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The Obsidian Path #3
An End to Sorrow
THE OBSIDIAN PATH IS IN RUINS
Abandoned by his god and chained in the bilge of Iremaire’s war galley, Khraen has lost everything.
His only friend is dead, his wife beheaded and thrown into the ocean.
In an act of true self-destruction, a shard of Khraen’s heart stalks the islands destroying the others.
His sword calls him home to PalTaq, where it all began.
Only there can Khraen find an end to sorrow.
Abandoned by his god and chained in the bilge of Iremaire’s war galley, Khraen has lost everything.
His only friend is dead, his wife beheaded and thrown into the ocean.
In an act of true self-destruction, a shard of Khraen’s heart stalks the islands destroying the others.
His sword calls him home to PalTaq, where it all began.
Only there can Khraen find an end to sorrow.
531 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 15, 2022
116 people are currently reading
783 people want to read
About the author
Michael R. Fletcher
51 books1,324 followersMichael R. Fletcher is a science fiction and fantasy author, a grilled cheese aficionado, and a whiskey-swilling reprobate. He spends his days choreographing his forklift musical (titled "Get Forked"), and using caffeine as a substitute for sanity. Any suggestions that he is actually Dyrk Ashton in disguise are all lies.
Blog (kinda): http://michaelrfletcher.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRFlet...
Twitter: @FletcherMR
Instagram: fletcher_michael_r
Blog (kinda): http://michaelrfletcher.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichaelRFlet...
Twitter: @FletcherMR
Instagram: fletcher_michael_r
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
July 31, 2024
KANTLAMENT!
An End to Sorrow -- (The name of the fabled sword) shows it's true worth.
An explosive ending(?), sort of, I guess. Damn Mr. Fletcher, I'll give a kidney to read a continuation of The Obsidian Path and I think he's gonna add some more titles this series.
An epic conclusion, violent battle scenes, out of this world (literally) magic and world-building, along with one of the most beautiful, poignant and macabre prose I've read in a bit. Self reflective POV anti-hero, I mean I can't ask for more.
The best way to sum up the ending is that it appears to be a fantastic beginning. Highly recommended for fantasy lovers.
2022 Read
An End to Sorrow -- (The name of the fabled sword) shows it's true worth.
An explosive ending(?), sort of, I guess. Damn Mr. Fletcher, I'll give a kidney to read a continuation of The Obsidian Path and I think he's gonna add some more titles this series.
An epic conclusion, violent battle scenes, out of this world (literally) magic and world-building, along with one of the most beautiful, poignant and macabre prose I've read in a bit. Self reflective POV anti-hero, I mean I can't ask for more.
The best way to sum up the ending is that it appears to be a fantastic beginning. Highly recommended for fantasy lovers.
2022 Read
September 20, 2022
It's a sad day when a favourite author decides to go in a direction you don't want to follow. It's their right to do so, of course, and our choice to follow or not.
Sadly this trilogy was a huge disappointment for me. Fletcher has been my favourite grimdark author since I cracked open Beyond Redemption and now, eight books later, I've met a trilogy that just doesn't work for me.
There was some grimdarkness, mostly gross stuff involving the undead and harvesting blood and body parts from the living... but the main character is a sniveling imbecile constantly whinging about wanting to be a better person and fighting against his inner selfish asshole to the detriment of all involved. He isn't morally corrupt, he isn't doing the wrong thing for the right reasons, he isn't kicking ass and taking names. The only things he is truly good at is repeating the same drivel over and over again and coming to nonsensical conclusions.
I'm glad I made it to the end but I'm not at all glad that we're left hanging from a cliff and will likely meet this storyline in future books. I doubt I'll continue if there are more books.
Sadly this trilogy was a huge disappointment for me. Fletcher has been my favourite grimdark author since I cracked open Beyond Redemption and now, eight books later, I've met a trilogy that just doesn't work for me.
There was some grimdarkness, mostly gross stuff involving the undead and harvesting blood and body parts from the living... but the main character is a sniveling imbecile constantly whinging about wanting to be a better person and fighting against his inner selfish asshole to the detriment of all involved. He isn't morally corrupt, he isn't doing the wrong thing for the right reasons, he isn't kicking ass and taking names. The only things he is truly good at is repeating the same drivel over and over again and coming to nonsensical conclusions.
I'm glad I made it to the end but I'm not at all glad that we're left hanging from a cliff and will likely meet this storyline in future books. I doubt I'll continue if there are more books.
May 31, 2022
Original review posted on my blog Out of This World SFF:
https://outofthisworldrev.blogspot.co...
This series has been such a thrill ride from beginning to breathtaking end. Let me begin by saying that I will refrain from getting too much into the actual plot in this review as this is the third book and I really want to stay away from any potential spoilers. What I will do is touch on how this book and series made me feel and some general aspects of what types of stuff you are going to encounter if you decide to undertake this journey. And there is much to talk about in that regard.
AN END TO SORROW is the kind of conclusion to a series that all of us beg to be able to read. So much chaos, despair, triumph, evil and terrifying monsters, characters who are brought to the very brink of life or death, and an utterly mesmerizing final few chapters that left me wondering how I could ever pick up another book after putting this one down. Fletcher just seems to improve with every book he publishes in my opinion. Just when you think he's written the most extreme and envelope-pushing dark fantasy you've ever read, he puts out something that tops it. And if you like truly edgy nightmarish stuff, Fletcher has the goods every single time.
Khraen is one of the most morally gray main characters I've come across (and I read a ton of books with some sketchy mc's). When you lose everything that is important to you, that only becomes magnified. And in this final book we get to see what someone with nothing to lose is truly capable of. It's not pretty most of the time but it is extremely real and visceral. To the extent that Khraen has a conscience, it is one that is conflicted in many ways and his motivations are guided by the brutal torment he has faced in the first two books.
Oh and getting back to what I mentioned earlier about monsters, Michael R. Fletcher writes twisted monstrosities born of nightmares that would make even H.P. Lovecraft and Clive Barker blush. No, I mean it. So if you like a bit of the weird horror in your fantasy reads, this one will hit the mark for you tenfold.
In the end I came away from AN END TO SORROW feeling as if I was put through the ringer on an emotional level in a way that I rarely am. There are certain books and series that affect me more than others and this is one of those series. This final book definitely more than delivered on the promise of the first two. That is really saying something when you realize just how insane some of these storylines are and what unexpected directions many of them take. To be able to tie it all together and construct such a banger of a climax really is a testament to Fletcher's wonderful gift of storytelling.
https://outofthisworldrev.blogspot.co...
This series has been such a thrill ride from beginning to breathtaking end. Let me begin by saying that I will refrain from getting too much into the actual plot in this review as this is the third book and I really want to stay away from any potential spoilers. What I will do is touch on how this book and series made me feel and some general aspects of what types of stuff you are going to encounter if you decide to undertake this journey. And there is much to talk about in that regard.
AN END TO SORROW is the kind of conclusion to a series that all of us beg to be able to read. So much chaos, despair, triumph, evil and terrifying monsters, characters who are brought to the very brink of life or death, and an utterly mesmerizing final few chapters that left me wondering how I could ever pick up another book after putting this one down. Fletcher just seems to improve with every book he publishes in my opinion. Just when you think he's written the most extreme and envelope-pushing dark fantasy you've ever read, he puts out something that tops it. And if you like truly edgy nightmarish stuff, Fletcher has the goods every single time.
Khraen is one of the most morally gray main characters I've come across (and I read a ton of books with some sketchy mc's). When you lose everything that is important to you, that only becomes magnified. And in this final book we get to see what someone with nothing to lose is truly capable of. It's not pretty most of the time but it is extremely real and visceral. To the extent that Khraen has a conscience, it is one that is conflicted in many ways and his motivations are guided by the brutal torment he has faced in the first two books.
Oh and getting back to what I mentioned earlier about monsters, Michael R. Fletcher writes twisted monstrosities born of nightmares that would make even H.P. Lovecraft and Clive Barker blush. No, I mean it. So if you like a bit of the weird horror in your fantasy reads, this one will hit the mark for you tenfold.
In the end I came away from AN END TO SORROW feeling as if I was put through the ringer on an emotional level in a way that I rarely am. There are certain books and series that affect me more than others and this is one of those series. This final book definitely more than delivered on the promise of the first two. That is really saying something when you realize just how insane some of these storylines are and what unexpected directions many of them take. To be able to tie it all together and construct such a banger of a climax really is a testament to Fletcher's wonderful gift of storytelling.
April 24, 2022
There is no end to sorrow. There will always be one more justification, one more crime.
An End to Sorrow took my breath away. I expected (and hoped) it would be good, but Fletcher has outdone himself. It's brilliant.
Khraen fought demons and gods and slaughtered lords of hell, but he's not complete. After the events described in "She Dreams in Blood," he's lost everything: his wife, his friends, and his freedom. Can he get them back? Maybe. If only he could get his hands on Kantlament, a weapon that can kill worlds.
