, they all seem to be young, strong, single, childless, independent, attractive and very very libidinous. Despite their claimed outstanding qualities or status they mostly serve as sex/love object/interest for one or the other male protagonists and will of course wait for months or years for them or join them at all costs.... Don´t get me wrong. I love a good believable love story but this is just ridiculous.. Even the old Conan comic series did not go that far...
In fact, the most believable and likeable character for me was the arbiter. But even his plot line was rather far stretched..
Without these issues i would give the series 4 stars, but so i only can give 3.
July 12, 2022
I picked up this series because I was looking for something that had a swordmaster in it and I was in the mood for some scenes with amazing sword play.
This series really disappoints in that respect.
However, in every respect it is just crazy how far it outdid my expectations.
The characterization is really good, and the interweaving of different plot lines had me questioning where the author was going, but he pulled most of the strings together at the end.
The reason this is 4/5 instead of 5/5 is I feel there are way too many questions left unanswered, and since this book was first written in 2013, and I don't see anywhere additional books in the series, I feel it was sort of a waste of time writing in some of them.
For example, spending 40% of this book having a witch hunt go no where and a relationship with the Dragon Empress go where it did, well, that could have been spent giving us some more answers, or at least not having more questions arise.
The epilogue was very unusual and the type of thing that an author would do if they had more to write about...
Overall though I couldn't put this series down. Absolutely blew my mind how good they were considering this isn't a big name author (yet).
IMO the author should hire a publicist to help them get their name out there cause this is an A shelf series.
This series really disappoints in that respect.
However, in every respect it is just crazy how far it outdid my expectations.
The characterization is really good, and the interweaving of different plot lines had me questioning where the author was going, but he pulled most of the strings together at the end.
The reason this is 4/5 instead of 5/5 is I feel there are way too many questions left unanswered, and since this book was first written in 2013, and I don't see anywhere additional books in the series, I feel it was sort of a waste of time writing in some of them.
For example, spending 40% of this book having a witch hunt go no where and a relationship with the Dragon Empress go where it did, well, that could have been spent giving us some more answers, or at least not having more questions arise.
The epilogue was very unusual and the type of thing that an author would do if they had more to write about...
Overall though I couldn't put this series down. Absolutely blew my mind how good they were considering this isn't a big name author (yet).
IMO the author should hire a publicist to help them get their name out there cause this is an A shelf series.
December 13, 2024
the book meanders a bit in the beginning, but once it finds its tracks, it's a classic Rob J Hayes fanfare of gritty action, witty dialogue, a world that is grimy and dirty and I can only ask for more of it, and a story that wraps up the best parts of The Heresy Within and The Colour of Vengeance (which I didnt expect, I was thinking it would be more like an anthology). You get to know more about the world and the Ties that Bind, and I hope RJH gives this trilogy the same treatment Brandon Sanderson gave to his Mistborn: The Final Empire trilogy, and treats us to a 2nd age-like slew of follow-up stories.
8/10
8/10
April 14, 2025
would have had a 5 star if if wasn’t for the ending!!! Horrible!
Originally, I left it with a 4 star, but had to downgrade to a 3 star as I thought about it more. I can understand authors killing off beloved characters (Sun Eater),but if we are still left with characters you care about(e.g. Hadrian) you want to keep reading. This is not the case here. The most awful loathsome character (Drake-I’m including the name in case someone liked him so maybe they might want to keep reading) wins and the next 2 books in this world center on him. NOWAY! This 4th book in the Earth Saga series won a self published award-Mr. Lawrence -did you or your readers read the first trilogy? And this is not grey-this is not Logen or Glokta(First Law;Abercrombie) where the guy is morally grey but you can still care about him! (Love Glokta!). This is just a despicable, disgusting character with no redeeming qualities and this is who wins?!!! This is who the next books are about?! I guess I’m so upset because I also loved his Godeater books and thought the way he structured them was so creative. But this book has put me off this author-not reading any backlist-if a new Godeater comes out I’ll read it.
Originally, I left it with a 4 star, but had to downgrade to a 3 star as I thought about it more. I can understand authors killing off beloved characters (Sun Eater),but if we are still left with characters you care about(e.g. Hadrian) you want to keep reading. This is not the case here. The most awful loathsome character (Drake-I’m including the name in case someone liked him so maybe they might want to keep reading) wins and the next 2 books in this world center on him. NOWAY! This 4th book in the Earth Saga series won a self published award-Mr. Lawrence -did you or your readers read the first trilogy? And this is not grey-this is not Logen or Glokta(First Law;Abercrombie) where the guy is morally grey but you can still care about him! (Love Glokta!). This is just a despicable, disgusting character with no redeeming qualities and this is who wins?!!! This is who the next books are about?! I guess I’m so upset because I also loved his Godeater books and thought the way he structured them was so creative. But this book has put me off this author-not reading any backlist-if a new Godeater comes out I’ll read it.
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