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Fallen Gods #5
Eve of Endless Night
"Face your sins."
War erupts between Nox'Kartha and the Elven Territories, but the world feels far away for Flowridia and Ayla Darkleaf, living a life of bliss - until a summons from the Elven Council upturns their world. Respect among the elves must be earned, and Flowridia steps into a political regime more dangerous than any she has experienced before. But though their allies are unpredictable, they are powerful, and Flowridia thinks she might've found a place for her small family to belong . . .
. . . until the whole world ends with a click and a boom.
Darkness falls, enemies become allies, and family is forged and shattered in the fifth installment of FALLEN GODS.
Publisher’s Note: Eve of Endless Night is a fantasy horror novel intended for adults and may contain material upsetting to some readers. Please visit the author's website to view a list of spoiler-free content warnings.
War erupts between Nox'Kartha and the Elven Territories, but the world feels far away for Flowridia and Ayla Darkleaf, living a life of bliss - until a summons from the Elven Council upturns their world. Respect among the elves must be earned, and Flowridia steps into a political regime more dangerous than any she has experienced before. But though their allies are unpredictable, they are powerful, and Flowridia thinks she might've found a place for her small family to belong . . .
. . . until the whole world ends with a click and a boom.
Darkness falls, enemies become allies, and family is forged and shattered in the fifth installment of FALLEN GODS.
Publisher’s Note: Eve of Endless Night is a fantasy horror novel intended for adults and may contain material upsetting to some readers. Please visit the author's website to view a list of spoiler-free content warnings.
630 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 30, 2022
33 people are currently reading
345 people want to read
About the author
S.D. Simper
22 books872 followersSD Simper is a bestselling horror author, award-winner of fantasy romance, and understands that the true secret to writing great villains is living with cats. She and her wife share a home with four cats, a Great Dane, and innumerable bookshelves.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
June 30, 2022
MY HEART!
The fifth in the series of Fallen Gods, and it gets darker, and more gruesome than ever before. Definitely content warnings needed here for a lot of depravity. While it's not "fun" to read about evils and atrocities happening to characters - what I find fascinating about the entire series (and this book in particular) is the lengths people - especially 'good' and otherwise self righteous, moralistic people - will go to in the name of a greater good. How good and evil can get warped so easily, based on your own moral conscience or willingness for revenge, or even desire. How far people will go, and what they will sacrifice, even if it means losing themselves in the process.
While there's magics and necromancy, at it's heart these stories are about the flawed and complicated people, which is so damned relatable to anyone who has ever struggled in a world with any sort of prejudice, family issues, religious extremism, sexism, taboo, etc. The topic of facing sins and forgiveness is a big theme in this book. But that doesn't mean it's all doom and gloom either.
Simper has this way of weaving real humanity in with the characters response to the darkness, with sarcastic commentary that helps ease the tension, while still making you feel it deeply. It truly is a rollercoaster of emotion, that confronts your morality and humanity head on, and doesn't let up.
Yet there's always a silver lining, and a light at the end of the tunnel. So many reveals come through in this installment, and so much loss too. But also the potential for more to grow from that pain.
So if you're looking for a deep, rich, high fantasy that doesn't shy away from illicit characters and actions that are debatable, then this is the series for you. It's like a queer Game of Thrones, in the best ways.
I received an advanced copy from the writer, but am leaving a review voluntarily. It releases at the end of the month on Kindle Unlimited - and all the others in the series are there, too.
I would highly recommend trying; The Fate of Stars trilogy first, if you're looking for a slightly lighter read, without as much depravity.
Content warnings can be found on the authors website:
https://sdsimper.com/fallen-gods/
The fifth in the series of Fallen Gods, and it gets darker, and more gruesome than ever before. Definitely content warnings needed here for a lot of depravity. While it's not "fun" to read about evils and atrocities happening to characters - what I find fascinating about the entire series (and this book in particular) is the lengths people - especially 'good' and otherwise self righteous, moralistic people - will go to in the name of a greater good. How good and evil can get warped so easily, based on your own moral conscience or willingness for revenge, or even desire. How far people will go, and what they will sacrifice, even if it means losing themselves in the process.
While there's magics and necromancy, at it's heart these stories are about the flawed and complicated people, which is so damned relatable to anyone who has ever struggled in a world with any sort of prejudice, family issues, religious extremism, sexism, taboo, etc. The topic of facing sins and forgiveness is a big theme in this book. But that doesn't mean it's all doom and gloom either.
Simper has this way of weaving real humanity in with the characters response to the darkness, with sarcastic commentary that helps ease the tension, while still making you feel it deeply. It truly is a rollercoaster of emotion, that confronts your morality and humanity head on, and doesn't let up.
Yet there's always a silver lining, and a light at the end of the tunnel. So many reveals come through in this installment, and so much loss too. But also the potential for more to grow from that pain.
So if you're looking for a deep, rich, high fantasy that doesn't shy away from illicit characters and actions that are debatable, then this is the series for you. It's like a queer Game of Thrones, in the best ways.
I received an advanced copy from the writer, but am leaving a review voluntarily. It releases at the end of the month on Kindle Unlimited - and all the others in the series are there, too.
I would highly recommend trying; The Fate of Stars trilogy first, if you're looking for a slightly lighter read, without as much depravity.
Content warnings can be found on the authors website:
https://sdsimper.com/fallen-gods/
June 2, 2022
In Eve of Endless Night, everything I’ve come to know and love about the Fallen Gods series is heightened. This penultimate installment contains the spiciest sex scenes Simper has written so far, as well as the most heartbreaking moment of the series. It also features some much needed dashes of humor in the form of fabulous necromancy puns and an incredibly hilarious sing-off between my new favorite frenemy duo. Bravo to Simper for that fantastic character pair up, by the way.
There are revelations galore contained within. If you’ve been hoping for answers, you’ll be getting quite a few, many of them shocking, and all of them fascinating.
No one writes shades of gray characters as well as Simper, and Flowridia continues to be one of the most compelling anti-heroes in the entire fantasy genre. Honestly, even Morgan le Fay doesn’t hold a candle to her, and that’s coming from an Arthurian enthusiast. Flowers truly is the Walter White of fantasy.
Indeed, one of the most intriguing aspects of the cast containing so many morally gray characters is that I’m never entirely certain who the true antagonist or villain of the series will end up being—the “big bad,” if you will. I suppose the final book will hold the answers to that.
Etolié, my favorite of the humanoid, non-wolf characters, also has some truly moving character growth in this book.
This is probably the strongest book in the series, although the second book, Among Gods and Monsters, remains my personal favorite due to Flowers amazing character growth in that installment. Also, something extremely upsetting happens fairly early in this book, making it a particularly gut-wrenching read since (unlike Flowers and Ayla) I'm not into pain. I won’t spoil any of the particulars in this review, but I think it’s safe to say you’ll know exactly what I’m referring to when you read it.
Be prepared to cry, laugh, and lose a night or two of sleep over this one.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.
There are revelations galore contained within. If you’ve been hoping for answers, you’ll be getting quite a few, many of them shocking, and all of them fascinating.
No one writes shades of gray characters as well as Simper, and Flowridia continues to be one of the most compelling anti-heroes in the entire fantasy genre. Honestly, even Morgan le Fay doesn’t hold a candle to her, and that’s coming from an Arthurian enthusiast. Flowers truly is the Walter White of fantasy.
Indeed, one of the most intriguing aspects of the cast containing so many morally gray characters is that I’m never entirely certain who the true antagonist or villain of the series will end up being—the “big bad,” if you will. I suppose the final book will hold the answers to that.
Etolié, my favorite of the humanoid, non-wolf characters, also has some truly moving character growth in this book.
This is probably the strongest book in the series, although the second book, Among Gods and Monsters, remains my personal favorite due to Flowers amazing character growth in that installment. Also, something extremely upsetting happens fairly early in this book, making it a particularly gut-wrenching read since (unlike Flowers and Ayla) I'm not into pain. I won’t spoil any of the particulars in this review, but I think it’s safe to say you’ll know exactly what I’m referring to when you read it.
Be prepared to cry, laugh, and lose a night or two of sleep over this one.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.
November 10, 2022
Damn was this a lot to take in... can't wait for the final book in the series. Amazing writing!
She probably does not deserve it but I hope our main girl gets a happy ending tbh
She probably does not deserve it but I hope our main girl gets a happy ending tbh
July 2, 2022
What an incredible book! 🤯 This is the 5th book of the series and it doesn't relent in how unique, fast paced and well plotted it is. I love how everything is connected and threads are being linked ever since book 1.
The evolution and growth of the characters continue to amaze me, I simply cannot stress how amazing it is that despite the fact we have many characters and different POVs, the author gives a unique voice to every single one of them, never to be confused as to the motivations each of them have.
In what may be a controversial opinion to some, I continue to root for Flowra and Ayla's journey and this book makes me love them even more. The growth from book 1 to this one is beautiful and this book ripped my heart out for a moment there because whatever you may say about those two, they truly do love one another.
I finished this book in 3 days because I couldn't wait any longer as we were getting to the final third of it because the angst, action and suspense were just too damn good. Another home run book to the series 💜
**I received an advanced copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
The evolution and growth of the characters continue to amaze me, I simply cannot stress how amazing it is that despite the fact we have many characters and different POVs, the author gives a unique voice to every single one of them, never to be confused as to the motivations each of them have.
In what may be a controversial opinion to some, I continue to root for Flowra and Ayla's journey and this book makes me love them even more. The growth from book 1 to this one is beautiful and this book ripped my heart out for a moment there because whatever you may say about those two, they truly do love one another.
I finished this book in 3 days because I couldn't wait any longer as we were getting to the final third of it because the angst, action and suspense were just too damn good. Another home run book to the series 💜
**I received an advanced copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 27, 2024
5 Stars
It’s so sinister but it’s soooo good! I cannot comprehend how the author thought of making this shiet up. This has been the darkest fantasy book I’ve read so far. The bar is set so high I don’t know if anyone could reach it or even go beyond it.
For any fantasy lover, this series is it. Cream of the crop. Where everything stops.
It’s so sinister but it’s soooo good! I cannot comprehend how the author thought of making this shiet up. This has been the darkest fantasy book I’ve read so far. The bar is set so high I don’t know if anyone could reach it or even go beyond it.
For any fantasy lover, this series is it. Cream of the crop. Where everything stops.
September 8, 2023
Holy fucking shit, I thought the other books were rough, but Eve of Endless Night pulled negative 100 punches. This one fucking HURT. And yet, I somehow read the majority of 630 pages in less than 24 hours. Simper’s writing is compulsively readable and I cannot wait (and am also terrified) to see what she has planned for the forthcoming series ender, Chaos Undone!
Love sapphic books, too? Let's be friends! Booktok | Twitter
Love sapphic books, too? Let's be friends! Booktok | Twitter
August 28, 2022
Can't wait for the next book in the series!!!
What a rich world, I will put it at par with more popular fantasy works like 'The Lord of the Rings series' and 'Harry Potter series'. All the books in the series - one after the other...that too sapphic...what a treat! What more can I ask for- except for the series to never end (sad, that this is 2nd last in series, any chance author may re-consider?!)....
I loved how the dark shades of the characters are not compromised and explored thoroughly even though they will naturally make the reader conflicted. I don't know how to put this...but in a way I felt encouraged to embrace my own ugly-dark side with more compassion.
I also loved how the author was loyal and true to all her characters...even those at whom I was getting pissed for being so hypocritely acting all morally upstanding and judgemental.
A part of my heart will remain with Alya Darkleaf and Flowridia until the final book is published (and what a cool surname, Darkleaf 😍)
What a rich world, I will put it at par with more popular fantasy works like 'The Lord of the Rings series' and 'Harry Potter series'. All the books in the series - one after the other...that too sapphic...what a treat! What more can I ask for- except for the series to never end (sad, that this is 2nd last in series, any chance author may re-consider?!)....
I loved how the dark shades of the characters are not compromised and explored thoroughly even though they will naturally make the reader conflicted. I don't know how to put this...but in a way I felt encouraged to embrace my own ugly-dark side with more compassion.
I also loved how the author was loyal and true to all her characters...even those at whom I was getting pissed for being so hypocritely acting all morally upstanding and judgemental.
A part of my heart will remain with Alya Darkleaf and Flowridia until the final book is published (and what a cool surname, Darkleaf 😍)
June 12, 2022
Absolutely loved it. Couldn’t put this book down, constantly wondering „omg what’s gonna happen next? As always, Simper doesn’t fail to amaze with the complexity of both the magics and the multidimensional worldbuilding, the internal and external struggles of the characters whose development and changes you get to witness even more closely. Not least importantly, huge praise for the darkness and horror, that runs all the way through the series and even more intense and more twisted in this fifth book. Eagerly awaiting book 6!
July 4, 2024
I’ve read lots of horror. Read lots of horrifying, terrible things. But I’ll tell you, the last third of this book may have broken me. If I was in therapy, this book would need multiple sessions. I had to go sit on my porch in the sun to read it. I am in pain.
June 16, 2022
This is the fifth book in The Fallen Gods series, and it's an excellently written story, with so many tense, beautiful, horrifying and memorable moments!
As always with Simper, the reader is taken on a wild adventure in a well fleshed out fantasy world, with meaningful and believeable main characters, who you become really invested in during the span of this amazing tale.
Of course it has steaming love scenes but those are contrasted with very dark and sinister scenes of the most vile acts imaginable..
This is a true pageturner, and it's one of those books that makes you forget the world around you!
As always with Simper, the reader is taken on a wild adventure in a well fleshed out fantasy world, with meaningful and believeable main characters, who you become really invested in during the span of this amazing tale.
Of course it has steaming love scenes but those are contrasted with very dark and sinister scenes of the most vile acts imaginable..
This is a true pageturner, and it's one of those books that makes you forget the world around you!
July 1, 2022
Favorite series ever
This installment may be my favorite so far. Seeing these characters I loved and hated, who only really had little pieces and teasers referencing them before get their stories told and voices heard ( Sheen Bean! ) seemed to bring all the previous book around full circle. Masterfully done, just wow. I find myself once again eagerly awaiting the next turn in this harrowing tale. Simper is by and far my all time favorite author.
This installment may be my favorite so far. Seeing these characters I loved and hated, who only really had little pieces and teasers referencing them before get their stories told and voices heard ( Sheen Bean! ) seemed to bring all the previous book around full circle. Masterfully done, just wow. I find myself once again eagerly awaiting the next turn in this harrowing tale. Simper is by and far my all time favorite author.
June 6, 2022
Ugh, why are there only 5 stars?? This book, and series, deserves more. Oh, Simper has done it again!!! Eve Of Endless Night is everything I hoped for and more. It advances the storyline across perspectives while still managing to take turns I never would have expected. There is nothing predictable about this book and it is ohhhh sooo good. It’s deliciously dark and utterly captivating. If you are questioning continuing the series question no more. You will NOT be disappointed. I’ve been left desperate for book 6. I will offer no words of caution as you should know by now what you’re in for. I will simply say buckle up and enjoy. LOVED IT!!!
July 2, 2022
i sure hope there arent guidelines for reviews here because HOLY FUCKING SHIT? WHAT THE FUCK? IM GOING TO BE SICK. IM GOING TO TEAR MY HAIR OUT. I DONT KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS STRONG POSITIVE EMOTIONS. THIS BOOK IS WONDERFUL AND SICKENING AND INCREDIBLE AND ITS HORRIBLE AND TERRIBLE FOR MY MENTAL HEALTH AND IM MOURNING AND I FEEL CLOSER TO THESE CHARACTERS THAN EVER BEFORE. THE WAY THEIR TRAUMA IS PORTRAYED AND HOW SD SIMPER JUST DOES NOT LET THE READER SIMPLY FORGET WHERE THEY ALL COME FROM AND WHY- INCREDIBLE!! I KNEW THERE WOULD BE NO HAPPY ENDING FOR FLOWRIDIA AND AYLA BUT GODS THIS HURTS BEYOND ANY OTHER PAIN THERE COULDVE BEEN. AND DEMITRI… SWEET DEMITRI :( and the torture scenes… how that mustve feel to write… and poor flowra and ayla to have lived that.
