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The Rhenwars Saga #4
Darkfall
The invasion of the Rhen has begun! Darien Lauchlin is determined to find a refuge for the people of Malikar by any means necessary—even if it means conquering the nations he formerly swore to protect. Wielding the most powerful magical talisman known to man, Kyel Archer stands opposed to him. And there could be no higher stakes—the reversal of the magic field is only weeks away, heralding the destruction of all the world’s mages and the long legacy of magic. Only one side of the War for the Rhen will emerge victorious, and the survival of an entire population hangs in the balance.
Darkfall is the fourth and final novel of the epic fantasy series The Rhenwars Saga. If you like morally gray heroes, page-turning action, and mind-boggling plot twists, then you’ll love Spencer’s award-winning series.
Darkfall is the fourth and final novel of the epic fantasy series The Rhenwars Saga. If you like morally gray heroes, page-turning action, and mind-boggling plot twists, then you’ll love Spencer’s award-winning series.
- GenresFantasyEpic Fantasy
387 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 28, 2018
68 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
About the author
M.L. Spencer
23 books719 followersM.L. Spencer is an epic fantasy author. Her debut novel Darkmage won the 2012 IndieReader Discovery Award for Fantasy, and her novel Dragon Mage won the 2021 Readers' Favorite Gold Award for Fantasy.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 25, 2021
A good conclusion to the series, which gained in strength and depth with each book.
As I said before; my only gripe with the series was the way that it was presented on Kindle with book 1 at the end.
I may have enjoyed the series more if it had been in the correct order. As it stands I will have to read "Darkstorm" at a later date.
Thanks for reading.
As I said before; my only gripe with the series was the way that it was presented on Kindle with book 1 at the end.
I may have enjoyed the series more if it had been in the correct order. As it stands I will have to read "Darkstorm" at a later date.
Thanks for reading.
December 10, 2018
5/5
DARKFALL is the grand finale of the Rhenwars Saga and it's nice to have a series which ends properly even if the ending is bittersweet. M.L. Spencer is one of the new voices in dark fantasy (which I use when talking non-pejoratively about grimdark fiction). She doesn't use violence or swearing to win her accolades but a persistent deconstruction of the traditional heroic narrative.
The premise of the series is that a ragtag band of heroes tried to save the world a 1000 years ago and failed miserably. Instead, the world has been divided into a dark and depressing hellscape as well a picturesque Gondorian paradise. You'd think this would be an easy set up for a conflict between the "good" people from the pretty lands and the bad people from the pseudo-Mordor, right? Wrong. It's much more like George R.R. Martin's Wildlings versus the North except the Watch equivalent are mages. Except in this universe, Jon Snow defects to join the side of the Wildlings and they really are going to butcher as many people as necessary to
For the past few books, we've watched the main character of Darien struggle with his loyalties. Darien has resolved that conflict and has now decided to go 100% #TeamDarklands. The problem is that it was never about serving one side absolutely and all he's done is become a monster in service to a new cause versus recognizing the humanity of both sides. However, the other side is #TeamLightlands ad the only thing this is going to accomplish is get more people killed.
Darien is a character who has had a magnificent and complicated journey from plucky hero to deranged fanatic. It's wrong to simply term him as a villain, though, even when he's planning on massacring every survivor of the villages he conquers in order to make sure there's enough food for his army of refugees. His decisions are irrational but he's certain he's making the most logical plans he can as both PTSD as well as stress have worn him to the quick.
On the other side of the conflict is Kyel, who has become the mage Darien tried to be but refuses to cross the line and break his Oath of Harmony (no killing with magic). This despite the fact he's leading a massive army to exterminate the Darklanders. Kyel is the more traditionally heroic of the two but he's surrounded by people with absolutely no honor who, ironically, don't trust him because he thinks of the Darklanders as people.
There's a third faction of individuals trying to figure out a way to deal with the "Convergence" that is coming around for a second time and potentially will render the entire war moot. I, personally, like their story most as I was always fond of its characters and don't feel comfortable spoiling all of the twists as well as turns there. It does, however, nicely illustrate the healing power of revenge. Really, what can you say about a story where murdering your closest ally in saving the world is a legitimate means of doing good?
