Fall of Thanes (The Godless World) (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The True Bloods are in disarray, their alliance crumbling and their armies humbled by the forces of the Black Road. Aeglyss, falling ever deeper into madness, casts a shadow across all. At the court of the High Thane, Anyara faces a savage struggle for survival against the na'kyrim's possessed agent: Mordyn Jerain, the Shadowhand.

In the GlasValley, Kanin, the embittered Horin-Gyre Thane, plots a desperate rising against the halfbreed. But ultimately it will be Orisian, Thane of a Blood that no longer exists, who must stand face to face with a darkly transcendent Aeglyss and make the sacrifice - of himself and others - required to end the threat he represents.

FALL OF THANES is the spectacular conclusion to the Godless World trilogy, a sweeping epic of war, politics and empire.

About the Author

Brian Ruckley was born and brought up in Scotland. After studying at Edinburgh and Stirling Universities, he worked for a series of organizations dealing with environmental, nature conservation and youth development issues. He lives in Edinburgh. Find out more about Brian Ruckley at www.brianruckley.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Orbit; 1 edition (May 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316067717
• ISBN-13: 978-0316067713
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #96,324 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars solid pay-off from a solid series, May 15, 2009

By	urbanblues (DC) - See all my reviews

I also commend Mr. Ruckley for fininshing the series in three books. During the second book I feared it was going off the rails but the Fall of thanes brings it back together. Great resolution of the main story arcs for the protagonist and antagonist and much of that is due to the pretty solid writing. Last couple of chapters certainly brought me to tears.

That said, a couple of negatives for me. I don't mind bleak, but I do mind pointless, and I felt several of the side characters who I thought had great promise from the first books just fade away in this series. Also, I felt much of momentum stemmed from great descripitive writing even though much of the action did not really advance the plot. Lastly, I thought the lack of even a modicum of sex almost off-putting given the level of violence that pervades the book. It was like the entire world just consisted of violence and death and the neutered chaste.

In the end though, well worth the time. And I will certainly pick up the next book he writes since so few writers can execute such a consistent vision over several books that deliver a coherent emotional pay-off. well done.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A World, Godless., May 13, 2009

By	Pharaoh (Erie, PA) - See all my reviews

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First off, I feel like I have to applaud Brian Ruckley for ending the series at three books. Too many fantasy authors these days like to milk their fans for all they're worth, with diminishing results each time. So thanks for taking the high road, Mr. Ruckley.

When we last left the gang at the end of Bloodheir, the bad guys had a seemingly insurmountable lead. The Black Road had defeated the True Bloods at every battle worth counting. Most of the northern cities had already fallen. Aeglyss' power was growing by the day, and now he had a zombified Mordyn under his thumb. Could Orisian, still in exile, get back to his people so they could muster a defense? Was there ANY way to defeat Aeglyss?

My main complaint with the first two books was that the heroes were simply herded along in the direction of the plot. They are simply pawns in a vicious war that none of them chose. As underdogs their decisions are not really theirs to make, and they never have to go through the painful moral dilemmas that plague characters in, say, ASOIAF. Thankfully FAT rectifies this somewhat. After being baggage in Winterbirth and Bloodheir Orisian tentativly grows into his role as thane, albeit thane of an army of refugees. On the other side of the battle lines, Kanin's resentment grows at the cult of personality surrounding Aeglyss, and the result is a tug-of-war that pits them against each other.

There's still a strong undercurrent of "minor characters doing minor things" syndrome, but Mordyn, Torquentine and Anyara are much better utilized this time around. Subplots that didn't make sense in Bloodheir come to fruition here, and are given as much importance as the war itself.

The senseless violence in this book approaches George R.R. Martin levels, albeit not as graphic or entertaining. It seems every other page has descriptions of people dying in obscene ways. Since these are just nameless, faceless villagers, one can't be expected to care all that much. The man at the center of all this carnage is Aeglyss, who is using his Jedi mind tricks to cast himself as a present-day messiah. I have two minds about this. I like the idea of a beleaguered people giving in to their base instincts, but I have to wonder why the main characters are so immune (except for Wain).

In the end the heroes lose and lose, only to win at the very last minute with some well-placed help. But victory, although welcome, is far from sweet. Too many have died, and those who remain face an uncertain future. A fitting end for a war that more often then not resembled a drunken brawl.

As a villain Aeglyss turned out to be everything I thought he would be, though I found his style somewhat contradictory. On one hand, we're told he can look deep into your heart and pull out whatever he finds there. On the other hand, he can brainwash people and send entire armies fleeing. I prefer it when people do things because they WANT to, not because they've been coerced by Jedi mind tricks.

In the end it probably would have been better had Aeglyss coerced me into liking A Godless World. I mean conceptionally it's right up my alley. It's bloody and morose and drags itself through the mud to avoid easy cop-outs. Non-typical fans will like it because it's gritty (in a PG sense, no sex or swearing) and the story really hits its stride when everyone is set on their "proper" course. But far too often the author uses forced characterization to put them there. But still it's memorable and well-written, and I look forward to whatever Ruckley does next.

PROS:
- Original and well thought-out premise.
- Avoids blindingly noble/ monolithic evil clichés.
- "Brutal" without being masochistic/ tastelessly sadistic.
- I thought the writing was consistently good.

CONS:
- Too many place names sound the same.
- Characters have little personality besides "doing your duty", which usually involves fighting.
- Uneven pace.
- No humor or moments of levity.
- Lack of major surprises, series lurches towards inevitable conclusion.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A bittersweet conclusion to the Godless trilogy, July 10, 2009

By	E. Bagui - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have to first of all thank Ruckley for typing up his novel in 3 books. If only George R.R. Martin had the same idea - I digress.

This is one of the best trilogies I've read in recent times. The hero Orisian is not your typical farm boy-turned-super-hero, he's a gentle young man burdened by grief and regret, Thane to a people tittering at the edge of extinction, and with no clear or attainable solution to the plight his world faces. Suffice to say he epitomizes beleaguered, and it is for that reason he can't help but be compelling to me.

Accompanying Orisian are a ragtag group of Krynin and Nakryinim, as well as the dependable Taim, captain of what little military force is left to the Lannis people. His sister is a prisoner of the hated Haig blood. His allies, the Kilikry are overcome by the madness that's spread across the world.

In summary, when society is floundering in all its corners, and when the hero is equipped with nothing but hope and desperation against the crisis visited upon his world, the conclusion can't be anything but equal parts tragic and triumphant. A great read.