Okay Im Calmer Now. No Im Not. never have i felt more connected to Flowridia and Etolié simultaneously as i did reading this book. i carry so much of their hurts and burdens in my own way. the accuracy in which they are portrayed is beyond fascinating. the balance of humor and heartbreak and humanity stands to reason why this series is well worth my time over and over again. i am absolutely enamored. i also, perhaps, need therapy after this
I will probably write a much more gathered review that is not insane and unhinged later, for SD’s sake. by every god i must convince everyone i can to read this series. incredible. words fail me. SD Simper is absolutely incredible.
Okay Im Calmer Now. No Im Not. never have i felt more connected to Flowridia and Etolié simultaneously as i did reading this book. i carry so much of their hurts and burdens in my own way. the accuracy in which they are portrayed is beyond fascinating. the balance of humor and heartbreak and humanity stands to reason why this series is well worth my time over and over again. i am absolutely enamored. i also, perhaps, need therapy after this
I will probably write a much more gathered review that is not insane and unhinged later, for SD’s sake. by every god i must convince everyone i can to read this series. incredible. words fail me. SD Simper is absolutely incredible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2022
Couldn't put that book down(Also,warning - this review contains spoilers)
This book wasn't a comfortable and pleasant read. What is was instead was gripping, fascinating and I finished it pretty much in one sitting.
If you have gotten this far in Fallen Gods, you probably know what kind of feelings I'm talking about...
What can you expect from this book - first of all, all plots from previous books going forward and entangling with each other in a pretty awesome mess. Expect at least a few moments when you laugh aloud seeing how different plans clash into each other. We also get payoffs for some foreshadowing from "Tear the world apart" and answers to some questions hinted upon there. The relations(both romantic and not) between characters, which I consider author's strongest side, also are further developed. We see protagonists growing and side characters getting further fleshed out. Even characters that we would prefer to see dead(as in final death, not undeath) get enough spotlight to help us appreciate them. Not like as people or agree with. Just understand and appreciate. Special mention for something I didn't expect to be possible - humanizing Odessa(again, while still keeping her as bad as she was). I found myself re-evaluating my approach to Soliel and Casvir multiple times depending on how it impacts Flowridia and Ayla(hey, it's fiction, I get to be selfish and not think about what's best for the world!) and expect it to happen again in the future. Communication in two main couples still remains important topic and one of the most heartwarming aspects of the series. I only wish they got a little more domestic bliss before getting sucked back into this dark world, but... such is life.
The story flows fast and it's hard to put the book down before the end, because you so want to know what comes of it and if everyone is okay. We see elven lands both in snobbish royal edition and their wilderness.
Sora's point of view - new addition in this book works out well allowing S. D. Simper to show parts of the plot that would be otherwise unavailable to us and seeing the world through her eyes is interesting. I only wish she put less weight in the blood family.
There is however also the darker part - for me it was the most heartbreaking book in the series so far. The author warns that if something bad happened in the previous books we should be prepared to it happening again. I would like to add to that to expect it happening to the main characters, which for me was infinitely worse. I probably will skip some sections in future rereads, but don't regret reading it once to understand. Also, I remember some people expressing disappointment with protagonists avoiding consequences of their actions in previous books. This book... contains consequences.
So to sum all of this up - if you appreciated the series so far and feel okay with the content warnings, you definitely should go for it. This book is solid, keeps in suspense from first page to the very end and leaves you waiting for the final installment to see if characters manage to get out of everything that fell on them here.
This book wasn't a comfortable and pleasant read. What is was instead was gripping, fascinating and I finished it pretty much in one sitting.
If you have gotten this far in Fallen Gods, you probably know what kind of feelings I'm talking about...
What can you expect from this book - first of all, all plots from previous books going forward and entangling with each other in a pretty awesome mess. Expect at least a few moments when you laugh aloud seeing how different plans clash into each other. We also get payoffs for some foreshadowing from "Tear the world apart" and answers to some questions hinted upon there. The relations(both romantic and not) between characters, which I consider author's strongest side, also are further developed. We see protagonists growing and side characters getting further fleshed out. Even characters that we would prefer to see dead(as in final death, not undeath) get enough spotlight to help us appreciate them. Not like as people or agree with. Just understand and appreciate. Special mention for something I didn't expect to be possible - humanizing Odessa(again, while still keeping her as bad as she was). I found myself re-evaluating my approach to Soliel and Casvir multiple times depending on how it impacts Flowridia and Ayla(hey, it's fiction, I get to be selfish and not think about what's best for the world!) and expect it to happen again in the future. Communication in two main couples still remains important topic and one of the most heartwarming aspects of the series. I only wish they got a little more domestic bliss before getting sucked back into this dark world, but... such is life.
The story flows fast and it's hard to put the book down before the end, because you so want to know what comes of it and if everyone is okay. We see elven lands both in snobbish royal edition and their wilderness.
Sora's point of view - new addition in this book works out well allowing S. D. Simper to show parts of the plot that would be otherwise unavailable to us and seeing the world through her eyes is interesting. I only wish she put less weight in the blood family.
There is however also the darker part - for me it was the most heartbreaking book in the series so far. The author warns that if something bad happened in the previous books we should be prepared to it happening again. I would like to add to that to expect it happening to the main characters, which for me was infinitely worse. I probably will skip some sections in future rereads, but don't regret reading it once to understand. Also, I remember some people expressing disappointment with protagonists avoiding consequences of their actions in previous books. This book... contains consequences.
So to sum all of this up - if you appreciated the series so far and feel okay with the content warnings, you definitely should go for it. This book is solid, keeps in suspense from first page to the very end and leaves you waiting for the final installment to see if characters manage to get out of everything that fell on them here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2022
Eve of Endless Night is the 5th book in the Fallen Gods series, and it is HEAVY, even for S.D. To briefly touch upon some of the topics covered (in some detail or another during the course of the novel) include pet death, rape, torture, incest, gore, genocide, and racism. Hoo boy, for a book that essentially starts with the best sex scene she's put in her novels that I have read, it takes a dark turn.
The main plot of the book ramps up relatively slowly, with characterization taking up a large portion of the first part. This, to me, is a very good thing because I have wanted a new character perspective as well as some exposition explaining the history between several of the factions. We also get to explore a brand new continent and the peoples who live there.
My only real criticism of the book is how relatively breakneck it is once the plot gets going. I would have either preferred slightly less of the characterization in this book (though I felt like all of it was wholly necessary, so this is not my personal option) or saved some of the plot for the next book and taking some more time with the plot it kept.
Overall, this is book 5 in a series. If you've enjoyed the story so far, you will love the next installment. If the last book was very close to triggering for you to read this might be a bit extreme for you. Read with caution and take care of yourself friend.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.
The main plot of the book ramps up relatively slowly, with characterization taking up a large portion of the first part. This, to me, is a very good thing because I have wanted a new character perspective as well as some exposition explaining the history between several of the factions. We also get to explore a brand new continent and the peoples who live there.
My only real criticism of the book is how relatively breakneck it is once the plot gets going. I would have either preferred slightly less of the characterization in this book (though I felt like all of it was wholly necessary, so this is not my personal option) or saved some of the plot for the next book and taking some more time with the plot it kept.
Overall, this is book 5 in a series. If you've enjoyed the story so far, you will love the next installment. If the last book was very close to triggering for you to read this might be a bit extreme for you. Read with caution and take care of yourself friend.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.
June 19, 2022
Never a disappointment! The saga continues with a plot twist you didn't see coming...cannot wait for the next one!
