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The Cycle of Galand #5
The Spear of Stars
The White Lich has conquered Tanar Atain.
Soon, he means to take the entire world. Dante suspects his next target will be Bressel, where the Tanarians have established their court in exile. The only chance to stop the lich will be to forge a fragile alliance between the bitter enemies of three different lands: Tanar Atain, Mallon, and Narashtovik.
The city stands on the brink of rebellion. Yet even if Dante, Blays, and Gladdic can unite it, they still might not have the strength to stand against the army of the lich.
One last hope may stop the coming destruction: the legendary Spear of Stars. But the weapon was lost long ago. To find it again, they may have to travel further than they've ever known.
Soon, he means to take the entire world. Dante suspects his next target will be Bressel, where the Tanarians have established their court in exile. The only chance to stop the lich will be to forge a fragile alliance between the bitter enemies of three different lands: Tanar Atain, Mallon, and Narashtovik.
The city stands on the brink of rebellion. Yet even if Dante, Blays, and Gladdic can unite it, they still might not have the strength to stand against the army of the lich.
One last hope may stop the coming destruction: the legendary Spear of Stars. But the weapon was lost long ago. To find it again, they may have to travel further than they've ever known.
639 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 9, 2018
126 people are currently reading
421 people want to read
About the author
Edward W. Robertson
73 books1,236 followersEd is the author of the post-apocalyptic Breakers series and the epic fantasy series The Cycle of Arawn. A former New Yorker and Idaho-guy, he currently lives in the LA area. His short fiction has appeared in a whole bunch of magazines and anthologies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
June 30, 2018
Leaves you with a let down feeling (SPOILER ALERT)
EWR is a great writer. Dante and Blays are 2 of my favourite fantasy characters, and I've read all the Galand books so far and they were all really good. EWR has done a fantastic job of world building, storytelling and character development so far. With this book, I'm kinda disappointed. First of all, the book is insanely long. The first third of the book is about preparing for the lich's attack. The rest of the book is one long drawn battle with the lich. While it displays EWR's brilliant mind for strategy and battle tactics, it gets really boring after a while. There's no actual plot or story to the book. There's an overload of swordfights and epic sorcery battles. It's only when you reach the last few chapters that new information and plot elements crop up, but by then you're so thoroughly bored that you don't really care. Blays also seems a little underplayed in this one. I'd have given this one 2.5, but the extra star is cos of the brilliance of the previous books. However, I'm still waiting for the next one to come out, cos the ending is a real cliffhanger
EWR is a great writer. Dante and Blays are 2 of my favourite fantasy characters, and I've read all the Galand books so far and they were all really good. EWR has done a fantastic job of world building, storytelling and character development so far. With this book, I'm kinda disappointed. First of all, the book is insanely long. The first third of the book is about preparing for the lich's attack. The rest of the book is one long drawn battle with the lich. While it displays EWR's brilliant mind for strategy and battle tactics, it gets really boring after a while. There's no actual plot or story to the book. There's an overload of swordfights and epic sorcery battles. It's only when you reach the last few chapters that new information and plot elements crop up, but by then you're so thoroughly bored that you don't really care. Blays also seems a little underplayed in this one. I'd have given this one 2.5, but the extra star is cos of the brilliance of the previous books. However, I'm still waiting for the next one to come out, cos the ending is a real cliffhanger
August 9, 2018
Another Heroic Adventure From Two of the Coolest Rogues with "Hearts of Gold" Out There!!
Another thrilling ride with what I like to think of as "The Changer of Worlds". If you are considering reading this book, then you already have probably are already familiar with the duo and simply only need to be assured that this instalment is as excellent as all that have led to this segment. I am officially offering that assurance. If you haven't read any of the series, then by all means go back to the very beginning to the "Cycle of Arawn", and get ready to make two very adventurous friends that before you realize it have become a part of your consciousness as much, if not more so, than "actual" people my have. i have three such duos that probably impossible to chose which I really like best. Scott Lynch's Locke and Jean, Michael sullivan's Royce and Hadrian, and, of course the two created by the present author with his two miscreant heros, Dante and Blays. If you are familiar with the other equally dashing and unforgettable rogues, by my naming them all in the same class, may help you decide that you have just had a wondrous stroke of luck and have been introduced to another.