The series end on a bittersweet note which foregoes the nihilism of Joe Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy and is more akin to Mark Lawrence's The Broken Empire. Some measure of redemption is achieved by a few characters while the majority of the cast doesn't make it out of the finale. It's a lot harsher than the Lord of the Rings but, ironically, I think honors its Tolkien inspiration better than most. War is a traumatizing and soul-destroying activity that never fully is recovered from. It remembers Frodo dies of a broken heart (Journey to the West aside).
In conclusion, this is an epic ending to an epic series. Whatever her future works, M.L. Spencer has created something that I believe deserves to be read by fantasy readers throughout the world. The characters are beautifully illustrated, tragic, and well-realized. The action is amazing and full of amazing feats that would make a blockbuster movie. The morality is also ambiguous but makes real and solid points. The world-building is simple but always consistent with revelations about its structure until the last. Read this series. You won't be disappointed.
DARKFALL is the grand finale of the Rhenwars Saga and it's nice to have a series which ends properly even if the ending is bittersweet. M.L. Spencer is one of the new voices in dark fantasy (which I use when talking non-pejoratively about grimdark fiction). She doesn't use violence or swearing to win her accolades but a persistent deconstruction of the traditional heroic narrative.
The premise of the series is that a ragtag band of heroes tried to save the world a 1000 years ago and failed miserably. Instead, the world has been divided into a dark and depressing hellscape as well a picturesque Gondorian paradise. You'd think this would be an easy set up for a conflict between the "good" people from the pretty lands and the bad people from the pseudo-Mordor, right? Wrong. It's much more like George R.R. Martin's Wildlings versus the North except the Watch equivalent are mages. Except in this universe, Jon Snow defects to join the side of the Wildlings and they really are going to butcher as many people as necessary to
For the past few books, we've watched the main character of Darien struggle with his loyalties. Darien has resolved that conflict and has now decided to go 100% #TeamDarklands. The problem is that it was never about serving one side absolutely and all he's done is become a monster in service to a new cause versus recognizing the humanity of both sides. However, the other side is #TeamLightlands ad the only thing this is going to accomplish is get more people killed.
Darien is a character who has had a magnificent and complicated journey from plucky hero to deranged fanatic. It's wrong to simply term him as a villain, though, even when he's planning on massacring every survivor of the villages he conquers in order to make sure there's enough food for his army of refugees. His decisions are irrational but he's certain he's making the most logical plans he can as both PTSD as well as stress have worn him to the quick.
On the other side of the conflict is Kyel, who has become the mage Darien tried to be but refuses to cross the line and break his Oath of Harmony (no killing with magic). This despite the fact he's leading a massive army to exterminate the Darklanders. Kyel is the more traditionally heroic of the two but he's surrounded by people with absolutely no honor who, ironically, don't trust him because he thinks of the Darklanders as people.
There's a third faction of individuals trying to figure out a way to deal with the "Convergence" that is coming around for a second time and potentially will render the entire war moot. I, personally, like their story most as I was always fond of its characters and don't feel comfortable spoiling all of the twists as well as turns there. It does, however, nicely illustrate the healing power of revenge. Really, what can you say about a story where murdering your closest ally in saving the world is a legitimate means of doing good?
The series end on a bittersweet note which foregoes the nihilism of Joe Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy and is more akin to Mark Lawrence's The Broken Empire. Some measure of redemption is achieved by a few characters while the majority of the cast doesn't make it out of the finale. It's a lot harsher than the Lord of the Rings but, ironically, I think honors its Tolkien inspiration better than most. War is a traumatizing and soul-destroying activity that never fully is recovered from. It remembers Frodo dies of a broken heart (Journey to the West aside).
In conclusion, this is an epic ending to an epic series. Whatever her future works, M.L. Spencer has created something that I believe deserves to be read by fantasy readers throughout the world. The characters are beautifully illustrated, tragic, and well-realized. The action is amazing and full of amazing feats that would make a blockbuster movie. The morality is also ambiguous but makes real and solid points. The world-building is simple but always consistent with revelations about its structure until the last. Read this series. You won't be disappointed.
