Warlord

Hythrun Chronicles: Wolfblade #3

by Jennifer Fallon

Marla Wolfblade is reeling from the loss of her closest confidant, Elizaar the Fool, who taught her the Rules of Gaining and Wielding Power, and helped shape her into a force in Hythria. But Marla's plans for revenge are disrupted when she discovers she has a dangerous adversary....
 
On the border, Fardohnya has massed its troops for an invasion, and Marla's eldest son, Damin Wolfblade, heir to the throne of Hythria, finds his ability to fight back is thwarted by tradition, politics, and the foolishness of the High Prince...
 
Back in Krakandar, Mahkas Damaran awaits news of the battle and has sealed the city against Damin's return. With the city on the brink of starvation, it seems only theft on an unprecedented scale can free Krakandar from Mahkas's madness and tyranny... and destroy Hythria's web of secrets and lies.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Ebooks, Romance

512 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Fallon is the author of 17 full-length bestselling novels and a number of published short stories in genres ranging from horror to science fiction.

In addition to 4 complete fantasy series - The Demon Child trilogy, The Hythrun Chronicles, the Second Sons Trilogy,The Tide Lords Quadrilogy and the Rift Runners series - Fallon has written both a tie-novel and short fiction for the TV series, Stargate SG1, an official Zorro story, a novella for the Legends of Australian Fantasy Anthology and has a superhero - The Violet Valet (CHICKS IN CAPES).

Fallon has a Masters Degree from the Creative Arts faculty of QUT. A computer trainer and application specialist, Fallon currently works in the IT industry and spends at least a month each year working at Scott Base in Antarctica.

Reviews

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 5 out of 5]

📚 The Hythrun Chronicles reading order:
(Each series can be read independently.)
· Demon Child Trilogy, Book 1: Medalon ★★★★
· Demon Child Trilogy, Book 2: Treason Keep ★★★★
· Demon Child Trilogy, Book 3: Harshini ★★★★
· Wolfblade Trilogy, Book 1: Wolfblade ★★★★★
· Wolfblade Trilogy, Book 2: Warrior ★★★★★
· Wolfblade Trilogy, Book 3: Warlord ★★★★★
· Standalone novella: First Kill ★★★
· War of the Gods, Book 1: The Lyre Thief ★★★★★
· War of the Gods, Book 2: Retribution ★★★★★
· War of the Gods, Book 3: Covenant · to be published. Maybe.

[TinaNoir · Rating 5 out of 5]

03/27/2018 update:
Decided to re-read this series since the last time I was read it was 10 years ago. Remember really liking it and wondered if it would stand up. It does! Enjoyed it as much the second time and while I remembered some stuff, I'd forgotten enough that the reading was almost like new.

Still a five-star favorite.
-----------------------------------

First I must admit that the cover art of this book is a little distracting. Not because it is of the typical fantasy ilk, but because of the guy on the cover. He looks like Gabriel Aubry. The model. Halle Berry's baby daddy. In other words, HOT!

Now that I have gotten that totally shallow piece of business off my chest, on with the real review.

This is the third and final installment of Jennifer Fallon's Warlord trilogy and she ends it in superb fashion. In this book we see the fruition of many smaller plot threads that were started in the first book.

Marla's first (and ruthlessly spurned) suitor, Hablet, the King of Fardonhya decides to invade Hythrun and kill off her family. Unbeknownst to the people of Hythrun, there is a little known law that a living Wolfblade can actually rule Fardonya, The time is opportune because the Hythrun people have just been devastated by a deadly plague (that Alija allowed to spread in one of her more bonehead schemes to kill off Damin Wolfblade). Damin not only survives the plague, but rises to the challenge of war.

Meanwhile, there are many domestic dramas playing out: Damin's uncle Makhas is determined to marry of his daughter to Damin with disastrous results; Teryn Lionclaw is on the run from her incompetent husband who has fallen under the influence of a scheming courtier; Damin's younger brother, Narvelle Wolfblade has entered into a romance with a married woman whose husband is a powerful Warlord out for his blood; The Assassin's guild has called on Marla to honor a promise she made to them so long ago; and Kalan, Marla and Wrayan Lightfinger hatch a diabolical scheme to bring Alija to justice.