July 2, 2022
This book physically and mentally beat me up so I'm going to take my time rereading all the soft moments in book 3 and 4 to properly recover. 10/10
July 1, 2022
A chaotic tale of sapphic monsters, elves in flame tanks, glamourous ghosts, oddly helpful gods, a spidery demon with mommy issues, and morality that's blurrier than the angry angel who drinks far too much alcohol and seems stuck in the middle of it all…
SD Simper returns with another stunning novel in her ongoing series: Fallen Gods. Eve of the Endless Night is one dark twist after another and will leave the reader hungry for more. Ascendancy, allegiance, and alliances constantly switch as multiple plot lines and multiple groups vie to realize their verging goals. What will happen to the world and the plains of existence? Eve of the Endless Night explores themes of rebirth, growth, renewal, and above all, morality. Rather than a simple "good" protagonist and a "bad" antagonist, the moral ambivalence of the series, especially Eve of the Endless Night, leaves the reader pondering deeper questions of right and wrong and how one can even distinguish these concepts.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Eve of the Endless Night and look forward to the next book in the series. I'd also recommend the rest of SD Simper's books, especially her Sea and Stars trilogy, set in the same world about 1000 years beforehand.
* I received an advanced copy from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving a review. In fact, I have pre-ordered and have purchased a hardcover copy.
[The Mechanics]
Character and world-building are on full display as Simper delves deep into not just the characters' background and raison d'etre but deep introspective evaluations of their current motives. Protagonists consider what is really "good" and just how "bad" one might need to be to achieve their ends, while antagonists balance their self-service with their humanity (or their inhuman equivalent) as each evaluates why they are making the choices they make.
The story and flow are well laid out, with plots and details connecting well, leaving the reader feeling like they are experiencing a real world. Places, times, cultures, and more are detailed with enough background to produce a quality setting. The story's pace fits the plot arc, and events feel organic, not forced, or too unlikely.
While the book is a connection between the earlier books and some conclusions, it feels like a major arc, both building and concluding a significant series of events and smoothly connecting the previous stories. The path for what may be the coming conclusion seems well laid out, with a fair number of teasing details yet plenty of exciting unknowns – a cliffhanger with enough substance to leave the audience satisfied… for now.
[The Magic]
One of the more interesting aspects is the use of magic, especially during action scenes. Far from the cliché, Tolkien-like magic, SD Simper brings a dynamic execution of magic the way we might imagine it with characters dancing in and out of plains of existence, bending the lines between mind, spirit, and the arcane, and the awesome power of godly creatures on full display. Yet, there is a familiar enough feel to leave the reader easily following the story and enjoying the action.
[The Romance]
Like the previous books, the romance is Sapphic and well written, with all of the juicy details yet plenty of heart. Love scenes continue to feel like they serve a purpose rather than being superfluous or forced. This is partly due to the author's playful and subtle teasing approach to the scenes. This makes the transitions to romantic scenes more fluid, and less staged. But most importantly, the book properly balances a strong story with well written romance, never letting either element dominate or impede the other.
SD Simper returns with another stunning novel in her ongoing series: Fallen Gods. Eve of the Endless Night is one dark twist after another and will leave the reader hungry for more. Ascendancy, allegiance, and alliances constantly switch as multiple plot lines and multiple groups vie to realize their verging goals. What will happen to the world and the plains of existence? Eve of the Endless Night explores themes of rebirth, growth, renewal, and above all, morality. Rather than a simple "good" protagonist and a "bad" antagonist, the moral ambivalence of the series, especially Eve of the Endless Night, leaves the reader pondering deeper questions of right and wrong and how one can even distinguish these concepts.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Eve of the Endless Night and look forward to the next book in the series. I'd also recommend the rest of SD Simper's books, especially her Sea and Stars trilogy, set in the same world about 1000 years beforehand.
* I received an advanced copy from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving a review. In fact, I have pre-ordered and have purchased a hardcover copy.
[The Mechanics]
Character and world-building are on full display as Simper delves deep into not just the characters' background and raison d'etre but deep introspective evaluations of their current motives. Protagonists consider what is really "good" and just how "bad" one might need to be to achieve their ends, while antagonists balance their self-service with their humanity (or their inhuman equivalent) as each evaluates why they are making the choices they make.
The story and flow are well laid out, with plots and details connecting well, leaving the reader feeling like they are experiencing a real world. Places, times, cultures, and more are detailed with enough background to produce a quality setting. The story's pace fits the plot arc, and events feel organic, not forced, or too unlikely.
While the book is a connection between the earlier books and some conclusions, it feels like a major arc, both building and concluding a significant series of events and smoothly connecting the previous stories. The path for what may be the coming conclusion seems well laid out, with a fair number of teasing details yet plenty of exciting unknowns – a cliffhanger with enough substance to leave the audience satisfied… for now.
[The Magic]
One of the more interesting aspects is the use of magic, especially during action scenes. Far from the cliché, Tolkien-like magic, SD Simper brings a dynamic execution of magic the way we might imagine it with characters dancing in and out of plains of existence, bending the lines between mind, spirit, and the arcane, and the awesome power of godly creatures on full display. Yet, there is a familiar enough feel to leave the reader easily following the story and enjoying the action.
[The Romance]
Like the previous books, the romance is Sapphic and well written, with all of the juicy details yet plenty of heart. Love scenes continue to feel like they serve a purpose rather than being superfluous or forced. This is partly due to the author's playful and subtle teasing approach to the scenes. This makes the transitions to romantic scenes more fluid, and less staged. But most importantly, the book properly balances a strong story with well written romance, never letting either element dominate or impede the other.
June 23, 2022
Another chaotic journey through the lands & realms of Fallen Gods and wow, what a ride it was!
I had a lot of fun with this book. ...Even when I probably shouldn't of. Even when it hurts, it just hurts so good! As is the standard for Simper's works, it's deliciously dark, thrilling and incredibly addicting.
We follow a larger cast this time along with our three protagonists. Each with their own group of companions which opens the doors for some interesting exchanges. This was easily the highlight of the book for me. Getting to see groupings of characters you’d never expect to see working together all working towards common goals and watching them interact, begrudgingly or otherwise, was exciting! If you’ve made it this far into the series, you don’t need me to tell you how good the banter always is.(but you’re already here, so I will anyway: It’s great!)
The horror has ramped up for this one, too, in a way. More personal this time, which is what makes it especially horrifying. By the time I had realized what was to come, I was strapped in as much as the characters and I am by no means a squeamish person reading visceral horror in books but one of the body horror scenes here had me squirming in my seat at the events unfolding yet I still I could not stop turning the pages, excited to see where things would lead.
I had a lot of fun with this book. ...Even when I probably shouldn't of. Even when it hurts, it just hurts so good! As is the standard for Simper's works, it's deliciously dark, thrilling and incredibly addicting.
We follow a larger cast this time along with our three protagonists. Each with their own group of companions which opens the doors for some interesting exchanges. This was easily the highlight of the book for me. Getting to see groupings of characters you’d never expect to see working together all working towards common goals and watching them interact, begrudgingly or otherwise, was exciting! If you’ve made it this far into the series, you don’t need me to tell you how good the banter always is.(but you’re already here, so I will anyway: It’s great!)
The horror has ramped up for this one, too, in a way. More personal this time, which is what makes it especially horrifying. By the time I had realized what was to come, I was strapped in as much as the characters and I am by no means a squeamish person reading visceral horror in books but one of the body horror scenes here had me squirming in my seat at the events unfolding yet I still I could not stop turning the pages, excited to see where things would lead.
June 28, 2022
WOW. Ok that was definitely a wild ride. I absolutely loved the newest instalment of the fallen gods series that was eve of endless night.
This book tackled a lot and was certainly darker than any of the others in the series. It got extremely dark and painful but I absolutely loved it. Whereas in the last book we see Flowridia coming into her own as a villain; deceiving her former friends, participating in torture, and waging war. In this story we watch as Flowridia is punched in the face with the consequences of her own actions. She is forced to ‘face her sins’ so to speak and realise all the horror that she has done. Watching her get what she probably deserves is painful, but it needed to happen and it leaves so much room for character growth in the next book, especially for the relationship between Ayla and Flowra.
