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Ceristen #4
The War
Icon of prosperity and security to the public eye, Orden hides many a weakness underneath.
When a jealous feud spanning manslaughter, trade rights, and generations erupts to life, the politics of nations suddenly become an everyday concern for young Mordred Kenhelm, whose civilian life is uprooted in the first upheavals of war.
Mordred is on the run — from guilt, from trauma, and from a vicious bitterness destroying him from the inside out. He's all too eager to escape into the recklessness of every high-risk mission that comes his way. But wounds cannot be neglected forever, and seeking to do so may put more lives than his own at risk.
The War follows the villagers we know and love as their paths diverge and converge over the waves of a brutal conflict. It descends into the complexities of loss, loyalty, and forgiveness, and demonstrates the poison of hatred and the vital need of repentance. It is a story of the broken who heal, a story of coming home.
When a jealous feud spanning manslaughter, trade rights, and generations erupts to life, the politics of nations suddenly become an everyday concern for young Mordred Kenhelm, whose civilian life is uprooted in the first upheavals of war.
Mordred is on the run — from guilt, from trauma, and from a vicious bitterness destroying him from the inside out. He's all too eager to escape into the recklessness of every high-risk mission that comes his way. But wounds cannot be neglected forever, and seeking to do so may put more lives than his own at risk.
The War follows the villagers we know and love as their paths diverge and converge over the waves of a brutal conflict. It descends into the complexities of loss, loyalty, and forgiveness, and demonstrates the poison of hatred and the vital need of repentance. It is a story of the broken who heal, a story of coming home.
- GenresFantasy
513 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2022
About the author
Verity A. Buchanan
5 books64 followersVerity A. Buchanan grew up drinking in the glacier-formed ridges, jewel-blue lakes, and sprawling orchards of Northern Michigan. Enthralled by love of the land, she lives in search of fresh sights and settings, so as to ground her stories as far as possible in the honesty of experience.
When not scribbling down snippets of dialogue or staring hopelessly at a blinking cursor, Verity is probably browsing Lord of the Rings, pouring out emotions on the piano, or undertaking amateur photography and audio mixing. Her enthusiasm for people finds an outlet in teaching piano, working customer service at her local farm market, and forging connections with readers and colleagues across the globe.
When not scribbling down snippets of dialogue or staring hopelessly at a blinking cursor, Verity is probably browsing Lord of the Rings, pouring out emotions on the piano, or undertaking amateur photography and audio mixing. Her enthusiasm for people finds an outlet in teaching piano, working customer service at her local farm market, and forging connections with readers and colleagues across the globe.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 17, 2022
Where do I begin?
It feels like years ago since I first read the first draft on Wattpad. And now it's soon to be a published book and I can't be more proud of Verity and this series. This book is not only the culmination of years of hard work and tears, but the continuation of the characters and conflict that have become so dear to my heart in the previous three books.
This book causes anguish, especially if you care deeply for the characters in this series. It deals with the brutality of war, the destruction it causes to ordinary lives and people, the dangers of spy and soldier work, and the heartache of loss. Considering the current state of the world, I don't think it could be published at a better time.
~~~
Updated review:
I remember getting a hangover from this book the first time I read it. Having now read the finished, published draft, I feel no different. Except it's more intense, because I understand the story and characters so much more. Verity's Ceristen Series is about people, about the ordinary, small things of our lives that create an extraordinary tale. And this book, in which our beloved characters are cast into war, which is very real, very cruel, and very hard, is no different. Unlike more popular fantasies with epic-scale battles and neat fight scenes, this follows each individual character through chaos, through suffering, through grief, through defeat and triumph and loss. And somehow, the story becomes more real because of it. This book is full of excellent writing and characters, and perhaps is the greatest culmination of Verity's writing I've seen yet. I absolutely love it, in all its anguish and bittersweet joy. Well done!
(Also can we just talk about Jeddy?)
It feels like years ago since I first read the first draft on Wattpad. And now it's soon to be a published book and I can't be more proud of Verity and this series. This book is not only the culmination of years of hard work and tears, but the continuation of the characters and conflict that have become so dear to my heart in the previous three books.
This book causes anguish, especially if you care deeply for the characters in this series. It deals with the brutality of war, the destruction it causes to ordinary lives and people, the dangers of spy and soldier work, and the heartache of loss. Considering the current state of the world, I don't think it could be published at a better time.
~~~
Updated review:
I remember getting a hangover from this book the first time I read it. Having now read the finished, published draft, I feel no different. Except it's more intense, because I understand the story and characters so much more. Verity's Ceristen Series is about people, about the ordinary, small things of our lives that create an extraordinary tale. And this book, in which our beloved characters are cast into war, which is very real, very cruel, and very hard, is no different. Unlike more popular fantasies with epic-scale battles and neat fight scenes, this follows each individual character through chaos, through suffering, through grief, through defeat and triumph and loss. And somehow, the story becomes more real because of it. This book is full of excellent writing and characters, and perhaps is the greatest culmination of Verity's writing I've seen yet. I absolutely love it, in all its anguish and bittersweet joy. Well done!
(Also can we just talk about Jeddy?)
June 5, 2026
You know it’s a good book when you spend a whole morning neglecting your usual routine because you HAVE to finish it.
Such a beautifully bittersweet story. How many times did it tug at my heart? I lost count. 😭
I’m sad to see this series come to a close, but super excited to see what comes next from this author!
Such a beautifully bittersweet story. How many times did it tug at my heart? I lost count. 😭
I’m sad to see this series come to a close, but super excited to see what comes next from this author!
April 5, 2026
A very satisfying ending to this part of the Ceristen story. Verity successfully made me cry with this book and that's not an easy thing to do.
January 30, 2026
This book was an immersive and emotional end to the Ceristen series.
I loved the brotherhood between so many of the characters—just wholesome friendships as they go through a terrible war. There’s a lot of heartbreak but also a lot of healing. It has been a while since I read The Village, so I did have some trouble remembering who everyone was. There is a big cast of characters! But I was rooting for them—especially Fred... to no one's surprise. I always want more Fred, because he is the best. I have no complaints about his arc. (Except for wanting to hunt down a certain blanket snatcher!)
The women also had their place. From Fiona to Irene. They were so strong with their brothers, friends and husbands gone. I want to give them all hugs.
Mordred’s arc was so well done! He had to find a path through pain and hurt, find a way to let go of anger and heal and trust. It was so rewarding to see him find that. His personality really shone through, from his snark and sarcasm to his care for others and longing to be understood. His dynamic with Jedidiah had me laughing and rooting for them. It was so sweet. They were the perfect team.
Verity really brought war down to a personal level, and showed how it affected everyone. The plot had me screaming and at the edge of my seat near the end! It got intense.
I would highly recommend this series. You need to start at the beginning.
I loved the brotherhood between so many of the characters—just wholesome friendships as they go through a terrible war. There’s a lot of heartbreak but also a lot of healing. It has been a while since I read The Village, so I did have some trouble remembering who everyone was. There is a big cast of characters! But I was rooting for them—especially Fred... to no one's surprise. I always want more Fred, because he is the best. I have no complaints about his arc. (Except for wanting to hunt down a certain blanket snatcher!)
The women also had their place. From Fiona to Irene. They were so strong with their brothers, friends and husbands gone. I want to give them all hugs.
Mordred’s arc was so well done! He had to find a path through pain and hurt, find a way to let go of anger and heal and trust. It was so rewarding to see him find that. His personality really shone through, from his snark and sarcasm to his care for others and longing to be understood. His dynamic with Jedidiah had me laughing and rooting for them. It was so sweet. They were the perfect team.
Verity really brought war down to a personal level, and showed how it affected everyone. The plot had me screaming and at the edge of my seat near the end! It got intense.
I would highly recommend this series. You need to start at the beginning.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews