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The War Eternal #5
Death's Beating Heart
The final book in The War Eternal series.
Break Eternity.
Sirileth has broken the world. The ground bleeds, the seas rage, the skies are torn asunder.
Eska will not let her daughter face the consequences alone, but can she help without donning the mantle of the Corpse Queen once more? And will the people of Ovaeris accept help from a monster?
They might not have a choice as a stable portal to the Other World is now open, and the Beating Heart of Sevorai is ever ravenous.
In this thrilling conclusion to The War Eternal, Eskara must face the consequences of her past. She will soon learn just how far she can bend before she breaks.
Break Eternity.
Sirileth has broken the world. The ground bleeds, the seas rage, the skies are torn asunder.
Eska will not let her daughter face the consequences alone, but can she help without donning the mantle of the Corpse Queen once more? And will the people of Ovaeris accept help from a monster?
They might not have a choice as a stable portal to the Other World is now open, and the Beating Heart of Sevorai is ever ravenous.
In this thrilling conclusion to The War Eternal, Eskara must face the consequences of her past. She will soon learn just how far she can bend before she breaks.
536 pages, Hardcover
First published December 26, 2022
44 people are currently reading
862 people want to read
About the author
Rob J. Hayes
45 books1,917 followersWinner of Mark Lawrence's 3rd Self Published Fantasy Blog Off (SPFBO) with Where Loyalties Lie
Rob J. Hayes has been a student, a banker, a marine research assistant, a chef, and a keyboard monkey more times than he cares to count. But eventually his love of fantasy and reading drew him to the life of a writer. He’s the author of the Amazon Best Selling The Heresy Within, the SPFBO-winning piratical swashbuckler Where Loyalties Lie, and the critically acclaimed Never Die.
Rob J. Hayes has been a student, a banker, a marine research assistant, a chef, and a keyboard monkey more times than he cares to count. But eventually his love of fantasy and reading drew him to the life of a writer. He’s the author of the Amazon Best Selling The Heresy Within, the SPFBO-winning piratical swashbuckler Where Loyalties Lie, and the critically acclaimed Never Die.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
June 12, 2023
So, I'm finished the final instalment of The War Eternal Series! It had been a great journey with Eska throughout the previous four instalments, and I expect this to be a bitter-sweet ending, as it always is when you have a satisfying end to a series that you have thoroughly enjoyed and have to leave the characters you have followed for so long. And it was.
This offers an epic conclusion to a world that Rob J. Hayes has brought to life. Each book has offered up new locations and places and lore and history to explore, and because of that it was exciting from beginning to end. We see the biggest conflict yet, and Rob J. Hayes gives us a fantastic, adrenaline-pumping final conclusion, and fitting moments with the characters we have spent so long with.
This offers an epic conclusion to a world that Rob J. Hayes has brought to life. Each book has offered up new locations and places and lore and history to explore, and because of that it was exciting from beginning to end. We see the biggest conflict yet, and Rob J. Hayes gives us a fantastic, adrenaline-pumping final conclusion, and fitting moments with the characters we have spent so long with.
January 13, 2023
Well, if you are going to end a series this is a magnificent way to do it I'd say. The War Eternal series has truly lived up to its name and this series has given me a lifetime of thrills and jaw-dropping moments. None more so than this fabulous concluding volume. Rob J. Hayes has once again managed to create one of the more memorable fantasy stories and populated it with some of the best characters you will ever come across.
I felt like this book was just one continuous adventure as we are taken through a tour of the Other World and the insane creatures and locations that inhabit it. Only Hayes could create a portal between worlds that was caused by one of the main characters crashing a moon into a planet. That's some high level mind-blowing stuff right there. That's the point where DEATH'S BEATING HEART begins, and it only gets more amazing with regard to magic, worldbuilding, characterization, and all out fantastic storytelling from there.
The strength of this story throughout has been the main character of Eska, and in this final book we see the culmination of everything she has been put through from her early awful days being imprisoned in The Pit to becoming a mother, to claiming her identity as Corpse Queen. And through it all she has remained true to herself and is simply one of the most badass protagonists ever. The stuff that has been thrown at her is just beyond anything that you can imagine and she's still standing as we begin the final journey. What ultimately will be her fate is brilliantly revealed in this book. To that point, I'm happy to say that this ending does not disappoint.
If you've been along for this incredible ride for the previous four books you know just how Eska's exploits have put you through the wringer. Well DEATH'S BEATING HEART just takes it to another level and keeps you on the edge of your seat (I know, I hate that saying), but it really does. Your palms will sweat, you'll wriggle uncomfortably as each character gets put in one perilous situation after another, and you will silently pump your fist with excitement at times as well. Great stories do this, they make you feel emotions from one spectrum to the next. Rob J. Hayes has delivered yet another of these masterpieces that will put The War Eternal series right up there in the upper echelons of fantasy.
I encourage everyone who has yet to embark on this amazing trip to pick up book one right now and just continue on without stopping. Now that all of the books have been released it's the best way to fully appreciate just how excellent these books are and how each beautifully leads into and sets up the next. DEATH'S BEATING HEART was everything I wanted it to be and Hayes added even more that I didn't see coming. Brilliant is all I can say. I can't really give this one anything but the highest marks.
I felt like this book was just one continuous adventure as we are taken through a tour of the Other World and the insane creatures and locations that inhabit it. Only Hayes could create a portal between worlds that was caused by one of the main characters crashing a moon into a planet. That's some high level mind-blowing stuff right there. That's the point where DEATH'S BEATING HEART begins, and it only gets more amazing with regard to magic, worldbuilding, characterization, and all out fantastic storytelling from there.
The strength of this story throughout has been the main character of Eska, and in this final book we see the culmination of everything she has been put through from her early awful days being imprisoned in The Pit to becoming a mother, to claiming her identity as Corpse Queen. And through it all she has remained true to herself and is simply one of the most badass protagonists ever. The stuff that has been thrown at her is just beyond anything that you can imagine and she's still standing as we begin the final journey. What ultimately will be her fate is brilliantly revealed in this book. To that point, I'm happy to say that this ending does not disappoint.
If you've been along for this incredible ride for the previous four books you know just how Eska's exploits have put you through the wringer. Well DEATH'S BEATING HEART just takes it to another level and keeps you on the edge of your seat (I know, I hate that saying), but it really does. Your palms will sweat, you'll wriggle uncomfortably as each character gets put in one perilous situation after another, and you will silently pump your fist with excitement at times as well. Great stories do this, they make you feel emotions from one spectrum to the next. Rob J. Hayes has delivered yet another of these masterpieces that will put The War Eternal series right up there in the upper echelons of fantasy.
I encourage everyone who has yet to embark on this amazing trip to pick up book one right now and just continue on without stopping. Now that all of the books have been released it's the best way to fully appreciate just how excellent these books are and how each beautifully leads into and sets up the next. DEATH'S BEATING HEART was everything I wanted it to be and Hayes added even more that I didn't see coming. Brilliant is all I can say. I can't really give this one anything but the highest marks.
December 30, 2022
Review now live at Grimdark Magazine
Picking up just moments after the ending of Sins of the Mother, Death’s Beating Heart brings us at last to the conclusion to The Eternal War..
Eskara Helsene has come out of retirement to help fix the mess that her daughter has caused. Sirileth has brought down one of the moons in order to prevent The Maker from entering their world. While this event saved Ovaeris from that terrible fate, slamming a moon down onto the planet tends to bring catastrophic results to most of it. Saving everyone from one disaster has only opened it all up for another.
Sirileth’s actions have opened a portal to the parallel world of Sevorai, where Eskara’s ancient horror originates. That’s the good news. What’s very horribly bad is that that world is being consumed by Norvet Meruun, also known as Death’s Beating Heart. Now that the portal is open, Eska’s world is now in the path to be consumed as well.
The Corpse Queen has to unite the leaders of the world to face this Beating Heart before it is too late. Problem is, the previous four books in this series have given everyone many reasons to distrust Eska and hesitate to grant her an audience.
Of course, Eska aka The Corpse Queen is now officially retired, and the current queen of Yenheim is Sirileth, who just brought down the moon. The two of them together can surely convince the leaders of their continent to give their support, right? What could go wrong?
This was a great conclusion to the War Eternal and the story of Eskara Helsene. What began in Book One has brought the steady reader along on a life long journey, told from the perspective of what most would consider the world of Ovaeris’s premier villain. It has been a lot of fun, and this reader in particular will miss getting in Eska’s head and dealing with a world that fears her. It’s a great character study to get into the head of what most would consider a villain and see their true motivations.
Picking up just moments after the ending of Sins of the Mother, Death’s Beating Heart brings us at last to the conclusion to The Eternal War..
Eskara Helsene has come out of retirement to help fix the mess that her daughter has caused. Sirileth has brought down one of the moons in order to prevent The Maker from entering their world. While this event saved Ovaeris from that terrible fate, slamming a moon down onto the planet tends to bring catastrophic results to most of it. Saving everyone from one disaster has only opened it all up for another.
Sirileth’s actions have opened a portal to the parallel world of Sevorai, where Eskara’s ancient horror originates. That’s the good news. What’s very horribly bad is that that world is being consumed by Norvet Meruun, also known as Death’s Beating Heart. Now that the portal is open, Eska’s world is now in the path to be consumed as well.
The Corpse Queen has to unite the leaders of the world to face this Beating Heart before it is too late. Problem is, the previous four books in this series have given everyone many reasons to distrust Eska and hesitate to grant her an audience.
There is perhaps no faster way I know of to lose someone’s trust than to tell them to trust you.
Of course, Eska aka The Corpse Queen is now officially retired, and the current queen of Yenheim is Sirileth, who just brought down the moon. The two of them together can surely convince the leaders of their continent to give their support, right? What could go wrong?
Still, evil looks and angry whispers are always better than thrown rocks and mbs with murder on their mind.
This was a great conclusion to the War Eternal and the story of Eskara Helsene. What began in Book One has brought the steady reader along on a life long journey, told from the perspective of what most would consider the world of Ovaeris’s premier villain. It has been a lot of fun, and this reader in particular will miss getting in Eska’s head and dealing with a world that fears her. It’s a great character study to get into the head of what most would consider a villain and see their true motivations.
Trust me, I have unwoven enough ghosts to know that most of those who believed they died glorious deaths would much rather have lived long, unfruitful lives.
November 27, 2022
Got an eARC from the author for an honest review - thank you Rob!!
********************************************************
"Nothing like a surprise Corpse Queen to ruin someone's day."
Well my days weren't ruined, on the contrary, I loved to be back with my fav Queen, well former Queen.
The end of the War Eternal series is bittersweet - on the one hand I got a conclusion, on the other I would love to stay a while longer, listen to Eska's tale.
The story starts where Sins of the Mother ends and we are immediately in the aftermath of Sirileth actions. It is not easy for Eska helping her daughter to fix the issues that occur from breaking the world.
"She was trying to do good, even knowing that the method would be evil."
And we are back with our favorite horror. Eska fights against her inner demons for the sake of her family and the world around her, even though the world stands against her. But she is not alone, she has Ssssserakis and her children.
"You can't win a fight against yourself. No matter which way the victory falls, you still lose."
Speaking to my very soul.
I truely enjoyed this final book. World-building especially for Sevorai was exceptionell and when you read a few Rob J Hayes books, you simply know, he can write battles masterfully. The emotions were high and suffice to say, I cried.
Fantastic conclusion to a phenomenal series! Highly recommend!
********************************************************
"Nothing like a surprise Corpse Queen to ruin someone's day."
Well my days weren't ruined, on the contrary, I loved to be back with my fav Queen, well former Queen.
The end of the War Eternal series is bittersweet - on the one hand I got a conclusion, on the other I would love to stay a while longer, listen to Eska's tale.
The story starts where Sins of the Mother ends and we are immediately in the aftermath of Sirileth actions. It is not easy for Eska helping her daughter to fix the issues that occur from breaking the world.
"She was trying to do good, even knowing that the method would be evil."
And we are back with our favorite horror. Eska fights against her inner demons for the sake of her family and the world around her, even though the world stands against her. But she is not alone, she has Ssssserakis and her children.
"You can't win a fight against yourself. No matter which way the victory falls, you still lose."
Speaking to my very soul.
I truely enjoyed this final book. World-building especially for Sevorai was exceptionell and when you read a few Rob J Hayes books, you simply know, he can write battles masterfully. The emotions were high and suffice to say, I cried.
Fantastic conclusion to a phenomenal series! Highly recommend!
April 21, 2024
Along the Razor’s Edge ★★★★★
The Lessons Never Learned ★★★★ 1/2
From Cold Ashes Risen ★★★★★
Sins of the Mother ★★★★ 1/4
Death's Beating Heart ★★★★ 1/2
This was one of the best fantasy series I read! Hayes definitely knows how to write epic fantasy!
I read all of those books as ARCs and I am thankful for Rob for giving me that opportunity. I was a very big fan of the original trilogy and did not know if an extension was needed but after finishing it, I think the conclusion here was very satisfying and even needed.
The story takes place after the mind-blowing events of the last book and when shit escalates to those levels - I'll keep it vague as this is spoiler-free but if you know you know ;)- it is hard to find ways to make it more sense and to de-escalate things properly. A feature that Hayes does so here elegantly. I really had no idea which direction this story was going as there were a lot of surprises. And as someone who is good at predicting storylines, this felt like a breeze of fresh air.
The series has solid three-dimensional characters with characterization bleeding off the pages. Eska and Ssserakis -He has the best name ever- are very memorable characters that I am even getting nostalgic writing this review.
So, in short, if you like dark and epic fantasy then go and read this series. There is everything to like about it from the writing style to the fleshed-out characters and endless twists. One of the most polished series I ever read and the fact that it is self-published make it even more impressing. I am very excited for whatever Hayes comes up with next.
The Lessons Never Learned ★★★★ 1/2
From Cold Ashes Risen ★★★★★
Sins of the Mother ★★★★ 1/4
Death's Beating Heart ★★★★ 1/2
This was one of the best fantasy series I read! Hayes definitely knows how to write epic fantasy!
I read all of those books as ARCs and I am thankful for Rob for giving me that opportunity. I was a very big fan of the original trilogy and did not know if an extension was needed but after finishing it, I think the conclusion here was very satisfying and even needed.
The story takes place after the mind-blowing events of the last book and when shit escalates to those levels - I'll keep it vague as this is spoiler-free but if you know you know ;)- it is hard to find ways to make it more sense and to de-escalate things properly. A feature that Hayes does so here elegantly. I really had no idea which direction this story was going as there were a lot of surprises. And as someone who is good at predicting storylines, this felt like a breeze of fresh air.
The series has solid three-dimensional characters with characterization bleeding off the pages. Eska and Ssserakis -He has the best name ever- are very memorable characters that I am even getting nostalgic writing this review.
So, in short, if you like dark and epic fantasy then go and read this series. There is everything to like about it from the writing style to the fleshed-out characters and endless twists. One of the most polished series I ever read and the fact that it is self-published make it even more impressing. I am very excited for whatever Hayes comes up with next.
March 19, 2023
Honestly I just finished this and need a day to process my thoughts.
But I think I'm going to be sad for days that I no longer have another book of Eska and Sssekaris to get lost in.
My love for this series really stems from these two, and their bond, banter and just overall character arcs. It's rare in fantasy to follow a character from childhood to adulthood and on. But we get to truly learn, grow and continue to make dumb but human mistakes with Eska. We watch Eska deal with childhood mistakes, moments of regret, friendships lost, memories lost to age and so much more. And we also get to experience these same moments through Sssekaris in a different way. It's truly a one of kind story.
Also Hayes is deeply insightful and the way this series handles mental health was beautiful. So many moments from this series and the final battle will stick with me forever.
& the world in this is deeply fascinating. I really want a whole encyclopedia on it and Sevorai
If you're looking for a sign to read this story please do.
& Please join me in pledging to The Corpse Queen 💖
But I think I'm going to be sad for days that I no longer have another book of Eska and Sssekaris to get lost in.
My love for this series really stems from these two, and their bond, banter and just overall character arcs. It's rare in fantasy to follow a character from childhood to adulthood and on. But we get to truly learn, grow and continue to make dumb but human mistakes with Eska. We watch Eska deal with childhood mistakes, moments of regret, friendships lost, memories lost to age and so much more. And we also get to experience these same moments through Sssekaris in a different way. It's truly a one of kind story.
Also Hayes is deeply insightful and the way this series handles mental health was beautiful. So many moments from this series and the final battle will stick with me forever.
& the world in this is deeply fascinating. I really want a whole encyclopedia on it and Sevorai
If you're looking for a sign to read this story please do.
& Please join me in pledging to The Corpse Queen 💖
December 9, 2022
A fitting end to a brilliant series.
Yea, I know that the above quote sounds like any other fanboy (girl/person) raving about their favourite author and/or because they have been given an ARC. Well, while both these conditions are true, the fact remains that The War Eternal series has some of the best world-building, writing as well as characters to boot. If you don't believe, check out some of the reviews others (as well as I) have written about the earlier books.
That aside, this book has it all. Pulse-pounding action sequences action, dramatic twists and reveals, the culmination of a character arc that started off in Along A Razor's Edge. You can see how Eska has grown as a person and how this changes her thinking in situations where she would have reacted different when she was less mature.
I don't want to say anything more for fear of spoiling this book. Read it, you will not be disappointed.
Yea, I know that the above quote sounds like any other fanboy (girl/person) raving about their favourite author and/or because they have been given an ARC. Well, while both these conditions are true, the fact remains that The War Eternal series has some of the best world-building, writing as well as characters to boot. If you don't believe, check out some of the reviews others (as well as I) have written about the earlier books.
That aside, this book has it all. Pulse-pounding action sequences action, dramatic twists and reveals, the culmination of a character arc that started off in Along A Razor's Edge. You can see how Eska has grown as a person and how this changes her thinking in situations where she would have reacted different when she was less mature.
I don't want to say anything more for fear of spoiling this book. Read it, you will not be disappointed.
December 27, 2023
As book five in the series, I don't want to say too much about Death’s Beating Heart, but I will say it’s another one where I really enjoyed the narration in the audiobook. Moira Quirk does a fantastic job as our main character, Eska—she is Eska in my mind, it's just a match made in heaven.
I would also say though, that I was slightly disappointed because I didn’t think I was really getting a whole lot of ‘new’ here. The first book in the series was amazing for me, I really had a great time with it, and then books two, three, and four were really good—not quite as good as that first one but still very good in their own right. This one I felt didn't live up to any of the previous books in the series for me, it was the weakest one in my opinion, purely because I thought I didn't get anything new from it.
I thought the series could have finished at book three or maybe book four and I didn't really need this one, so yeah, kind of disappointing. At the same time though, if I exclude that from my reasoning, it was still a decent book overall, it just suffers a little from the strength of what came before it.
I would also say though, that I was slightly disappointed because I didn’t think I was really getting a whole lot of ‘new’ here. The first book in the series was amazing for me, I really had a great time with it, and then books two, three, and four were really good—not quite as good as that first one but still very good in their own right. This one I felt didn't live up to any of the previous books in the series for me, it was the weakest one in my opinion, purely because I thought I didn't get anything new from it.
I thought the series could have finished at book three or maybe book four and I didn't really need this one, so yeah, kind of disappointing. At the same time though, if I exclude that from my reasoning, it was still a decent book overall, it just suffers a little from the strength of what came before it.
January 6, 2023
Note: spoilers of the previous The War Eternal books below.
A powerful ending to a fantastic series, Death's Beating Heart delivers equal measures of pain and triumph that grants Eskara Helsene the legacy she deserves.
At the end of book four, Eska's daughter Sirileth crashed a moon into the surface of the planet to prevent the world's destruction from The Maker. Sirileth killed countless thousands to save millions. But the planet's environment has become unlivable; there is no direct sunlight, crops are dying, the water is dirty, and kingdoms are focused on their own survival instead of working across borders to find solutions. Oh, and there's an unspeakably powerful immortal entity called Norvet Meruun that is conquering all of Sevorai, and threatens to cross the rift into Ovaeris. It's up to Eska, Sirileth, and the fear-devouring horror Ssserakis to raise a resistance before the planet either dies from neglect or is destroyed through invasion.
Eska is such a compelling character because she is consistently misunderstood. Although she is the boogeyman to her peers, she usually has best intentions in mind: she'll defend her family and friends at all costs, taking no prisoners along the way. She is also prideful to a fault; she is responsible for unspeakable horrors, but also gravitates toward taking on extra guilt for actions of which she had little influence. Hayes has also done an excellent job writing Eska's struggles with depression. The listlessness and desire to shut off during times of anxiety or crisis felt genuine and visceral. Eska is presented with excruciating choices where there is no easy solutions, and although she might be the most powerful Sourceror on the planet, she's just as vulnerable and human as the rest of us.
But not all is gloom and doom! This is a grim novel, but it is also an absolute blast to read. Hayes' Otherworld creature design impressed me to no end. I won't spoil the details, but Flowne and Kekran are two of my favorite monsters I've read in recent memory. They are powerful and horrifying and launched some of the best battle scenes in the entire series.
Death's Beating Heart is a story about sacrifice and consequences, and how far a mother will go to protect what she loves. All throughout Eska's narration, the reader was tantalized with foreshadowing and references, and Hayes managed to pull all the strings together beautifully for an epic, memorable conclusion. The first half of the book took its time setting the table, but the feast of an ending made it up for its relatively slower start.
Fans of grim fantasy with dark humor, high sorcery, epic battles and characters with singular voices will find a lot to love in The War Eternal series. Highly recommended.
A powerful ending to a fantastic series, Death's Beating Heart delivers equal measures of pain and triumph that grants Eskara Helsene the legacy she deserves.
At the end of book four, Eska's daughter Sirileth crashed a moon into the surface of the planet to prevent the world's destruction from The Maker. Sirileth killed countless thousands to save millions. But the planet's environment has become unlivable; there is no direct sunlight, crops are dying, the water is dirty, and kingdoms are focused on their own survival instead of working across borders to find solutions. Oh, and there's an unspeakably powerful immortal entity called Norvet Meruun that is conquering all of Sevorai, and threatens to cross the rift into Ovaeris. It's up to Eska, Sirileth, and the fear-devouring horror Ssserakis to raise a resistance before the planet either dies from neglect or is destroyed through invasion.
Eska is such a compelling character because she is consistently misunderstood. Although she is the boogeyman to her peers, she usually has best intentions in mind: she'll defend her family and friends at all costs, taking no prisoners along the way. She is also prideful to a fault; she is responsible for unspeakable horrors, but also gravitates toward taking on extra guilt for actions of which she had little influence. Hayes has also done an excellent job writing Eska's struggles with depression. The listlessness and desire to shut off during times of anxiety or crisis felt genuine and visceral. Eska is presented with excruciating choices where there is no easy solutions, and although she might be the most powerful Sourceror on the planet, she's just as vulnerable and human as the rest of us.
But not all is gloom and doom! This is a grim novel, but it is also an absolute blast to read. Hayes' Otherworld creature design impressed me to no end. I won't spoil the details, but Flowne and Kekran are two of my favorite monsters I've read in recent memory. They are powerful and horrifying and launched some of the best battle scenes in the entire series.
Death's Beating Heart is a story about sacrifice and consequences, and how far a mother will go to protect what she loves. All throughout Eska's narration, the reader was tantalized with foreshadowing and references, and Hayes managed to pull all the strings together beautifully for an epic, memorable conclusion. The first half of the book took its time setting the table, but the feast of an ending made it up for its relatively slower start.
Fans of grim fantasy with dark humor, high sorcery, epic battles and characters with singular voices will find a lot to love in The War Eternal series. Highly recommended.
May 30, 2023
Death's Beating Heart brings an end to this wonderfully dark epic fantasy series.
The fifth book in the series is a culmination of everything that is great about the preceding four books.
The world building continues to impress, but above all, it's the characters that win the day. Eskara is one the most memorable and effective main characters I've read.
The mental health themes resonate with me and are handled so brilliantly by Hayes.
This book and series is a riot of imagination, with hidden depths. If you love dark epic fantasy with a strong, yet flawed, female main character, lots of action and a fantastic magic system, then this is one of the best you will find.
The fifth book in the series is a culmination of everything that is great about the preceding four books.
The world building continues to impress, but above all, it's the characters that win the day. Eskara is one the most memorable and effective main characters I've read.
The mental health themes resonate with me and are handled so brilliantly by Hayes.
This book and series is a riot of imagination, with hidden depths. If you love dark epic fantasy with a strong, yet flawed, female main character, lots of action and a fantastic magic system, then this is one of the best you will find.
September 28, 2023
I always love Eska so much. This book is like a hug at this point (don't try to hug Eska she'll electrocute you), because I just love them so much. This had the relationship back that I love and I think it was a very fitting end to Eska's story. With that being said I preferred the more found family to family family aspect of the story and sometimes the pacing threw me, but I just love Eska so much I didn't care HA.
March 15, 2023
You can see my review of Death's Beating Heart here: https://youtu.be/ClaEXVuFo4Y
Eskara Helsene has been many things: an angry teenager, the victim of brainwashing and abuse, queen and villain and an enemy to the gods themselves. In Death’s Beating Heart, she aims for the stars by trying to save the world from Sevorai’s nightmarish hunger, Norvet Meruun. The issues with that are numerous: first among them, the fact that no one is altogether too eager to listen to the Corpse Queen and her daughter, a young woman whose actions brought about an apocalypse. Note my use of ‘an’: this isn’t one of those joyous worlds that only gets the one apocalypse.
How do you trust the monster mothers scare their children with? When she tells you the world’s about to end, you’re more than likely to point at her in accusation, right? After all, wherever Eskara Helsene shows up, death follows. Once you’ve got her reputation, it’s not difficult to blame anything bad happening to Eska:
A family was found murdered in their home, stabbed and slashed, claw marks on the walls. All knew the Corpse Queen had been in the area and it was no great leap to make the connection. Eskara Helsene was seen in the local graveyard, digging up corpses and feasting on them. A plague had come to town, picking off the weak and infirm, and a dark-winged form had passed overhead just a day before…Every shitty situation, every misfortune, every unexplained death, and every ill omen predicted by some useles hedge witch. All were laid at my feet. My taloned feet, apparently.
While Norvet Meruun’s threat frames the other events in Death’s Beating Heart with a sense of urgency, they are by no means of little importance. Come Sins of the Mother‘s epic conclusion, Sirileth caused an ecological and humanitarian catastrophe that killed hundreds of thousands of humans and doomed millions more to death by starvation and environmental fallout; the very world’s atmosphere is poisoned, the sun hidden behind clouds blackened with ash. How’s that to be fixed? I won’t say, but of course some familiar faces pop up.
There’re other wars, too; namely, a violent, decade-long conflict between Eskara’s former fiefdom and its neighbouring nation of Tor. I was a little bummed out by how that wrapped up, but that’s not throwing shade at Hayes; he executes the entire plot brilliantly well. The result is that, when Eska needs a power structure most, to support her attempt to bring the world together, she is completely unmoored. Which means, of course, she’s gonna need to look for help. Since Eskara’s never been good at making friends, though, she can only get said help from an enemy–and it’s a lark.
Eska might not be good at making friends, but that might be because the friend she made along the way is the shadow nightmare creature inside of her. That’s right–the Sserakis reunion happened at the previous book’s conclusion, and seeing these two together, seeing them come to a new arrangement and redefine their relationship more than once–it has to be one of my most favourite elements of the book, and makes for my favourite human-nightmare relations…at least in fiction. Can’t say I score it as highly as my own relationships with my personal nightmares, but what can you do.
What of the other characters who shine through in this novel? There’s The Queen of Ice and Fire, Lesray Alderson, whose frightening power is fully realised in the battle against Norvet Meruun. The conversations between Eskara and Lesray are filled with tension, making for some of the most terrific and tense engagements. The revelations these conversations result in, I cannot describe to you how satisfying they are, how they change your understanding of Eska, of her emotional and psychological make-up. An assembly of other characters return to the series, Joseph, Tamura, and Hardt principal among them. The adopted son of Eska makes his first proper appearance as a grown-up, and he’s got plenty in common with dear ol’ mum, especially where murderous temper’s concerned. One or two characters even gain something resembling a happy ending…but I wouldn’t put my money on all of them making it out if I were you.
The final battle against Norvet Meruun will live in my mind as one of the finest large-scale battles in fantasy. The scale of the enemy alone is daunting:
As the dust settled I watched in horror. The entire canyon wall, leagues of it, was gone. It was all the Beating Heart now. A pulsing, growing, devouring tide of flesh.
How do you even fight something like this? Rob J. Hayes’s answer is quite the inspiration. As is all of Death’s Beating Heart, all The War Eternal. It’s a novel and a series I am fond of, a fondness that will translate to many return trips via audiobook and ebook and hopefully at some point, through the gorgeous hardcovers Rob has published, too.
Still wondering whether you might enjoy the series as a whole? You will, if you like any of the following:
Dark fantasy worlds with a real, deep sense of history to them;
- A protagonist whose character arc goes from strength to strength in the span of five whole books;
- Memorable supporting characters across a variety of species;
- An engaging, storied magic system;
- And so much more!
If you’ve enjoyed my reviews on these wonderful books, I have some news you might find interesting. After a chat I had about the series with Mihir of Fantasy Book Critic a few weeks ago, we managed to rope Rob Hayes into an hour-long spoiler-heavy interview about the series. That first video is already on Mihir’s channel, and the second will very soon be on mine.
Eskara Helsene has been many things: an angry teenager, the victim of brainwashing and abuse, queen and villain and an enemy to the gods themselves. In Death’s Beating Heart, she aims for the stars by trying to save the world from Sevorai’s nightmarish hunger, Norvet Meruun. The issues with that are numerous: first among them, the fact that no one is altogether too eager to listen to the Corpse Queen and her daughter, a young woman whose actions brought about an apocalypse. Note my use of ‘an’: this isn’t one of those joyous worlds that only gets the one apocalypse.
How do you trust the monster mothers scare their children with? When she tells you the world’s about to end, you’re more than likely to point at her in accusation, right? After all, wherever Eskara Helsene shows up, death follows. Once you’ve got her reputation, it’s not difficult to blame anything bad happening to Eska:
A family was found murdered in their home, stabbed and slashed, claw marks on the walls. All knew the Corpse Queen had been in the area and it was no great leap to make the connection. Eskara Helsene was seen in the local graveyard, digging up corpses and feasting on them. A plague had come to town, picking off the weak and infirm, and a dark-winged form had passed overhead just a day before…Every shitty situation, every misfortune, every unexplained death, and every ill omen predicted by some useles hedge witch. All were laid at my feet. My taloned feet, apparently.
While Norvet Meruun’s threat frames the other events in Death’s Beating Heart with a sense of urgency, they are by no means of little importance. Come Sins of the Mother‘s epic conclusion, Sirileth caused an ecological and humanitarian catastrophe that killed hundreds of thousands of humans and doomed millions more to death by starvation and environmental fallout; the very world’s atmosphere is poisoned, the sun hidden behind clouds blackened with ash. How’s that to be fixed? I won’t say, but of course some familiar faces pop up.
There’re other wars, too; namely, a violent, decade-long conflict between Eskara’s former fiefdom and its neighbouring nation of Tor. I was a little bummed out by how that wrapped up, but that’s not throwing shade at Hayes; he executes the entire plot brilliantly well. The result is that, when Eska needs a power structure most, to support her attempt to bring the world together, she is completely unmoored. Which means, of course, she’s gonna need to look for help. Since Eskara’s never been good at making friends, though, she can only get said help from an enemy–and it’s a lark.
Eska might not be good at making friends, but that might be because the friend she made along the way is the shadow nightmare creature inside of her. That’s right–the Sserakis reunion happened at the previous book’s conclusion, and seeing these two together, seeing them come to a new arrangement and redefine their relationship more than once–it has to be one of my most favourite elements of the book, and makes for my favourite human-nightmare relations…at least in fiction. Can’t say I score it as highly as my own relationships with my personal nightmares, but what can you do.
What of the other characters who shine through in this novel? There’s The Queen of Ice and Fire, Lesray Alderson, whose frightening power is fully realised in the battle against Norvet Meruun. The conversations between Eskara and Lesray are filled with tension, making for some of the most terrific and tense engagements. The revelations these conversations result in, I cannot describe to you how satisfying they are, how they change your understanding of Eska, of her emotional and psychological make-up. An assembly of other characters return to the series, Joseph, Tamura, and Hardt principal among them. The adopted son of Eska makes his first proper appearance as a grown-up, and he’s got plenty in common with dear ol’ mum, especially where murderous temper’s concerned. One or two characters even gain something resembling a happy ending…but I wouldn’t put my money on all of them making it out if I were you.
The final battle against Norvet Meruun will live in my mind as one of the finest large-scale battles in fantasy. The scale of the enemy alone is daunting:
As the dust settled I watched in horror. The entire canyon wall, leagues of it, was gone. It was all the Beating Heart now. A pulsing, growing, devouring tide of flesh.
How do you even fight something like this? Rob J. Hayes’s answer is quite the inspiration. As is all of Death’s Beating Heart, all The War Eternal. It’s a novel and a series I am fond of, a fondness that will translate to many return trips via audiobook and ebook and hopefully at some point, through the gorgeous hardcovers Rob has published, too.
Still wondering whether you might enjoy the series as a whole? You will, if you like any of the following:
Dark fantasy worlds with a real, deep sense of history to them;
- A protagonist whose character arc goes from strength to strength in the span of five whole books;
- Memorable supporting characters across a variety of species;
- An engaging, storied magic system;
- And so much more!
If you’ve enjoyed my reviews on these wonderful books, I have some news you might find interesting. After a chat I had about the series with Mihir of Fantasy Book Critic a few weeks ago, we managed to rope Rob Hayes into an hour-long spoiler-heavy interview about the series. That first video is already on Mihir’s channel, and the second will very soon be on mine.
March 10, 2023
4.5 stars. Rounded up for GR.
Damn this book was dark, but what a fitting end to Eska's story. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down for the life of me, and I burned through the pages. Hayes' character work really shines through here as I have come to care about every single one of them...even those we were set up to hate initially. The dark humor also really worked for me and I found myself chuckling out loud more than once (especially at one specific non-human character who I shall not name here for the sake of spoilers).
The ending leaves a few questions open and mysteries unsolved but I think the was purposeful to allow the reader to imagine further in this world even after the words on the pages run out. I liked that aspect a lot, especially as there were a few elements I wanted to explore more deeply, but knew we didn't have time.
As this is the fifth book in a series, I will stay away from discussing the plot, but rest assured the stakes are extremely high and I felt myself on the edge of my seat. I love the way this series ended, and will be sure to display it proudly on my shelves for years to come.
Damn this book was dark, but what a fitting end to Eska's story. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down for the life of me, and I burned through the pages. Hayes' character work really shines through here as I have come to care about every single one of them...even those we were set up to hate initially. The dark humor also really worked for me and I found myself chuckling out loud more than once (especially at one specific non-human character who I shall not name here for the sake of spoilers).
The ending leaves a few questions open and mysteries unsolved but I think the was purposeful to allow the reader to imagine further in this world even after the words on the pages run out. I liked that aspect a lot, especially as there were a few elements I wanted to explore more deeply, but knew we didn't have time.
As this is the fifth book in a series, I will stay away from discussing the plot, but rest assured the stakes are extremely high and I felt myself on the edge of my seat. I love the way this series ended, and will be sure to display it proudly on my shelves for years to come.
May 25, 2023
All Hail The corpse Queen, Rob J. Hayes, I salute you. What an epic conclusion to five epic books, Death's Beating Heart is the fifth and final book in The War Eternal series.
This series is simply fantastic. Rob J. Hayes weaves a magical dark tale together with an antihero that you will love from the first page.
The War Eternal has it all, it's fast-paced, action-packed with battles, monsters, a vèry unique magic, and deep relatable characters. The worldbuilding, plot, and setting are exquisite. It's a story that grabs hold and won't let you go.
In Death's Beating Heart, Eskara's daughter Sirileth has literally broken the world. Bringing destruction across Ovaeris. Many want to execute her for her crimes. Eskara will not let her daughter face the consequences alone.
A world eater and monstrous being is coming to Ovaeris bringing with it, an army of parasitic monsters, and Eskara and her inner shadow demon must take up the mantle of becoming the Corpse Queen once more.
She must convince her most hated enemies of the threat and work together if they have any chance of their worlds survival.
It's absolutely brilliant storytelling at its finest, for all you who love dark fantasy or just want something epic to get lost in for a while, then look no further than The War Eternal series, very highly recommended...😁🖤🔥⚡️
This series is simply fantastic. Rob J. Hayes weaves a magical dark tale together with an antihero that you will love from the first page.
The War Eternal has it all, it's fast-paced, action-packed with battles, monsters, a vèry unique magic, and deep relatable characters. The worldbuilding, plot, and setting are exquisite. It's a story that grabs hold and won't let you go.
In Death's Beating Heart, Eskara's daughter Sirileth has literally broken the world. Bringing destruction across Ovaeris. Many want to execute her for her crimes. Eskara will not let her daughter face the consequences alone.
A world eater and monstrous being is coming to Ovaeris bringing with it, an army of parasitic monsters, and Eskara and her inner shadow demon must take up the mantle of becoming the Corpse Queen once more.
She must convince her most hated enemies of the threat and work together if they have any chance of their worlds survival.
It's absolutely brilliant storytelling at its finest, for all you who love dark fantasy or just want something epic to get lost in for a while, then look no further than The War Eternal series, very highly recommended...😁🖤🔥⚡️
February 17, 2024
5.0 stars—-
Hayes has done it again, this series was great. I love his Immortal Techniques trilogy, and this series is almost as good. It’s hard to beat Spirits of Vengence as it’s one of my favorite books of all time.
The War Eternal series is more grim-dark than the Immortal Techniques, with Eska being the ultimate anti-hero.
The magic system, world-building, action and writing were all above average. The character work and growth of Eskara is what makes the book though. She has so many moments where she could have withered under the pressure or her anxiety, but at the end of the day, she’s the Corpse Queen, and acts accordingly. It’s badass.
Sirilith is my favorite character in the series though, she also has her moments of bad-assery.
Hayes has done it again, this series was great. I love his Immortal Techniques trilogy, and this series is almost as good. It’s hard to beat Spirits of Vengence as it’s one of my favorite books of all time.
The War Eternal series is more grim-dark than the Immortal Techniques, with Eska being the ultimate anti-hero.
The magic system, world-building, action and writing were all above average. The character work and growth of Eskara is what makes the book though. She has so many moments where she could have withered under the pressure or her anxiety, but at the end of the day, she’s the Corpse Queen, and acts accordingly. It’s badass.
Sirilith is my favorite character in the series though, she also has her moments of bad-assery.
January 16, 2023
A fitting end for a great series.
July 31, 2024
While I really enjoyed Death's Beating Heart by Rob J. Hayes, for me it was the weakest book in the series.
Don't get me wrong, I love Eska. I would read stories from her view all day long, every day if I could. So by no means was this a bad book. There's all the emotional torture and and action I was expecting, and we get to see a lot of well known faces again.
However it felt like this book didn't really add as much to the story / world / character development as previous books have.
It felt more like an add on, than the epic conclusion I was expecting. I'm still happy I got to spend more time with these characters I have grown to love so much, so it's well worth the read!
Don't get me wrong, I love Eska. I would read stories from her view all day long, every day if I could. So by no means was this a bad book. There's all the emotional torture and and action I was expecting, and we get to see a lot of well known faces again.
However it felt like this book didn't really add as much to the story / world / character development as previous books have.
It felt more like an add on, than the epic conclusion I was expecting. I'm still happy I got to spend more time with these characters I have grown to love so much, so it's well worth the read!
October 27, 2023
4.5 star
After beginning this journey through The War Eternal series last June, I finally picked up where I left off in January of this year and have steadily worked in books 2 - 5. This was a really good ending to this story. I've listened to the audiobook version of this entire series and had so much fun, excitement and general entertainment from Moira Quirk's narration.
If I'm being honest, as this one was winding down I almost felt like the end was going to be a mic drop moment from Eska but it did continue a bit further just to explain where things ended up with our characters and this world so it landed smoothly at the end.
We had some truly epic battles in Death's Beating Heart which made me constantly wanting to find time to hit the play button on the audio as often as I could.
The pacing was still smooth with plenty of ebb and flow as the rest of the series has had. However, I just felt like the level of anxiety or anticipation was higher as this one came to a close not only for this book but the series. This could be as designed or it may have been more of a mental thing knowing this was the last book in this series.
The world building was still on a rather grand scale with our multiple realms introduced in past books. Death's Beating Heart simply revisited several past regions and continued to expand on those as things were revealed or coming back around to be relevant once again.
The character development followed a very similar arc as the world building mentioned above. We seen several characters and their relationships come full circle or have a better understanding perhaps of feels that were just under the surface and were finally brought front and center. The relationship with Eska and her children of course come to mind but also her past relationships with character we've lost along the way.
As dark and foreboding as much of this series was, I think the ending was about as hopeful as we could "hope" to see without drifting too far from the overall theme of this series.
This will certainly be a series that I recommend to fellow readers who enjoy their fantasy a bit more on the darker side and not a typical fantasy fairy tale. I'll will also be looking to pick up physical copies of this series soon to add to my favorites shelves in the home office. Not only is the story great but these covers (multiple versions) look fantastic!
After beginning this journey through The War Eternal series last June, I finally picked up where I left off in January of this year and have steadily worked in books 2 - 5. This was a really good ending to this story. I've listened to the audiobook version of this entire series and had so much fun, excitement and general entertainment from Moira Quirk's narration.
If I'm being honest, as this one was winding down I almost felt like the end was going to be a mic drop moment from Eska but it did continue a bit further just to explain where things ended up with our characters and this world so it landed smoothly at the end.
We had some truly epic battles in Death's Beating Heart which made me constantly wanting to find time to hit the play button on the audio as often as I could.
The pacing was still smooth with plenty of ebb and flow as the rest of the series has had. However, I just felt like the level of anxiety or anticipation was higher as this one came to a close not only for this book but the series. This could be as designed or it may have been more of a mental thing knowing this was the last book in this series.
The world building was still on a rather grand scale with our multiple realms introduced in past books. Death's Beating Heart simply revisited several past regions and continued to expand on those as things were revealed or coming back around to be relevant once again.
The character development followed a very similar arc as the world building mentioned above. We seen several characters and their relationships come full circle or have a better understanding perhaps of feels that were just under the surface and were finally brought front and center. The relationship with Eska and her children of course come to mind but also her past relationships with character we've lost along the way.
As dark and foreboding as much of this series was, I think the ending was about as hopeful as we could "hope" to see without drifting too far from the overall theme of this series.
This will certainly be a series that I recommend to fellow readers who enjoy their fantasy a bit more on the darker side and not a typical fantasy fairy tale. I'll will also be looking to pick up physical copies of this series soon to add to my favorites shelves in the home office. Not only is the story great but these covers (multiple versions) look fantastic!
August 13, 2024
This review was originally posted on SFF Insiders.
Eskara Helsene is an absolute monster of a character in all the best ways, and Rob J. Hayes is right there with her as a monster of a writer. As the final entry in the War Eternal series, Death’s Beating Heart puts a dramatic and bloody bow on the story of the Corpse Queen, and Hayes has cemented Eska as one of the most memorable characters in all of fantasy.
Confident that she was in fact saving the world, Eska’s daughter Sirileth has instead brought the world to the brink of ruin. While the world calls for Sirileth’s head, Eska is willing to do anything to help her daughter shoulder the burden. But Eska has long left a bloody path in her wake, and the world is far from willing to let her forget her sins. With her allies few and enemies many, Eska must do whatever it takes to stop the end of the world, and she must do so quickly—for Death itself has conquered the world of Sevorai, and its hunger has not yet been sated.
It's difficult to say enough good things about Eska as a character without repeating myself. We have seen her grow from a teenager overflowing with angst and anger and power to a vengeance-crazed warrior queen to a withered old woman willing to confront the sins of her past. Her character arc has been mesmerizing, and Hayes has written a fabulous conclusion to her arc in Death’s Beating Heart. The final two books of the War Eternal have allowed Eska to soar to new heights, with Sins of the Mother delving deeper into the humane side of Eska, while Death’s Beating Heart shows the lengths to which she’ll go for her family—not out of vengeance or anger, but for duty.
It's this arc that allows for one of the more satisfying payoffs of the series—finally encountering the remaining target of Eska’s ire and anger after five books, whose Eska-bequeathed epithet is probably a bit too colorful to include in this review. Were this encounter to have happened two or three books ago, it wouldn’t nearly have had the same impact, but after the journey the Corpse Queen had been on since the previous book, the emotional moments are allowed to hit much harder without immediately resorting to a torrent of violence and Sourcery.
I’m hesitant to say too much more for fear of giving too much away, but what I can say is Death’s Beating Heart has one of the best plots in the series, behind only Sins of the Mother. The pacing may be a bit too slow in the first half of the book, but it’s well worth it as it builds to its conclusion. The major players whom we’ve gotten to know in varying capacities over these last five books—Hardt and Josef, Ssserakis, Kento and Sirileth—are all given fitting sendoffs, the final battle is a whirlwind of emotions and tension, and the ending itself? Perfection. I could think of no ending more fitting for the Corpse Queen.
While this series may not be as eternal as the war on which it’s named, my enjoyment for this series will be. Death’s Beating Heart offers a perfect end to the story of Eskara Helsene, a character who I am certain will be looked at fondly in the years to come as one of the best characters in modern fantasy. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go see if I can learn how to shoot lightning by swallowing magic marbles.
Eskara Helsene is an absolute monster of a character in all the best ways, and Rob J. Hayes is right there with her as a monster of a writer. As the final entry in the War Eternal series, Death’s Beating Heart puts a dramatic and bloody bow on the story of the Corpse Queen, and Hayes has cemented Eska as one of the most memorable characters in all of fantasy.
Confident that she was in fact saving the world, Eska’s daughter Sirileth has instead brought the world to the brink of ruin. While the world calls for Sirileth’s head, Eska is willing to do anything to help her daughter shoulder the burden. But Eska has long left a bloody path in her wake, and the world is far from willing to let her forget her sins. With her allies few and enemies many, Eska must do whatever it takes to stop the end of the world, and she must do so quickly—for Death itself has conquered the world of Sevorai, and its hunger has not yet been sated.
It's difficult to say enough good things about Eska as a character without repeating myself. We have seen her grow from a teenager overflowing with angst and anger and power to a vengeance-crazed warrior queen to a withered old woman willing to confront the sins of her past. Her character arc has been mesmerizing, and Hayes has written a fabulous conclusion to her arc in Death’s Beating Heart. The final two books of the War Eternal have allowed Eska to soar to new heights, with Sins of the Mother delving deeper into the humane side of Eska, while Death’s Beating Heart shows the lengths to which she’ll go for her family—not out of vengeance or anger, but for duty.
It's this arc that allows for one of the more satisfying payoffs of the series—finally encountering the remaining target of Eska’s ire and anger after five books, whose Eska-bequeathed epithet is probably a bit too colorful to include in this review. Were this encounter to have happened two or three books ago, it wouldn’t nearly have had the same impact, but after the journey the Corpse Queen had been on since the previous book, the emotional moments are allowed to hit much harder without immediately resorting to a torrent of violence and Sourcery.
I’m hesitant to say too much more for fear of giving too much away, but what I can say is Death’s Beating Heart has one of the best plots in the series, behind only Sins of the Mother. The pacing may be a bit too slow in the first half of the book, but it’s well worth it as it builds to its conclusion. The major players whom we’ve gotten to know in varying capacities over these last five books—Hardt and Josef, Ssserakis, Kento and Sirileth—are all given fitting sendoffs, the final battle is a whirlwind of emotions and tension, and the ending itself? Perfection. I could think of no ending more fitting for the Corpse Queen.
While this series may not be as eternal as the war on which it’s named, my enjoyment for this series will be. Death’s Beating Heart offers a perfect end to the story of Eskara Helsene, a character who I am certain will be looked at fondly in the years to come as one of the best characters in modern fantasy. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go see if I can learn how to shoot lightning by swallowing magic marbles.
July 7, 2024
4.5
Ein geniales finale! Die komplette Reihe war brutal gut.
Ein geniales finale! Die komplette Reihe war brutal gut.
December 26, 2022
“She was trying to do good, even knowing that the method would be evil.”
Oh.
OOOH.
NOW THIS IS AN ENDING.
I’ve long since learned that whatever I expect this series will take that and twist it, and surprise me at every turn, and have my heart racing as it does. Death’s Beating Heart did not disappoint, there were elements that we’d seen built up over the previous books that were turned on their head. Truths that had been fundamental to the characters’ beliefs, that were revealed to be lies and misdirection. Fate and choices uncovered for what they really were. Secrets laid bare.
After the events of the previous book, and with the rocky path that Eska has always followed, this book was always going to have a lot of ground to cover and paths to pull together, and not only did it do that, but it went hard – expanding on the worldbuilding, the characters and everything we thought we knew about the world, the War Eternal and the characters. And it does it against the backdrop of a cataclysm and a battle to save not just one world but two, with stakes that are both world-encompassing and intensely personal, and it brings it all together masterfully in a conclusion that bears the weight of everything that has come before, while also showing just how far Eska has come,
‘I was going to make it pay. Make it suffer. She was going to burn, and I would strike the match. She would bleed, and I would stab the knife. She would fear me if I had to crack the world in two and bring down the fucking sky.’
Sins of the Mother had taken the series in a new direction. In Death’s Beating Heart, we see it’s also taken the War Eternal in a different direction, but this book is also a crossroads, where the paths taken in all the previous books are brought back together, leaving Eska of the past and the present to come together and decide how to shape the future. Not just for herself and her children, but for Ovaeris and all it’s lands and people, and for Sevorai too.
Death’s Beating Heart is a powerful book in so many ways, because it cuts to the heart of everything. But it is through Eska that it strikes the deepest chords. Eska has always been a complex character, a girl and then a woman who is as likely to make you want to throttle her as to cheer her on, she has never been simple, even when every step she took seemed fuelled by anger, by hate and fear. Here, though we see that early ice-cold fire of emotions melding with the mellowing that we saw in the fourth book, the impact of living in a kind of peace and accepting what has become of her with the impact her sourceries and choices. We get to see a glimpse of who Eska could have been if she hadn’t been Queen, if she had stayed with her children – but with the caveat, that it was too late, that she is stepping into that position while everything crumbles.
We also see her at her lowest.
“You can’t win a fight against yourself. No matter which way the victory falls, you still lose.”
Eska has always had that shadow in her, whether literally when she shared her body with Ssserakis, but even before and after that. A gaping void of the darkest emotions, of guilt and doubt and self-loathing. Here we learn the truth behind its origin (and wasn’t that a devastating revelation!), but that would be too simplistic a view, because no matter how it starts, Eska has fed it for years. For all her faults (and there are many, as much as I love her as a character), she has born the weight of those choices, and those failings, and everything in between, it rounds out the image that she presents to the world. The mantle of The Corpse Queen that she adopts for the sake of the world.
Here we get to see the cost of that, and Hayes portrayal of those moments of crushing darkness and weakness are both heart-rending and powerful, and regardless of how you may feel about Eska, you can’t help but feel for her in these moments. Especially when you see Ssserakis’ reactions to those moments, that this darkness can strike fear into the Lord of Fear adds an additional depth to what Eska is going through.
And Eska survives it. It can lay her low, wound her deeply, even risk everything and everyone around her, and each time she comes back and keeps fighting, for them, for her shadow. There was already plenty to admire about Eska, she has survived so much, achieved so much (even if a lot of it is in the worst possible way), but her strength in this book is something different.
In Sins of the Mother she had started coming into her own, settling into her own skin. Here, with developments that give her back precious time and, in many ways, reset the clock, I think we see her fully become who she was meant to be. This is the book where we truly see her as the mother she wanted to be, as the Queen she could have been, and the legend she has become.
This character growth is by no means limited to Eska. Hayes has always been fantastic with his characterisation, and here we see it at it’s best, as we see the changes in Eska mirrored and reflected in those around her. We get to see here children becoming who they might have been with the support of their mother, we get to see Sirileth for who she really is – not as someone intent on breaking the world to save it, for wanting to fix the world, to make up for her mistakes even at the cost of her life, and a child who had grown up to fast, who loved puzzles and working out how the various worlds worked and how to open them up. We get to see Kento forging her own path and relationships between the two opposing forces that are her mothers, and her family in general, and in some ways she was the most impressive, a quiet force that reflected both sides and in many ways brought a stable aspect to this chaotic family. And Tris (it will take a while to get over his arc) growing to realise that there is more than vengeance, that he had been chasing a hollow goal, and also settling into this place in this family.
And at its core, for all the scale of the stakes and the end of the world looming, this book is very much about family.
Eska’s drive and much of her weakness comes from her family, whether blood or adopted, or found. I loved that her relationship with Hardt was still the stabilising forces it had always been, and that it had extended to her children too. The bond with Tamura, that even as far as she had come, he was the one still to show her the way – and his ending had me smiling the most. Josef…that was a relationship and a mirror that caught me massively by surprise in this book, and made so much sense and added so much to the journey that had brought them to this point.
And then there was Ssserakis.
I cannot tell you how overjoyed I was to have the horror back, and to have him and Eska back together. Their partnership was always one of my favourite elements of this series, and as with so many things, it feels like Hayes took that to a different level in this book. I think the aspect that struck me the most was just how two-way this relationship was, and I loved the flashbacks where we got to see the impact that being bonded with Eska had on the ancient Horror. To see him struggling to adapt to human emotions and concerns, to see him care not just for her, but also her family – their family – and weighing that with his very nature, his purpose and the weight of what had to be done. It takes a special kind of author to make you want to give a horror that feeds on fear a massive hug at multiple points in the story, but that is what happened here.
‘Belmorose said that history is made by unsung heroes but is written by braggarts. I used to laugh at that, but now I see the truth behind it.’
With the return of Ssserakis we are also given the key to a whole new world, one that we are familiar with from the previous books, but which we have never seen in light. The worldbuilding in The War Eternal has always been one of the strongest aspects of this series, and with all the threads coming to a conclusion it would have been easy to rest on the foundation that had already been built, instead Hayes breaks open Sevorai and delves into this other world – to the balance that had been so carefully kept, the society built on dominance and submission and conflict, and the ever present threat that had been born of The War Eternal. This is the underworld, a world of horror and conflict, and yet we end up utterly invested in its survival – even though we know what it might cost to save it, even as we see what Eska and Ssserakis are doing to build up the power they need to save Sevorai.
However, the expansion of the worldbuilding is not limited to Sevorai. As mentioned at the beginning, this book digs down to the truth of so many things, and we get to learn more about Sourcery and it’s long-term effects, more about what the Iron Legion had done to Eska and Josef and others, and more about The War Eternal and the auguries. It’s fitting really, that as everything teeters on the razor edge of cataclysm that the lies and half truths are stripped away, and that what lies underneath is not always what you want or expect to be revealed.
“Nothing like a surprise Corpse Queen to ruin someone’s day.”
This is a relentless book. It forges onwards from the first page to the very last, because this is The War Eternal, and its story and Eska’s is one that stretches beyond the limits of the pages. Hayes has a way of creating a book that flows irresistibly towards the conclusion, yet delivers rich emotional moments, both quiet, personal moments and high stake, public moments that hit like a gut punch. With rich description, balanced alongside dry, truth-wielding statements, and epic, chaotic battle scenes that pull you in so fully that it feels like you could reach out and touch the horrors, and feel the static in the air.
Death’s Beating Heart is an epic and truly fitting ending to a series that has been phenomenal from start to finish, and I’ve already read it several times just trying to drink in all the details. We get payoff for everything that has happened in the first four books, along with the gift of so much more, as Hayes broke the worlds open for us to savour in all their glory. And we get to see the crowning glory of the character development that has featured so strongly throughout out, and I don’t think there was a single aspect of this conclusion, or a character thread, that wasn’t satisfying, no matter how brutal or abrupt or devastating the end was. This was the only way The War Eternal could end, and yet it was so much more than anything I could have anticipated, and I loved every second spent with this book.
I cannot stress strongly enough just how amazing this series is, or how much I love Eska as a character, and if you haven’t picked up The War Eternal yet, what are you waiting for.
READ THE WAR ETERNAL.
LOVE AND HATE ESKA.
Oh.
OOOH.
NOW THIS IS AN ENDING.
I’ve long since learned that whatever I expect this series will take that and twist it, and surprise me at every turn, and have my heart racing as it does. Death’s Beating Heart did not disappoint, there were elements that we’d seen built up over the previous books that were turned on their head. Truths that had been fundamental to the characters’ beliefs, that were revealed to be lies and misdirection. Fate and choices uncovered for what they really were. Secrets laid bare.
After the events of the previous book, and with the rocky path that Eska has always followed, this book was always going to have a lot of ground to cover and paths to pull together, and not only did it do that, but it went hard – expanding on the worldbuilding, the characters and everything we thought we knew about the world, the War Eternal and the characters. And it does it against the backdrop of a cataclysm and a battle to save not just one world but two, with stakes that are both world-encompassing and intensely personal, and it brings it all together masterfully in a conclusion that bears the weight of everything that has come before, while also showing just how far Eska has come,
‘I was going to make it pay. Make it suffer. She was going to burn, and I would strike the match. She would bleed, and I would stab the knife. She would fear me if I had to crack the world in two and bring down the fucking sky.’
Sins of the Mother had taken the series in a new direction. In Death’s Beating Heart, we see it’s also taken the War Eternal in a different direction, but this book is also a crossroads, where the paths taken in all the previous books are brought back together, leaving Eska of the past and the present to come together and decide how to shape the future. Not just for herself and her children, but for Ovaeris and all it’s lands and people, and for Sevorai too.
Death’s Beating Heart is a powerful book in so many ways, because it cuts to the heart of everything. But it is through Eska that it strikes the deepest chords. Eska has always been a complex character, a girl and then a woman who is as likely to make you want to throttle her as to cheer her on, she has never been simple, even when every step she took seemed fuelled by anger, by hate and fear. Here, though we see that early ice-cold fire of emotions melding with the mellowing that we saw in the fourth book, the impact of living in a kind of peace and accepting what has become of her with the impact her sourceries and choices. We get to see a glimpse of who Eska could have been if she hadn’t been Queen, if she had stayed with her children – but with the caveat, that it was too late, that she is stepping into that position while everything crumbles.
We also see her at her lowest.
“You can’t win a fight against yourself. No matter which way the victory falls, you still lose.”
Eska has always had that shadow in her, whether literally when she shared her body with Ssserakis, but even before and after that. A gaping void of the darkest emotions, of guilt and doubt and self-loathing. Here we learn the truth behind its origin (and wasn’t that a devastating revelation!), but that would be too simplistic a view, because no matter how it starts, Eska has fed it for years. For all her faults (and there are many, as much as I love her as a character), she has born the weight of those choices, and those failings, and everything in between, it rounds out the image that she presents to the world. The mantle of The Corpse Queen that she adopts for the sake of the world.
Here we get to see the cost of that, and Hayes portrayal of those moments of crushing darkness and weakness are both heart-rending and powerful, and regardless of how you may feel about Eska, you can’t help but feel for her in these moments. Especially when you see Ssserakis’ reactions to those moments, that this darkness can strike fear into the Lord of Fear adds an additional depth to what Eska is going through.
And Eska survives it. It can lay her low, wound her deeply, even risk everything and everyone around her, and each time she comes back and keeps fighting, for them, for her shadow. There was already plenty to admire about Eska, she has survived so much, achieved so much (even if a lot of it is in the worst possible way), but her strength in this book is something different.
In Sins of the Mother she had started coming into her own, settling into her own skin. Here, with developments that give her back precious time and, in many ways, reset the clock, I think we see her fully become who she was meant to be. This is the book where we truly see her as the mother she wanted to be, as the Queen she could have been, and the legend she has become.
This character growth is by no means limited to Eska. Hayes has always been fantastic with his characterisation, and here we see it at it’s best, as we see the changes in Eska mirrored and reflected in those around her. We get to see here children becoming who they might have been with the support of their mother, we get to see Sirileth for who she really is – not as someone intent on breaking the world to save it, for wanting to fix the world, to make up for her mistakes even at the cost of her life, and a child who had grown up to fast, who loved puzzles and working out how the various worlds worked and how to open them up. We get to see Kento forging her own path and relationships between the two opposing forces that are her mothers, and her family in general, and in some ways she was the most impressive, a quiet force that reflected both sides and in many ways brought a stable aspect to this chaotic family. And Tris (it will take a while to get over his arc) growing to realise that there is more than vengeance, that he had been chasing a hollow goal, and also settling into this place in this family.
And at its core, for all the scale of the stakes and the end of the world looming, this book is very much about family.
Eska’s drive and much of her weakness comes from her family, whether blood or adopted, or found. I loved that her relationship with Hardt was still the stabilising forces it had always been, and that it had extended to her children too. The bond with Tamura, that even as far as she had come, he was the one still to show her the way – and his ending had me smiling the most. Josef…that was a relationship and a mirror that caught me massively by surprise in this book, and made so much sense and added so much to the journey that had brought them to this point.
And then there was Ssserakis.
I cannot tell you how overjoyed I was to have the horror back, and to have him and Eska back together. Their partnership was always one of my favourite elements of this series, and as with so many things, it feels like Hayes took that to a different level in this book. I think the aspect that struck me the most was just how two-way this relationship was, and I loved the flashbacks where we got to see the impact that being bonded with Eska had on the ancient Horror. To see him struggling to adapt to human emotions and concerns, to see him care not just for her, but also her family – their family – and weighing that with his very nature, his purpose and the weight of what had to be done. It takes a special kind of author to make you want to give a horror that feeds on fear a massive hug at multiple points in the story, but that is what happened here.
‘Belmorose said that history is made by unsung heroes but is written by braggarts. I used to laugh at that, but now I see the truth behind it.’
With the return of Ssserakis we are also given the key to a whole new world, one that we are familiar with from the previous books, but which we have never seen in light. The worldbuilding in The War Eternal has always been one of the strongest aspects of this series, and with all the threads coming to a conclusion it would have been easy to rest on the foundation that had already been built, instead Hayes breaks open Sevorai and delves into this other world – to the balance that had been so carefully kept, the society built on dominance and submission and conflict, and the ever present threat that had been born of The War Eternal. This is the underworld, a world of horror and conflict, and yet we end up utterly invested in its survival – even though we know what it might cost to save it, even as we see what Eska and Ssserakis are doing to build up the power they need to save Sevorai.
However, the expansion of the worldbuilding is not limited to Sevorai. As mentioned at the beginning, this book digs down to the truth of so many things, and we get to learn more about Sourcery and it’s long-term effects, more about what the Iron Legion had done to Eska and Josef and others, and more about The War Eternal and the auguries. It’s fitting really, that as everything teeters on the razor edge of cataclysm that the lies and half truths are stripped away, and that what lies underneath is not always what you want or expect to be revealed.
“Nothing like a surprise Corpse Queen to ruin someone’s day.”
This is a relentless book. It forges onwards from the first page to the very last, because this is The War Eternal, and its story and Eska’s is one that stretches beyond the limits of the pages. Hayes has a way of creating a book that flows irresistibly towards the conclusion, yet delivers rich emotional moments, both quiet, personal moments and high stake, public moments that hit like a gut punch. With rich description, balanced alongside dry, truth-wielding statements, and epic, chaotic battle scenes that pull you in so fully that it feels like you could reach out and touch the horrors, and feel the static in the air.
Death’s Beating Heart is an epic and truly fitting ending to a series that has been phenomenal from start to finish, and I’ve already read it several times just trying to drink in all the details. We get payoff for everything that has happened in the first four books, along with the gift of so much more, as Hayes broke the worlds open for us to savour in all their glory. And we get to see the crowning glory of the character development that has featured so strongly throughout out, and I don’t think there was a single aspect of this conclusion, or a character thread, that wasn’t satisfying, no matter how brutal or abrupt or devastating the end was. This was the only way The War Eternal could end, and yet it was so much more than anything I could have anticipated, and I loved every second spent with this book.
I cannot stress strongly enough just how amazing this series is, or how much I love Eska as a character, and if you haven’t picked up The War Eternal yet, what are you waiting for.
READ THE WAR ETERNAL.
LOVE AND HATE ESKA.
August 30, 2023
A satisfying conclusion to one of my all time favorite series!
Death’s Beating Heart ramped up the monsters, ramped up the stakes and oh boy did it ramp up the magic.
It’s time for Eskara to deal with the consequences of her past.
It’s time to show the world the rumors are true, the Corpse Queen, has arrived, and she is pissed.
Death’s Beating Heart ramped up the monsters, ramped up the stakes and oh boy did it ramp up the magic.
It’s time for Eskara to deal with the consequences of her past.
It’s time to show the world the rumors are true, the Corpse Queen, has arrived, and she is pissed.
June 11, 2024
Well, that was spectacular. Definitely worth all five of those stars I'm giving it. An absolutely perfect end to one hell of a series, and very possibly some of the author's best work to date. If you've not got to know Eska and her family yet, I heartily recommend giving this series a try.
June 23, 2023
This was so good! It was the perfect end to the series, even though I am really sad it is over! This book wrapped everything up nicely and all the character growth from book 1 to book 5 was just awesome! This was the best book of the series!
December 26, 2025
Getting through this series was a struggle. I started it having read some great reviews, and having it recommended as a “next read” after some others I liked. I didn’t want to give up and pushed to the end but it wasn’t worth it. The writing of the FMC was frustrating, grazing over extremely important life events made it obviously this was a male author. And the repetitive character flaws were terrible, how about some growth? All in all, don’t recommend the serious, but this last book was the better of all of them.
Also, the grammatical errors were numerous.
Also, the grammatical errors were numerous.
January 26, 2023
The battle scenes were just indescribable. The last third of the book was amazing. Finally Eska embraced her powers and accepted who she was. But some of the parts didn’t work for me. I didn’t care for the family drama. Eska did what she had to do at the time, and lamented too many times over her missed years with her children or that she failed at being a better mother. Although we can all understand her doubts, it was too much.
Also Ssserakis is such a star of the show. Once he was afraid of the Norvet Meruun, I knew this was very bad. But I didn’t understand what the Twins were doing to make a difference. Their actions didn’t seem to mean anything. They were outnumbered and needed more warriors. And although I’m thrilled that Ssserakis and Eska survived, I thought more loved ones would not. And the open-ended relationship with Josef which was unresolved, didn’t sit right with me. I really was disappointed in the direction their relationship took. It was just so great in the first book, and I wanted to see reconciliation. So some of the character direction was upsetting to me.
But the world building and battle scenes are just terrific. Overall it’s a wonderful ending to an amazing quintet. The first book is my favorite and I think that’s because I’m introduced to such a different kind of world, that I’ve never experienced.
And I will continue to read more of Hayes’s works.
Also Ssserakis is such a star of the show. Once he was afraid of the Norvet Meruun, I knew this was very bad. But I didn’t understand what the Twins were doing to make a difference. Their actions didn’t seem to mean anything. They were outnumbered and needed more warriors. And although I’m thrilled that Ssserakis and Eska survived, I thought more loved ones would not. And the open-ended relationship with Josef which was unresolved, didn’t sit right with me. I really was disappointed in the direction their relationship took. It was just so great in the first book, and I wanted to see reconciliation. So some of the character direction was upsetting to me.
But the world building and battle scenes are just terrific. Overall it’s a wonderful ending to an amazing quintet. The first book is my favorite and I think that’s because I’m introduced to such a different kind of world, that I’ve never experienced.
And I will continue to read more of Hayes’s works.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2024
Questo libro è stato il perfetto finale di questa saga!!
Come nei primo libro, anche qui il ritmo è pazzesco, non c'è mai un momento morto, mai un qualcosa di noioso..
Tra combattimenti, rivelazioni e mostri, tutti i fili conducono verso una risoluzione affatto banale e per niente scontata..
Per tutta la durata della narrazione non sapevo cosa poteva succedere, come le cose potevano cambiare improvvisamente..
E tutte le trame trovano il loro perfetto incesellamento nell' affresco finale..
Eskara è incontenibile, spietata e folle, e rivela i tratti più intimi della Regina Cadavere..
Hayes è stato bravissimo in questa saga, non ho letto la vita di Eskara, sono stato Eskara.. Ho sentito le sue emozioni, vissuto le sue paure, provato i suoi dolori..
E tra tutta l azione brutale c'è spazio per l amicizia, l amore, l'essere genitori, il tradimento, la depressione, il suicidio, le insicurezze, i traumi dell'infanzia, la vecchiaia, le disabilità, il genere, e molto altro ancora..
Una delle cose che mi è piaciuta di più, sono stati i Signori di Sevorai.. mostruosi, orrorifici, assurdi.. sia nella resa grafica sia nella loro caratterizzazione Hayes ha tirato fuori inventiva a palate..
Mi mancheranno Eskara, Sirileth e Ssserakis.. ma chissà, forse Hayes tornerà a parlare ancora di loro.. Io ci spero proprio!!
Come nei primo libro, anche qui il ritmo è pazzesco, non c'è mai un momento morto, mai un qualcosa di noioso..
Tra combattimenti, rivelazioni e mostri, tutti i fili conducono verso una risoluzione affatto banale e per niente scontata..
Per tutta la durata della narrazione non sapevo cosa poteva succedere, come le cose potevano cambiare improvvisamente..
E tutte le trame trovano il loro perfetto incesellamento nell' affresco finale..
Eskara è incontenibile, spietata e folle, e rivela i tratti più intimi della Regina Cadavere..
Hayes è stato bravissimo in questa saga, non ho letto la vita di Eskara, sono stato Eskara.. Ho sentito le sue emozioni, vissuto le sue paure, provato i suoi dolori..
E tra tutta l azione brutale c'è spazio per l amicizia, l amore, l'essere genitori, il tradimento, la depressione, il suicidio, le insicurezze, i traumi dell'infanzia, la vecchiaia, le disabilità, il genere, e molto altro ancora..
Una delle cose che mi è piaciuta di più, sono stati i Signori di Sevorai.. mostruosi, orrorifici, assurdi.. sia nella resa grafica sia nella loro caratterizzazione Hayes ha tirato fuori inventiva a palate..
Mi mancheranno Eskara, Sirileth e Ssserakis.. ma chissà, forse Hayes tornerà a parlare ancora di loro.. Io ci spero proprio!!
January 3, 2023
Buckle your seatbelt
An otherworldly war looms with fate of all in the balance. A needed alliance amongst hated factions unpromising. The War Eternal concludes.
Incredible & mind blowing. A torturous & emotional journey! So epic. So great.
An otherworldly war looms with fate of all in the balance. A needed alliance amongst hated factions unpromising. The War Eternal concludes.
Incredible & mind blowing. A torturous & emotional journey! So epic. So great.
February 20, 2023
A fitting end.
That's all I've got to say.
You wanted more rampant carnage? You got it.
Ladies and gentlemen, Eskara Helsene aka the Corpse Queen has come to lay worlds to waste.
Morality be damned.
Wow.
That's all I've got to say.
You wanted more rampant carnage? You got it.
Ladies and gentlemen, Eskara Helsene aka the Corpse Queen has come to lay worlds to waste.
Morality be damned.
Wow.
March 14, 2024
I'm so sad it's over. This series is so good! It's worth the read.
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