This book also has some surprisingly touching moments as Etolie grows as a character and begins to learn forgiveness. Unfortunately as there is a wide cast of characters not everyone gets a spotlight and some characters are sidelined, however hopefully they will shine in the next book. A surprisingly large amount of time was spent with Sora and Odessa, but I actually grew to like them (as characters, I do not like Odessa as a person). Also a surprisingly small amount of time was spent with the elves, although this was good as they were very annoying (racist bastards).
Overall I really enjoyed this book and I consider it my second favourite after Tear the World Apart. My only criticism is perhaps the time skip between this and the last book is supposed to be largish but it feels like nothing has moved in that time and there is little explanation. For example what duties does it take for Etolie to rule and stabilise a kingdom? And what misadventures have Ayla and flowra gotten into while they ran off together? Other than this I had very few criticisms and loved this book. The ending leaves me very excited for the next book and I can’t wait to see how everything plays out.
* I received an advanced copy of the book and am voluntarily leaving a review
This book tackled a lot and was certainly darker than any of the others in the series. It got extremely dark and painful but I absolutely loved it. Whereas in the last book we see Flowridia coming into her own as a villain; deceiving her former friends, participating in torture, and waging war. In this story we watch as Flowridia is punched in the face with the consequences of her own actions. She is forced to ‘face her sins’ so to speak and realise all the horror that she has done. Watching her get what she probably deserves is painful, but it needed to happen and it leaves so much room for character growth in the next book, especially for the relationship between Ayla and Flowra.
This book also has some surprisingly touching moments as Etolie grows as a character and begins to learn forgiveness. Unfortunately as there is a wide cast of characters not everyone gets a spotlight and some characters are sidelined, however hopefully they will shine in the next book. A surprisingly large amount of time was spent with Sora and Odessa, but I actually grew to like them (as characters, I do not like Odessa as a person). Also a surprisingly small amount of time was spent with the elves, although this was good as they were very annoying (racist bastards).
Overall I really enjoyed this book and I consider it my second favourite after Tear the World Apart. My only criticism is perhaps the time skip between this and the last book is supposed to be largish but it feels like nothing has moved in that time and there is little explanation. For example what duties does it take for Etolie to rule and stabilise a kingdom? And what misadventures have Ayla and flowra gotten into while they ran off together? Other than this I had very few criticisms and loved this book. The ending leaves me very excited for the next book and I can’t wait to see how everything plays out.
* I received an advanced copy of the book and am voluntarily leaving a review
July 1, 2022
Brutal but good
You can't read this if you're faint of heart. A lot of what happens to Flowrida and Ayla is brutal. But I am so invested in them!
You can't read this if you're faint of heart. A lot of what happens to Flowrida and Ayla is brutal. But I am so invested in them!
March 14, 2023
Even MORE crying
August 21, 2022
I can’t even begin to explain how much I love this book.
Ayla and Flowridia are never far away in my thoughts
I’m so invested in all of our characters and I sincerely hope everyone gets their happy ending in the last instalment.
Although if there were more books in the series I wouldn’t complain
Ayla and Flowridia are never far away in my thoughts
I’m so invested in all of our characters and I sincerely hope everyone gets their happy ending in the last instalment.
Although if there were more books in the series I wouldn’t complain
July 29, 2023
no words?????? i am speechless. seriously. i don't know what to say. this book was a lot to take in, everything that happened was just... insanity. my heart broke so many times, i cried, i felt so much at the same time, i really cannot describe the pain of reading this. i have no idea how i'm going to cope while i wait for chaos undone to be released.
July 10, 2022
Crushing story of despair, ending with completely broken survivors. Most intense book I have ever experienced.
The Sting of Victory started this series with a beautiful though tragic and doomed love affair, which has continued across the five books of Fallen Gods. Although other storylines flow and weave through the books, many interacting with the love story of Ayla and Flowridia, their troubled relationship is the reason I so connect with and love this series.
To be fair, the Etolie and Khastra storyline in the series also has compelling characters and its own love story, and this storyline is as meaningful and fascinating as the Ayla storyline. I also enjoyed that storyline, and it adds a lot to the book and to the series. Really, the whole series is lush with interesting, relatable characters, and SD Simper does an amazing job of character development. The plot lines keep me interested, and her world-building and her creativity with plot devices are amazing, but what I love most is the slow, loving development of her characters. I feel the personalities and get emotionally invested in them all in one way or another, loving some and hating others.
Tragedy and trauma befell Ayla and Flowridia in the earlier books, with death and rebirth through death, but this book scalded my soul to its core. I find the first four books so emotionally compelling that I have read through them many times, and this is my favorite series ever. However, Eve of the Endless Night takes everything that preceded it to a much higher level of intensity and pain, and resolves many storylines as they converge on a cruel and traumatic living nightmare. No one emerges whole. Some do not emerge at all.
Many of the characters who played a role in the outcome surprised me. Lots of unexpected alliances, driven by different agendas held by characters who are usually enemies, but all having some goal in common that drove them to put that aside and work together. Many character grow and evolve across the book, and move far along the path to actualization.
I love how SD Simper starts slowly and peacefully, letting us settle into the story, with suspense and mystery building until the most horrible event of the series to that point occurs. I feel pretty sure everyone who has read the series has their hearts ripped out by so many aspects of this one scene. Then things get worse, much worse. Just pure trauma and horror. Even though events did not turn out as badly as I thought they certainly had to, given the circumstances, all the people I care about were severely damaged at the end. This book left me broken and traumatized, feeling hollow and empty. I do not really know how some of the characters can move ahead, and how their relationship can survive. I guess all that will be answered in Book 6, the final book of the series.
I am old, and have read a LOT of book in my life. I have read a couple that were extremely intense and damaging in a reveal, or one scene, but nothing that ripped the soul from my being like this book. Please do not think I am criticizing the book at all. I am glad I read it, and am going to reread it once I have reread the first four books again (halfway through the fourth one at this point). But wow. This book will stick with me for a long time. If you want to experience a powerful, amazingly told story that takes you to the depths of hell, then drags you back to Earth’s surface at the end in complete shock, this is the book for you.
The Sting of Victory started this series with a beautiful though tragic and doomed love affair, which has continued across the five books of Fallen Gods. Although other storylines flow and weave through the books, many interacting with the love story of Ayla and Flowridia, their troubled relationship is the reason I so connect with and love this series.
To be fair, the Etolie and Khastra storyline in the series also has compelling characters and its own love story, and this storyline is as meaningful and fascinating as the Ayla storyline. I also enjoyed that storyline, and it adds a lot to the book and to the series. Really, the whole series is lush with interesting, relatable characters, and SD Simper does an amazing job of character development. The plot lines keep me interested, and her world-building and her creativity with plot devices are amazing, but what I love most is the slow, loving development of her characters. I feel the personalities and get emotionally invested in them all in one way or another, loving some and hating others.
Tragedy and trauma befell Ayla and Flowridia in the earlier books, with death and rebirth through death, but this book scalded my soul to its core. I find the first four books so emotionally compelling that I have read through them many times, and this is my favorite series ever. However, Eve of the Endless Night takes everything that preceded it to a much higher level of intensity and pain, and resolves many storylines as they converge on a cruel and traumatic living nightmare. No one emerges whole. Some do not emerge at all.
Many of the characters who played a role in the outcome surprised me. Lots of unexpected alliances, driven by different agendas held by characters who are usually enemies, but all having some goal in common that drove them to put that aside and work together. Many character grow and evolve across the book, and move far along the path to actualization.
