KASTELL – Unwilling heir; gentle giant-hunter (by which I mean he’s a gentle guy who just happens to hunt giants… not a guy who actively hunts gentle giants). Hey guys, I'm halfway through the fourth (and final) book of TFAF and can I just say, oh.my.god I haven't felt this way since ASOIAF and perhaps Riyria Revelations. A buddy read with my Fantasy addicted friends at BB&B!!!! We are on a quest to read all worthwhile Fantasy ever written:-)

Meanwhile Corban has been taken prisoner by the Jotun, warrior giants who ride their enormous bears into battle. His warband scattered, Corban must make new allies if he hopes to survive. But can he bond with competing factions of warlike giants? Somehow he must, if he's to counter the threat Nathair represents. As the books increase in length and complexity, so too do they become more engaging – a testament to the author’s continually improving skills. Each book is stronger than the last, growing in pace, intensity and sheer readability with every chapter. I wanted to kill people seven ways til Sunday in this book! The damn bullies and the evil people. If you read this book you best not like anyone or anything because they are going to DIE! Well, not all of them, but still! You know how these epics go =) Concealed in Forn Forest, Riv knows her very existence is a threat to the Ben-Elim. She represents their most dangerous secret, and if the warrior angels find her, they won't hesitate to silence her.

The First Law Trilogy by Joe Abercrombie

Valour (2014) – The Banished Lands are torn by war as the army of High King Nathair sweeps the realm challenging all who oppose his holy crusade. Allied with the manipulative Queen Rhin of Cambren, there are few who can stand against him. But Rhin is playing her own games and has her eyes on a far greater prize… From being a privileged royal child, raised by a loving mother, Jorg Ancrath has become the Prince of Thorns, a charming, immoral boy leading a grim band of outlaws in a series of raids and atrocities. The world is in chaos: violence is rife, nightmares everywhere. Jorg has the ability to master the living and the dead, but there is still one thing that puts a chill in him. Returning to his father's castle Jorg must confront horrors from his childhood and carve himself a future with all hands turned against him. Tropes – yes this series are full of them. The Faithful and the Fallen doesn't bring anything new to the genre but it just does everything so well. You'll definitely feel like you read some things before, but Gwynne makes you forget about it and enjoy the ride. As we’ve already established, the Banished Lands is a place with a rich lore but there is much more to this novel to keep you entertained; great set of characters, plenty of battles and sword fighting duels, scheming, betrayals, which will set in motion a chain of events affecting all of the kingdoms in the Banished Lands and this is just the beginning of this compelling tale. P.S The last 10% of this book was cruelly and realistically heart-breaking. I had to remind myself to BREATHE constantly.

Seemingly a world away from Ardan is the Kingdoms of Tenebral and Isiltir. Here we are allowed to experience the complex pattern of human nature by Veradis and Kastell. Two young nobles from different kingdoms, who find themselves coming together as friends before being swept apart by their choices and fate itself. With perspective comes understanding, and readers will no doubt find themselves surprised by their own changing attitudes towards certain characters. Viewing a battle—along with its associated victories, losses and deaths—from different sides of the conflict brings humanity to every character, no matter how despicable they may seem. And with humanity comes sympathy.

The Tales of the Otori Series by Lian Hearn

Listened to the audiobook of Malice for the first time! Damian Lynch is a great narrator who offers a fantastic array of voices for our characters.

Among the standout characters, Tull, Storm, and Envis particularly resonated with me. Tull's journey of bravery and Envis's descent into something more unhinged are just two examples of the rich, multi-dimensional character arcs Gwynne crafts. The book's strength lies in its ability to present a wide range of complicated personalities—some are immediately likable, while others remain shrouded in mystery. I would call this an 'old style' book that reminds me of much of my reading as a teen but brought up to date in the same sort of way that Michael Sullivan has done with his work. Now, the romances are so-so but there is one between two middle age characters, and this one was so well done. I absolutely love a romance where the two people have to go through so much pain and tragedy to be together (for example Geralt and Yennefer in The Witcher), and the romance I'm referring to here was just like that. Really good stuff.It is also striking that all the young male main protagonists are so similar they might as well have been called Bob 1, Bob 2 and Bob 3. Maybe even Bob 4, depending on who and how you count. Absolutely. It is a solid start to an intriguing epic fantasy series. I enjoyed it immensely by the end and look forward to reading further about this world. Hopefully, you will give it a try and join me in this journey through the God-War. I love Corbin and Cywen's parents too! They are good people. And they have some secrets about Corbin which I hope will come out in the next book. Their father is a smith but he is bad to the bone too, well, so is Gar. Across the Banished Lands armies are heading south, to settle ancient grudges and decide the fate of humanity. Drem, Riv and the Bright Star’s warriors will need every ounce of their courage if they are to join the final battle. But will their combined forces be enough to face down their greatest foe? Reasons you'll like it: Forbidden love story, political machinations, epic battles. Perfect for fans of Daenerys's struggle to reclaim the Iron Throne.