Another thrilling ride with what I like to think of as "The Changer of Worlds". If you are considering reading this book, then you already have probably are already familiar with the duo and simply only need to be assured that this instalment is as excellent as all that have led to this segment. I am officially offering that assurance. If you haven't read any of the series, then by all means go back to the very beginning to the "Cycle of Arawn", and get ready to make two very adventurous friends that before you realize it have become a part of your consciousness as much, if not more so, than "actual" people my have. i have three such duos that probably impossible to chose which I really like best. Scott Lynch's Locke and Jean, Michael sullivan's Royce and Hadrian, and, of course the two created by the present author with his two miscreant heros, Dante and Blays. If you are familiar with the other equally dashing and unforgettable rogues, by my naming them all in the same class, may help you decide that you have just had a wondrous stroke of luck and have been introduced to another.
June 29, 2018
This was a bit of a dropoff from the previous books. Donte and Blays are still their snarky selves, which at times is humorous and at others tiresome. The battle with the white lich takes way too long. Battles with mushrooms etc., again, way too long. Robertson could have had a much better 4 star book by trimming a couple of hundred pages. 2 more to go in the series...I hope I have enough resolve to get through.
November 14, 2018
This series is becoming slower then the wheel of time at its worst...
January 27, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. Solid mindless entertainment. The worst part is I need to wait for the next book to be released in order to see the what happens next.
January 15, 2019
It might be because the book felt like 80% battle that I didn't enjoy this as much as the previous ones. Also 2 characters are given a sidequest to go collect a sword and are promptly never heard from again which I thought was odd.
October 13, 2018
4/5 stars
October 24, 2019
Things just keep getting worse for Dante, Blays, and company. There is pulse-pounding action almost non-stop throughout the book. There is lots of blood and gore and gross stuff. But there are also a few nice pauses, such as when they discuss the virtues of the city of Bressel and why they are fighting for it despite Mallon and Narashtovik having been mortal enemies for years.
This book, the fifth in the Cycle of Galand series, is concerned primarily with the battle for Bressel. Dante and his supporters have, just barely, escaped the land of Tanar Atain and the White Lich. By this time the Drakebane of Tanar Atain has escaped to Mallon, killed King Charles, and taken over the city of Bressel himself. Having been the lich’s slave for a while, Dante is pretty sure that the lich will follow the Tanarians to Bressel as his jumping-off point for taking over the rest of the world.
On their way to Bressel, Dante’s group stops off in Alebolgia, where Lady Vita gives them a book containing clues to the only thing that might possibly defeat the lich; an item called the Spear of Stars, which can only be found in a place called the Realm of the Nine Kings. It appears to be so far away that it is not feasible to try to get there and back before they must be in Bressel to try to stop the lich.
So, they continue on to Bressel, where there are much confusion and a lot of factions who don’t get along. They are forced to rescue Raxa and Sorrowen from the clutches of a priest named Adain, who is, if possible, an even more fanatical priest of Taim than Gladdic was before he encountered the lich. Dante sends them back to Narashtovik to bring back the bone sword, and we don’t really see them again in this book. In the meantime, he has also sent for Nak and a group of Narashtovik’s finest sorcerers to fight against the lich.
The defense of Bressel depends on all the factions uniting to fight the lich. At first, it isn’t happening. And even though Dante, Blays, Gladdic, and the Drakebane make a lot of progress in trying to unite the city, they aren’t 100 percent successful. After the initial confrontation with the lich, they discover that Adain has committed suicide. But this is not as auspicious an event as it seems at first as it seems he has deliberately traveled into the mists just to work for the lich.