I love how SD Simper starts slowly and peacefully, letting us settle into the story, with suspense and mystery building until the most horrible event of the series to that point occurs. I feel pretty sure everyone who has read the series has their hearts ripped out by so many aspects of this one scene. Then things get worse, much worse. Just pure trauma and horror. Even though events did not turn out as badly as I thought they certainly had to, given the circumstances, all the people I care about were severely damaged at the end. This book left me broken and traumatized, feeling hollow and empty. I do not really know how some of the characters can move ahead, and how their relationship can survive. I guess all that will be answered in Book 6, the final book of the series.
I am old, and have read a LOT of book in my life. I have read a couple that were extremely intense and damaging in a reveal, or one scene, but nothing that ripped the soul from my being like this book. Please do not think I am criticizing the book at all. I am glad I read it, and am going to reread it once I have reread the first four books again (halfway through the fourth one at this point). But wow. This book will stick with me for a long time. If you want to experience a powerful, amazingly told story that takes you to the depths of hell, then drags you back to Earth’s surface at the end in complete shock, this is the book for you.
August 11, 2022
4.75 (series is still a very solid 5/5 though)
Another overall enjoyable tale in the Fallen Gods universe albeit far darker than any previous entry. It's very easy to tell just how much love and energy the author has placed in this series. It is my favorite series I've come across to date.
This series up until this point has talked about so many things from trauma/forgiveness to first loves to betrayal to morality. And this entry was not a disappointment in that regard. Underneathe the horror, love, lore drops, etc., we're confronted with characters on opposing sides who truly believe that what they are doing is just / right. Before this, we've seen Flowridia and Ayla show just how far they are willing to go to save each other ("I'd burn the world to ash, if we could be together afterwards" vibes), but in this one, the author explores just how much the characters are willing to suffer themselves in a whole host of different ways, if it only guarantees a few more precious moments for the one they love.
One thing that really came to impress me with this entry was Sora's journey in the book. The author took a character that I despised vehemently, and she somehow made me feel things for her like she didn't do all these horrible things in the previous entries. While I anticipated the twist, I was expecting it feel unearned, but the change in her character felt earned.
I also wanted to add that it was bittersweet to see Ayla's pov in this. She's always been my favorite character in the series, but her pov chapter gutted me. I'm hoping the wait for book 6 isn't too long because I just need someone to proverbially wrap her up in countless blankets and mend her broken pieces back together.
If I had any criticism for this book, it would be the following.
1. I deeply appreciate the trigger warnings the author has placed on her website. But I started reading this series years ago, and while the TWs for the first book didn't bother me, the ones this book needs are far more dark. I'm not entirely sure I would have picked up the series if I knew what I was going to come across in book 5. I typically expect the tone / level of darkness for a series to be relatively consistent. And while I appreciate that none of this comes as excessive or superfluous to the story, it deeply troubled me to read (mostly due to my own history with trauma and abuse).
2. The timeline inside the dungeon near the end was a bit confusing. It was unclear to me what happened with the ring mcguffin / staff after Izthuni did his thing. I sorta pieced together what I think the authors intent was, but it's not as clearly written as some of the other action based scenes the author has done even within the same book.
3. The chapters are LONG and often always include shifting povs. I suppose I only noticed as much because of the need to take breaks in the second half of the book due to the nature of the content. But there were tons of places where natural chapter breaks could have fallen, allowing for less head hopping inside of a chapter AND also shorter more piecemeal chapters.
Overall though, I am still very much looking forward to book 6, and I'll mourn the end of Flowridia's tale, which has been a favorite of mine since I first came across the series several years ago!!
Another overall enjoyable tale in the Fallen Gods universe albeit far darker than any previous entry. It's very easy to tell just how much love and energy the author has placed in this series. It is my favorite series I've come across to date.
This series up until this point has talked about so many things from trauma/forgiveness to first loves to betrayal to morality. And this entry was not a disappointment in that regard. Underneathe the horror, love, lore drops, etc., we're confronted with characters on opposing sides who truly believe that what they are doing is just / right. Before this, we've seen Flowridia and Ayla show just how far they are willing to go to save each other ("I'd burn the world to ash, if we could be together afterwards" vibes), but in this one, the author explores just how much the characters are willing to suffer themselves in a whole host of different ways, if it only guarantees a few more precious moments for the one they love.
One thing that really came to impress me with this entry was Sora's journey in the book. The author took a character that I despised vehemently, and she somehow made me feel things for her like she didn't do all these horrible things in the previous entries. While I anticipated the twist, I was expecting it feel unearned, but the change in her character felt earned.
I also wanted to add that it was bittersweet to see Ayla's pov in this. She's always been my favorite character in the series, but her pov chapter gutted me. I'm hoping the wait for book 6 isn't too long because I just need someone to proverbially wrap her up in countless blankets and mend her broken pieces back together.
If I had any criticism for this book, it would be the following.
1. I deeply appreciate the trigger warnings the author has placed on her website. But I started reading this series years ago, and while the TWs for the first book didn't bother me, the ones this book needs are far more dark. I'm not entirely sure I would have picked up the series if I knew what I was going to come across in book 5. I typically expect the tone / level of darkness for a series to be relatively consistent. And while I appreciate that none of this comes as excessive or superfluous to the story, it deeply troubled me to read (mostly due to my own history with trauma and abuse).
2. The timeline inside the dungeon near the end was a bit confusing. It was unclear to me what happened with the ring mcguffin / staff after Izthuni did his thing. I sorta pieced together what I think the authors intent was, but it's not as clearly written as some of the other action based scenes the author has done even within the same book.
3. The chapters are LONG and often always include shifting povs. I suppose I only noticed as much because of the need to take breaks in the second half of the book due to the nature of the content. But there were tons of places where natural chapter breaks could have fallen, allowing for less head hopping inside of a chapter AND also shorter more piecemeal chapters.
Overall though, I am still very much looking forward to book 6, and I'll mourn the end of Flowridia's tale, which has been a favorite of mine since I first came across the series several years ago!!
June 26, 2022
The moment I finished reading this book, all I could think was: “damn… that was one hell of a ride.” Simper follows up Fallen Gods 4, Tear the World Apart, with the intricate and complicated world she created doing precisely that.
First though, I feel like I should warn readers before going forward that this installment is very intense. There were pretty dark moments that prompted me to take a few breaks from the book for everything to sink in and process. I cuddled a huge squishmallow and still had trouble falling asleep at one point🤣 So I recommend looking at the content warnings on Simper’s website before reading: https://sdsimper.com/fallen-gods/
Regardless, this was one of the most entertaining and well-written books I’ve read so far this year.
The. Storytelling.
The plot and progression of the story in this book was fast-paced and absolutely insane. We had so many “oh sh!t” moments and the revelations not only put missing pieces together but also hyped me up to continue reading. The first few chapters were a bit slow to establish where and what all the characters were up to, especially with an added POV and small time jump. However, once I warmed up to everything, a huge plot-event bomb was dropped, and I devoured the rest of the story with minimal pauses to eat and sleep (or try to…).
(Slight spoiler) There’s also the addition of a new character we only previously knew by name, and seeing everything play out after bringing them in was SO intriguing and satisfying. Meeting this character and learning more about the past from their perspective was one of my favorite parts of the book.
What was also satisfying was the amount of character growth/development (some growing and others descending) we got from all the characters. If you weren’t invested in their complexities from the previous four books, you will be ranting, theorizing, and breaking down almost every main character and their motivations by the end of this baby. There are so many surprises and twists, doses of witty dialogue (thank you, Etolie) and sweet moments, super cool nods to other Simper books (i.e. Sea & Stars and MS&DB from her patreon), and PLENTY of dark, f*cked up sh!t.
Overall, I had an insane time reading this book. “Enjoyed” might be a stretch, but it made me feel all the things: I laughed, gasped in utter shock, blushed😏, sobbed like an absolute wreck, and hypothetically threw this digital ARC across the room in horror. It’s a book that’s definitely worth the read, and I couldn’t be more anxious to get my hands on book 6, especially after the epilogue… and this one isn’t even officially out yet😅
I received an advanced copy of this book from the writer and wrote this review voluntarily.
