The Far Far Better Thing: The Epic Fantasy Conclusion to the Saga of the Redeemed – A Sword and Sorcery Adventure

Saga of the Redeemed #4

by Auston Habershaw

Auston Habershaw's epic fantasy series, The Saga of the Redeemed, which began with  The Oldest Trick , comes to a powerful conclusion in The Far Far Better Thing.

War has come to Eretheria.

With Tyvian Reldamar feigning his death, the forces that still carry his banner are left to fight a vicious battle against the warlord Banric Sahand and the noble houses that flock to his side.

Led by Myreon and Artus, this band of freedom fighters and angry rebels is faced with an enemy the likes of which they’ve never faced before: one who will do anything, no matter how brutal, to secure victory.

Having had his fill of death, Tyvian tries to run away from the war fought in his name, but it just isn’t that simple. With his mother held prisoner, Artus and Myreon in grave danger, and Xahlven pulling the strings in the background, the ring drags Tyvian to return and set things right.

But how can one man fix a world this broken? And what will be left behind when the smoke clears? No one can say for sure.

Least of all Tyvian.

Genres: Fantasy

643 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 5, 2019

About the author

Auston Habershaw is the author of the Saga of the Redeemed (Harper Voyager Impulse), If Wishes Were Retail (Tachyon), and Faceless Galaxy (JAB Books). Habershaw has published over 30 science fiction and fantasy short stories in Analog, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, among other places. His next book, In Her Exquisite Clutches (Tachyon) releases in March 2027.

Habershaw has worked as a lifeguard, barista, waiter, QA tester, dog walker, hotel bellhop, pedicab driver, SAT tutor, office drone, and a bunch of other random things. He currently teaches composition and literature at MCPHS University in Boston, Massachusetts. You can find him online at aahabershaw.com

Reviews

[John Loyd]

Tyvian died at the end of book III, but as planned the ring brings him back to life. Sahand is retreating his troops that invaded Eretheria are now looting villages on the way back. "Prince" Artus is now the leader of Eretheria, Myreon is his general. They gather an army and chase after the Delloran forces. Sahand has made a pact with [traitorous] Ayventry. Myreon will have to fight her way. Hool is seeking vengence for Brana's death. Xahlven has his own plans for bringing down everything.

Eddereon wants to save Lyrelle, so the company of mercenaries that he finds for he and Tyvian to join are Sahand's troops. Things can't get any worse, right? Well Adatha Voth joins the ghouls and she'll for sure recognize Tyvian. They're traveling to Dellor, so are Myreon and Artus.

Pretty much constant battles. There is some attrition, but it forces Myreon into desperation mode and Sahand just calls in his reserves. I really liked the Myreon/Tyvian dynamic in the first three books. Here they were acting independently. Ditto w/ Hool. I wasn't as intrigued by the war scenes, some people may love that action, 4.1 stars.

[Michelle]

4.5 This final 4th book in the Saga of the Redeemed ties everything up, as the final plans of all of the Reldamars come to fruition. Thankfully not as dark as the last book, but in the midst of war we get to see Tyvian, Artus, Myreon, and Hool once again as they follow their own paths. I loved Tyvian's path with his iron ring, and was happy that we got to see more of Lyrelle in this one too. I wish the end didn't feel so sudden, but I read it twice more and feel satisfied. Overall, this series was great and I highly recommend it!

[David]

A wonderful tale, which according to the afterward, is the end of this series. THAT makes me sad. I hope another story brings him back to these wonderful characters.

[Dan Seitz]

A truly awful pun in the chapter headings aside, a fitting end to Tyvian's story and a lot of fun!

[Sean]

A good finish to the series. The previous book wasn't so great had lower expectations for the ending. Glad it didn't disappoint. Bit of a darker story. More fitting to the context.

[Mrs. Bookworm]

I just wish it had a different ending. It didn’t actually wrap everything up for me though especially between Tyvian & Myreon.

[Jon]

I've been reading this series since first joining up with the Harper Voyager Super Reader program (free books for honest reviews? Yes please), and have enjoyed the entire ride. While things tend to run a little slow on occasion, it's by no means a bad thing. Habershaw more than makes up for it in the next scene. ;) Fans of fantasy with a rogue as the protagonist (see Mark Lawrence's Prince Jalan in the Red Queen's War trilogy) will definitely enjoy the antics throughout these books. As an added bonus, you have a large cast of secondary characters that as often as not steal the main stage for themselves. Overall I'd give the series a very, very solid 4 stars, not the best in the game but definitely worthy of a read.

[Lbech]

This book was a little different than its predecessors. Most of them were 90% from the main character's point of view (Tyrian Raldemar), but this one look us off into the heads of villains and important support characters, such as Tyrian Raldemar's mother, brother, his paramours, and his sidekicks Artus and Hool. The plot was densely interesting as usual with Artus and Myreon leading open warfare but, I missed having more of Tyrian who was always getting himself into scrapes and approaching problems very creatively. Yes, there was still plenty of magic, good and bad, and plenty of action I never expected, which is what Habershaw has been so good at delivering.
My only regret about this volume is that the ending seemed sketchy and abrupt. At one point, Tyrian shows up in a rescue effort where he admits he had no complete plan. This is out of character for Ty; he always had a harebrained scheme. At the end, our favorite characters rapidly disperse. So, we know there is another volume coming, but he could have handled that better. These are the mild complaints of someone hooked on this series.

[Cheyenne]

A fitting end

I read this book as I've read every other book in this series, with a permanent smirk. I adore Tyvian. Most people would change their ways after their first brush with death or possibly the second, but definitely the third. Fortunately our (anti) hero's stubbornness is the stuff of legends. Despite his best efforts, however, he finally learned something honor, home, and family. I loved Artus's growth throughout the series as well. He was treated very poorly in this one and I was a little worried for him but he ended up where he needed to be. On another note, I finally rearranged the letters in Tyvian Reldamar's name because it always seemed like a joke that I was just missing. I found the words dream and valiant with an r and y leftover. So a valiant dream with a little nonsense thrown in. Sounds about right.

[Julie Hipp]

Very sorry to see this end

This author has definitely gained a loyal reader
I'm looking forward to the next series. This was a blast from the start