On the other hand, he might have underestimated Henka's strategic skills. So far, she's proven that she covers every angle and has factored in every possibility. Why would it be different this time?
I won't spoil it for you, but get ready for twists and turns coming at you from every angle. I love the way Fletcher analyzes the way memories and relationships shape us. He brilliantly captures the change in Khraen's voice as he reflects on his identity and the nature of identity in general.
Fletcher concludes his Obsidian Path trilogy with more of the mayhem and chaos that readers have enjoyed in the first two books. The conclusion is deeply satisfying and grim. It provides a strong conclusion to the trilogy, but not the whole story. I can't wait to see what comes next!
A must-read. Seriously. And one of the best endings to the trilogy I've read in recent years. And pure, dark awesomeness!
ARC from the author
April 28, 2022
https://www.bookwormblues.net/2022/04...
Well, I’m going to do it. I’m going to attempt to do this book some sort of justice, but oh, it’s going to be hard. This might be one of the most difficult books I’ve ever reviewed. How, dear reader, can one person really articulate how amazing this book truly was?
The fact of the matter is, I still don’t quite know what to say. This book just floored me, and in the closing of one series, Fletcher opens some doors that only made his particular universe even larger. I mean, how is that even possible? The guy, at this point, defies the laws of nature.
An End to Sorrow is nothing short of magisterial. This is the kind of series ender that should be used to teach all authors how to end a series. Here, we have epic highs and the lowest of lows. Relentless battles and extreme odds make this read like a pulse-pounding thrill ride, but then there are quieter moments as well, emotional depths that I’ve learned, over the course of editing six of the guy’s books, to expect, but still always manage to surprise me.
I don’t really know how to talk about An End to Sorrow without giving all of it away. I still, honestly, am trying to sort through the impact of this series. Editing it has been an adventure. I’ve learned a lot about writing and editing by working on Fletcher’s books. More, I’ve been gifted the opportunity to watch a master artist at his craft, to watch him evolve and grow with each installment, see how he hones his craft and grasps his story with both hands, aggressively pushing it to the furthest extremes. And somehow, he wrestles the bear and wins. Editing for Fletcher has been one of the most illuminating experiences in my professional life. Editing this series for him has been nothing short of incredible.
Khraen is one of the most morally ambiguous characters I’ve ever read, and that’s part of why I love the guy. He’s just so completely… Khraen, and Fletcher knows how to tap into that moral ambiguity and confusion and make it truly shine. Here, in An End to Sorrow, is Khraen’s long-awaited crescendo. We’ve been building up to it over two books. What I love most about his arc, specifically in this book, is how perfectly Fletcher managed to balance Khraen’s inner landscape with his outer struggle. There’s a lot of introspection here, Khraen not only trying to figure out what to do next, but also trying to figure out where he fits in all of this, and how much of himself is truly worth knowing.
Acceptance and rejection were core themes here, both on personal levels and on a much larger, external scale. What happens in the journey, the battles Khraen faces, the decisions he makes, are all mirrored in his inner landscape. It was absolutely astounding, how each thrust of a weapon, each maneuver, each decision made that furthered the plot, opened up a wellspring of inner strife, turmoil, and confusion. Emotional notes that hit just as hard as any sword thrust ever could.
Ultimately, this series is about a fundamentally wounded, flawed man picking up the pieces of himself, and it’s not easy. It never is, but that is a story we all relate to. This breaking, fracturing, loss and then the slow, painful process of putting ourselves back together after the cataclysm. That’s the ultimate power of the story. Fletcher takes an experience we all relate to and makes it uniquely his own. We connect, and through that connection, we’re captivated. It’s that powerful connection that Fletcher uses to toy with us so very well.
An End to Sorrow is a masterpiece. It took me a few weeks after editing it just to process how much I loved this book, and then a few more weeks to get up the courage to message Fletcher and bounce some theories off him. I’m still sitting here, so long after the edit, kind of reeling. I don’t feel like I’ve stopped yet. I’ve honestly never read anything like this, and I’ve never had a book hangover that sunk its claws in this deep. I’m not quite sure how it happened, but at some point along the way, this entire series became part of me, etched in bone, spoken into my marrow.
Pulse-pounding? Yes. Thrillride? Yes. Moral ambiguity? Oh yeah. It’s all here… but the series never loses its fundamental humanity, neither does it ever lose the voices of both the author and the characters, and that’s the true power of this series. Here are characters with abilities one could ascribe to divinity, and yet they are all flawed, with pieces missing. So incredibly human. Here, Khraen, despite how much he changes, is fundamentally still the Khraen I was introduced to in book one. So much is different, and yet the important stuff stays the same: the voices, the artistry, the authors ability to tell a story.
Fletcher flagrantly breaks the rules, and shows how powerful rule breaking can truly be.
The plot is relentless. It never lets up. There isn’t much time for quiet moments, but there are some, and Fletcher uses them like a hammer to hit the emotional notes just right, making the entire work feel so perfectly balanced. The fights are extremely well written, with almost surgical precision. The creatures you’ll see are things that HP Lovecraft would look at with awe. The ending is… I mean, wow.
I realize this is less of a book review, and more of a… I don’t even know what. The issue is, this series is just amazing, from top to bottom. It started out fantastic, and then it just kept getting better, until the ending, which is its own sort of Fletcheresque subversion that I am absolutely *dying* to talk to someone about because I’m still reeling, honestly.
I don’t quite know what to say.
Editing for Fletcher has been one of the best parts of my career. Every time he throws a book at me, I get excited in a way that is unique to him. It’s been incredible to watch his writing evolve, the way he pushes himself to new heights, new extremes, new highs and new lows. I haven’t ever really seen anything like it, and being behind the scenes, being able to watch the master at work in some small way has been, well, formative. Being part of this series in the tiny capacity I’ve been from beginning to end is a true feather in my cap. I cannot believe I was lucky enough to work on these books.
I don’t know if this is a review or just a 1000+ word diatribe wherein I tell you how fantastic I think Fletcher is, but I should probably cover my bases here and talk a bit about the book itself.
An End to Sorrow is the best series ender I’ve ever read, period. Action packed, with no detail overlooked, this book was the culmination of a journey I should have prepared myself for first, but looking back on it, I know there’s no way to prepare for something like this. I don’t think I’ve ever been this engrossed by a series, much less a book.
I’ll be picking pieces of Khraen from my soul for a while yet.
Well, I’m going to do it. I’m going to attempt to do this book some sort of justice, but oh, it’s going to be hard. This might be one of the most difficult books I’ve ever reviewed. How, dear reader, can one person really articulate how amazing this book truly was?
The fact of the matter is, I still don’t quite know what to say. This book just floored me, and in the closing of one series, Fletcher opens some doors that only made his particular universe even larger. I mean, how is that even possible? The guy, at this point, defies the laws of nature.
An End to Sorrow is nothing short of magisterial. This is the kind of series ender that should be used to teach all authors how to end a series. Here, we have epic highs and the lowest of lows. Relentless battles and extreme odds make this read like a pulse-pounding thrill ride, but then there are quieter moments as well, emotional depths that I’ve learned, over the course of editing six of the guy’s books, to expect, but still always manage to surprise me.
I don’t really know how to talk about An End to Sorrow without giving all of it away. I still, honestly, am trying to sort through the impact of this series. Editing it has been an adventure. I’ve learned a lot about writing and editing by working on Fletcher’s books. More, I’ve been gifted the opportunity to watch a master artist at his craft, to watch him evolve and grow with each installment, see how he hones his craft and grasps his story with both hands, aggressively pushing it to the furthest extremes. And somehow, he wrestles the bear and wins. Editing for Fletcher has been one of the most illuminating experiences in my professional life. Editing this series for him has been nothing short of incredible.
Khraen is one of the most morally ambiguous characters I’ve ever read, and that’s part of why I love the guy. He’s just so completely… Khraen, and Fletcher knows how to tap into that moral ambiguity and confusion and make it truly shine. Here, in An End to Sorrow, is Khraen’s long-awaited crescendo. We’ve been building up to it over two books. What I love most about his arc, specifically in this book, is how perfectly Fletcher managed to balance Khraen’s inner landscape with his outer struggle. There’s a lot of introspection here, Khraen not only trying to figure out what to do next, but also trying to figure out where he fits in all of this, and how much of himself is truly worth knowing.
Acceptance and rejection were core themes here, both on personal levels and on a much larger, external scale. What happens in the journey, the battles Khraen faces, the decisions he makes, are all mirrored in his inner landscape. It was absolutely astounding, how each thrust of a weapon, each maneuver, each decision made that furthered the plot, opened up a wellspring of inner strife, turmoil, and confusion. Emotional notes that hit just as hard as any sword thrust ever could.
Ultimately, this series is about a fundamentally wounded, flawed man picking up the pieces of himself, and it’s not easy. It never is, but that is a story we all relate to. This breaking, fracturing, loss and then the slow, painful process of putting ourselves back together after the cataclysm. That’s the ultimate power of the story. Fletcher takes an experience we all relate to and makes it uniquely his own. We connect, and through that connection, we’re captivated. It’s that powerful connection that Fletcher uses to toy with us so very well.
