Customer Reviews

From Darkness Won

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Achan Cham has fully embraced Arman's will and is ready to take the throne once and for all. As war stirs around him he faces an enemy that is as mysterious as he is dark. To make matters worse, rumors abound that Esek has survived and is still planning to steal the crown. Amidst the turmoil Achan is broken hearted and tossed and turned by his emotions. Even though he is engaged to Lady Averella of Carmine, his heart still lies with Vrell Sparrow. While he questions Arman's will in regards to his heart, he still has no idea that Lady Averella and Vrell Sparrow are one in the same.

Vrell wants to give her heart to Achan and reveal her true identity, but she refuses to fall in love with a man who does not follow Arman. Seeking to both distance herself from her complicated love life and find a way to serve Arman, Vrell sneaks away to serve as a healer in the upcoming war. Things quickly spin out of control and Vrell finds herself lost in the Veil.

Now Achan and Vrell find themselves in over their heads as darkness is spreading and threatens to overtake all of Er'Rets. They've always known that without Arman all would be hopeless, but the sacrifices are greater than they ever imagined and the odds are seemingly stacked against them. Can they find the strength to submit fully to Arman's will and put an end to the reign of darkness?

From Darkness Won is exactly what I wanted it to be. Throughout this trilogy Jill Williamson has kept us churning the pages with anticipation that answers and closure were coming. Fans of the series get a huge payoff here and not only that, but Williamson also saved the best story for last. From the epic battles, to the jaw dropping journeys into the Veil, to the trademark witty banter between Achan and Vrell, there is really nothing about this final tale that fans won't be cheering about. We're even treated to some surprising revelations that shed even more light on Achan's past and tie in well with the story.

I also love the way that not everything is tied up into a nice little bow in the end. Yes, we get the closure we've longed for, but a lot of sacrifice and loss pave the way for it. In the end, there are still questions unanswered and characters undecided, but those elements only work to keep the story balanced.

The added element of "veil warfare" in this novel really heightens the action and suspense. This showcases a whole new angle to the bloodvoicing ability, making these battle scenes some of the most exciting in the whole series.

Finally, for fans out there that have been less than patient with Vrell's indecisiveness and reluctance, just hold on a bit longer. You're almost there. Trust me. Vrell Sparrow soars in this story and she will win you over (if she hasn't already).

With the Blood of Kings trilogy Jill Williamson has more than succeeded in creating a story that challenges readers to think seriously about their faith, all the while entertaining at the highest level. For this final installment the title could not be more fitting. This one is truly a winner.

Achan and Vrell have come far. They've fought Black Knights in Darkness, freed prisoners from icy cells, escaped the wrath of a bloodthirsty usurper... but now they've found themselves in the midst of a war. Everything hangs in the balance, and if the Crown Prince cannot take the throne at Armonguard, Darkness will consume all the land.

Our final foray into the land of Er'rets couldn't have been better. I don't know how she did it, but somehow Jill Williamson managed to write the perfect last book to her Blood of Kings trilogy. From Darkness Won had me up until 3 a.m. reading. It bonded to my hands the moment I picked it up, refusing to be put down until the last page fell. Five stars and a standing ovation are in order, I think.

Jill Williamson is one of the best authors I've ever read. With From Darkness Won, she crafted a thrilling, pleasurable adventure sure to ensnare you from the first page to the last. It certainly snared me. First it made my day, then had me happily reading WAY into the night. You know you've got a good book when you're not mad at the author for making you stay up! LOL

The vivid characters, scenes, places, and of course, the humor, will haunt your memory long after you've put this book down. I loved From Darkness Won! If possible, it's the best of the Blood of Kings Series, although each book has its own flair. But one thing's sure: you'll never forget this enchanting climax of the quest to vanquish Darkness and win back the Kingship of Er'Rets.

Thank you, Jill, for writing From Darkness Won. Your vivid imagination has paved the way for thousands of readers' enjoyment. Mine included!

This is it.

The end. Or, the end of the beginning. All of what happened before has been leading up to this--a final battle for the heart and for the land of Er'Rets.

As I began reading this book, (I was reading the print version, a whopping 661 pages) I couldn't help but wonder how things would turn out. How everything would work itself to a satisfying ending. It had been a long journey, and there was much ground left to cover, and a few strands of plot to tie up yet. I wondered, could this book measure up to the other two?

It certainly could.

From Darkness Won takes you on an adventure and if I would describe the word adventure, I would include in that definition a mention of this series. You don't read this book--you live it. The characters are real, in your imagination. Alive. I read this book and felt like everything that happened happened to me. Such is the power of Jill Williamson's writing. Adventure has become a common word, thrown around to describe various books. But when I say adventure, I mean this: a saga. An epic. A story so real you can touch the grass and fly into the Veil yourself. And From Darkness Won is undoubtedly an adventure.

In matters of plot, From Darkness Won excels. If you thought Williamson was done with the plot twists, you were sorely mistaken. The entire book is a wild ride (except for the ending, that is). From murders to storming to underground passages and battles; you will find such within these pages.

And rarely have I seen such characters. They practically live and breathe. They become beloved to the reader, three-dimensional men and women (and the odd kid) with their own faults and weaknesses. The point of view of the characters was excellently written as well. Each POV has an original voice.

As always, the dialogue in From Darkness Won is superb and realistic, and some of the dialogues between Vrell and Achan made me laugh.

The spiritual matters were well-done as well--the dangers and consequences of temptation, lying, and many others were addressed in this novel, as an integral part of the characters' development.

After the climax, the book had fifty pages or so that I nicknamed the Epilogue (though the real epilogue is only at the very end). It wrapped up loose ends and showed the scenes that the reader had been waiting for in the entire trilogy, which gave me some time to wind down and absorb what had just happened. It might have been a slightly boring section, had it not been for Vrell and Achan's constant banter, which had me smiling the entire way through.

There were a few cons, however. First, in the middle of the book, Vrell's name (in her POV) was changed to Averella, which rather annoyed me (though I could see it was necessary). I expected her POV to change back to 'Vrell' sometime in the book, but it never did. It made me feel as if I had lost the familiar Vrell I was accustomed to, replaced with a similar character with more refined mannerisms. Several other characters acted out of sorts with their personalities as well. However, other than this minor detail, the book was excellent.

All in all, From Darkness Won is a fantastic final installment to the Blood of Kings trilogy. Highly (and more so!) recommended to older ages.

With the cliffhanger ending in To Darkness Fled I couldn't wait to read the third and final installment in the Blood of Kings series - From Darkness Won. As always, it is difficult to review sequels and ending novels in trilogies without giving away important plot details to readers who may only be beginning their journey with the series. Can I just say that author Jill Williamson didn't disappoint me? I have to say that some rollicking series seem to wind down, get muddled, or lose steam in the final book, but that wasn't the case here!

Vrell and Achan continue to struggle forward in their quest to bring the Light back to the land of Er'Rets as darkness continues to spread. The tone and pacing of From Darkness Won is a bit different than book 2. Vrell and Achan spend most of this book separated from each other, each maturing in Arman, facing down character flaws, temptations, and of course - the enemy. There is also a heightening intensity lent to the importance of various battles as Achan and his army press towards their ultimate goal of taking Armonguard, the seat of the Hadar Kings since the settlement of Er'Rets.

This finale is also slanted somewhat towards Achan's perceptions than Vrell's. Book 2 was a bit heavy towards the more romantic thread, book 3 is much more war-focused. Though I'm a woman, I do find that Williamson has depicted Achan very realistically as a young man. Having been married for ten years this fall I had to laugh a few times at just how male Achan is!

Readers who have felt that Esek was somewhat a weak villain, a bit too stereotypical perhaps, will now find that there HAS been a darker, deeper force behind he and his father's manipulations for the throne. In fact, Williamson has surprises in store for you dear readers, but I won't let you know what they are!

Of course there is a gloriously epic conclusion to this sweeping saga, in ways similar to, yet disparate from most classic fantasy. In both a subtle and striking departure from the familiar story-saga ending of a lone hero triumphing over all evil, Williamson's conclusion is instead much truer to the underlying threads of the tapestry she has woven in this fantasy world.

When all is said and done I can certainly affirm that Williamson is one of Christian fantasy's most captivating authors. The world and characters she has created are sure to sweep you into the world of her imagination and have you flipping pages as quickly as you can turn them, devouring each word.

The Trilogy:
As a fan of C.S. Lewis, Donita K. Paul, Peretti, J.R.R. Tolkien, Ted Dekker, Charles Dickens, and Bryan Davis, I searched "Christian Fantasy" on my Kindle. The title of the the first "Darkness" book intrigued me and was only $.99. In two weeks I have read the all 3 books. The style is Donita K. Paul meets Ted Dekker. Amazing!! Don't tell Donita K. Paul, but I think I have a new favorite! The Bible verses added have been a huge help in my ability to Forgive! I never thought I could stomach a romance, but that was one of the most addictive parts!! Thank GOD for Jill Williamson and her books!!

This book:
This is the best book in the series!! How Jill channeled the male mind so perfectly, I don't know. The spiritual battles are perfect. This book is amazing!!!

If you are offended by graphic descriptions of heartache, Love, Forgiveness, and especially Faith in the Biblical GOD, you might want to avoid this one!

If you are looking at reviews for this book, I hope that you read the other two and just want to know how fantastic this one is. It is fantastic! I read all three of these books in one week. I was a captivated audience. The romance, adventure, plot twists, battles, creatures, and lessons taught, held me in their grip until the end. It was wonderful! This is my favorite series this year! I will DEFINITELY read more by this author and sing her praises to all those around me. Book Three was even better than the other two. I will read and reread this series and give it 5 stars because it is worth adding to my library.

Would I/Did I buy it? Yes
Would I read it again? Yes
Would I recommend it to friends? Yes

From Darkness Won rocked me to the core. I'm a huge fan of Jill Williamson's books and had read and loved the two earlier books in the series, but this one blew me away.

Many authors receive complaints from readers about how 'the series didn't end well!' but not true for this one. From Darkness Won sums up the adventures of Vrell and Achan with a flair, ending the epic tale of a dis-inherited prince and his search for truth. Lots of suspense, wild plot twists and the coming storm of Darkness make this book an entertaining must read.

The third and final book in the Blood of Kings series wraps up the many strands in this sprawling tale. The first book in the series, Christy Award winner By Darkness Hid, introduced us to the main characters, Achan and Vrell. Achan lives in a society that seriously mistreats its orphans, calling them "strays." But Achan at age 16 isn't just any stray. He discovers he has an amazing gift-bloodvoicing, the ability to speak to others using only his mind. His gift is so vast that others who have the gift are in awe.

Vrell is a young noblewoman fleeing a detested suitor dressed as a boy. She too has this bloodvoicing gift, which seems to run in some of the noble families only. She gets herself into all kinds of scrapes and eventually meets and helps Achan.

The powers controlling the realm of Er'Rets are evil sorcerers. The king was murdered a while back and his infant son lost. Pretenders are running most of the kingdom. But there's a remnant of good guys who look for the return of the rightful king. And eventually they find him. He's Achan, the lost son, switched at age 3 with another child.

Can they put him on the throne? The forces of evil seem too powerful. In fact, half the kingdom lies in total inky darkness, like the deepest night. And the darkness is spreading. Lord Nathak is clearly one of the bad guys, but he seems conflicted. He knowingly sheltered the rightful king as a child in his stronghold but allowed the boy to be severely mistreated.

Why is Nathak's face half withered? And will Arman, the Lord of Hosts, rescue the kingdom from darkness and restore the rightful heir? What is Vrell's role in all this? Achan, when he figures out she's a girl, falls in love with her. Does she love him? And in the war, should she sit aside as a noblewoman, or take up her masquerade as a boy and fight?

The tale winds across three fat books, all of them a delight to read. Williamson draws the reader right into a character's head and emotions in a very compelling way, and convincingly describes the world she has created. I can't recommend this series enough. It's my favorite, of all the tales I have read since starting the Christian Fantasy Review three years ago.

Ahhhh. A satisfying ending to a twisting three-book journey through Darkness and Light in a well-developed medieval-style fantasy.

I can't do justice to a book review of the third tale, From Darkness Won, without giving spoilers for the first two books.

Who doesn't love a rags-to-riches story? Achan Cham had been raised a lowly stray even though he was really a prince. But that's where the stereotype ends. Achan's world, Er'Rets, is a unique place filled with unique individuals and politics. Nor does the requisite love story follow normal tropes. Achan doesn't know that, as crown prince, he's betrothed to the woman he loves. Just when you think that a simple disclosure will work, the author throws a wrench in the spokes and adds new layers of difficulty.

In the first book, To Darkness Fled, Achan discovered who he was and began to cope with the magnitude of that revelation. In the second book, By Darkness Hid, Achan trains to be a warrior and leader, accumulating a loyal following. In the third volume, From Darkness Won, Achan goes to war to reclaim his throne. But Darkness is darker than he'd ever expected.