Ruin by John Gwynne
Genres: Epic Fantasy, War, Supernatural, Good vs Evil
Pages: 768
Cover: Paperback
Age rating: 12+
Buy on: Amazon, Barnes and Noble
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Chaos and war overtake the Banished Lands. High King Nathair possesses the cauldron, the most potent of the seven treasures, and the crafty Queen Rhin has subjugated the west. The cunning Calidus and a group of the Kadoshim, terrifying Otherworld demons, are behind him. They require the seven treasures in order to carry out their plan to bring Asroth and his army of the Fallen into the world of flesh. Nathair has been duped, but he now understands the reality. He must make decisions that will impact the future of the Banished Lands. The opposition movement is gaining steam elsewhere; Queen Edana finds supporters in the Ardan swamps.
Lykos and his corsairs are after Maquin, who is on the run in Tenebral. He will see the beginning of a rebellion in his own country here. The wave of conflict has carried Corban along with it. He has endured hardship, lost loved ones, and just sought refuge from the dark. However, he will no longer run. He has made the decision to oppose evil after seeing its face. "How?" is the query. He sets out to reach Drassil, the legendary stronghold tucked away in the center of Forn Forest, accompanied by a motley crew consisting of his family, friends, giants, fervent soldiers, an angel, and a talking crow. Because one of the seven treasurers, the spear of Skald, is found in Drassil, and it is predicted that the Bright Star would oppose the Black Sun there.
General Opinion:
This is my favorite book so far in the series. The characters, the plot, and the pacing all work so well together.
​Characters and Plot
I always appreciate the author's use of short chapters; it keeps the readers hooked, not overwhelmed, as the story is already action-packed. What I love about this book is that it showcases Corban's strength and his growth well, we get to see his swordsmanship, how he keeps defeating some of the most might warriors, but instead of feeling forced like most protagonists. Corban's growth was impactful. Readers get to see him fail but never give up, to see that his victories all make sense and not just some plot armor for the storyline. Moreover, people follow Corban because he constantly proves himself as a kind and brave man, not just because he has the title of the Bright Star.
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There are some shocking plot twists in this book. I admit that the last 2 books were pretty predictable, but there are some details in this book that had me thinking for the whole night.
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Again, the actions are packed in this book, more so than the other 2. Each chapter is a new battle, new stakes, and seeing how every character manages it was eye-opening. However, I feel like the author could go deeper into why some characters follow Asroth, such as Rhin. She is a cunning and ambitious woman, yet what motivates her to serve Asroth, exploring their background would make the story even more interesting, rather than them just being a generic villain.
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I felt way more connected to the characters than this book, especially Corban, Veradis, Camlin, and Maquin. Their chapter always keeps me hooked, seeing their journey and their battle was truly amazing. Yet I had some criticism for Veradis, because how are you so stupid and blind, the truth is right in your face, yet you fail to realize it. At least he is self-aware and knows that he shouldn't be in politics, cause my guy is gonna get scammed on his first day.
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​​​​​​​​​​​Conclusion
Overall, I am beyond excited to read the last book in the series, and see how everything will turn out, and who else will die :)).