So much happens and all of it is both exciting and satisfying. It is nice to see the younger Wolfblades, all grown up and coming into their own. I especially like that Damin, who had consciously adopted the mien of a young, carefree, bon vivant, sheds that false image in a flash when it matters and finally (to the surprise of everyone) shows the true mettle of the son of Marla Wolfblade.

And just in the previous two books, Fallon knows when and how to turn what could be a predicatable plot moment into an unpredictable, often shocking twist. She does it on several occasions in this book and keeps the story moving in a grandly entertaining fashion. My favorite part is, when seeing her children safely grown up, Marla finally decides to bring her fight with Alija right out in the open. All bets are off. She delivers a stunning body blow to Alija and the two women take off the gloves (figuratively speaking) and go for broke in the last chapter of the war they've been politely (and in deadly fashion) waging against each other for 25 years.

Also, the humor that was more evident in the second book continues on in this one. It isn't cloying or even pervasive. But there is a lightness of tone, a dryness of wit that abounds. The crackling battle of wits between the fierce King of Fardhonya and his high maintenance (yet stunningly canny) daughter Princess Adrina is delightful. As is the banter between Damon and his brothers.

When I finally closed the book on this series I sat back and sighed with pleasure. It was a great trilogy, fun to read and I can't wait to see what else Jennifer Fallon has in store for us.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who the hell lets lose a plague to kill one person? It hasn't to be the most blood thirsty attempt at assassination I've ever seen, and it didn't even work. Alija Eaglespike, who has been a bitch the entire series, ramps it up in this, the last of the trilogy. At least she gets what she deserves by the end of the book.

I guess I should apologize for starting this review off in such a strange way, but seriously, the woman was evil. And though she has been trying to kill Damin and install her own heir into the chair of the High Prince, the stone coldness was truly on display in this book. Between her and Mahkas, this book was not lacking villains. And it seems such a shame. Considering the power these two individuals wielded, the intelligence that they clearly possessed, it was such a waste of potential. They could have been courageous, strong leaders, but they let greed and the love of power get in the way.

I continued to love the extended family that Marla built up around herself and Damin. Though they came into it from different directions and different backgrounds, this is a group of people who truly care about each other, and are willing to stick around when times get tough. And I have to say, I loved the addition of Galon Miar, the next head of the Assassins Guild. Such a unique and complicated character. He is the perfect match for Marla at this time in her life, and he fits into the family with ease.

The two standouts for me in this book, besides Damin who I love, where Tejay and Starros. They are two characters who don't fit into any easy mold, but have such a core of strength running through them. They come at life in different ways, have different beliefs, and want different things, but they both shine in this book.

At some point int time this year I will reread and review the previous trilogy, which actually takes place before this one. If they are half as good as these three books have been, and from what I can remember they are, I'm really looking forward to it.

[Connie53 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Derde deel en net zo heerlijk en spannend als deel 2. Ik vind deze boeken zelfs zo leuk dat ik door aan het lezen ben in een ander deel dat niet vertaald is. En dat doe ik nooit.

[Tricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pulled an all-nighter reading this book. It has been a while since I have done that!.

I really enjoyed this whole series. This book was no exception as the Wolfblades fight on three front - The war with their neighbouring nation, the High Arrion, and their relative Mahkas who appears to have gone mad. Once again the women show that they really are the movers and shakers behind the scene. Special shout out to Tejay and Bylinda who really grew as characters in book. I definitely felt like Tejay will be a force to be reckoned with in later books.

Starros and Rorin also really stepped up in this book as well. Both were really great characters.

I would highly recommend this series to others. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.

[AliciaJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still one of the best fantasy series I've read. I love the author's take on gods and demons, as well as the fantastic characters and story. I listened to the audiobook this time around and loved it. The narrator was great and totally kept my attention on the story. Loved it.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was interesting to see the growth of Damin. As much as he grew physically and the world changed around him, the reveal of his true personality was striking, proving very well that he is much more intelligent than anyone ever expected.
Also, I am still impressed that Fallon could keep the timeline straight between the two trilogies without missing any details.