An End to Sorrow is a masterpiece. It took me a few weeks after editing it just to process how much I loved this book, and then a few more weeks to get up the courage to message Fletcher and bounce some theories off him. I’m still sitting here, so long after the edit, kind of reeling. I don’t feel like I’ve stopped yet. I’ve honestly never read anything like this, and I’ve never had a book hangover that sunk its claws in this deep. I’m not quite sure how it happened, but at some point along the way, this entire series became part of me, etched in bone, spoken into my marrow.
Pulse-pounding? Yes. Thrillride? Yes. Moral ambiguity? Oh yeah. It’s all here… but the series never loses its fundamental humanity, neither does it ever lose the voices of both the author and the characters, and that’s the true power of this series. Here are characters with abilities one could ascribe to divinity, and yet they are all flawed, with pieces missing. So incredibly human. Here, Khraen, despite how much he changes, is fundamentally still the Khraen I was introduced to in book one. So much is different, and yet the important stuff stays the same: the voices, the artistry, the authors ability to tell a story.
Fletcher flagrantly breaks the rules, and shows how powerful rule breaking can truly be.
The plot is relentless. It never lets up. There isn’t much time for quiet moments, but there are some, and Fletcher uses them like a hammer to hit the emotional notes just right, making the entire work feel so perfectly balanced. The fights are extremely well written, with almost surgical precision. The creatures you’ll see are things that HP Lovecraft would look at with awe. The ending is… I mean, wow.
I realize this is less of a book review, and more of a… I don’t even know what. The issue is, this series is just amazing, from top to bottom. It started out fantastic, and then it just kept getting better, until the ending, which is its own sort of Fletcheresque subversion that I am absolutely *dying* to talk to someone about because I’m still reeling, honestly.
I don’t quite know what to say.
Editing for Fletcher has been one of the best parts of my career. Every time he throws a book at me, I get excited in a way that is unique to him. It’s been incredible to watch his writing evolve, the way he pushes himself to new heights, new extremes, new highs and new lows. I haven’t ever really seen anything like it, and being behind the scenes, being able to watch the master at work in some small way has been, well, formative. Being part of this series in the tiny capacity I’ve been from beginning to end is a true feather in my cap. I cannot believe I was lucky enough to work on these books.
I don’t know if this is a review or just a 1000+ word diatribe wherein I tell you how fantastic I think Fletcher is, but I should probably cover my bases here and talk a bit about the book itself.
An End to Sorrow is the best series ender I’ve ever read, period. Action packed, with no detail overlooked, this book was the culmination of a journey I should have prepared myself for first, but looking back on it, I know there’s no way to prepare for something like this. I don’t think I’ve ever been this engrossed by a series, much less a book.
I’ll be picking pieces of Khraen from my soul for a while yet.
March 2, 2023
“What if grey is an excuse, a way to avoid black and white ? If slavery is evil, then it’s always evil ; there can be no excusing it”.
Señores de Goodreads, quiero dejar constancia con esta reseña que confirmo ser una blasfema y una hereje. Me explico, no me gustó nada este libro y una vez terminado fui a las reseñas-puntuaciones me di cuenta que era por así decirlo la excepción a la regla.
Me explico, para mí esta trilogía va de mejor a peor. Empezó bien, con ideas interesantes, aunque con algunos comentarios-escenas un poco fuera de lugar, sobre todo concernientes al género femenino, pero no le di tanta importancia. El segundo libro, también apuntaba grandes maneras, pero se quedó a medias, al menos para mi en cuanto al argumento. ¿Y este tercero? Más de lo mismo solo que añadimos que el protagonista se vuelve un hipócrita insoportable. Sinceramente, en vez de final de una saga esta trilogía no parece más que una mera introducción a la historia. Para este tipo de casos me gustaría que el autor se explicase al principio, pero bueno, esto es opinión personal mía.
Independientemente de todo, le he puesto tres estrellas porque el libro no está mal escrito, sí sigue faltando profundidad en algunos aspectos como son el escenario, el sistema de magia y personajes. Seguramente lea más libros de este señor, pero si van a hacer como este ya me puedo ir bajando de este barco.
“Am I my own worst enemy?”.
Señores de Goodreads, quiero dejar constancia con esta reseña que confirmo ser una blasfema y una hereje. Me explico, no me gustó nada este libro y una vez terminado fui a las reseñas-puntuaciones me di cuenta que era por así decirlo la excepción a la regla.
Me explico, para mí esta trilogía va de mejor a peor. Empezó bien, con ideas interesantes, aunque con algunos comentarios-escenas un poco fuera de lugar, sobre todo concernientes al género femenino, pero no le di tanta importancia. El segundo libro, también apuntaba grandes maneras, pero se quedó a medias, al menos para mi en cuanto al argumento. ¿Y este tercero? Más de lo mismo solo que añadimos que el protagonista se vuelve un hipócrita insoportable. Sinceramente, en vez de final de una saga esta trilogía no parece más que una mera introducción a la historia. Para este tipo de casos me gustaría que el autor se explicase al principio, pero bueno, esto es opinión personal mía.
Independientemente de todo, le he puesto tres estrellas porque el libro no está mal escrito, sí sigue faltando profundidad en algunos aspectos como son el escenario, el sistema de magia y personajes. Seguramente lea más libros de este señor, pero si van a hacer como este ya me puedo ir bajando de este barco.
“Am I my own worst enemy?”.
May 20, 2022
Fast-paced and solid entertainment.
June 2, 2022
TLDR: Great, creative plot, experience wrecked by repetition. In sore need of an aggressive content editor.
Although the plot was great, this book, like the second, was clogged with repetition. The same moral questions and discussions fielded over and over again-- with very little development-- became frustrating. And, although I appreciate Fletcher's nod to Lovecraft, Fletcher's repetitive Lovecraftian "madness" moments became especially trite when they (1) were all identical and (2) had no true consequences. To wit, Fletcher takes great lengths to *say* that MC's sanity is chipping away, but MC's sanity, as demonstrated by his actions and dialogue, is almost always status quo.
Unfortunately, my journey with Fletcher ends here.
Although the plot was great, this book, like the second, was clogged with repetition. The same moral questions and discussions fielded over and over again-- with very little development-- became frustrating. And, although I appreciate Fletcher's nod to Lovecraft, Fletcher's repetitive Lovecraftian "madness" moments became especially trite when they (1) were all identical and (2) had no true consequences. To wit, Fletcher takes great lengths to *say* that MC's sanity is chipping away, but MC's sanity, as demonstrated by his actions and dialogue, is almost always status quo.
Unfortunately, my journey with Fletcher ends here.
May 24, 2022
A wildly inconsistent book that started out as two stars but scraped through a solid 3.5 by the end. I might be overrating it because I liked the ending, but a good ending is a big deal.
Even though the premise sets this series up as a morally deep story, it’s not. It’s a fun, violent, funny, and edgy adventure and it’s best read that way.
The first third was quite meh, reiterating on plot points we saw in the end of the previous book while regressing the main character’s arc. Once that plotline is over though, we get into the meat of the book which is interesting and lots of fun. There are some really cool developments and twists. Fletcher’s imagination is nuts and honestly carries this series.
The plot of this trilogy does feel a little padded though. It’s repetitive Events that happen at the end of this book were things I expected to happen at the end of the first novel. It’s all over the place in that regard and could’ve used some tighter editing.
Even though the premise sets this series up as a morally deep story, it’s not. It’s a fun, violent, funny, and edgy adventure and it’s best read that way.
The first third was quite meh, reiterating on plot points we saw in the end of the previous book while regressing the main character’s arc. Once that plotline is over though, we get into the meat of the book which is interesting and lots of fun. There are some really cool developments and twists. Fletcher’s imagination is nuts and honestly carries this series.
The plot of this trilogy does feel a little padded though. It’s repetitive Events that happen at the end of this book were things I expected to happen at the end of the first novel. It’s all over the place in that regard and could’ve used some tighter editing.
September 9, 2022
Yet another great grimdark story by Michael R. Fletcher. The main character Khraen having developed in a single trilogy into one of my fantasy favorites alongside more recognizable names like Elric by Michael Moorcock and Conan by Robert E. Howard. And just like those sword and sorcery heavyweights, the world our seemingly cursed protagonist inhabits is overflowing with fantastic vistas, compelling people, dreadful magic, and has a tangible historical weight which grounds this flight of (at times) nightmarish fancy into a living, breathing world. And what is even grander than seeing so many of the plot twists confided here is knowing that the tale of Khraen has just begun.
October 31, 2023
A trilogy finisher as brutal and murderous and necrofantastic as the rest. I'm glad I continued this series after I was mopey about the first book; it was clearly built as a complete trilogy and the experience as a whole is great if you enjoy dark, grim fantasy. There should be a special word for this kind of thing.
The best part of the experience is that it retroactively improved my opinion of the first book. This is a welcome change from times when the later books in a series made the first book seem worse in retrospect.