First though, I feel like I should warn readers before going forward that this installment is very intense. There were pretty dark moments that prompted me to take a few breaks from the book for everything to sink in and process. I cuddled a huge squishmallow and still had trouble falling asleep at one point🤣 So I recommend looking at the content warnings on Simper’s website before reading: https://sdsimper.com/fallen-gods/
Regardless, this was one of the most entertaining and well-written books I’ve read so far this year.
The. Storytelling.
The plot and progression of the story in this book was fast-paced and absolutely insane. We had so many “oh sh!t” moments and the revelations not only put missing pieces together but also hyped me up to continue reading. The first few chapters were a bit slow to establish where and what all the characters were up to, especially with an added POV and small time jump. However, once I warmed up to everything, a huge plot-event bomb was dropped, and I devoured the rest of the story with minimal pauses to eat and sleep (or try to…).
(Slight spoiler) There’s also the addition of a new character we only previously knew by name, and seeing everything play out after bringing them in was SO intriguing and satisfying. Meeting this character and learning more about the past from their perspective was one of my favorite parts of the book.
What was also satisfying was the amount of character growth/development (some growing and others descending) we got from all the characters. If you weren’t invested in their complexities from the previous four books, you will be ranting, theorizing, and breaking down almost every main character and their motivations by the end of this baby. There are so many surprises and twists, doses of witty dialogue (thank you, Etolie) and sweet moments, super cool nods to other Simper books (i.e. Sea & Stars and MS&DB from her patreon), and PLENTY of dark, f*cked up sh!t.
Overall, I had an insane time reading this book. “Enjoyed” might be a stretch, but it made me feel all the things: I laughed, gasped in utter shock, blushed😏, sobbed like an absolute wreck, and hypothetically threw this digital ARC across the room in horror. It’s a book that’s definitely worth the read, and I couldn’t be more anxious to get my hands on book 6, especially after the epilogue… and this one isn’t even officially out yet😅
I received an advanced copy of this book from the writer and wrote this review voluntarily.
October 26, 2022
It has been a long, long time since a book series has hooked me the way Fallen Gods did!
Honestly, I feel like most books, and fantasy books in particular, are great at one thing: Either amazing worldbuilding or lovable and relatable characters you actually feel for.
Fallen Gods excels at both, and keeps exceeding my wildest expectations. <3 I am in awe how SD Simper is able to craft outstanding, beautiful lore, a thrilling plot and multi-layered personalities at the same time. I’ve never felt so conflicted in judging the moralities of characters before – because at some point of the story, every character who may appear like a villain on first glance tends to surprise me with human qualities. And it makes sense every time, making them feel very realistic. There is always a part of a character you can relate to. And reading Fallen Gods really got me thinking – doesn’t every single one of us have the potential for darkness somewhere inside of us, under the right circumstances?
This installment kept me reading for two days straight. Eve of Endless Night is a spectacular fifth entry to the series – incredibly dark and full of raw emotions, more than ever before. <3
The things Flowridia and Ayla had to endure this time broke my heart. And they were not the only ones being pushed to their limits.
This book felt like a huge climax of the series. I can’t even begin to describe how my feelings changed between bliss and absolute horror, following my beloved characters on their journeys, some unexpected bonds happening along the way.
Several big plot threads converged and climaxed in incredibly satisfying (and sometimes shocking) ways. This is a true master’s writing. It kept me on the edge of my seat, especially for the second half of the book.
To me, this installment was also extremely cathartic. Characters facing their sins and wrongdoings, or the most painful parts of their past. And starting a new chapter of their lives.
I’m so, so so excited to see where our broken but lovable mains will go from here. It felt so satisfying to watch them grow after having fallen. I'm so proud of them.
I LOVED Eve of Endless Night, absolutely recommend it and can’t wait for the next book. SD Simper has big plans for the future – I can feel it. <3
PS: Sheen Bean!!
Honestly, I feel like most books, and fantasy books in particular, are great at one thing: Either amazing worldbuilding or lovable and relatable characters you actually feel for.
Fallen Gods excels at both, and keeps exceeding my wildest expectations. <3 I am in awe how SD Simper is able to craft outstanding, beautiful lore, a thrilling plot and multi-layered personalities at the same time. I’ve never felt so conflicted in judging the moralities of characters before – because at some point of the story, every character who may appear like a villain on first glance tends to surprise me with human qualities. And it makes sense every time, making them feel very realistic. There is always a part of a character you can relate to. And reading Fallen Gods really got me thinking – doesn’t every single one of us have the potential for darkness somewhere inside of us, under the right circumstances?
This installment kept me reading for two days straight. Eve of Endless Night is a spectacular fifth entry to the series – incredibly dark and full of raw emotions, more than ever before. <3
The things Flowridia and Ayla had to endure this time broke my heart. And they were not the only ones being pushed to their limits.
This book felt like a huge climax of the series. I can’t even begin to describe how my feelings changed between bliss and absolute horror, following my beloved characters on their journeys, some unexpected bonds happening along the way.
Several big plot threads converged and climaxed in incredibly satisfying (and sometimes shocking) ways. This is a true master’s writing. It kept me on the edge of my seat, especially for the second half of the book.
To me, this installment was also extremely cathartic. Characters facing their sins and wrongdoings, or the most painful parts of their past. And starting a new chapter of their lives.
I’m so, so so excited to see where our broken but lovable mains will go from here. It felt so satisfying to watch them grow after having fallen. I'm so proud of them.
I LOVED Eve of Endless Night, absolutely recommend it and can’t wait for the next book. SD Simper has big plans for the future – I can feel it. <3
PS: Sheen Bean!!
February 6, 2023
I hate this... I have been putting this review off forever because I don't want to do this, but I have to give this a two star review, which for me means unquestionably bad, but not to the point of being incompetent prose or technically unreadable. I'll try to explain why I have to do this, but it's going to be so hard, and I'm not sure it's possible to make it clear to someone who hasn't read the book, which is who I'm going to be aiming at with this review. It sucks so much to review this negatively, but I think I feel that way more because I was so in love with everything leading up to it. This just depresses me.
There are multiple issues with this book that I think stem mainly from narrative construction and sadly also deviation from theme. I'll start with that last bit. The themes of Fallen Gods have always been dark and revolve around examinations of the quality of love in immoral individuals. It's actually what makes the series so masterful. It's dealing with something that is so poorly explored elsewhere. Love divorced of morality. It's very exciting to explore. It's what you're likely buying the next book for.
So what goes wrong here? The only thing I can say without revealing the plot is that the story becomes... uncomfortable. And not just in the way that makes you feel like what you're reading is hard to read. It's uncomfortable in a way that makes you feel like what you're reading isn't what you signed up for and in fact is really taking you places you wish you'd been given a consent form for before starting. It's like hanging with your friends and having a good time until one of them starts to do something really wrong and you find yourself feeling obligated to stop it. It's not a cool feeling. It really squicked me out, and I don't even say that in the sense that it wasn't for me. I mean it in the sense that it wasn't, in my opinion, a very nice thing to do to the reader. I'm sure someone will say, "But an author can do what they want with their stories!" I'm sorry but there are some things that just aren't nice, and having technical license or freedom to not be nice doesn't make it right.
So why do I say that there are composition problems, then? Here's the thing about that squicky part of the story: It's basically a bomb shell that's tagged on near the end. I think it makes up, like, the last 15% at best. The actual torturey stuff that it's comprised of is even shorter, despite being profoundly uncomfortable. This creates an issue, however, because the story seems to have been entirely organized around that one element of the latter part. It's as if the rest of the book is a kind of prologue to the horror segment. I suspect this is because the author herself was very much engaged by that part of the story. I think she worked very hard on it. I'd bet she went through multiple drafts of it and countless hours of research just trying to perfect it. I also think that as a consequence of this the rest of the story basically fell to the wayside. To put it bluntly, it's drab. It doesn't really do much on its own. It's purely preparation and doesn't advance any of its own questions or answers in the way that the previous books did at each stage of their narrative. It's just not very engaging on its own and only drives you toward what for me was the worst part of the book. And to make matters worse, this shows in the length of the story. It's a fraction of the length of its predecessor, which made me feel really disappointed. I was hoping for the same wild ride experience as last time but this is just a downward slope with a rocky bottom. I am certain the shorter length is a side effect of aiming the entire narrative at one pivotal moment that the author sunk their focus into. If you're dying to get somewhere and show off your big reveal then all you'll do along the way is what's necessary to get there.
I want to also address the fact that I don't categorically think it's wrong to write about torture or rape. I think these subjects can be earned. They can be discussed in a way that advances something useful and treats them with respect. I wish this story did that. I think maybe it wanted to, because I can feel the time the author put into it. It just doesn't really earn the subject it's broaching here, and with this kind of subject I'm afraid the gravity of it demands that you must earn it. I felt that the story instead used the subject as a means of horror through suspense. It is trying to turn your stomach upside down with a sense of not entirely knowing and perhaps even being frightened by your interest in what you are equally glad you don't know. It does this really well. That, however, does not mean it earns the subject. On the contrary, that uses the subject for effect. I don't think that art for the sake of art is enough to justify this subject matter. It's a spectacle in this and that just doesn't sit right with me. A thing like this should not be objectified.
A consequence of this is that the characters don't seem to react to the situation in a realistic manner after it happens. It harkens back to the odd way that characters seemed to jump through social interactions in the first Fallen Gods book. I thought that was behind us because every other book has been very good at exploring characters' feelings through their actions and words. At the end of this book, however, we get a victim who seems to be pretty unaffected by what happened to them and even unafraid of the victimizer. The victimizer here wasn't really to blame for what they did, but that doesn't mean a victim would just not feel fear or pain or disgust on an irrational level. People are subconscious beings. We don't always process things immediately and correctly and no one goes through trauma just being completely lucid about the whole experience. I could not buy the behavior of either of these two characters in this story. It didn't fit what I know to be true. It's another reason it didn't feel earned. It seems meaningless when the outcome feels inhuman and disconnected. My best guess is the author wanted to try to put the development of the aftermath off for the next book, but it's not a good start if the next book is going to pick up in the same manner.
I'm really holding out hope for the next book. I hope it's not like this one. I imagine it can't be, but who knows? I'll just have to wait and see. What a depressing affair.
There are multiple issues with this book that I think stem mainly from narrative construction and sadly also deviation from theme. I'll start with that last bit. The themes of Fallen Gods have always been dark and revolve around examinations of the quality of love in immoral individuals. It's actually what makes the series so masterful. It's dealing with something that is so poorly explored elsewhere. Love divorced of morality. It's very exciting to explore. It's what you're likely buying the next book for.
So what goes wrong here? The only thing I can say without revealing the plot is that the story becomes... uncomfortable. And not just in the way that makes you feel like what you're reading is hard to read. It's uncomfortable in a way that makes you feel like what you're reading isn't what you signed up for and in fact is really taking you places you wish you'd been given a consent form for before starting. It's like hanging with your friends and having a good time until one of them starts to do something really wrong and you find yourself feeling obligated to stop it. It's not a cool feeling. It really squicked me out, and I don't even say that in the sense that it wasn't for me. I mean it in the sense that it wasn't, in my opinion, a very nice thing to do to the reader. I'm sure someone will say, "But an author can do what they want with their stories!" I'm sorry but there are some things that just aren't nice, and having technical license or freedom to not be nice doesn't make it right.
So why do I say that there are composition problems, then? Here's the thing about that squicky part of the story: It's basically a bomb shell that's tagged on near the end. I think it makes up, like, the last 15% at best. The actual torturey stuff that it's comprised of is even shorter, despite being profoundly uncomfortable. This creates an issue, however, because the story seems to have been entirely organized around that one element of the latter part. It's as if the rest of the book is a kind of prologue to the horror segment. I suspect this is because the author herself was very much engaged by that part of the story. I think she worked very hard on it. I'd bet she went through multiple drafts of it and countless hours of research just trying to perfect it. I also think that as a consequence of this the rest of the story basically fell to the wayside. To put it bluntly, it's drab. It doesn't really do much on its own. It's purely preparation and doesn't advance any of its own questions or answers in the way that the previous books did at each stage of their narrative. It's just not very engaging on its own and only drives you toward what for me was the worst part of the book. And to make matters worse, this shows in the length of the story. It's a fraction of the length of its predecessor, which made me feel really disappointed. I was hoping for the same wild ride experience as last time but this is just a downward slope with a rocky bottom. I am certain the shorter length is a side effect of aiming the entire narrative at one pivotal moment that the author sunk their focus into. If you're dying to get somewhere and show off your big reveal then all you'll do along the way is what's necessary to get there.
I want to also address the fact that I don't categorically think it's wrong to write about torture or rape. I think these subjects can be earned. They can be discussed in a way that advances something useful and treats them with respect. I wish this story did that. I think maybe it wanted to, because I can feel the time the author put into it. It just doesn't really earn the subject it's broaching here, and with this kind of subject I'm afraid the gravity of it demands that you must earn it. I felt that the story instead used the subject as a means of horror through suspense. It is trying to turn your stomach upside down with a sense of not entirely knowing and perhaps even being frightened by your interest in what you are equally glad you don't know. It does this really well. That, however, does not mean it earns the subject. On the contrary, that uses the subject for effect. I don't think that art for the sake of art is enough to justify this subject matter. It's a spectacle in this and that just doesn't sit right with me. A thing like this should not be objectified.
A consequence of this is that the characters don't seem to react to the situation in a realistic manner after it happens. It harkens back to the odd way that characters seemed to jump through social interactions in the first Fallen Gods book. I thought that was behind us because every other book has been very good at exploring characters' feelings through their actions and words. At the end of this book, however, we get a victim who seems to be pretty unaffected by what happened to them and even unafraid of the victimizer. The victimizer here wasn't really to blame for what they did, but that doesn't mean a victim would just not feel fear or pain or disgust on an irrational level. People are subconscious beings. We don't always process things immediately and correctly and no one goes through trauma just being completely lucid about the whole experience. I could not buy the behavior of either of these two characters in this story. It didn't fit what I know to be true. It's another reason it didn't feel earned. It seems meaningless when the outcome feels inhuman and disconnected. My best guess is the author wanted to try to put the development of the aftermath off for the next book, but it's not a good start if the next book is going to pick up in the same manner.
I'm really holding out hope for the next book. I hope it's not like this one. I imagine it can't be, but who knows? I'll just have to wait and see. What a depressing affair.
August 8, 2025
I was terrified of starting this book and I delayed reading it for a couple years because I love Flowra and Ayla, as dark and twisted as they sometimes are, and I didn’t want anything terrible happening to them. But this is S.D. Simper we’re talking about; of course something terrible was going to happen to them. And it’s true that the last third was really, really dark, but not in a way that I, personally, found triggering. I won’t lie and say I’m not a little relieved that it’s over though.
I loved seeing just how much Flowra had changed from the very first book: how much she’d grown and matured and got so strong and resilient; she really impressed me. Ayla too had changed, slowly becoming more considerate and caring. I can’t wait to see the consequences of what happened in this book.
Etolié’s pov was quite interesting as well, but I have to admit that it took me a while to warm up to Sora’s pov, though it did happen eventually. The world keeps getting more fascinating with every book published and the plot kept me on the edge of my seat. And there was one twist that both enraged and impressed me.
I’m now eagerly anticipating reading the last book!
I loved seeing just how much Flowra had changed from the very first book: how much she’d grown and matured and got so strong and resilient; she really impressed me. Ayla too had changed, slowly becoming more considerate and caring. I can’t wait to see the consequences of what happened in this book.
Etolié’s pov was quite interesting as well, but I have to admit that it took me a while to warm up to Sora’s pov, though it did happen eventually. The world keeps getting more fascinating with every book published and the plot kept me on the edge of my seat. And there was one twist that both enraged and impressed me.
I’m now eagerly anticipating reading the last book!
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