July 27, 2023
Since I have the giant omnibus, I accidentally went straight from book three into book four. So in my head they are sort of one big book, and I'm having a hard time to differentiate them! The omnibus also has a book 5, so I was a bit surprised when I reached the end of the series, as apparently book 5 is a prequel!
Everything I said about Darkrise is also true for Darkfall. It's *really* dark and bloody, look up trigger warnings if you need those.
The characters are still developing, and by now all feel absolutely rounded and three dimensional. There's plenty of death all around, be it whole groups just lost in a moment, or yet more important characters we've grown fond of.
The end did work very well for me, striking neither a happily ever after, nor a "everyone died". I thought it fit well with the series, and balanced all the horrible and dark things that happened, with just enough hope to keep you glued to the pages to the very end.
All in all a great and satisfying conclusion, even though I will carry some emotional scarring from it!
Everything I said about Darkrise is also true for Darkfall. It's *really* dark and bloody, look up trigger warnings if you need those.
The characters are still developing, and by now all feel absolutely rounded and three dimensional. There's plenty of death all around, be it whole groups just lost in a moment, or yet more important characters we've grown fond of.
The end did work very well for me, striking neither a happily ever after, nor a "everyone died". I thought it fit well with the series, and balanced all the horrible and dark things that happened, with just enough hope to keep you glued to the pages to the very end.
All in all a great and satisfying conclusion, even though I will carry some emotional scarring from it!
January 27, 2019
A fitting end to a thrilling series. Loyalties are tested and characters are pushed to the limits of their fortitude and resolve.
Time and again, Darien's fate has been fraught with hard choices. In this final installment of the Rhenwars Saga, everything is at stake—the fate of the world, the fate of the magic field, the fate of the Well of Tears, and the fate of Darien's soul. How much strife can a man endure before becoming vengeful and evil? At what point will Darien break?
Darien has been willing to go through almost any means to reach an end he sees as righteous, often with honorable ideals in mind, though not always honorable in method. In this volume, we see a clear contrast to Darien through the character of his former acolyte, Kyel Archer. Kyel has long been a voice of reason, unwilling to compromise his integrity and forever optimistic in his worldview. Where Darien leans toward isolation and distrust of others, Kyel upholds a sense of reliance on the goodwill of those he works with. These two dichotomies play against each other remarkably well here, where the inherent advantages and disadvantages with each stance inevitably play out, with sometimes shocking results.
I do think this book would benefit from one more round of line editing. There were no glaring errors, just a bit of repetitive word choices that were sometimes distracting.
The epilogue was the absolutely perfect way to close out the series, and to me came across as extremely poetic.
I want to thank the author for the focus and dedication exhibited throughout the series and building into its conclusion. I have nothing but high praise for this extensive endeavor. Thank you for this world, for its villains and heroes, its pain and its beauty, and for bringing all of it to life for readers.
Time and again, Darien's fate has been fraught with hard choices. In this final installment of the Rhenwars Saga, everything is at stake—the fate of the world, the fate of the magic field, the fate of the Well of Tears, and the fate of Darien's soul. How much strife can a man endure before becoming vengeful and evil? At what point will Darien break?
Darien has been willing to go through almost any means to reach an end he sees as righteous, often with honorable ideals in mind, though not always honorable in method. In this volume, we see a clear contrast to Darien through the character of his former acolyte, Kyel Archer. Kyel has long been a voice of reason, unwilling to compromise his integrity and forever optimistic in his worldview. Where Darien leans toward isolation and distrust of others, Kyel upholds a sense of reliance on the goodwill of those he works with. These two dichotomies play against each other remarkably well here, where the inherent advantages and disadvantages with each stance inevitably play out, with sometimes shocking results.
I do think this book would benefit from one more round of line editing. There were no glaring errors, just a bit of repetitive word choices that were sometimes distracting.
The epilogue was the absolutely perfect way to close out the series, and to me came across as extremely poetic.
I want to thank the author for the focus and dedication exhibited throughout the series and building into its conclusion. I have nothing but high praise for this extensive endeavor. Thank you for this world, for its villains and heroes, its pain and its beauty, and for bringing all of it to life for readers.
December 7, 2018
The final battle for the Rhen has been a long time coming but now the invasion has begun. As Darien leads his new people into the lands he once defended, he has to face former friends and protect himself against the enemies that are supposed to be on his side.
Endings can be tricky things. Not only do you have to try to tie up all the plot threads and pay off what has gone before, but you also want to satisfy the readers that have stuck with you. I'm happy to say that Darkfall succeeds on all counts.
As with the previous installments, Darien takes center stage. His conflicting emotions as he tries to balance the things he must do against his belief that it is necessary to save his people is very well done. He alternates between hope and self-hatred and it does take its toll. His sense of despair at times is almost palpable.
Other characters get their time as well, each drawn in a believable and empathetic manner. Many of them struggle to accept their roles in either assisting or opposing the invasion and the impending destruction of the magic field that threatens them all. One thing that I did particularly like was the way things tended to come full circle, with plot threads from the first book coming to prominence again. There is also a sense of mirroring, with themes of loss, sacrifice and responsibility recurring throughout.
Darkfall is a fantastic read, as is the entire Rhenwars Saga. While I would not be opposed to having more works set in this world, for now this is a compelling and praiseworthy conclusion.
Endings can be tricky things. Not only do you have to try to tie up all the plot threads and pay off what has gone before, but you also want to satisfy the readers that have stuck with you. I'm happy to say that Darkfall succeeds on all counts.
As with the previous installments, Darien takes center stage. His conflicting emotions as he tries to balance the things he must do against his belief that it is necessary to save his people is very well done. He alternates between hope and self-hatred and it does take its toll. His sense of despair at times is almost palpable.
Other characters get their time as well, each drawn in a believable and empathetic manner. Many of them struggle to accept their roles in either assisting or opposing the invasion and the impending destruction of the magic field that threatens them all. One thing that I did particularly like was the way things tended to come full circle, with plot threads from the first book coming to prominence again. There is also a sense of mirroring, with themes of loss, sacrifice and responsibility recurring throughout.
Darkfall is a fantastic read, as is the entire Rhenwars Saga. While I would not be opposed to having more works set in this world, for now this is a compelling and praiseworthy conclusion.
May 13, 2019
I wonderful finish to a epic tale of the dark within the world and the portrayal we allow it to infuse in our lives. My favorite excerpt:
“There must be some middle ground. I just don’t know where it is or what it would look like.”
“I think I know,” Naia said. “And it has nothing to do with oaths, and everything to do with what’s inside. Our decisions define us. Not our chains.”
“There must be some middle ground. I just don’t know where it is or what it would look like.”
“I think I know,” Naia said. “And it has nothing to do with oaths, and everything to do with what’s inside. Our decisions define us. Not our chains.”
November 26, 2019
4.5*
I read/listened to this totally out of order and that was tied up nice and neat in the end. It could have been meatier at the end and in a way that lesson has been developed in the new series.
Having read the arc of the new series, it more than met my expectations in filling in the gap and was a pacy enjoyable read with a number of well crafted shindigs and a couple of neat developments in a will they - won’t they vein.
I look forward to the audiobook when that is released, as Rhenwars works exceptionally well in that medium and I expect the new series will elevate the saga higher.
I read/listened to this totally out of order and that was tied up nice and neat in the end. It could have been meatier at the end and in a way that lesson has been developed in the new series.
Having read the arc of the new series, it more than met my expectations in filling in the gap and was a pacy enjoyable read with a number of well crafted shindigs and a couple of neat developments in a will they - won’t they vein.
I look forward to the audiobook when that is released, as Rhenwars works exceptionally well in that medium and I expect the new series will elevate the saga higher.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 20, 2020
A fantastic and satisfying ending to what quickly became one of my favorite series. I just wish I hadn't read it so fast!!
December 6, 2018
Darien has been mercilessly travelling through town after town, killing and destroying everyone he found in the lands of the Rhen however his people were starving now as every town they were arriving in had now been ransacked and lay empty of people, animals and food. This situation was making Darien both angry and desperate and desperate people end up doing desperate things! Darien kept feeling responsible for everyone and he was riddled with guilt and shame, feeling he had yet again failed his people however, his best friend Sayeed told him that only one man could ever defeat him and that man was himself and he encouraged Darien not to surrender to himself but instead to be the dragon who breathed fire, slayed heroes and ravaged cities. Sayeed and Azar had total fate in Darien and were behind him all the way. Azar even went so far as to learn magic wielding and sword fighting in order to be beside Darien and he felt that there was no other woman he admired more than his wife. The war was one between the Gods and humans were their pawns and Darien had had enough of their cruel games and he damned the lot of them. In the end it all boiled down to stopping the servants of Xerys from bringing him forth into the world, it was a war between faith and magic and Kyel was being convinced to stop all magic by stopping Renquist who was fighting against the reversal of magic. Was Kyel to be Darien's next betrayer? The final battle was fought and we got the spectacular ending to an amazing saga. These are a very strong set of novels which every sword and sorcery fantasy reader needs to own!
December 4, 2018
This book wraps everything up perfect. ML does a bit of trickery at the end so just as I was crying the smole came out. She may write get dark epic books but I think she is a softy at heart. I hope she carries on the saga with Rhen to see his journey. I don't know if ML dreams these plots and turns or that is pure imagination but we are lucky for it.
March 15, 2019
A fantastic read
All together these books are amazing, the twists and plots and the way your own feelings for these characters always changing, again an amazing read would recommend it to anyone.
All together these books are amazing, the twists and plots and the way your own feelings for these characters always changing, again an amazing read would recommend it to anyone.
July 23, 2019
Wonderful conclusion to the series!
I loved how the story followed the characters and their different paths. They each played a big role in the story. It is full of action! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
I loved how the story followed the characters and their different paths. They each played a big role in the story. It is full of action! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
December 1, 2018
Great ending to a great story. I look forward to whatever the author writes next.
September 19, 2019
This series was simply fantastic and it's thrilling conclusion had me captured till completion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2020
3.5/5
Welp, this is disappointing. After 3 books of mostly great build up and interesting explorations on moral, this book is a letdown. It is not a bad book per se, but it plays almost all stereotypical epic fantasy tropes straight.
The previous three books are quick paced and somewhat lean in size, and these result in cracks which take their tolls on this book. From drab and milquetoast worldbuilding, convoluted plot, unnecessary new characters, under-fleshed recurring cast, women in fridge, overly edgy action scene, eleventh hour powers, and many others; this book reads like a stereotypical epic fantasy in the most part.
This book is basically an extended build up to one explosive climax, but the insufficient foundation from previous book means Spencer had to introduce new characters around 50% mark of the book, in which some characters end up irrelevant. The creative uses of magic by Battlemages and Sentinels under Oath of Harmony are only introduced in this book, it makes me wonder why these interesting uses haven’t been applied before.
The excessive focus on Darien as the anti-hero means a lot of other supporting POVs don’t get enough agency and contribution to the plot, as most of them end up being mere fodders to the climax.
This isn’t a bad fantasy book per se but at this stage of life, I’ve had enough of run-of-the-mill, drab and often cynical Medieval European fantasy books with unimaginative worldbuilding and merely serviceable plot.
Welp, this is disappointing. After 3 books of mostly great build up and interesting explorations on moral, this book is a letdown. It is not a bad book per se, but it plays almost all stereotypical epic fantasy tropes straight.
The previous three books are quick paced and somewhat lean in size, and these result in cracks which take their tolls on this book. From drab and milquetoast worldbuilding, convoluted plot, unnecessary new characters, under-fleshed recurring cast, women in fridge, overly edgy action scene, eleventh hour powers, and many others; this book reads like a stereotypical epic fantasy in the most part.
This book is basically an extended build up to one explosive climax, but the insufficient foundation from previous book means Spencer had to introduce new characters around 50% mark of the book, in which some characters end up irrelevant. The creative uses of magic by Battlemages and Sentinels under Oath of Harmony are only introduced in this book, it makes me wonder why these interesting uses haven’t been applied before.
The excessive focus on Darien as the anti-hero means a lot of other supporting POVs don’t get enough agency and contribution to the plot, as most of them end up being mere fodders to the climax.
This isn’t a bad fantasy book per se but at this stage of life, I’ve had enough of run-of-the-mill, drab and often cynical Medieval European fantasy books with unimaginative worldbuilding and merely serviceable plot.
September 20, 2020
I'm of two minds about the capstone book to the Rhenwars Saga.
On one hand, I felt that it slipped back to some of the uneven pacing of the first book. While the climax generally made sense, I thought the set-up for one key feature was inadequate; though lightly foreshadowed, it smacked of deus ex machina. And one character had a personality/power shift than didn't quite seem consistent with the previous books.
On the other hand, the battle scenes were gripping and exciting, and a stark illustration of war when both sides are desperate. Spencer's prose flows well and it's easy to keep reading. The well-designed setting continues to provide a great backdrop for the story. Several important characters reach the end of their arcs and I was sad to see them go, which meant I was invested in their fates (a good thing). The multi-threaded story comes together and wraps up pretty well ... and even with the grim finale, there is a note of hard-won hope.
Rhenwars Saga was a worthwhile journey and while the finale wasn't perfect, it was definitely satisfying. I'm interested in checking out the next series.
On one hand, I felt that it slipped back to some of the uneven pacing of the first book. While the climax generally made sense, I thought the set-up for one key feature was inadequate; though lightly foreshadowed, it smacked of deus ex machina. And one character had a personality/power shift than didn't quite seem consistent with the previous books.
On the other hand, the battle scenes were gripping and exciting, and a stark illustration of war when both sides are desperate. Spencer's prose flows well and it's easy to keep reading. The well-designed setting continues to provide a great backdrop for the story. Several important characters reach the end of their arcs and I was sad to see them go, which meant I was invested in their fates (a good thing). The multi-threaded story comes together and wraps up pretty well ... and even with the grim finale, there is a note of hard-won hope.
Rhenwars Saga was a worthwhile journey and while the finale wasn't perfect, it was definitely satisfying. I'm interested in checking out the next series.
November 25, 2020
The end is here. Darien Lauchlin paid a high price for saving the people of Caladorn. His brutal and vicious acts showed the demon he had become. I didn’t like it one bit! But a protagonist can be an antagonist as well, so I get it. Quinlan Reis became my champion in this installment. I looked forward to his and Naia’s every little adventures. I was hoping for a better outcome of Kyle Archer, it’s a wonder Gil Archer disliked Rylan Marshall. Now it’s time to move forward with book 2 of the Chaos Cycle.
March 26, 2019
Boring
Predictable. Boring. Kept reading hoping the onslaught of adjectives would stop. And why would all those women fall for a despicable human being? Hours I spent reading this drivel could have been better spent. The only redeeming point is that I read for free.
Predictable. Boring. Kept reading hoping the onslaught of adjectives would stop. And why would all those women fall for a despicable human being? Hours I spent reading this drivel could have been better spent. The only redeeming point is that I read for free.
February 18, 2020
I felt this dragged a bit.
Honestly, the 4 books in this series could be 1 Robert Jordan type length standalone book, and trim the filler stuff.
The ending was very predictable, with the exception of the way the very last fight scene went, that was actually pretty cool.
Honestly, the 4 books in this series could be 1 Robert Jordan type length standalone book, and trim the filler stuff.
The ending was very predictable, with the exception of the way the very last fight scene went, that was actually pretty cool.
August 22, 2020
Master Spencer's great work!
The entire series is full of magic, war, greed, love, hate, chains bound and unbound and so very much more. This is not a tween romance this is so much more! Read the series! I dragon dare you!
The entire series is full of magic, war, greed, love, hate, chains bound and unbound and so very much more. This is not a tween romance this is so much more! Read the series! I dragon dare you!
April 13, 2022
Awesome series.
I don't often write a review but I had to in this instance. It's been since reading George RR Martin that I've read such a realistic series. You're drawn into this world and fall in love with the characters.
I don't often write a review but I had to in this instance. It's been since reading George RR Martin that I've read such a realistic series. You're drawn into this world and fall in love with the characters.
October 30, 2022
I liked this series, easy to read, will read more from this author.
January 30, 2023
A satisfying conclusion to one of the best series, I've ever laid my eyes on. it's filled with characters just trying to make do with the circumstances before them and sometimes failing miserably.
November 24, 2022
Love this 4 book series.
Cried at the end, really get into every person she writes about. The best dark fantasy writer. I have read all her books.
Cried at the end, really get into every person she writes about. The best dark fantasy writer. I have read all her books.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews