The lands of the Northern Council are under siege.
Beset by marauding Gath, encroaching armies, and a mysterious plague, the end draws near. The bordermen of the Iron Shield continue to hold Jayden’s Pass against the might of a new goblin nation, but how will they overcome such insurmountable odds?
The return of the Gorimm has left the members of the ancient race divided. As a consequence of their imprisonment in the Grey, the warriors of the Great Wood have yet to answer humankind’s request for aid against Kaleris and his Fallen mages.
The reunified Drayen army, led by their new queen, race headlong into war upon their own soil. Meanwhile, thousands have rallied under the banner of the rightful heir, Kaimon Rhone, but time is running out. Surrounded by enemies, the Drayen-led alliance enacts a daring plan to lure the Protectorate forces into a final decisive battle. It may be their only hope for survival.
And in the ruins of Caer Lindor, the fate of a broken kingdom will be decided.
Emmet Moss writes epic fantasy that whisks readers away to worlds far removed from our own while evoking the classic, sweeping fantasy of yesteryear. He is widely known for his four book saga, The Shattering of Kingdoms (completed in 2021). A labour of love over fifteen years in the making, the first book in the series, The Mercenary Code, won the prestigious Voice Arts Award for Audiobook Narration – Fantasy thanks to the impeccable performance of narrator Simon Vance. In his latest two novels - A Mantle of Bones (2022) and The Knight of Fulton Court (2023) - Moss introduced his readers to the Earldom of Essenburg. In the midst of these two tales, a new continent in the world of Kal Maran was revealed, expanding the world first introduced in The Shattering of Kingdoms. The stage has now been set for an epic new saga that will connect many threads from the previous books and reintroduce characters readers have grown to love. Moss is hard at work on a new four-book series and true sequel to The Shattering of Kingdoms. The first book in this new series is planned for release in 2025.
There are some parts of the series that are very engaging. But often what can be said with 10 words it said with 40. Also it’s full of clichés .about honor and bravery that just get old. That said, I read the last four books, skipped over the verbose paragraphs, and enjoyed it somewhat.
I ended loving the series. What I liked: interesting world, twist on typical fantasy tropes, cultures and likeable characters, good audiobook (though I mentioned before the similar sounding names were confusing). What I did not like: many dead-ends and unanswered questions. I don't know after all the time spent on him in the book, what did Alesan accomplish? Where did Gavin come from? How did Gavin know what was going to happen? What happened to the ghosts? How did Elaris become Yar? What happened to the assassins? It's really as if there were 6 books and I read 2-5. I am looking forward to reading more from the author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Probably slow for many people. And like many other reviews some will find this as a way towards closure. And it was true for me as well.
I say it isn't too bad because the story and overall good for readers who like knowing about a land it's history rather than following individual characters. I am of the latter kind and hence found the books great but not outstanding. Apologies to the author.
I thoroughly enjoyed this series. I was devastated to see many of the characters leave the series, but fascinated by all the twists and turns. I highly recommend this series. As an avid reader, I have been blessed to read many great authors such as Salvatore, Holmberg, Tolkien, Gemmel and hundreds more. I rank this with some of the best. Thank you for the privilege of allowing me to escape and enjoy your story.
Not once could you lose interest in the story but it was a real challenge to keep straight with all the different characters and scenarios. But the characters were well developed and worth following. The books need to be read in order to keep up with the story but when it all comes together in this last book it is awesome.
All of the characters whose stories are interwoven in the previous 3 books finally come together. Both tragic and victorious, the end caused both tears and joy.