The first day of the battle goes well, in the sense that not everyone is killed immediately. In fact, it is surprising that they hold out as well as they do for as long as they do. But eventually, Bressel must be abandoned, and Dante, Blays, and Gladdic are forced to journey into the mists to see if they can find out how to stop Adain and the lich.
I read this book on Kindle Unlimited.
This book, the fifth in the Cycle of Galand series, is concerned primarily with the battle for Bressel. Dante and his supporters have, just barely, escaped the land of Tanar Atain and the White Lich. By this time the Drakebane of Tanar Atain has escaped to Mallon, killed King Charles, and taken over the city of Bressel himself. Having been the lich’s slave for a while, Dante is pretty sure that the lich will follow the Tanarians to Bressel as his jumping-off point for taking over the rest of the world.
On their way to Bressel, Dante’s group stops off in Alebolgia, where Lady Vita gives them a book containing clues to the only thing that might possibly defeat the lich; an item called the Spear of Stars, which can only be found in a place called the Realm of the Nine Kings. It appears to be so far away that it is not feasible to try to get there and back before they must be in Bressel to try to stop the lich.
So, they continue on to Bressel, where there are much confusion and a lot of factions who don’t get along. They are forced to rescue Raxa and Sorrowen from the clutches of a priest named Adain, who is, if possible, an even more fanatical priest of Taim than Gladdic was before he encountered the lich. Dante sends them back to Narashtovik to bring back the bone sword, and we don’t really see them again in this book. In the meantime, he has also sent for Nak and a group of Narashtovik’s finest sorcerers to fight against the lich.
The defense of Bressel depends on all the factions uniting to fight the lich. At first, it isn’t happening. And even though Dante, Blays, Gladdic, and the Drakebane make a lot of progress in trying to unite the city, they aren’t 100 percent successful. After the initial confrontation with the lich, they discover that Adain has committed suicide. But this is not as auspicious an event as it seems at first as it seems he has deliberately traveled into the mists just to work for the lich.
The first day of the battle goes well, in the sense that not everyone is killed immediately. In fact, it is surprising that they hold out as well as they do for as long as they do. But eventually, Bressel must be abandoned, and Dante, Blays, and Gladdic are forced to journey into the mists to see if they can find out how to stop Adain and the lich.
I read this book on Kindle Unlimited.
August 3, 2019
I waited over a year to read this so that I wouldn't have to wait as long for book 6. I'd almost forgotten how much I loved these books in that interim. I've seen some criticism about how this series has been dragging on a bit and could've been wrapped up by now, but I disagree as I don't feel Dante's story is done. It could be that people feel fatigued by the White Lich, which I would get. I hope he's not the Final final boss of the whole series. Dante's been dealing with the end of the world threat posed by the Lich for a long time now and ideally his final chapter, however many books from now, is about something else. (and hopefully he makes it back to Narashtovik and back to his post as their literal leader for a little while lol)
I do think this book could've been shorter. It's 600+ pages largely featuring a city preparing for a siege and then getting besieged, and there were repetitive parts, particularly these life or death close call situations for the main characters one after the other. It contributes to the realism of the apocalyptic situation the characters are facing, but sometimes I was finding myself exhausted by lengthy combat scenes. They're excellently written and Tim Gerard Reynolds' narration really elevates it too, but I could've done with fewer ones. Like, say, the sequence where Dante and friends are
The hook for the next book has me very intrigued! I love the new realm that Dante and Blays are exploring and what they're planning is exciting. I'm also curious about Elenna, who/what she is and what her order is. I hope she features a lot and doesn't quickly fade from relevance the way several other female characters have before. (And I felt some vibes, maybe, between her and Dante... so DARE I HOPE ROMANCE HAS COME AT LAST FOR HIM? Catch me looking a clown if we never see her again lol.)
I do think this book could've been shorter. It's 600+ pages largely featuring a city preparing for a siege and then getting besieged, and there were repetitive parts, particularly these life or death close call situations for the main characters one after the other. It contributes to the realism of the apocalyptic situation the characters are facing, but sometimes I was finding myself exhausted by lengthy combat scenes. They're excellently written and Tim Gerard Reynolds' narration really elevates it too, but I could've done with fewer ones. Like, say, the sequence where Dante and friends are
The hook for the next book has me very intrigued! I love the new realm that Dante and Blays are exploring and what they're planning is exciting. I'm also curious about Elenna, who/what she is and what her order is. I hope she features a lot and doesn't quickly fade from relevance the way several other female characters have before. (And I felt some vibes, maybe, between her and Dante... so DARE I HOPE ROMANCE HAS COME AT LAST FOR HIM? Catch me looking a clown if we never see her again lol.)
December 14, 2018
Turns out I am a sucker for a good fantasy buddy story. I love the Gentleman Bastards, and Ririya, and of course Dante and Blays. I know some people don't like their banter, but I love it. It reminds me of some friends of mine, only more clever. And I love how it's always clear that they love each other, especially when Dante tempers his amoral tendencies because he doesn't want to lose Blays. Really, I want this series to go on and on, and am glad that there will be at least two more.
Aside from Dante and Blays, I liked two things in particular about The Spear of Stars. The first is Gladdic. I found myself liking him, and was dreading his inevitable demise, but then I'd think back to the things he did earlier in the series, and get conflicted. I like being conflicted. The second thing I liked was the concept that the beings in one world could be the gods in another. I'm really looking forward to seeing that play out in the next volume. I hope we get to meet more than one of the gods.
Aside from Dante and Blays, I liked two things in particular about The Spear of Stars. The first is Gladdic. I found myself liking him, and was dreading his inevitable demise, but then I'd think back to the things he did earlier in the series, and get conflicted. I like being conflicted. The second thing I liked was the concept that the beings in one world could be the gods in another. I'm really looking forward to seeing that play out in the next volume. I hope we get to meet more than one of the gods.
July 19, 2019
The book started right where the last one ended, and it was exactly where I wanted to be. There was no extra time given to remember what had happened in the previous book, and for me, who has been on a slow binge read of this series, it was a relief.
I loved the preparations and the battle. There wasn't a dull moment, and the choices the characters made always seemed well thought out. They were being tugged by their duty to their land and its people while also having to care for their friendships. It wasn't always easy to decide what was more important, and I suffered along with Dante and Blays when they were forced to choose.
In the end, I still think that this is the story I have always wanted but didn't know about it. It's all that fantasy is supposed to be, with the added benefit of some theological musings to make one think about their faith and how far they would go for it.
I loved the preparations and the battle. There wasn't a dull moment, and the choices the characters made always seemed well thought out. They were being tugged by their duty to their land and its people while also having to care for their friendships. It wasn't always easy to decide what was more important, and I suffered along with Dante and Blays when they were forced to choose.
In the end, I still think that this is the story I have always wanted but didn't know about it. It's all that fantasy is supposed to be, with the added benefit of some theological musings to make one think about their faith and how far they would go for it.
January 8, 2020
I'm rating this book two stars because I no longer think the books are worth the purchase price as the author has slowed the story to a crawl. The part of the story as presented in this book is simply not worthy of an entire novel. There's still a lot of good, fun writing here, and in book 5 he does take us to a new an interesting place but for the second book in a row it feels like only part of a book. Even when your heroes are in a long term fight, you want to see solid resolutions in each book, such as causing their opponents a major setback that buys them time and increases their power. Otherwise, just put it all in the same book, don't stretch the agony out over multiple books. I do think I will probably finished these at some point but I'm taking a break to read other books as I think my book budget will be better spent on other stories.
December 26, 2023
This is where I stopped giving the series the benefit of the doubt... it's not necessarily where it started going downhill for me, the grating aspects just became too much, and I started speeding up past my usual max speed, to 3.5x audio speed, to get through it, since I bought all the books on sale with cash and it's harder to refund on Audible when it's not a credit... and it's a Buddy Read...
Anyway... long-winded books... constant world-ending threats... token calls to the wizard capital to "hold on"... constant power creep and magical artifacts... noticeable lack of character progression, and honestly some regression... Blays makes a token protest then falls in line... Gladdic becomes the moral compass... etc etc etc...
But I'm here till the bitter end...
Anyway... long-winded books... constant world-ending threats... token calls to the wizard capital to "hold on"... constant power creep and magical artifacts... noticeable lack of character progression, and honestly some regression... Blays makes a token protest then falls in line... Gladdic becomes the moral compass... etc etc etc...
But I'm here till the bitter end...
August 13, 2018
Breathless
Thouroughly enjoy the series, been reading since The Cycle of Arwan. Although Gladdic was killed off at the end of this one he will hold a very special place in the garden of Taim. Very interesting character, to turn him to the "good" side since he and Dante shared a similar enemy was a pretty big leap. However, I really enjoyed his transition and his presence with the duo. Will be missed dearly, thank you for writing a character that could have me so emotionally fueled to write about in this message. Thank you for the excellent series and I wait very impatiently for the next chapter of The Cycle of Galand.
Thouroughly enjoy the series, been reading since The Cycle of Arwan. Although Gladdic was killed off at the end of this one he will hold a very special place in the garden of Taim. Very interesting character, to turn him to the "good" side since he and Dante shared a similar enemy was a pretty big leap. However, I really enjoyed his transition and his presence with the duo. Will be missed dearly, thank you for writing a character that could have me so emotionally fueled to write about in this message. Thank you for the excellent series and I wait very impatiently for the next chapter of The Cycle of Galand.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2020
Great Story
I love this series. The author has done some incredible world building, the characters are compelling, and it is fun to read. I can’t wait to find out what happens next. I would recommend this series to anyone that loves fantasy. That being said, there are some issues. If seems like this was rushed through the editing process, it feels a little unpolished. There are quite a few errors that make seem like the book wasn’t proof read before it was published. It doesn’t quite read like a finished product, and that is why I’m not giving it 5 stars, even though I really want to.
I love this series. The author has done some incredible world building, the characters are compelling, and it is fun to read. I can’t wait to find out what happens next. I would recommend this series to anyone that loves fantasy. That being said, there are some issues. If seems like this was rushed through the editing process, it feels a little unpolished. There are quite a few errors that make seem like the book wasn’t proof read before it was published. It doesn’t quite read like a finished product, and that is why I’m not giving it 5 stars, even though I really want to.
July 5, 2018
Another solid installment in my favorite fantasy series. I found myself slowing down as I reached the end so I wouldn’t finish as quickly. I loved the battle scenes— at this point I’m really invested in these characters, so every detail was appreciated. This is a saga, it’s not a story that has to be rushed (either by the writer or the reader) and if it continued on for a dozen more books I’d be ecstatic.
December 24, 2018
(Audiobook)
With an entire book dedicated to the White Lich, I hoped there would be some kind of ending.
I hate to say it, but it dragged on. And I phased out quite a lot.
To be honest, I'm hoping to look at other peoples reviews to find out what happened in the book because I seemed to have lost track.
One major plot line passed me by.
The humour in the book is still there - perhaps better than ever. But it's a "LoTR: Two Towers" book really.
With an entire book dedicated to the White Lich, I hoped there would be some kind of ending.
I hate to say it, but it dragged on. And I phased out quite a lot.
To be honest, I'm hoping to look at other peoples reviews to find out what happened in the book because I seemed to have lost track.
One major plot line passed me by.
The humour in the book is still there - perhaps better than ever. But it's a "LoTR: Two Towers" book really.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2020
Amazing.
People who are complaining about this book dragging on are the same people who like CG Explosions and effects in super hero movies. You know who you are!
The banter and in depth conversations are what make these books masterfully done.
Sit and listen for a second to Blaze ask Dante if Gladdic is their friend....my heart skipped.
You could remove all the action and put most of these characters in an Inn and I could listen to them argue all day.
People who are complaining about this book dragging on are the same people who like CG Explosions and effects in super hero movies. You know who you are!
The banter and in depth conversations are what make these books masterfully done.
Sit and listen for a second to Blaze ask Dante if Gladdic is their friend....my heart skipped.
You could remove all the action and put most of these characters in an Inn and I could listen to them argue all day.
August 25, 2018
Wonderful story full of adventure, Magic, and my favorite characters. This book effectively moved the story forward while teaching us new things about the characters and world. While it wasn’t as captivating to me as the previous book, it’s still a wonderful adventure I’d recommend to anyone who follows the series
October 31, 2018
*Accurate rating: 4.5
So, I've finally read this novel and i loved it. I didn't give it a higher rating just because of protracted fight between the Litch and our heroes in Bressels and the way they just happen to stumble into the Realm of 9 Kings. In the next novel i'm curious the see some intervention of the gods, i think that would be rather interesting.
So, I've finally read this novel and i loved it. I didn't give it a higher rating just because of protracted fight between the Litch and our heroes in Bressels and the way they just happen to stumble into the Realm of 9 Kings. In the next novel i'm curious the see some intervention of the gods, i think that would be rather interesting.
January 11, 2019
Not quite as good as the previous in the series. Still a solid book, but it felt a bit meandering and there were (in my opinion) too many oh-my-goodness-how-will-they-survive-this moments to be realistic. Of course, I'm writing that about a fantasy novel where there's a powerful being that is consuming people's souls and wanting to take over the world, so, yea. But you get the point.
June 21, 2018
Hate the end
There is the promise of more books, and I will look forward to them. But I wasn’t ready for the last page, I wanted to read more without waiting, because the wait will be terrible. Every page was enjoyable until there were no more. I hate the blank page at the end.
There is the promise of more books, and I will look forward to them. But I wasn’t ready for the last page, I wanted to read more without waiting, because the wait will be terrible. Every page was enjoyable until there were no more. I hate the blank page at the end.
November 1, 2018
I love Dante and Blays, but can we please have Dante thinking like a ruler/leader....Blays seems to always be the one who comes up with the good ideas while Dante fumbles around. Other than that, it was good to get back into their world.
October 31, 2018
Absolutley Incredible. The character development, and twisting plot lines make this one of the best series I've ever read. Edward W. Robertson is an artist of storytelling. I can't wait for his next installment in this series.
December 29, 2019
Ooowwweeee
Things have gotten out of control. Even I don’t know if the heroes are going to become victorious. The ya already has an unexpected loss. I’m on the edge of my seat!!!! Next book please and thank you
Things have gotten out of control. Even I don’t know if the heroes are going to become victorious. The ya already has an unexpected loss. I’m on the edge of my seat!!!! Next book please and thank you
September 13, 2020
More of the same, but thats what we came for. Some plot lines could have used more exploration. Sometimes the characters yammer on for a while about their personal philosophies which I didn't like as much. I like the mythology part, there could be more books on that. I'd buy em.
June 15, 2022
Another great entry in the series. Some great battles. Lots of Blays giving everyone a hard time. I really enjoy all the in depth information about the world and the people and this book delivered more of that. The ending is the best part of this one though and I can't wait to start the next one!
June 28, 2018
Good series!
Like this series alot! Pretty fast paced and good character development. Can't wait for the next one! Worth the time!
Like this series alot! Pretty fast paced and good character development. Can't wait for the next one! Worth the time!
July 11, 2018
Dante and Blays make a great team. Dante's amoral slant is tempered by Blay's well-defined sense of right and wrong, though it doesn't make Dante any less endearing. He truly tries. I've followed the two from the beginning, through Blays' trials when he abandoned Dante to this newest challenge. It's easy to try to second-guess what might happen next, but happily, with this series, it's a continual surprise. I look forward to the next installment, as much for the adventure as to follow Dante's growth as a person (though I have my suspicions as to what he truly will become.) I love this series!
September 5, 2018
Excellent story. Cannot wait until the author continues the story. Very engrossing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews