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The Runelords #6

by David Farland

Fallion a Jaz, synové nejvyššího Krále Země, žijí po dramatickém útěku jako uprchlíci z vlastního království. Čekají na správný okamžik, aby v zemi znovu zaujali oprávněné postavení. Mezitím nepřátelské síly nadpřirozených bytostí hrozí tajně převzít kontrolu nad celým územím.
Fallion je předurčen uzdravit zemi a slyší k tomu nutkavé volání. Ačkoli když se o to pokusí, celé dva světy se spojí a sloučí, a přesunutím s smísením těch nejlepších a nejhorších rysů z obou vytvoří třetí. Na Falliona a jeho společníky čekají nová monstra a nestvůrní lidé, aby je zničili.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Epic Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, High Fantasy, Adventure, Magic

433 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

David Farland is the author of the bestselling Runelords series, including Chaosbound, The Wyrmling Horde and Worldbinder. He also writes science-fiction as David Wolverton. He won the 1987 Writers of the Future contest, and has been nominated for a Nebula Award and a Hugo Award. Farland also works as a video game designer, and has taught writing seminars around the U.S. and Canada. He lives in Saint George, Utah. He passed away on January 14, 2022.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidf...

Reviews

[Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not quite sure what to make of this one. The best I can say is that I enjoyed how the author was willing to destroy the original world by doing a kind of Final Fantasy 6 twist on it, meshing two worlds together, with the unenviable results of certain characters waking up with multiple alternate-reality memories, then trying to make a go at saving the last of humanity from there.

Forcible attributes are an aspect, of course, as is the Earth King (minor, here), but what has really taken over is the idea of the Shadows taking over lots of people's lives. And in this other world, now combined with the previous, there are a ton of them. All siphoning off life as bloodlust and draining the world's vitality dry.

No reavers this time. Just demons.

I feel like I should be happier. It's fun on several surfaces. I'm good with him taking chances, bringing back old cool characters in different incarnations, but there wasn't all that much of me LIKING any of the characters as much as I had in any of the previous books. That may be because there was no build-up, just a big 'plop'. Here you go! :)

Some people might enjoy it more. I enjoyed it enough, but I hold some reservations.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, easily the weakest of the series so far, by far. I suppose not bad as a story in and of itself, but as a continuation of the Runelords series, it feels like Runelords only in the barest sense. It feels like he had nowhere else to go in the main story with the magic, and with escalating evil, and so had to come up with this. First, the Reavers were the greatest evil ever faced and had to be stopped. Then Shadoath was even worse and needed to be stopped by an even more powerful being. Now even she's not the worst, and Fallion has to become even more powerful to stop this latest threat. It seems like an ever-escalating threat that only stops when the author decides to end the series. That's the exact reason I stopped watching Walking Dead. Now, I'll continue the series, as there are, as of now, only two more books, but it's definitely with less enthusiasm, and if this was like a 15 book series, ala Wheel of Time, I might stop.

The other problem besides the trope of each villain "worst villain ever TM" being worse than the last, this feels like a totally new series. I got that with the turnover with Son of the Oak and accepted that. This feels like he intentionally changed the world. If I wanted to read an entirely different series, I would have picked that series up. And yet, it's not. I now have to keep track of "shadow personalities", and where this guy is a king here he was a peasant in the first world. Meanwhile, Raj Aten was a monster in the first series and all-powerful, here he survived and is a good man? Kinda makes me go um, trying to connect all these personalities with their counterparts. I didn't like when they blew up the Star Trek universe and I don't like when they do it here. And then the Runelord powers and blood metal that were the signature of the series, literally it's name, is almost absent here. Yeah, towards the end they're learning it in the new combined world, but it still seems like he wants to make a whole new series.

Overall, an unfortunately weak entry. Hopefully the next entry is better.

[Christopher · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Runelord Multiverse.

Some intriguing elements in this 6th Runelords novel brought low by thin characters and generic fantasy battles.

Here, Fallion, son of the Earth King, following the last battle against generic demons, finds the demon world and his world splintering. To save both, he joins them together and we get an interesting setup where alternate realities merge and clash. People that have died in one world exist in the other and people that exist in both find themselves occupying the same body. Legends that exist in one world are made flesh in another. This includes an alternate version of Fallion and Jaz' father, the Earth King Gaborn (whom they barely knew as children).

So while there's ample chance for really interesting character moments, they're never really developed or explored. Instead, we get "Wyrmlings" in place of "Reavers" and the plot beats of Major Fantasy Battle(tm) remain.

Fortunately the battle and book are over quickly.

[Remy G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This entry of David Farland’s Runelords series opens with Shadoath seeing danger in the form of a tree at Castle Coorm, with the young prince Fallion, known as a torch-bearer among flameweavers, entering the fortress as well to find that the Courts of Tides were laid waste, and visiting places such as his old bedroom. The castle at Caer Luciare is a lonely mountainside refuge, and the dog Wanderlust, with a good pedigree, plays a sizeable role, being able to sense the antagonistic wyrmlings, and tracking Daylan Hammer, ultimately imprisoned, although he resists.

Talon at one point has a plant growing through her that threatens her life, and new adversaries known as the Knights Eternal find a human fortress south of Caer Golgeata as their mistress Lady Despair promises. Fallion’s group in the meantime reaches the ruins of Cantular, fearing that wyrmling warriors could be in hiding. A feast is held in the great hall of Caer Luciare in anticipation of a forthcoming attack against the wyrmlings, with King Urstone having high hopes for his assault. Alun and the canine Wanderlust attempt to outrun their opponents, entering a canyon called the Vale of Anguish.

Daylan attempts to escape from his imprisonment and finds a companion in the wyrmling princess Kan-hazur. Meanwhile, Fallion at one point awakes unable to move, and attempts to reach out to his companions, ultimately meeting the spirits of his ancestors. In Cantular, Warlord Madoc anticipates the advancing wyrmling army, afterward fighting for his life and encountering a bridge collapse. Moreover, Areth Sul Urstone experiences torture at the hands of apprentices in the torturing craft. Several battles conclude the story, with Rhianna taking flight to seek assistance in the battle versus the wyrmlings.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed this entry of the Runelords series, given its high fantasy content and plenty of nonhuman characters, with a few nicely-described battles as well, although one may find difficult the task of keeping track the diverse perspectives of the various characters. There’s also implication that the conflict between the humans and the wyrmlings isn’t wholly black and white, and I personally found the younger characters of the story to be the most interesting of the cast. I very much wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this entry of the series to those who enjoyed its precursors.

[Suz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another series that I started on audible and couldn't walk away from. I enjoyed it a lot.

Bulk Input Day.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worlds Collide, Magic Evolves, and Destiny Explodes — Let’s Talk Worldbinder by David Farland! 🌍⚔️💫

Hey, my multiverse-loving mystics! 😍✨ I just finished Worldbinder, book six in The Runelords saga, and—WOW—my brain is officially melted in the best way possible! 🧠🔥 This book isn’t just another chapter; it’s a cosmic-level game changer. 💥🌌 It takes everything you thought you knew about the Runelords universe and flips it inside out, binding entire worlds together in a breathtaking fusion of light, shadow, and destiny! 🌟🌀

The Worlds Are Colliding, My Rune-Blessed Crew! 🌍💥

You thought one world was dangerous? Try two. 😱⚔️ Worldbinder takes place after the chaos of Sons of the Oak and throws our heroes into a reality-bending crisis where the boundaries between universes start to shatter. 💫💀 Mountains split, skies merge, and whole civilizations crash into one another as magic literally reshapes existence. 🌌🔥 The result? A story that feels mythic, massive, and hauntingly beautiful. 🌙✨

Fallion Orden Ascends — The Soulbinder is Born! 🔥👑

Fallion, our beloved son of Gaborn and Iome, is no longer the uncertain young heir we met before. 💪🌿 He’s becoming something more—a bridge between worlds, a binder of souls, a being touched by the elemental will of creation itself. 🌍💎 Watching his evolution is mesmerizing. He’s compassionate, wise beyond his years, and burdened with powers that terrify even him. 🥹⚡ The emotional depth here? Chef’s kiss. 👏✨ Fallion gives “reluctant god-tier hero” energy and absolutely delivers. 💖🔥

The Magic Goes Cosmic! 💎🪄🌌

Forget everything you thought you knew about runes—this is Runelords on a multiversal scale! 🌀💫 Farland’s magic system evolves into something wild and transcendent: worldbinding, soul-merging, elemental chaos, and creation energy itself. 🌟🔥 Every spell feels like the pulse of the universe, echoing with both creation and destruction. It’s ancient, powerful, and beyond comprehension in the best way. 💀💎

New Foes, New Worlds, Endless Awe! 😈⚔️

Of course, with new worlds come new nightmares. 😱🌑 The merging of realities unleashes horrors beyond imagination—creatures born from warped magic, echoes of dead gods, and twisted reflections of those we thought we knew. 💀🔥 The villains here aren’t just evil—they’re tragic, complex, and connected to the same power that fuels the heroes. It’s all about duality, consequence, and the price of cosmic creation. 🌌⚖️

The Feels? Off. The. Charts. 💔🌕

This one hurts—but it’s the kind of beautiful hurt that stays with you. 🥺🌿 Fallion carries so much weight—guilt, hope, grief, and love—and the emotional core of this book hits harder than ever. 💫💔 Themes of redemption, identity, and spiritual awakening run through every chapter. You’ll laugh, cry, and stare into space wondering about the nature of reality itself. 🌙🕯️

The Tea, My Cosmic Dreamers! ☕🌟

Worldbinder is a massive shift for the series. 💥 It trades traditional medieval fantasy for metaphysical, reality-warping epicness. 🌌⚔️ It’s slower in some spots, sure, but every moment feels purposeful—like pieces of an enormous cosmic puzzle clicking into place. 🧩✨ It’s philosophical, emotional, and absolutely awe-inspiring. 🌍🔥

Final Vibes, My Dimension-Walking Warriors! 🌙⚡

Worldbinder is The Runelords reimagined—grander, stranger, and more profound than ever. 💎🌿 It binds not just worlds but hearts, weaving destiny, sacrifice, and cosmic unity into one breathtaking tapestry. 🪶💫 It’s the kind of story that makes you stare at the stars afterward and wonder about the strings holding everything together. 🌌✨

Bottom line, my multiversal crew: It’s bold, emotional, and deeply mystical—an epic fusion of power and purpose that proves even in chaos, the light of creation endures. 🌍🔥📚

[Jonathan Koan · Rating 4 out of 5]

That's...not what I expected.

Farland continues his "The Runelords" series, this time introducing new villains and threats that will have ramifications for the rest of the series as we know it. Many people claim that this storyline comes out of left field, that Farland "Jumps the shark". I kind of agree...but it also kind of works.

While "Sons of the Oak" introduced the audience to Fallion, Rhianna, Jaz, and the rest of the new cast, it served more as an intermission of the series, a way to introduce them in a basically standalone series. This book, "Worldbinder", really kicks off a plotline, has a genuine cliffhanger, and takes the series in a brand new direction.

First off, I'll say that I think that the Wrymlings are much better villains than the Reavers. I always had such a hard time envisioning the reavers(Mostly because they never made the covers), but the Wyrmlings are very well described here, and while they are kind of human and relatable, they are utterly terrifying. I think they would be fun to see in a big movie.

I also felt that this book had a much better plot than it's predecessor. It was all taking place on the continent as opposed to at sea(thank goodness!), and it had a multi-POV story that didn't feel too long. This book did what I wanted the long Runelords books to do: Shorten the length of the book but keep the complexity of the storytelling.

While I don't love the whole meshing worlds together trope, it is a litte fun to read about here. And the characters introduced, such as King Urstone, Warlord Madoc, Atun, Daylan Hammar, and Talon all had interesting storylines that I wanted to follow.

Every book has one or two scenes that just make the book for me. This book had two such scenes. One towards the beginning, and one near the end of the book. That's already more scenes than it's predecessor had. Farland's books may not be as good overall as Sanderson or Jordan, but man can he write some epic scenes at times.

Unfortunately, this book did have some things I really did care for. The last couple of books have had this dark tone throughout that take away the excitement and enjoyment that I felt with the first three Runelords books. Tone is very important to me, because tone shows how I'm supposed to feel, and while I can handle dark moments in stories, I rarely like reading a story where the whole undertone is darkness, even if there are happy moments.

I also was very disappointed with Fallion's love triangle in this book. He's been with Rhianna for YEARS! He should not start having second thoughts now! Ugh, there's still room for him to make the right decision in the next books, but I was very frustrated with him here. This love triangle might be stemming from Farland's Mormanism, but it's not something I enjoy at all.

I thought the battle scenes in this book were very well written, and I understood what was happening most of the time. That's a very hard thing to do.

Overall, I liked this book, but didn't love it like I wanted to. Farland's first 3 books really stand out to me as my favorites, and the 3 most recent ones kind of feel "good", but not great. Farland still has 2 more chances to turn this into an amazing storyline(3 if he EVER decides to turn in the final book). But, out of the three most recent books, I think this one is my favorite. 7.2 out of 10. Good job Farland...please finish A Tale of Tales!

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was... painful. David Farland should have finished the series with Book 5, which would have been a fantastic way to end it. Instead, he's chosen to plod along and dilute his story even more, extending his reach now across worlds in this book. Since we're already on Runelords, Next Generation as it is, it just comes across as milking a really good premise that has obviously sold well.

Yet we're not learning anything new about how the magical system works. There's no extension there: the magic works just as it did in the first book, with no variation. Without getting into spoilers, the main setting of this book feels like a cheap ploy to do pretty much anything with characters we already know-- from here, Farland can effectively bring people back to life, turn good people bad and bad people good, create new stories for existing characters... and it just seems cheap.

I'm disappointed. I'll probably give the next book a shot because these books tend to be quite short, but I did not enjoy this like I expected to. In fact, I sat on it for a month because it was such a slog to get through.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

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While it's interesting to see our heroes starting to realize who they are within the larger "universe", this book starts a full downward spiral into... well... despair and chaos in which Farland just decides to go all in on the mayhem. Even when our heroes succeed it feels like they are defeated, and the binding of these two worlds feels like the end of days are upon them.

Farland's writing is still enjoyable, however the story/plotlines are getting a bit heavy with the plot armor and I found myself having trouble really getting invested into the characters. Not bad, just not as good as the first 4 in this series and that's a sentiment that only grows through the rest of this series for me.

[Evan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0/5

This book definitely took a big swing. Overwriting the old world by mashing it together with a new one. There was ample room for complex and interesting story beats and character interaction. This was instead set aside for endless enemies, like swapping storynode for wavespawn challengein a videogame. Sure it's fun but it hasn't the depth or charm of the narrative.
It is also a pity that none of the characters are really that likeable. Mainly as we get so little time with them, so they become two dimensional as a trade off for the 'mounting tension' of the baddies, which never quite lands as you don't care for the main characters like in the first half of the series. There is no time to breathe or reflect and Farland's mid chapter headhopping writing style isn't helping to get to know and love the characters.

[Jsrott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rather enjoyed the first tetralogy of this series, and while this new generation of "heroes" was promising and Farland has definitely put some time into fleshing out his world, I was somewhat put off by the direction he took his story in. It felt to me like there was still plenty of story left in his original creation, but with this novel that world is now gone, replaced by a mashup of that one and a new one. There's still action, good characters, and neat ideas, but somehow I get left with less of a connection to these people.

[Ian Yarington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like this book was a huge step in a new direction, I can't emphasize huge enough, literal world breaking. I realized right from the start that Gaborn was special but the loss of Gaborn and the continuation of his lineage through Fallion and Jaz has been very fun to see and the worldbinding has really ramped the series to a new level. The heroes, the villains, the world, all of it has just been epic. I have been very happy with this series and I'm going to keep going until Farland wraps it up!

[Maria Finazzo Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest, this is my least favorite in the series so far. Don’t get me wrong, I love it, just slightly less then the rest. I like the shadow world memories merging with their current memories, that was pretty cool! I liked the battles in physicality as well as the internal ones. Each character is so well written and each have their own unique strengths. I love how they have such sense of character and how they are able to be a part of the story, what they bring to the table and how they interact with each other. It is just brilliant!

[Evil Secret Ninja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my youtube channel where I review books
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I am still enjoying this series a lot. Now following the children of the earth king who have discovered a way to combine different realities and they are fighting to save the world only different yet the same as their own. There is not as much about the endowments as ways of magic and there more about different ways of gaining power and magic.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

after not really liking book 5 of this series, book 6 returns my faith in the series. this book is dark but I finally started to bond with a couple of the characters introduced in book 5. the world and the setting change dramatically in this book which helped me with accepting some of the things that happened in book4. I actually would rate it a 4.5 if goodreads allowed half stars. this book sets up what is sure to be an interesting book 7

[JP · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where Sons of the Oak could arguably considered a continuation of the first four books, what with references and plots revolving around the Earth King and his wife and a focus on Borenson, Myrrima, and their children, now in Worldbinder we’re really getting into the changes–and I’m not sure I’m okay with that.

Full review:
https://blog.jverkamp.com/2021/12/14/...

[Jacob Heiner · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was not very interesting. It seemed so contrived (yes, I know it's fake, but it should still feel realistic given the assumptions). The characters would change personality based on the scene, which is irratating. This was a real let down after I enjoyed the first few books of this series.

[Christoffer Dahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

It turned incredibly epic in scope, and while I feared some of the initial charm of the series had worn off, I was pulled back into a new set of adventures that delivered quite a punch. Some really unforgettable characters.
I am so ready for more!

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was boring
Gen 1 was so much better

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series went a bit sideways on this one. Still pretty cool magic system but losing interest in characters so I probably won't continue it.

[Paschalis]

elibrary

[Tiger Schultz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really struggled to get into this book. Some very weird turns and not as much of a story.

[Zachariah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man this is bleak. My plan to read my old writing mentor's fantasy series is a tough one. Two books to go.

[Dick Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continuing to enjoy very much the continuing series. Often in a series protagonists over time become all powerful and omnipotent and thankfully that doesn't happen in this series. Exciting ending.

[Rod Wayman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still some what dark. Sometimes it is hard to accept and ponder senseless death of the young.

[Darin · Rating 3 out of 5]

let's say 3.5 stars and thats because the series has been good up until now. It was just not a satisfying read. It felt off.

[Jesse Whitehead · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wish I could tell the difference between when I have changed too much to appreciate an author’s writing and when the author has just diminished too much to be read any more.

I recall really enjoying the first four books of this series and found them to be exciting and phenomenal works of fantasy with brilliant consequences to the magic system that seemed to be missing in other works.

Then I read the precursor to this book and found it almost unbearably dull and poorly written.

Being a glutton for punishment — and slightly obsessive about finishing series once begun — I read this book.

I’m not sure where Farland is going with this. I get the idea from some of the writing advice he gives that he fancies himself a great writer of characters. Unfortunately this book is full of a series of character tropes with the thinnest of character traits.

It all starts when Fallion casts a super-powerful magic spell that makes his world collide with another one. The entire face of the world is changed as the two places merge and many people cease to exist, others join together with people from the other world and the landscape is completely shifted around to make some kind of approximation of the two worlds.

Fallion thinks he is completely in the right for doing this because, after all it is in the plot. Even though thousands, or maybe millions die because of it and it also brings super powerful giants that want to conquer everything as well as some kind of demons and monsters that kill people left and right.

Fallion is apparently incapable of caring about people.

What follows is a series of improbable adventures as we are told how tiny and delicate normal people are compared to the giants from the other world that are now everywhere followed by heroic battles where the normal sized people fight off the giants, demons and monsters and win the day because they are the heroes.

On the one hand I applaud Farland for being willing to destroy his world and make it into something else. That’s not always an easy thing to do. In fact, I believe that the story of the Lord of the Rings is the story of the breaking of Middle Earth. It is the story of the passing of magic from the world. I have to nod my head to David Farland for being one of the few authors that I’ve read who has figured that out and used that aspect in their fantasy. Most authors miss Tolkien completely and copy what they think they saw that they loved.

Farland isn’t copying anything, really, he’s just not a very good writer. Every scene feels awkward and underdeveloped. The descriptions are seldom rich enough for the scene to be fully imagined, the characters are seldom realized enough to have believable or understandable motivations, the people, magic, monsters, giants, worlds, demons, etc. have powers and ideas and abilities that vary with the convenience of the plot and the story. Monsters that are talked about by powerful mages as being scary beyond belief turn out to be susceptible to bright lights… sometimes.

The whole makes for a bit of a mess that feels like Farland is regressing in his skill rather than the opposite. I hesitate to go back and read the earlier ones that I loved so much. Perhaps they are not as good as I remembered. Perhaps I have outgrown this over-wrought poorly written story.

The question then remains. Will I finish the series? I don’t know. This was bad enough that I might not. Will the author finish the series? That remains to be seen as well.

[Bobby Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite in the Runelords series. While I like the contuting story of the boys, what makes this book hard for me to call a great book is the fact that there are a fair amount of agendas, and there appears to be several that were never answered. Granted, I am still in the middle of it at the time of this writing, but I will have to say that it is a hard read and if you want to finish it, do not put it down for more than a couple of days, or you will find yourself lost in the thick forest of drama, agendas, characters, events, and the continuing reveal of each of the characters connections as the story goes on.

**Update** Finished the book. It wrapped up nicely, with a couple of surprises that I did not expect. I would say the darkest book in the Runelord series, as there is not really any hope found by the time that you finish the book. It still was a hard book to finish, with so much going on with combining the worlds in the book (as the title suggests). I still would recommend it as a good read, but be prepared to struggle as you read it. Almost like an "Order of the Phoenix " like struggle, if you know what I mean.

[Alec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given my relative inexperience with epic fantasy, I don't know if this series has followed a typical story arc or if it is as unique as it seems to me reading it. Unsatisfied with the world he originally created, David Farland bound two worlds (as the title might suggest) in this book introducing an entirely new geography, cast of characters, and fantastical creatures. That being said, this is obviously a continuation of the series and fits snugly into the narrative thus far.

Over the course of the first six books in this series I've really come to admire the imagination and creativity of David Farland. Central to the books is a struggle between good and evil. This may not seem particularly imaginative or creative, but in his universe (previously just a world) he's allowed us as a reader to peer into different permutations of similar worlds. Imagine this as one peek into a parallel world where we may have all started at a similar point in time/life but the nature of agency means that as time has passed each world has ended up in a significantly different evolution. It's a fascinating thought experiment to accompany a tense and fast moving story which set the hook deep enough to make me quick to look for the next book at my local library.

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

This new addition to the Runelord series seems like kind of a rehashing of the first part. The only difference now is that everything takes place on a "shadow world", but the same characters and ideas are used. I'm not a huge fan.

On top of that, I feel like the books are fairly disconnected. Each book seems to introduce new monsters and new bad guys and I just don't get the feeling that there is a master plan. I would prefer there to be a clear cut distinction between the different parts of the series, instead of what can be construed as one big storyline. I'm thinking along the lines of what Terry Brooks has done with his Shannara series. Each set is loosely linked to the first, but stand well enough on their own.

I'm going to continue to read the rest of the Runelord series, however many books that may be, but this particular storyline I'm not really liking right now. BUT, if Mr. Farland does manage to tie it all up with a neat little bow by the time he's done, I will take back my less-than-stellar review of this book and be very impressed.