I'm not in love with the ending. It's fine, it fits, it's not a bad ending. I simply found it convoluted in the final outcomes. Yes, there were known mysteries throughout the book, a necessity given its construction of partial and hidden memories and multiple unreliable sources, all filtered through a narrator who's unreliable to himself. It's the kind of thing that makes you think you should reread the series with the end knowledge in mind, but not nearly good enough to make me want to actually do that.
The other main irk was the frequent appearance of contemporary Earth sayings and attitudes. For a world in disarray and common-born characters who likely had zero formal education in their lives, they exhibit highly evolved sarcasm. And sure, the phrase "same shit, different day" is universally applicable, but when a secondary world character utters it, it's a hair away from "no shit, Sherlock" and my immersion is broken. I like my fantasy deeply immersive. I'm most impressed when characters deeply and realistically reflect their imaginary setting, and when the real world creeps in too strongly it's a strike for me.
There's no denying the originality and ambition of this series. It's basic conception rivals the author's Manifest Delusions series in this, and the concept is executed well. Fletcher has proven himself to be an author to continue watching. Who knows what wild, depraved ideas he'll put out next?
The best part of the experience is that it retroactively improved my opinion of the first book. This is a welcome change from times when the later books in a series made the first book seem worse in retrospect.
I'm not in love with the ending. It's fine, it fits, it's not a bad ending. I simply found it convoluted in the final outcomes. Yes, there were known mysteries throughout the book, a necessity given its construction of partial and hidden memories and multiple unreliable sources, all filtered through a narrator who's unreliable to himself. It's the kind of thing that makes you think you should reread the series with the end knowledge in mind, but not nearly good enough to make me want to actually do that.
The other main irk was the frequent appearance of contemporary Earth sayings and attitudes. For a world in disarray and common-born characters who likely had zero formal education in their lives, they exhibit highly evolved sarcasm. And sure, the phrase "same shit, different day" is universally applicable, but when a secondary world character utters it, it's a hair away from "no shit, Sherlock" and my immersion is broken. I like my fantasy deeply immersive. I'm most impressed when characters deeply and realistically reflect their imaginary setting, and when the real world creeps in too strongly it's a strike for me.
There's no denying the originality and ambition of this series. It's basic conception rivals the author's Manifest Delusions series in this, and the concept is executed well. Fletcher has proven himself to be an author to continue watching. Who knows what wild, depraved ideas he'll put out next?
May 2, 2022
So, it's nearly time for publication, high time for an actual review!
I was lucky enough to get a beta reading copy for this, and indeboured it within two days. While that's normal for me with audiobooks, for actual eye use that's close to a record for me these days.
Usually with beta reads, I send back one or two pages of things that didn't work perfectly for me. With this one i could only send a very helpful "It's amazing! I loved it!"
We get to learn more of our main characters, both about where they are going now, and about the muddy past, a lot of which is still hidden from them and us.
There's nice twists and turns indefinitely didn't expect, and also enough satisfying "I knew it!" moments to make me feel rather good while reading it. Despite this again almost having blood and gore drip from the pages. I don't need to tell you that books by Fletcher aren't for the faint of heart, if you made it to book three in this series.
I don't want to say too much, sonas to not spoil anything. We get more action, more fighting, more betrayals and loyalties, more introspection and definitely more internal struggles. The moral questions definitely are what made this as gripping and fascinating to me, and kept it from turning into a gore fest.
My only complaint, and it isn't even really a complaint is the ending. It is a well written end.
And I really, really, really want to strangle that Fletcher guy for that. I won't tell you why thought, you'll have to read it yourself to find out. And then join me in making him pay...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was lucky enough to get a beta readers copy of this, and will put my full review up later.
But for now let me say *IT'S GOOD*
I was lucky enough to get a beta reading copy for this, and indeboured it within two days. While that's normal for me with audiobooks, for actual eye use that's close to a record for me these days.
Usually with beta reads, I send back one or two pages of things that didn't work perfectly for me. With this one i could only send a very helpful "It's amazing! I loved it!"
We get to learn more of our main characters, both about where they are going now, and about the muddy past, a lot of which is still hidden from them and us.
There's nice twists and turns indefinitely didn't expect, and also enough satisfying "I knew it!" moments to make me feel rather good while reading it. Despite this again almost having blood and gore drip from the pages. I don't need to tell you that books by Fletcher aren't for the faint of heart, if you made it to book three in this series.
I don't want to say too much, sonas to not spoil anything. We get more action, more fighting, more betrayals and loyalties, more introspection and definitely more internal struggles. The moral questions definitely are what made this as gripping and fascinating to me, and kept it from turning into a gore fest.
My only complaint, and it isn't even really a complaint is the ending. It is a well written end.
And I really, really, really want to strangle that Fletcher guy for that. I won't tell you why thought, you'll have to read it yourself to find out. And then join me in making him pay...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Was lucky enough to get a beta readers copy of this, and will put my full review up later.
But for now let me say *IT'S GOOD*
May 11, 2022
Actual rating: 4.75
Fucking ironic, right? What do men keep in their pockets? The hearts of the women they love
I was super lucky to get and ARC of this book and honestly I'm bumping this to 5 stars, because it damn well deserves it because literally no one writes grimdark like Michael R. Fletcher and I will never get tired of saying it, he just gets better with every single book, it's insane. The Obsidian Path is sitting now as one of my favorite dark fantasy series of all time thanks to this conclusion.
After loving Black Stone Heart but not really connecting with She Dreams in Blood, An End to Sorrow has almost everything you would want in a conclusion. We pick up right where the second book ended and this time around the pacing was fantastic. More gore, more darkness and more monsters and otherworldly beings. I refuse to spoil anything but man, so many turns. The plot was utterly great in this one, especially with every fragment they recovered. Honestly the last 20% of this book is non stop discoveries.
Even though I despised Henka, her story once you figure everything out is so incredibly sad, that you cannot help but to feel so bad for her. The more you feel sorry for her the more you realize, maybe Khraen was really a piece of shit. But then also, he is such a complex morally grey character, who has a conscience but knows how to not listen to it, when necessary.
This is a story about morality, darkness and love, and I was 100% on board for it. I cannot recommend this series enough if you like dark fantasy (and same goes with the author, just read his books already).
Fucking ironic, right? What do men keep in their pockets? The hearts of the women they love
I was super lucky to get and ARC of this book and honestly I'm bumping this to 5 stars, because it damn well deserves it because literally no one writes grimdark like Michael R. Fletcher and I will never get tired of saying it, he just gets better with every single book, it's insane. The Obsidian Path is sitting now as one of my favorite dark fantasy series of all time thanks to this conclusion.
After loving Black Stone Heart but not really connecting with She Dreams in Blood, An End to Sorrow has almost everything you would want in a conclusion. We pick up right where the second book ended and this time around the pacing was fantastic. More gore, more darkness and more monsters and otherworldly beings. I refuse to spoil anything but man, so many turns. The plot was utterly great in this one, especially with every fragment they recovered. Honestly the last 20% of this book is non stop discoveries.
Even though I despised Henka, her story once you figure everything out is so incredibly sad, that you cannot help but to feel so bad for her. The more you feel sorry for her the more you realize, maybe Khraen was really a piece of shit. But then also, he is such a complex morally grey character, who has a conscience but knows how to not listen to it, when necessary.
This is a story about morality, darkness and love, and I was 100% on board for it. I cannot recommend this series enough if you like dark fantasy (and same goes with the author, just read his books already).
April 24, 2022
A beautiful train wreck. It ended the only way it could EXPLOSIVELY!!! This series is in you face and unapologetically awesome. The themes explored and handled with care in the obsidian path are some of the most thought provoking moments I have read.
This is one you don’t want to miss!!! The obsidian path is a masterwork dealing with identity, Good vs Evil, Morality, and tackles toxic relationships. It’s been weeks since I read this and I still think about how I felt reading an end to Sorrow!
FLETCHER IS ON TOP OF HIS GAME!!!
This is one you don’t want to miss!!! The obsidian path is a masterwork dealing with identity, Good vs Evil, Morality, and tackles toxic relationships. It’s been weeks since I read this and I still think about how I felt reading an end to Sorrow!
FLETCHER IS ON TOP OF HIS GAME!!!
August 11, 2024
Overall, I enjoyed this trilogy, but was a tad disappointed with the final volume. We left the last installment with our protagonist Khraen chained in the bilge of Iremaire's war galley (Iremaire being the rogue wizard operating outside of the wizard guild), his wife Henka beheaded and cast into the sea. Looks pretty grim for Khraen! Well, in true Burroughs' fashion, Khraed escapes with some help from Bran, his only true friend...
This entire trilogy predicated itself on Khraen's quest for his identity, which became intensified with each reclaimed piece of his obsidian heart. We learn that his goddess 'gifted' him with the heart when he was just a boy, living in a hunter/gathering tribe on the Southern islands, and from that humble beginning, he managed over time to build a vast empire, and ruled it for 10,000 years. With this epic background, we are left with Khraen pondering questions of civilization itself, who wields power and why, the state of the commoners, and much, much more. We also have Khraen's relationship with his undead wife Henka. When he awoke in the first volume, Khraen did not remember her at all, and as the series progressed, gradually we learn more about her and their relationship...
Hard to pinpoint exactly why this felt rather lukewarm rather than a stellar epic, but reading about Khraen's relationship to Henka grew old pretty quick, and that really became the focal point for the last volume. Fletcher built an amazing world here, but I did not think the story/plot lived up to it; it just felt rather plebian and the ending? Did not impress. Still, well worth a read if you dig grimdark. 3 sorrows.
This entire trilogy predicated itself on Khraen's quest for his identity, which became intensified with each reclaimed piece of his obsidian heart. We learn that his goddess 'gifted' him with the heart when he was just a boy, living in a hunter/gathering tribe on the Southern islands, and from that humble beginning, he managed over time to build a vast empire, and ruled it for 10,000 years. With this epic background, we are left with Khraen pondering questions of civilization itself, who wields power and why, the state of the commoners, and much, much more. We also have Khraen's relationship with his undead wife Henka. When he awoke in the first volume, Khraen did not remember her at all, and as the series progressed, gradually we learn more about her and their relationship...
Hard to pinpoint exactly why this felt rather lukewarm rather than a stellar epic, but reading about Khraen's relationship to Henka grew old pretty quick, and that really became the focal point for the last volume. Fletcher built an amazing world here, but I did not think the story/plot lived up to it; it just felt rather plebian and the ending? Did not impress. Still, well worth a read if you dig grimdark. 3 sorrows.
Read
April 3, 2022That was a wild ride!
September 24, 2023
OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS (MIHIR): An End To Sorrow is the end to Michael R. Fletcher’s Obsidian Path trilogy and also has a special significance in that, this is the first of his published series that he has concluded. Not a slight against the author, but a milestone to be appreciated.
Be forewarned, some parts of the review will be spoilerific for the preceding books, but I will do my best to not do so as much as I can. An End To Sorrow opens up where She Dreams In Blood left off right down to the millisecond. The author had mentioned in one of the Wizards, Warriors & Words podcast episodes as to how one of his beta readers had come up with the brilliant idea of ending SDIB where it ended and removing the last 2 chapters that were originally part of that book into AETS (https://wizardswarriorswords.com/).
When I first heard this, I was very curious as to why the author would do this. After finishing SDIB and then reading AETS, I’m in complete agreement with that beta-reader’s feedback. It heightened the tension of SDIB’s climax and lead an incredible urgency to the start of AETS. This book begins with Khraen at his nadir, bereft of his friend, his wife and possibly any power. He has nothing going for him and has to decide whether to fade away or go back to discover more about his past. This book is over 500 pages long and none of it is remotely filler.
This story is an incredibly unique one and I do not know if anybody else than Michael R. Fletcher could have written it. Now you might be thinking that this is hyperbole on my part, but you would be wrong. This story is one of the darkest ones I have read in my life as it focusses on a dark lord who has lost his powers and his memory; he’s trying to get all of it back while trying to figure out what exactly happened. There’s also his necromancer wife who’s helping him and killing women by the dozens just to satisfy his needs. Plus Khraen has to worry about the other Khraens who might be out there. All in all, as you can see there’s a lot going on and all of it is not for the faint of heart.
Michael Fletcher really has written an incredible tale that highlights why people do the things that they do and how the most despicable folks can be charismatic and frighteningly intriguing to read about. This trilogy and story shouldn’t work but it does and it does so by breaking most fantasy fiction rules. Michael R. Fletcher swiftly jumps between a grandiose Moorcockian fantasy epic and an intensely gritty and personal first person POV story that would make Richard K. Morgan proud. He makes Khraen to be a person who is discovering all the super terrible and magically terrific things that he did. He brings a sense of wonder and disgust that is ingeniously mixed together that as a reader I had to stop and think whether to truly cheer or be reviled by Henka’s genius.
The story is filled with many twists and nods to several of his past stories as well as potential future ones (there is a noticeable pointer to The Storm Beneath The World, his new fantasy saga that Michael described as BLOOD SONG meets CHILDREN OF TIME)[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSQAo...]. The pace of the story never slackens and we as the readers are constantly thrust alongside Khraen in this final stretch as he hustles, fights and does every despicable thing possible in regaining his power and his coterie back.
As a reader, I had no complaints with this volume; AETS also overcomes the subtle deficiencies of BSH (a slightly lackluster ending) and SDIB (a slight lull in the middle of the story). The ending is absolutely unpredictable and the epilogue a stunner to say the least. I am ashamed to say that previously I wasn’t a huge MRF fan. I can no longer espouse that statement. The Obsidian Path trilogy is a unique dark fantasy trilogy that will be considered a classic similar to C.S. Friedman’s Coldfire trilogy and Mark Lawrence’s The Broken Empire trilogy. If you haven’t done so yet, grab this completed trilogy and see why so many grimdark fantasy fans are enraptured by this Canadian artiste!
December 30, 2022
Review now live at Grimdark Magazine
An End to Sorrow is the concluding novel in the Obsidian Path series by Michael R. Fletcher. The first novel, reviewed here for Grimdark Magazine, was a finalist in the 2021 Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off (SPFBO), and with good reason as it’s an excellent book. The follow up novel, She Dreams in Blood, reviewed here , continued Khraen’s quest to piece together his fractured obsidian heart.
So finally, we come to the resolution of the tale of Khraen, the Demon Emperor, who has been resurrected as a shell of his former self, missing the shards of his heart and with these pieces, his scattered memories. He’s accompanied by his faithful friend and follower, Bren as they attempt to recover the necromancer queen Henska, who might or might not have Kraen’s best interest at heart.
“Once we had a nest egg, we could open a cosy little tavern somewhere, sell good beer and fresh meals to weary travelers. That sounded a lot better than floundering about in Abieszan harbour for my dead wife’s head so she could kill me for being a selfish asshole.”
As we see, Khraen is reluctant to finish his quest and get those final pieces of his former self. At this point he fears that he will lose his chance at redemption and simply fall into the trap of the dominant powers he’d wielded thousands of years ago at his full strength. Bren is his conscience in a way, the one person in his life that Khraen cares for without using or being used by him to achieve sinister ends.
Khraen’s problem now is that the closer he gets to his end goal, the more he loses the man he has become on the journey to achieve those goals. Through the Obsidian Path series, we have seen his character development as he struggles between wanting to reacquire his vast powers of his previous life, but live life now as a better man, learning from the mistakes he has made along the way.
An End to Sorrow is a continuation (and perhaps the conclusion?) of a study of right and wrong, and the moral self-reflection of a man destined to forge out a new path in the shadow of his villainous history. He learns why he’d made some of the choices in his previous life and in his inward reflection we see that he wasn’t purely evil but had at times a greater good in mind. This moral fiber is driving him in the present as well as he feels the need to do better but at every turn seems to be pulled toward that dark path he’d trod before.
Once more I was amazed at the way Fletcher’s mind works in his narrative voice. I’ve read most of his published works to this point and I always wonder what deep, dark well he draws forth these ideas. He never fails to deliver, and An End to Sorrow is another entry in Fletcher’s study of human motivation and need.
An End to Sorrow is the concluding novel in the Obsidian Path series by Michael R. Fletcher. The first novel, reviewed here for Grimdark Magazine, was a finalist in the 2021 Self-Published Fantasy Blog Off (SPFBO), and with good reason as it’s an excellent book. The follow up novel, She Dreams in Blood, reviewed here , continued Khraen’s quest to piece together his fractured obsidian heart.
So finally, we come to the resolution of the tale of Khraen, the Demon Emperor, who has been resurrected as a shell of his former self, missing the shards of his heart and with these pieces, his scattered memories. He’s accompanied by his faithful friend and follower, Bren as they attempt to recover the necromancer queen Henska, who might or might not have Kraen’s best interest at heart.
“Once we had a nest egg, we could open a cosy little tavern somewhere, sell good beer and fresh meals to weary travelers. That sounded a lot better than floundering about in Abieszan harbour for my dead wife’s head so she could kill me for being a selfish asshole.”
As we see, Khraen is reluctant to finish his quest and get those final pieces of his former self. At this point he fears that he will lose his chance at redemption and simply fall into the trap of the dominant powers he’d wielded thousands of years ago at his full strength. Bren is his conscience in a way, the one person in his life that Khraen cares for without using or being used by him to achieve sinister ends.
Khraen’s problem now is that the closer he gets to his end goal, the more he loses the man he has become on the journey to achieve those goals. Through the Obsidian Path series, we have seen his character development as he struggles between wanting to reacquire his vast powers of his previous life, but live life now as a better man, learning from the mistakes he has made along the way.
”Somehow, I’d gone from counting every soul, feeling the crushing burden of each, to spending them like flinging copper coins at the poor.”
An End to Sorrow is a continuation (and perhaps the conclusion?) of a study of right and wrong, and the moral self-reflection of a man destined to forge out a new path in the shadow of his villainous history. He learns why he’d made some of the choices in his previous life and in his inward reflection we see that he wasn’t purely evil but had at times a greater good in mind. This moral fiber is driving him in the present as well as he feels the need to do better but at every turn seems to be pulled toward that dark path he’d trod before.
Once more I was amazed at the way Fletcher’s mind works in his narrative voice. I’ve read most of his published works to this point and I always wonder what deep, dark well he draws forth these ideas. He never fails to deliver, and An End to Sorrow is another entry in Fletcher’s study of human motivation and need.
May 24, 2022
A mesmerizing tale of friendship, betrayals, necromancy, demons, sorcery & empires. Of death & destruction. But above all…a story of a broken heart 💔 All the incredible wit, action & madness you’ve come to expect. Love it.
June 30, 2024
The most painful ★★ stars I've ever given. I was so hyped for this book but ended up so bored I had to force myself to read it.
I don't know if it's a case of "it's not you, it's me"... I found the book way too long for what it had to offer. At 25%, the story still hadn't taken off and it never really does. Everything is always so convenient for Khraen. There are no stakes because we know he is going to PalTaq no matter what and no one will actually kill him. Another attempted assassination? Why should I care? Why should I be afraid of Iremaire or even Shaylan?
When we met Naghron, I thought the author was going to blow our minds with a huge twist, such as killing Khraen. Naghron seems so freaking cool and clever. I wanted to see more of him. But this one is on me, of course.
I was eager to see more demons and demonology stuff coming from Khraen, especially as he got closer to PalTaq. I liked the full demonic armor; it was unique. The ring with the demon was a nice addition too.
I also came to dislike Henka very much. Always lying, always hiding the truth from Khraen. Did she really have to wait until they reached PalTaq to reveal who she truly is and what it means? What a waste of time.
And I want to conclude by saying that I really liked Nilh, and my boy deserved better.
I don't know if it's a case of "it's not you, it's me"... I found the book way too long for what it had to offer. At 25%, the story still hadn't taken off and it never really does. Everything is always so convenient for Khraen. There are no stakes because we know he is going to PalTaq no matter what and no one will actually kill him. Another attempted assassination? Why should I care? Why should I be afraid of Iremaire or even Shaylan?
When we met Naghron, I thought the author was going to blow our minds with a huge twist, such as killing Khraen. Naghron seems so freaking cool and clever. I wanted to see more of him. But this one is on me, of course.
I was eager to see more demons and demonology stuff coming from Khraen, especially as he got closer to PalTaq. I liked the full demonic armor; it was unique. The ring with the demon was a nice addition too.
I also came to dislike Henka very much. Always lying, always hiding the truth from Khraen. Did she really have to wait until they reached PalTaq to reveal who she truly is and what it means? What a waste of time.
And I want to conclude by saying that I really liked Nilh, and my boy deserved better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 10, 2022
Khraen, Khraen, Khraen .. what did you expect?!
Khraen's struggle, desperately trying to be different - with an enemy in himself and around.
what a wild ride and a great conclusion to the trilogy.
i have no words. amazing build-up and ending.
loved the worldbuilding, characters, deep friendship and twisted kind of love (not my usual jam but here it was done brilliant). a true master of twisted.
this going to be an author I will 100% read more from.
Khraen's struggle, desperately trying to be different - with an enemy in himself and around.
what a wild ride and a great conclusion to the trilogy.
i have no words. amazing build-up and ending.
loved the worldbuilding, characters, deep friendship and twisted kind of love (not my usual jam but here it was done brilliant). a true master of twisted.
this going to be an author I will 100% read more from.
March 24, 2023
After a slightly underwhelming second book in the trilogy, unfortunately An End to Sorrow also couldn't rise to the levels of the very good first book. That said it has a nice pace and still Fletcher's imagination is admirable. What kept me from enjoying this more, was that after the second book I lost my interest in the characters and that was also the case here.
This trilogy in my opinion should have been two books max..
5,9/10
This trilogy in my opinion should have been two books max..
5,9/10
April 13, 2022
An End to Sorrow has all of the intrigue, thrill, action, and intricate worldbuilding of the previous two books in these series; all of which have indeed come to be trademarks associated with this stellar rising author.
In this series finale, Khraen grows more into his real self, his turbulent past, and gains even more knowledge than before. As a result, there are some big reveals as we find more about the Demon Emperor's past atrocities and dealings, with the present moral dilemma.
And a great dilemma his character proves to be. He's caught up in the whirlwinds of his own fate, and his only redemption seems to lie across the bloody path he trailed once upon a lifetime when he was the Demon Emperor.
His relationships with his loyalists improve, even as his journey of self-discovery gathers pace. He now sees them in a light that better mirrors his rapidly-evolving psyche. I like that he embraces his evilness, rather than denies it.
To find redemption in life, the first step is to admit your own errors. In An End to Sorrow, Khraen does not delude himself that he's spilling so much good for the greater good in a blurry future. No. This time, he latches onto the rungs of salvation in the knowledge of his own doom, looking to salvage as much as possible.
His much-anticipated demise did not come to pass. I'm sorry for dropping this particular spoiler (all of my book reviews so far, famously do not contain any spoilers), but I had to express this disappointment. From She Dreams In Blood, the finale seemed pretty inevitable- The Demon Emperor bowing out in a spectacular show of blood and gore.
However, Mr. Fletcher has showed a sleight of hand that I did not anticipate, much to his credit. True, this book should be scoring five stars, rather than four. Nonetheless, I will take the divergent route by expressing displeasure at a somewhat anticlimactic ending.
Still, I will give the author credit for not rushing to conclude this thrilling series. Indeed, there are notable pointers indicating that the story will continue in one form or the other.... But that enough! I don't like giving indirect spoilers either, so I'll rest my case.
The Obsidian Path as a whole is a wonderful series that's highly recommended to fantasy lovers who don't want black and white-themed stories. Personally, I believe I've had enough of High and Coming-of-Age Fantasy. I seek something different in the meantime.
I will end by making a plea to the author:
Dear Mr. Fletcher. I really love the worlds that you create. It would be my dearest wish for you to expand them greatly in the future. The worlds in your head can grow to be comparable to the ones of timeless classics in the genre like WoT, MBoTF, and HP. Give us more!
An excellent series this is, even if the story is far from truly ended!
In this series finale, Khraen grows more into his real self, his turbulent past, and gains even more knowledge than before. As a result, there are some big reveals as we find more about the Demon Emperor's past atrocities and dealings, with the present moral dilemma.
And a great dilemma his character proves to be. He's caught up in the whirlwinds of his own fate, and his only redemption seems to lie across the bloody path he trailed once upon a lifetime when he was the Demon Emperor.
His relationships with his loyalists improve, even as his journey of self-discovery gathers pace. He now sees them in a light that better mirrors his rapidly-evolving psyche. I like that he embraces his evilness, rather than denies it.
To find redemption in life, the first step is to admit your own errors. In An End to Sorrow, Khraen does not delude himself that he's spilling so much good for the greater good in a blurry future. No. This time, he latches onto the rungs of salvation in the knowledge of his own doom, looking to salvage as much as possible.
His much-anticipated demise did not come to pass. I'm sorry for dropping this particular spoiler (all of my book reviews so far, famously do not contain any spoilers), but I had to express this disappointment. From She Dreams In Blood, the finale seemed pretty inevitable- The Demon Emperor bowing out in a spectacular show of blood and gore.
However, Mr. Fletcher has showed a sleight of hand that I did not anticipate, much to his credit. True, this book should be scoring five stars, rather than four. Nonetheless, I will take the divergent route by expressing displeasure at a somewhat anticlimactic ending.
Still, I will give the author credit for not rushing to conclude this thrilling series. Indeed, there are notable pointers indicating that the story will continue in one form or the other.... But that enough! I don't like giving indirect spoilers either, so I'll rest my case.
The Obsidian Path as a whole is a wonderful series that's highly recommended to fantasy lovers who don't want black and white-themed stories. Personally, I believe I've had enough of High and Coming-of-Age Fantasy. I seek something different in the meantime.
I will end by making a plea to the author:
Dear Mr. Fletcher. I really love the worlds that you create. It would be my dearest wish for you to expand them greatly in the future. The worlds in your head can grow to be comparable to the ones of timeless classics in the genre like WoT, MBoTF, and HP. Give us more!
An excellent series this is, even if the story is far from truly ended!
July 10, 2022
2.5 stars.
SPOILERS
I won’t lie, I’m quite disappointed with this one. It seemed very much a rinse and repeat of the previous books, and added little to the story that was new or interesting, just more of the things we already knew, e.g. Henka is behind a lot of what is going on and Khraen is constantly doubting himself.
I found the ending anticlimactic as well, with little resolution to the story and the revelation that this is in fact only the first trilogy in the series as opposed to the end as I expected.
SPOILERS
I won’t lie, I’m quite disappointed with this one. It seemed very much a rinse and repeat of the previous books, and added little to the story that was new or interesting, just more of the things we already knew, e.g. Henka is behind a lot of what is going on and Khraen is constantly doubting himself.
I found the ending anticlimactic as well, with little resolution to the story and the revelation that this is in fact only the first trilogy in the series as opposed to the end as I expected.
January 30, 2024
A brilliant conclusion to an amazing trilogy.
As with the previous books in the series, An End to Sorrow keeps you wondering until the very end. Who can we trust? Who do we support? What do we, as readers, want? Does it align with Khraen's desires or...?
I hope there's more books. I hope there's a second Obsidian Path trilogy (and the end of the book does hint at it ~ ) because I feel like there's. So. Much. More. To. Explore. And I just want more.
All in all, it's easy. If you like the first two books, you'll like this one. Very fun, impossible to put down, an amazing cast of characters and an incredible story.
As with the previous books in the series, An End to Sorrow keeps you wondering until the very end. Who can we trust? Who do we support? What do we, as readers, want? Does it align with Khraen's desires or...?
I hope there's more books. I hope there's a second Obsidian Path trilogy (and the end of the book does hint at it ~ ) because I feel like there's. So. Much. More. To. Explore. And I just want more.
All in all, it's easy. If you like the first two books, you'll like this one. Very fun, impossible to put down, an amazing cast of characters and an incredible story.
June 16, 2022
So, ok.
It may be my FromSoftware obsessed brain, but The Obsidian Path really reads like the torturous game story Miyazaki would appreciate. You wake up not knowing anything, you level up and get fancy weapons using souls, you get stronger by obtaining shards of your heart killing different enemies (bosses) and there, at the end, you find out the truth and the path starts again.
It's the enduring cycle.
That's the whole point. Empires rising and falling, yesterday heroes become today's villains and vice versa, the constant struggle of journey you are on desperately trying to get some result that will inevitably lead to the same truth there at the end. And the new cycle.
So, yes, dark, bleak and brutal.
I really love what Fletcher wanted to achieve with this entire series. I always liked him for the dark and for the uncomfortable he brings up in his writing. And yes, thinking about the series as whole, I'd say I appreciated it more than each individual part and that's especially true for An End to Sorrow.
I was never bothered that much by Khraen's constant introspection because I was cackling how Fletcher made Khraen over and over going back on that promise to be a good guy, because he needed just a few thousand souls. Just this one time and then after that he will be a good guy. Until next time. Endless justifications and pathetic excuses. It was hilarious. I genuinely had fun in slowly deteriorating morality and questionable sanity of Khraen and his decision at the end was not surprising to me at all.
If he was repeating same moral conundrums and questions in his head, I kinda hoped we will see more, let's say, a substantial plot.
We open up a book with Khraen in weird stasis prison... which is very similar to wizard tower he was trapped in first book.
They have a tough sea voyage... kinda similar to floating episode in second book.
Nahgron was a bigger threat in second book, here he was like reasonable version of Khraen (and I admit, that Khraen would not be as much fun to read about).
Henka was manipulative and thinking several steps ahead which was revealed in previous book and nothing surprised me about her. I just thought her reason for doing anything she did at the end downgraded her again to Corpse Bride status.
I thought from that cover we will see Kantalment in action! We saw awesome armour, but Kantlament is only used as a play on words (can't lament- get it?! ::eye-roll::).
It's like stuff happened and Khraen get shards of his heart, but the way he's done it was not as exciting as I hoped considering he remembered more about demonology and has new weapons at his disposal. So many fun things only mentioned (like elemental who is mad at Khraen or why wizards wanted to know about demonic objects), but it was not utilized in this novel. Maybe sequel series?
I am a character reader and I always give preference to character development than plot, but I wanted better balance of both elements. With so many reflective parts and so many inner dialogue devoted to Khraen's character I did hope for more because the path to self-realization was always a goal, and not a surprise I wasn't expecting.
So, in worst of excuses, it's a 'me' thing.
remains awesome and I love him. It's my only flaw.
It may be my FromSoftware obsessed brain, but The Obsidian Path really reads like the torturous game story Miyazaki would appreciate. You wake up not knowing anything, you level up and get fancy weapons using souls, you get stronger by obtaining shards of your heart killing different enemies (bosses) and there, at the end, you find out the truth and the path starts again.
It's the enduring cycle.
That's the whole point. Empires rising and falling, yesterday heroes become today's villains and vice versa, the constant struggle of journey you are on desperately trying to get some result that will inevitably lead to the same truth there at the end. And the new cycle.
So, yes, dark, bleak and brutal.
I really love what Fletcher wanted to achieve with this entire series. I always liked him for the dark and for the uncomfortable he brings up in his writing. And yes, thinking about the series as whole, I'd say I appreciated it more than each individual part and that's especially true for An End to Sorrow.
I was never bothered that much by Khraen's constant introspection because I was cackling how Fletcher made Khraen over and over going back on that promise to be a good guy, because he needed just a few thousand souls. Just this one time and then after that he will be a good guy. Until next time. Endless justifications and pathetic excuses. It was hilarious. I genuinely had fun in slowly deteriorating morality and questionable sanity of Khraen and his decision at the end was not surprising to me at all.
If he was repeating same moral conundrums and questions in his head, I kinda hoped we will see more, let's say, a substantial plot.
We open up a book with Khraen in weird stasis prison... which is very similar to wizard tower he was trapped in first book.
They have a tough sea voyage... kinda similar to floating episode in second book.
Nahgron was a bigger threat in second book, here he was like reasonable version of Khraen (and I admit, that Khraen would not be as much fun to read about).
Henka was manipulative and thinking several steps ahead which was revealed in previous book and nothing surprised me about her. I just thought her reason for doing anything she did at the end downgraded her again to Corpse Bride status.
I thought from that cover we will see Kantalment in action! We saw awesome armour, but Kantlament is only used as a play on words (can't lament- get it?! ::eye-roll::).
It's like stuff happened and Khraen get shards of his heart, but the way he's done it was not as exciting as I hoped considering he remembered more about demonology and has new weapons at his disposal. So many fun things only mentioned (like elemental who is mad at Khraen or why wizards wanted to know about demonic objects), but it was not utilized in this novel. Maybe sequel series?
I am a character reader and I always give preference to character development than plot, but I wanted better balance of both elements. With so many reflective parts and so many inner dialogue devoted to Khraen's character I did hope for more because the path to self-realization was always a goal, and not a surprise I wasn't expecting.
So, in worst of excuses, it's a 'me' thing.
remains awesome and I love him. It's my only flaw.
January 10, 2023
This closes off an excellent work of dark fantasy, unique in its approach to the "dark lord" trope. Rather than have such a character serve as the antagonist, this heinous man is the protagonist. I found myself never cheering for him, yet I was enthralled by his story nonetheless. Maybe that says something about my person...
This series is rather special amongst my list of favorites because of what I have described above. I tend to develop strong emotional attachments to protagonists, and they are more often than not my favorite character in a story. Yet here I found myself rooting for Khraen's downfall, and in the most violent way possible. Even so, Fletcher's books often deal with beings falling prey to the machinations of evil gods, and Khraen is no exception. This one fact deeply influences the direction the story goes in and does make this black tale a bit muddier. I say this just to make it clear that the story is not just senseless gore.
However, as I have mentioned in previous reviews, Fletcher continues to shine most through his creativity and ideas. He never disappoints, and An End to Sorrow is no exception. I am very grateful that this author exists. Just like with all of the Manifest Delusions entries so far, every book in the Obsidian Path trilogy earns a 5 star rating from me, with no hesitation whatsoever.
This series is rather special amongst my list of favorites because of what I have described above. I tend to develop strong emotional attachments to protagonists, and they are more often than not my favorite character in a story. Yet here I found myself rooting for Khraen's downfall, and in the most violent way possible. Even so, Fletcher's books often deal with beings falling prey to the machinations of evil gods, and Khraen is no exception. This one fact deeply influences the direction the story goes in and does make this black tale a bit muddier. I say this just to make it clear that the story is not just senseless gore.
However, as I have mentioned in previous reviews, Fletcher continues to shine most through his creativity and ideas. He never disappoints, and An End to Sorrow is no exception. I am very grateful that this author exists. Just like with all of the Manifest Delusions entries so far, every book in the Obsidian Path trilogy earns a 5 star rating from me, with no hesitation whatsoever.
August 26, 2022
Yeah, I think this was the last shot I gave to Michael R. Fletcher, atleast concerning the series.
I really wanted to enjoy his book since he is such a beloved grimmdark author. And I really thought The Obsidian Path is gonna be a hit for me because the premise sounds extremely interesting.
However, just like with Manifest Delusions, negatives outweight the positives. Fletcher has amazing ideas and core of the story is pretty good, but.. I just find his writting style very blend and repetetive, characters do not feel real, side quests are boring and the overall structure of his books just does not work for me.
After finishing An End of Sorrow I felt like I once again did not get almost any enjoyment out of the book. And I think after I read two series of this author, it is time to give up.
The Obsidian Path is not bad, probably.. I just wasn't able to get into it at all. And therefore An End of Sorrow was not either disapointing nor satisfying.. I just really did not care about it at all.
5/10 for An End of Sorrow, 5/10 for The Obsidian Path.
I really wanted to enjoy his book since he is such a beloved grimmdark author. And I really thought The Obsidian Path is gonna be a hit for me because the premise sounds extremely interesting.
However, just like with Manifest Delusions, negatives outweight the positives. Fletcher has amazing ideas and core of the story is pretty good, but.. I just find his writting style very blend and repetetive, characters do not feel real, side quests are boring and the overall structure of his books just does not work for me.
After finishing An End of Sorrow I felt like I once again did not get almost any enjoyment out of the book. And I think after I read two series of this author, it is time to give up.
The Obsidian Path is not bad, probably.. I just wasn't able to get into it at all. And therefore An End of Sorrow was not either disapointing nor satisfying.. I just really did not care about it at all.
5/10 for An End of Sorrow, 5/10 for The Obsidian Path.
May 15, 2022
Thank you so much to the author Michael R. Fletcher for providing me with an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
An End to Sorrow is the absolutely amazing third book in The Obsidian Path trilogy that begins with Black Stone Heart.
Black Stone Heart tells the story of Khraen, who wakes up in the north remembering only his name. As he starts to travel south to find food and shelter, and there's also something that calls to him. As he goes south a lot of questions arise and he finds out his skin color makes him an outcast, people fear him and spat at him in the same breath. Early on he finds people that treats him as a person. But betrayals and misunderstandings hurt him enough to not consider the consequences of his actions and makes enemies from friends.
I'll try to keep the review spoiler free but procede with caution if you haven't read the first two books in the trilogy.
The consistency we see in the first and second book, is here as well, and as the final book, there were a lot of questions left unanswered after the ending. I think that in every book you have all the elements to submerge yourself into the story and just experience everything with the characters.
I found Khraen's arc particularly compelling. The fact that he questions his own thoughts and reactions. And as he try to see himself through the eyes of other people, Henka, Bren, his Goddess, Shalayn, he judges himself and the things he's done and the things he plans to do, he plainly knows that most of his decisions are evil for some and justified for others.
My detractors called me evil, but they had no concept of what I protected them from.
He tries again and again to be good, to be the person that do the right thing, and not what others push him to be. He wants to decide his own path and to do better by everyone. Even though he realizes that he can't have everything he wants.
I wouldn't blindly be who or what anyone else thought I should. I would be my own man. I would walk my own path.
Khraen in this particular book starts doubting everything he knows and everything he has taken for granted and all that makes him what he is now. All that he knows about the Demon Emperor is not what he thought and there are a lot of hidden surprises on his path. And as he starts to find out all the clues the Demon Emperor left for them, everything he knew changes.
"Then again, you always were best at lying to yourself"
As I said in my first and second book reviews, I really don't like Henka at all. She's very manipulative and way too smart for Khraen's good. Even though she does everything for his own good, in this book, Khraen starts to see her with different eyes. And although he can't predict what she plans, he knows she plans for every eventuality and that she's never going to tell him the full extent of the scheme she has in place.
The Queen of the Dead.
Shalayn's arc was interesting. Her ending was a tiny bit disappointing though. She's part of Khraen's conscience and his first love.
I loved Shalayn and now she would kill me. I broke her heart and I deserve this.
Bren is just the best. Everything he endures for Khraen is commendable.
I could have sent him away. I could have saved him. Instead, I let him make his own decisions.
I found that even though during the first and second book and partially the third, you think you know how is going to go and and at the end you find out that you were wrong.
Try as I might, I'd been unable to resist becoming the man I once was.
The plot doesn't seem really complex at first and then, some truths start to come to light and everything is much more complicated than it was a moment before. And as we approach the end everything gets more and more intricate until the big reveals at the very end.
While I followed my trail of obsidian crumbs, he followed his path to power.
It's amazing how much is packed in so little amount of pages. Khraen's story will remain as one of my favorites for a long time.
This is a fantastic finale to the trilogy. It has one of the most surprising endings I've read in a while. I highly recommend the whole trilogy if you enjoy the Grimdark genre.
All quotes are extracted from an Advance Reader's Copy and because of that, they can change in the final version of the book.
An End to Sorrow is the absolutely amazing third book in The Obsidian Path trilogy that begins with Black Stone Heart.
Black Stone Heart tells the story of Khraen, who wakes up in the north remembering only his name. As he starts to travel south to find food and shelter, and there's also something that calls to him. As he goes south a lot of questions arise and he finds out his skin color makes him an outcast, people fear him and spat at him in the same breath. Early on he finds people that treats him as a person. But betrayals and misunderstandings hurt him enough to not consider the consequences of his actions and makes enemies from friends.
I'll try to keep the review spoiler free but procede with caution if you haven't read the first two books in the trilogy.
The consistency we see in the first and second book, is here as well, and as the final book, there were a lot of questions left unanswered after the ending. I think that in every book you have all the elements to submerge yourself into the story and just experience everything with the characters.
I found Khraen's arc particularly compelling. The fact that he questions his own thoughts and reactions. And as he try to see himself through the eyes of other people, Henka, Bren, his Goddess, Shalayn, he judges himself and the things he's done and the things he plans to do, he plainly knows that most of his decisions are evil for some and justified for others.
My detractors called me evil, but they had no concept of what I protected them from.
He tries again and again to be good, to be the person that do the right thing, and not what others push him to be. He wants to decide his own path and to do better by everyone. Even though he realizes that he can't have everything he wants.
I wouldn't blindly be who or what anyone else thought I should. I would be my own man. I would walk my own path.
Khraen in this particular book starts doubting everything he knows and everything he has taken for granted and all that makes him what he is now. All that he knows about the Demon Emperor is not what he thought and there are a lot of hidden surprises on his path. And as he starts to find out all the clues the Demon Emperor left for them, everything he knew changes.
"Then again, you always were best at lying to yourself"
As I said in my first and second book reviews, I really don't like Henka at all. She's very manipulative and way too smart for Khraen's good. Even though she does everything for his own good, in this book, Khraen starts to see her with different eyes. And although he can't predict what she plans, he knows she plans for every eventuality and that she's never going to tell him the full extent of the scheme she has in place.
The Queen of the Dead.
Shalayn's arc was interesting. Her ending was a tiny bit disappointing though. She's part of Khraen's conscience and his first love.
I loved Shalayn and now she would kill me. I broke her heart and I deserve this.
Bren is just the best. Everything he endures for Khraen is commendable.
I could have sent him away. I could have saved him. Instead, I let him make his own decisions.
I found that even though during the first and second book and partially the third, you think you know how is going to go and and at the end you find out that you were wrong.
Try as I might, I'd been unable to resist becoming the man I once was.
The plot doesn't seem really complex at first and then, some truths start to come to light and everything is much more complicated than it was a moment before. And as we approach the end everything gets more and more intricate until the big reveals at the very end.
While I followed my trail of obsidian crumbs, he followed his path to power.
It's amazing how much is packed in so little amount of pages. Khraen's story will remain as one of my favorites for a long time.
This is a fantastic finale to the trilogy. It has one of the most surprising endings I've read in a while. I highly recommend the whole trilogy if you enjoy the Grimdark genre.
All quotes are extracted from an Advance Reader's Copy and because of that, they can change in the final version of the book.
May 17, 2022
WOW!! WHAT A FUCKING CONCLUSION!
Not much else I can say really but this trilogy has been a highlight of my reading since Black Stone Heart first made it's appearance on my kindle.
It also fulfils my desire of books containing Necromancers 🧟♂️🧟♀️ plus amazing quotes such as...
"Desperate, I had called my god. She was rage and she was death. She was the first nightmare and the last darkness. She was the mother of damnation. She birthed the primigenial lie, devoured the last truth. She was horror. She was my god, and she dreamed in the blood of shattered worlds." and
‘It isn’t age, experience, or wisdom that makes you an adult. It isn’t even having children of your own, though that shoves you a few steps down the path; it’s surviving tragedy. It’s coming out the other side, kind of broken, changed by what happened.’
It is paragraphs like this that make Fletcher one of my favourite authors to date.
Not much else I can say really but this trilogy has been a highlight of my reading since Black Stone Heart first made it's appearance on my kindle.
It also fulfils my desire of books containing Necromancers 🧟♂️🧟♀️ plus amazing quotes such as...
"Desperate, I had called my god. She was rage and she was death. She was the first nightmare and the last darkness. She was the mother of damnation. She birthed the primigenial lie, devoured the last truth. She was horror. She was my god, and she dreamed in the blood of shattered worlds." and
‘It isn’t age, experience, or wisdom that makes you an adult. It isn’t even having children of your own, though that shoves you a few steps down the path; it’s surviving tragedy. It’s coming out the other side, kind of broken, changed by what happened.’
It is paragraphs like this that make Fletcher one of my favourite authors to date.
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