[Tracy Smyth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this series. Might have to look for other books by this author

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

Warning: this review is for all three of the Wolfblade trilogy in the Hythrun Chronicles.

I first read Wolfblade when I was a teenager and I loved it like crazy. Not surprising, given that my emotional maturity was then approximately the emotional maturity of the main character, Marla Wolfblade. I was riveted by her hunt for power and her need to protect her loved ones. I loved how she took a turn from being a silly girl into a powerful administrator. The trilogy had lots of twists and turns, and I thought the dialogue so funny and light-hearted.

HOWEVER, now that I read this trilogy a decade later as an adult, I find each book very immature. WARNING, spoilers follow. The dialogue I was so fond of as a teenager now doesn't make any sense to me; the rejoinders generally don't make emotional sense with the speakers. Everyone speaks in approximately the same voice. Slavery is treated cavalierly; power is wielded without truly dealing with its consequences. For example, in the middle of the second book, Marla Wolfblade rules, after her magically brainwashed adopted step-daughter Luciena tries to kill her biological son Damin, that for the crime of attempted assassination, the adopted step-daughter deserves death. Luciena, who was not conscious of trying to kill Damin, suffers through weeks in prison and the horror of the matriarch of family she thought she'd finally gained deciding she should die for an act she did not intend. Fallon then has a last-minute deus ex machina when Luciena is exonerated by a very fast-traveling sorcerer-thief. But are there any emotional consequences to the trauma that Luciena has been exposed to? No. She does not fear or hate Marla for ordering her execution. She is not even residually uncomfortable when a grown-up Damin jokes about Luciena trying to kill him. She has been MIND-RAPED and almost KILLED, and she does not focus revenge on the person who did this to her, the High Arrion, or the woman who almost punished her unfairly, Marla. Meanwhile, another character--Leila--hates Damin and fears him because, wait for it, he called her a sissy when they were teenagers. She hates and fears him so much that, even though as an adult he's never treated her poorly, when she thinks her lover is dead and she will be forced into marrying Damin, she commits suicide. (I mean, there were also other circumstances for Leila's suicide, including the horrific abuse she suffered at the hands of her father, but seriously?? Luciena has no emotional trauma or ambivalence about the Wolfblades from the mind-rape, threats of death, and physical suffering inside of a jail-cell that she endured?)

Characterization is inconsistent, too. The main villain, the High Arrion, is given in the first book the motive of saving the nation from a corrupt and venal leader. However, it becomes clear soon that she is only power-hungry for herself. In the first few pages it seems like she truly loved and left Laran, the future first husband of Marla, but her love is so shallow that she isn't even jealous when Marla marries Laran, nor sorry when he dies. Her logic in the last book is close to illogic, definitely not the smart woman she was painted to be in the first book. Marla, too, is a Mary-Sue of ridiculous proportions who never suffers the emotional consequences of her actions.

There are other complaints: The way people talk to each other sounds the same (very rarely are voices differentiated from each other). Frequently the tone taken by characters on the same side is unnecessarily combative, which makes whole conversations uncomfortable to imagine. The climactic battle at the end of the third book is ended ridiculously early by an on-the-fly intervention by the Gary-Stu main character, who appears to have zero real faults. At every point where the magic system can be explored, when the Harshini are involved, for example, Fallon asks us to just believe that the ability to tap and mold magic has been intuitively downloaded into magic users' brains by off-screen Harshini work. For a series of books that are so much about tricks and plots, as a reader I could not suspend disbelief. This is incredibly thoughtless, lazy writing.

After having read far superior fantasy novels such as GRRM's ASOIAF series and Robin Hobb's Fitz and the Fool books, a re-read has revealed these books to pull their emotional punches. Fallon, take a lesson from the books I cited: actually having your characters endure pain due to their own actions is a good thing. It gives weight to your stories.

[Judy - crazee4books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished the trilogy. It was most enjoyable. Loved the characters. Didn't want to leave.

[Tara DePompei · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my favorite out of the 3, which I read out of obligation as opposed to true interest (compare with Kristen Britain's Green Rider books). I do like the actual characters and I think that her stories/plots are cool. My whole problem with this series and her writing in general is the hokey character dialogue. It is truly horrible. The story is set in quasi-medieval times, with plagues, swordfights, and horse-based transportation. Yet these characters attempt the same witty banter that you would find in modern-day sitcoms such as Three-and-a-half Men. It is really weird and sometimes makes me cringe. These poor characters -- who would otherwise be totally cool -- are forced to spew such nonsense. Don't get me wrong -- love Three-and-a-half Man. But that spew belongs in modern-day Mailbu -- Not feudal-fantasy world. I have read paperback historical romance books that offer dialogue a million-times better than this.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I found it extremely difficult to put this down, I'm a little torn about it. The story and the action picked up immediately from the last book, which I was grateful for. The author used tension brilliantly, ratcheting it up until it exploded into a delicious climax. The resolution was also rather good, but I felt a little let down because it covered some of the story-lines well, others got a passing mention, or one or two little ones were not covered at all. Having said that, I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

[Ashleigh Motbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. I felt this was a satidfying end to the series, though not completely fulfilling. I enjoyed the twist regarding Belynda and once again, Damin is most likely my favourite character in the whole series, though I did enjoy Galon Miar here. And, it was great to see Adrina make an appearance, as I enjoyed her in the Demon Child series.

The war was a little non-eventful and not much happened, despite the build-up to it. It was over very quickly. What I did find intriguing, and always had, was the silent war between Marla and Alija. The pair have been at it for ages, and it was nice to see it finally come to a satisfying end, with one meeting her much needed end.

Overall, I think this prequel series sets up the Demon Child nicely and I now wish I'd read them the other way around, but oh well. Still an enjoyable read.

[Amanda Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Unlike the 2nd one in the series which was just there to connect the dots between book 1 and 3 this one kept me reading almost non-stop. (I'm a slow reader)

I was beyond pleased at how the Mahkas situation was resolved. The other storylines weren't quite as impressively solved, but I still couldn't stop reading.

The one thing I do want to point out was that there was rather more, it happened because it happened than I would like.

The warlord of Sunrise province for one. Without spoiling anything it seemed the answer was up in the air and then the unexpected happened and there was no reason, the only justification for it was that in the next trilogy it was already included so it had to happen somehow so blam, a wizard did it.

Read it, enjoy it, get to the next set.

[Kathleen Pool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing fantasy series. I recently realized I only had the middle book of both trilogy’s. Well, that was a mistake I fixed and re-read the books as a reward for filling out my shelves. Loved it when I read them as a young adult and love them more now. So much depth and character development, an interesting magic system and political power struggles. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a book they can’t put down.

[Celia Faiola · Rating 4 out of 5]

The final book in this trilogy did not disappoint. The second book, Warrior, was a bit of a snoozefest because it was all staging/prep for the action to come. The final book delivered and made all that staging well worth the wait.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best of the three which is a good way to end the trilogy. A very fitting end to what has been an enjoyable read.
Fantasy elements are not out-there fantasy and so can be read be people easily.
Can recommend this series.

[Wipqozn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic read. A lot better than the first two. The pacing was much better, and Damin is a really well written character. I'll definitely be checking out more of this authors books.

[MARGARET RISTAU · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept me sane during lickdown

The trilogy saved me during lockdown. The twists and turns made my life seem a breeze. Good read with great characters.

[Josh Kucko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as many shock and awe moments, and a somewhat disappointing battle sequence, but I still enjoyed the characters and the conclusion of the story

[Krystal Nunley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic as usual!

[Dominique "Eerie" Sobieska · Rating 4 out of 5]

The final chapter of Warrior had a lot of evolution, especially between Damin, Tejay, Kalan and Starros. Each character had their own input and fought for their rights, making others see reason. They wanted control over their destiny and where able to change the course of Hythrun during the Fardhonian invasion.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to try and keep this review as spoiler free as possible, but I may slip up (sorry).

I would like to start this review by saying I love Jennifer Fallon's work and am probably blinded by my love.

In the Hythrun Chronicles, Fallon has created an intricate world filled with political intrigue, Gods and magic. In the series, we have seen characters develop, seen how a naive princess, selfish slave and obedient apprentice can grow and change through their experiences and have watched them fight and struggle for what they believe in.

We have seen a once-powerful family on the verge of destruction, and watched how the family has grown and flourished.

This book is powerful not only because of it's well-rounded characters and the fact Fallon isn't afraid to pull her punches (I'm always kind of disappointed in books where nobody dies because it doesn't seem realistic) but because of the female characters. It is stated many times that Hythria is a man's world and we get to see so many different women wade its waters in pursuit of power and it is so interesting how far some characters are willing to go in order to achieve their goals.

I think one of the things I love about the series is that it's set over 25 years. In this time we get to see so many changes and how things from the past can affect their actions in the future (especially in the sequel The Demon Child Trilogy). We literally see some characters from birth to death and it's wonderful (and tragic) to be a part of that journey. My only critique of this is that sometimes we miss the moments. I'm a very sentimental person so I love moments and with the time jumps, some characters don't get to interact (there is one father and son pair that I will forever mourn the fact we don't get to see any of their interactions) and moments are missed.

The world she has constructed is detailed and exquisite, the characters are multi-faceted and understandable (although there are some characters I despise with every fibre of my being), the relationships are heart-breaking and the plot is engaging. This is one of my favourite series' and is something I always go back to when I'm in a slump.Jennifer Fallon

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this final book of the Wolfblade series, Warlord brings to a close Marla's long battle with Alija & Damin's fight to secure his place among the Wardlords of Hythria & reclaiming his Province from his power-mad uncle, who has obviously come unhinged. Intriguing, clever, with brilliant political machinations, Warlord pickes up the pace of the series and finishes strong.

Marla finally gets her revenge. After so long Marla learns that revenge is a dish best served cold as she, Kalan & my two favorite Halfbreeds bring an end to Alija. Her ending was a marvellous & fitting one.

I love that Kalan grew up to be cunning and powerful, determined to follow in her mother's footsteps & become one of Hythria's powerful women (the few, the proud, lol)

I enjoyed seeing Damin come into his own in this book. Im still horrified & sickened by the state Mahkas brought his family too with his own greed...

I kind of blame Belinda as well. She knew. She always knew but did nothing to stop her husband & as a result so much tragedy happened - Mahkas killed his brother & sister, drove his own daughter to suicide & his wife to kill not just him but herself as well. That whole family was one big walking tragedy...

It was nice having the satisfaction of seeing the bad guys get what they deserve in the end. And it was nice that a few of the characters manage to find some semblance of happily ever after. Like Marla, Golan Mir was so good with Marla. She deserves a little happiness.

Since conclusion of the Wolfblade Trilogy is also a bit of a prelude to the Demon Child Trilogy I think it's better to read in that order. Trust me, these novels are well worth your time.

[Elisebeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not my favorite of the three (that honor goes to the first one), I definitely enjoyed the third installment of the Wolfblade trilogy. There was something immensely satisfying about it. I always love novels that span generations, and this book delivered. Seeing the plethora of Wolfblade children grow and become awesome in their own right was pretty cool, and one of my favorite parts.

Per usual, Marla was still my favorite of all. Marla embodies who I want to be. I know that sounds strange, to want to be incredibly ruthless. But ruthlessness is sometimes necessary, and I would rather be known as cold and calculating than a wimp. Marla is able to keep her head in a crisis, and in addition to being devious, knows how to get what she wants while keeping her hands more or less clean in the matter.

SPOILER
My favorite scene in the entire novel was the first time the assassin entered her bedroom. I hate when woman characters totally deny the fact that they are indeed women, and have cases of lust. We all have those moments, so don't deny it ladies. However, I also hate it when the women just fall heads over heels and give into the man simply because they want him or think they're in love with him.
When Marla totally kept her head in the situation and knew it was not the time for it, and didn't fall to her lust while at the same time didn't deny she had it, I applauded her for it. Never before had I had a female character acknowledge her lust while at the same time heaving the presence of mind and self-control to deny herself it. The scene was incredibly satisfying. (Of course she ruins it later by giving in, but at that moment Marla was probably my most favorite female character ever)

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely my least favorite of the three books, which is a pity because I was really looking forward to the war and some good family drama. A few things ruined this book for me. It spends a lot of time with Damin, who is too young in the other two books to really be a character. He just did not grab me at all. The narrative, and other characters, insist all the time that he is smart and charming and a great guy and going to be a great leader, but I would have been more willing to believe if he had been a background character. Two, the main character of the series, Marla Wolfblade, gets stuck with a romantic subplot that I absolutely hated. And just when I thought Fallon had done the right thing by killing the guy, it turns out that he survived? I've never been so disappointed in my life. And finally, it just felt like the story was more about tying up loose ends than actually having anything exciting happen. I felt like there was a checklist of things from the last book that needed to be dealt with, and this book was five hundred pages of running down that list and dealing with each subplot. It was still fun, and I did enjoy the book, but I wasn't nearly as won over by or excited about it as I was with the other two.

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My sister turned me on to this series by Jennifer Fallon, and Warlord is my favorite out of them all. I've never been too much into politics, be they real or fictional, but this book actually made me want to learn to write politics.

Fallon's female characters are some of the strongest I have ever read. Tejay, Marla, Kalan, even Alija, are all strong, and work hard to get what they want. They've been surpressed by the men of Hythria, and they work "underground" to accomplish what they want.

Damin is actually a male hero I like. I'm not saying I don't like males, just that those in fiction tend to annoy me, and if I like them, I never take to them like I take to the women. Damin is an exception. He's just so charismatic, it's like he jumps right off the page.

I must commend Ms. Fallon for her ability to make me hate those who are supposed to be hated. Sometimes, I feel compassion for those who shouldn't be offered compassion at all. Not so with Warlord. I hated one in particular so much that I told my sister I thought my hatred might even rival Damin's for him. And that's saying a lot.

Overall, this is a great series, and the conclusion was altogether satisfying.

[Dylan Madeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This trilogy wrap-up does a few things that I like: has a battle but doesn't glorify war, and has characters who do what they can to limit the extent of the war. So there's not a ton of direct graphic warfare, and more of people thinking, planning, speaking, trying to come up with the thought process of surviving. We see the end of plot arcs of characters from the first and/or second book; we see a mother's revenge. There's still a TW/trigger warning for suicide, but I say that just for the readers who need, not feeling superior given the content of my first book. While some of the relationships or character behaviour made me feel uneasy, I think this was intentional and addressed in ways that fit both the world built and the narrative. It still ends with openings for the further books that would be written, and no lack of social challenges; I mean, slavery doesn't get abolished in Hythria, but there is the first female Warlord, and the idea that maybe this next Crown Prince will start implementing those incremental progressive changes that are better than nothing, and often how things get done.

[Hits_the_Plot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warlord is the third and final entry in Jennifer Fallon’s fantasy series The Hythrun Chronicles. As Hythrun recovers from the deadly plague intended to kill Damin Wolfblade, King Hablet of Fardonhya threatens an invasion on the western boarder. Reeling from the loss of her cherished advisor, Elizaar, Marla enacts her grand plan to ruthless put an end to the decade long conflict between her and Alija Eaglespike. In Krakandar, Mahkas madness sees him clinging to the remnants of his regency at the cost of starving a city.

Clearly the standout of the trilogy, Fallon does a superb job of concluding this wonderful story and tying together plot threads, some introduced in book one. Given that this story spans roughly twenty-five years it is a pleasure to follow the Wolfblade children as they come into their own. Overall, this was a fun series that was full to the brim with plot twists and beautiful moments between captivating, well developed characters.

4.75/5.00

[Kat Hooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Warlord is the last book in Jennifer Fallon’s WOLFBLADE trilogy which is a prequel to her DEMON CHILD trilogy and part of her HYTHRUN CHRONICLES. Like its predecessors, Wolfblade and Warrior, it’s a huge sprawling epic (26 hours on audio). The story starts immediately after the tragic events of Warrior (which you really must read first). Marla is still the wealthiest and most powerful woman in the country, but she has taken a major hit and, in some ways, feels alone, despite her large family.

Hablet, the Fardohnian king, is planning to take advantage of Hythria’s weakness while the country is recovering from a plague and while their high prince, Lernen, a useless wastrel, is still ruling. Hablet is massing his army for an invasion and hoping that... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...