Shop top categories that ship internationally
Buy new:
-32% $13.69
Delivery Wednesday, January 15
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$13.69 with 32 percent savings
List Price: $19.99
FREE International Returns
No Import Fees Deposit & $14.93 Shipping to Austria Details

Shipping & Fee Details

Price $13.69
AmazonGlobal Shipping $14.93
Estimated Import Fees Deposit $0.00
Total $28.62

Delivery Wednesday, January 15. Order within 23 hrs 13 mins
Or fastest delivery Tuesday, January 7
In Stock
$$13.69 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$13.69
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Returnable until Jan 31, 2025
Returnable until Jan 31, 2025
For the 2024 holiday season, eligible items purchased between November 1 and December 31, 2024 can be returned until January 31, 2025.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$13.00
FREE International Returns
Delivery January 13 - 24
Or fastest delivery January 7 - 13
$$13.69 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$13.69
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Added to

Sorry, there was a problem.

There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.

Sorry, there was a problem.

List unavailable.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

John Gwynne
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Malice (The Faithful and the Fallen, 1) Paperback – December 3, 2013

by John Gwynne (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 9,226 ratings
Best of #BookTok
See all formats and editions
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$13.69","priceAmount":13.69,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"13","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"69","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"7Uq3PXzDg%2Fi62Qu3Hi%2F%2BmmwF5RAS3Srx%2BLi%2FdGNEzufoAEI%2FQDb2wE%2B88dB3zQKovvCbE3ivsbDgBhxB2ooeWXQL6fyR6XjPduLORxCRUg79VhwPiWyrMM13heeOo0N9vbD%2BxzqarKhX3Ud%2FNwPjVg%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$13.00","priceAmount":13.00,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"13","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"00","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"7Uq3PXzDg%2Fi62Qu3Hi%2F%2BmmwF5RAS3Srx661v5aON%2FIHkvYsHzCe%2B3eaREyqZnNSPdLDjjw4QNwIMUsjMm%2BAgRltPFu6An3g6uPULEZStMbngOmyOdse8SEtyVllMS8iIWKo%2FfNH8cVGaS%2F8c1tp4FDBbmDqRMCOgo7Ss9TuevixklTMnRwTO8bBfI73Aa0oz","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

The first book in acclaimed epic fantasy author John Gwynne's Faithful and Fallen series, Malice is a tale of blind greed, ambition, and betrayal set in a world where ancient monsters are reawakening -- and a war to end all wars is about to begin.

The world is broken. . .and it can never be made whole again.

Corban wants nothing more than to be a warrior under King Brenin's rule -- to protect and serve. But that day will come all too soon. And the price he pays will be in blood.

Evnis has sacrificed -- too much it seems. But what he wants -- the power to rule -- will soon be in his grasp. And nothing will stop him once he has started on his path.

Veradis is the newest member of the warband for the High Prince, Nathair. He is one of the most skilled swordsman to come out of his homeland, yet he is always under the shadow of his older brother.

Nathair has ideas -- and a lot of plans. Many of them don't involve his father, the High King Aquilus. Nor does he agree with his father's idea to summon his fellow kings to council.

The Banished Lands has a violent past where armies of men and giants clashed in battle, the earth running dark with their heartsblood. Now, the stones weep red and giant wyrms stir, and those who can still read the signs see a danger far worse than all that has come before. . .
Previous slide of product details
  1. Book 1 of 4
    The Faithful and the Fallen
  2. Print length
    656 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Orbit
  5. Publication date
    December 3, 2013
  6. Dimensions
    5.95 x 1.85 x 9.15 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0316399736
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0316399739
  9. See all details
Next slide of product details

Frequently bought together

Malice (The Faithful and the Fallen, 1)
This item: Malice (The Faithful and the Fallen, 1)
$13.69
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Valor (Faithful and the Fallen)
$16.49
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
Ruin (The Faithful and the Fallen, 3)
$16.91
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price: $00
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Treatment
Choose items to buy together.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
9,226 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book enjoyable and interesting. They describe the plot as action-packed and epic. The characters are rich, with a sizable cast of POVs. Readers praise the writing quality as well-written and descriptive. They appreciate the worldbuilding and lore, which is unique and thought-provoking. Overall, customers consider it a great start to the series.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
ReadabilityPlotCharacter developmentWriting qualityWorld buildingStartPacingDifficulty to follow
144 customers mention "Readability"137 positive7 negative

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable. They say it's worth reading, with a slow beginning. The book is interesting and addictive. Readers also mention that the last section is good.

"...I had such a fun experience reading all the books. They are addictive and I read all 4 back to back. Better than any tv show that I can watch...." Read more

"Love his books but I really had a hard time keeping track of so many characters. (Too many). I feel like I should take notes and refer to them often...." Read more

"...Well, while this one was very engaging it was not captivating because whenever there was buildup we swapped to another character “killing” the..." Read more

"This was the best book ever!!!! What an epic journey, kept on the edge of my seat the entire time!!!..." Read more

135 customers mention "Plot"119 positive16 negative

Customers enjoy the engaging plot. They find the story exciting with action-packed chapters and an epic journey that keeps them hooked. The backstory and characters are well-developed, and the narrative unfolds at a steady pace. Readers appreciate the author's storytelling style and find it easy to remember the story.

"...It was easier to remember the story. Read this series and let yourself be immersed in the Faithful and the Fallen." Read more

"...Gwynne has such a fantastic way of telling a story and making the reader feel as if they were in the world themselves by drawing us in one sentence..." Read more

"...Nothing is rushed and the story unfolds on its own fair pace, with the revelation somewhere in the middle not so much of a shock but still having an..." Read more

"This was the best book ever!!!! What an epic journey, kept on the edge of my seat the entire time!!!..." Read more

123 customers mention "Character development"94 positive29 negative

Customers enjoy the rich character development and complex story. They find it easier to keep track of the multiple characters and lore than in other books with a large cast of points of view.

"...This is where he shines, the characters are all different and brings life to the world of the Banished lands...." Read more

"...The character work was incredible, but again, whatever was going on with being distracted or just not in the mood for this kind of story I just could..." Read more

"Good character work and world building. Good use of tropes. A little slow for my taste, at least first 75 percent...." Read more

"...The vocabulary, the descriptions, the juggling of many characters and the rich story, all give the sense of something really good building up...." Read more

76 customers mention "Writing quality"70 positive6 negative

Customers enjoy the writing quality of the book. They praise the descriptive language, narration, and imagination of the author. The characters are well-developed with voices. The fundamental principles are presented in great detail, which allows empathy and leads to an epic conclusion.

"...Part of me thought the narration was great, the characters all had voices and accents that ranged all over the place leaving there any doubt to who..." Read more

"...Well done." Read more

"The book screams quality. The vocabulary, the descriptions, the juggling of many characters and the rich story, all give the sense of something..." Read more

"Solid 5/5. Without a doubt!! The writing fits into my reading style and attention span perfectly!..." Read more

57 customers mention "World building"57 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the world-building and lore in this debut novel. They find the plot engaging with plenty of thought and intrigue. The book brings to life the imagination through its use of well-known fantasy tropes. Readers appreciate the positive themes and gritty fantasy elements.

"...This is where he shines, the characters are all different and brings life to the world of the Banished lands...." Read more

"Good character work and world building. Good use of tropes. A little slow for my taste, at least first 75 percent...." Read more

"...The world is pretty familiar and you can supply a lot of your own details if you've read much fantasy...." Read more

"...Gwynne's character work might not be quite as good yet, but the world-building, the use of magic, the questionable decisions by the characters, and..." Read more

55 customers mention "Start"55 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's start. They find the writing great, the characters believable, and the world engaging. Many look forward to the series continuation. While some readers mention tropes are still present, they appreciate how the characters grow and change through the book.

"...They are addictive and I read all 4 back to back. Better than any tv show that I can watch...." Read more

"Malice is a good start to a very popular series, and I almost DNF’d this early on, but I went ahead and pushed through in hopes that either my mood..." Read more

"...To sum it up, I am excited for the next book and definitely get on with it ASAP. Is this a masterpiece?..." Read more

"...Definitely off to a great start with this one. Interesting backstory, cool characters, fun character development, amazing action scenes...." Read more

63 customers mention "Pacing"38 positive25 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book. Some find it fast-paced and engaging, with no rushed scenes. Others mention that the story starts slow but picks up in time.

"...Nothing is rushed and the story unfolds on its own fair pace, with the revelation somewhere in the middle not so much of a shock but still having an..." Read more

"...then I finished the book off quickly after that, because the pace really picked up and the conflict became a little less trope-like...." Read more

"...Good use of tropes. A little slow for my taste, at least first 75 percent. Probably will give book 2 a shot." Read more

"Typical coming of age "destined one" story but well written and pretty good pacing...." Read more

18 customers mention "Difficulty to follow"9 positive9 negative

Customers have differing views on the book's difficulty to follow. Some find it complex, detailed, and logical with simple yet fundamental principles. Others find it hard to get into and confusing at times.

"...The world is pretty familiar and you can supply a lot of your own details if you've read much fantasy...." Read more

"...The start was a bit of a struggle, that was a lot of names and characters to get through and it took me a while to get captivated by the plot...." Read more

"...With so many moving pieces that seemingly come together in a masterful puzzle. I love all the characters and how they all remain true to themselves...." Read more

"...initially was slow and too many characters and places made the book hard to follow, the finale made it worth it...." Read more

Product arrived damaged, no damage to the box it was shipped in or the other two books in the box
1 out of 5 stars
Product arrived damaged, no damage to the box it was shipped in or the other two books in the box
No review on the contents of the book - haven't read it yet. Submitting the review based on receiving a damaged product.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

  • Alicia
    5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book. I love John Gwynne's writing. I love the Banished Lands. I LOVE IT ALL.
    Reviewed in the United States on August 26, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I won't really recap the plot because... I can't? There's definitely a plot but it's too vast to explain and just scratches the surface in this book. BUT THE CHARACTERS. The characters were SO good and despite the numerous POVs, I felt deeply connected to all of them. The world is gritty and full of nasty politics and savage beasts. My kind of book. I will say it takes a tremendous amount of trust to stick with this story, especially if you haven't read anything by Gwynne before. There were two main strategies that helped me enjoy this to its maximum potential...maybe they will help other readers as well:

    1. Keep track of the names. It's hard. There's no character list in this first book, and the number of names can get very overwhelming. Not to mention half of them start with C or K. Whether it's listing them out with notes, or at least grouping them with the storylines each character is a part of, it will go a long way towards making your reading experience easier.

    2. Be patient. Everyone says it takes over half the book to get moving. I knew this in advance, so I took my sweet time enjoying the first 300 pages of character development and worldbuilding. I recently read (and loved) The Shadow of the Gods which is another first in a series by Gwynne. He did something similar with developing characters and setting the scene, so I had complete trust in him to deliver later in this book as well.

    This book doesn't do everything perfectly. I do think there was a bit of bloating throughout. And while I was engaged the whole time, it wasn't necessarily one that I was completely obsessed with (which is basically my criteria for a full 5 stars). Malice wonderfully sets the stage for the whole series, but on its own, it's not necessarily a masterpiece. I am SO eager to move on to Valor. If it's anything as good as I've read so far, it will easily be one of my favorite series.
    4 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Harris
    4.0 out of 5 stars A very engaging start
    Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The book screams quality. The vocabulary, the descriptions, the juggling of many characters and the rich story, all give the sense of something really good building up.

    Nothing is rushed and the story unfolds on its own fair pace, with the revelation somewhere in the middle not so much of a shock but still having an impact.

    Frankly I enjoy strong villains and the ones here are being slowly evolving and growing in parallel to the protagonist. It’s impressive how the villain is being fleshed and how slowly but surely goes deeper into being evil one small step at a time - to small however for him to realize. Very good job here

    The protagonist too shows only hits of being a great hero but I’m sure that will come to pass.

    Now story is unfolding nicely, hero and villains are good, then why 4/5 stars? For me and myself only I have 2 criteria for the 5th star:
    1) did the book force me to read until it was over ? Well, while this one was very engaging it was not captivating because whenever there was buildup we swapped to another character “killing” the emotion a bit. I know why the writer did that but I don’t know if it worked in his favor
    2) am I emotionally swayed? Well not really here I didn’t feel like crying or jumping on my seat or anything. Just a hint of it at some point. This is rare to happen however, very rare so I usually give 5/5 for not being able to stop reading

    To sum it up, I am excited for the next book and definitely get on with it ASAP. Is this a masterpiece? Well, no, but it makes me wonder if one of the next books will be, since the foundations are being laid
    7 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • JP
    5.0 out of 5 stars Some spoiler free comments
    Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A great start to the series. Interesting characters, a solid dose of treachery, and a heavy dose of dramatic irony keep the story interesting. There were characters I loved to hate, loved to love, and hated to hate. The book is interesting on its own, but you will almost certainly rush to get the second book after finishing book 1, as I did. (What a finish to book 1!)

    To give a bit of context, I happened to be listening to Phil Dragash's LOTR audiobook at the same time as reading this, but had to postpone listening so I could finish this book. And I plan on postponing it further as I start book 2. The most recent fantasy book I read before this was Paolini's Murtagh and, to be honest, this was better.

    As for kid friendliness, there are dark themes and obviously there will be violence, but there is no nudity or explicit sexual content. The author draws heavily on Judeo-Christian themes to form the mythos of the world. There are positive themes and, unlike a lot of modern fiction, the main protagonist's family is both competent and refreshingly close and loving.
    9 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Amber Lewis
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for fans of Viking and Norse mythology
    Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This was the best book ever!!!! What an epic journey, kept on the edge of my seat the entire time!!! Woohoo for John Gwynne 🙌 I can’t wait to read the rest of his books
    Helpful
     Report
  • Ariana Repp
    4.0 out of 5 stars Can’t wait to see what’s next.
    Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    This book took me some time to get into because it jumps around between characters a lot. Once I got the characters organized in my brain and made sense of the world and the kingdoms I really began to love it. By time I got to 60% of the way through I couldn’t put it down. I was hooked for sure. Definitely a great book with likable characters and an interesting plot. I will definitely be reading the next in this series to see what happens.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Troy Branham
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
    Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Love his books but I really had a hard time keeping track of so many characters. (Too many). I feel like I should take notes and refer to them often. But I’m not doing that!! And, I don’t see an easy way around this other than developing them more or just find a way to not bring so many people to the party. And, yes I do understand that a bunch of them must die since this is a brutal world after all.
    Great story line with his main characters and I love the way he weaves them into to the plot. They all have a part to play but you just dont realize what untill it happens. Sometimes I think I know where we are headed and then he surprises me.
    Well done.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Kevin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Really entertaining
    Reviewed in Canada on March 13, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I wouldn’t call myself a big time fantasy buff but I have always enjoyed reading fantasy series like LOTR and GOT. I had a hard time putting this one down. Interesting characters and great story line.
    Report
  • Nikhil Dwivedi
    5.0 out of 5 stars Got Ordinal copy and in good condition
    Reviewed in India on June 11, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Reviewing the physical condition.
    Quality of pages and the print is good.
    Customer image
    Nikhil Dwivedi
    5.0 out of 5 stars Got Ordinal copy and in good condition
    Reviewed in India on June 11, 2024
    Reviewing the physical condition.
    Quality of pages and the print is good.
    Images in this review
    Customer image
    Customer image
    Report
  • C. Fischer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping epic fantasy series
    Reviewed in Germany on October 1, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Well, John Gwynne seems to be an author that equally provokes praise and criticism in the reviews about his work. As much as I can understand some of the criticism, I nevertheless would rate his epic very highly for the following reasons:
    The Faithful and the Fallen series is more than just another version of "the-boy-who-was-chosen-to-save-the-world"-trope, as readers will find out at the end of volume three (and that is a rather mind-blowing twist). It plays with the trope, looks at many aspects of making decisions between good and bad and the resulting consequences. You can read lots of the POV-characters as variations on the topic. In my opinion Gwynne even manages to lend the "bad" characters a convincing voice, that explains, why they do the things they do in the way they do (e. g. Evnis).
    The worldbuilding is mainly based on an early medieval, celtic culture of many small kingdoms with a hint at a Roman Emperor-like high king. It has god a theological aspect: a host of angels and demons fighting in the "Otherworld" and influencing life in the Banished Lands. This alludes strongly to Christian mythology (there is even a kind of "multiple-personality" demon called Legion). Names are also well done, Giantish is more or less Gaelic, there are many other allusions to all kinds of literary works, which I enjoyed a lot.
    There are a lot of different plots, which can be a bit challenging at times. With all the names, a kind of Dramatis Personae at the beginning could have been useful.
    Points of criticism: There is a lot of fighting. A LOT OF. And "the sound of breaking cartilage" seems to be a favourite phrase of Gwynne's. The action is often filled with brutality, so it's not for the very sophisticated reader. (At least not if you do not appreciate the idea of having a pet that is tearing out the throats of your enemies with its huge protuding canines.)
    The map. Rivers do not flow like that. Please, John Gwynne, watch a video on how to draw a fantasy map, before you design your next fantasy world. It can be done better ;-)

    To sum up: Recommended for fans of epic fantasy with lots of fighting and multiple POV characters. Surely one of the best series you can read at the moment.
    Report
  • Camilla
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
    Reviewed in Italy on February 7, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I loved it. I've already read stuff from this author, specifically the first Bloodsworn book, and I have to say that I really liked this one too. Would recommend.
    Report
  • Barry Mulvany
    5.0 out of 5 stars This book was absolutely amazing, I didn't know I had been wanting a ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 16, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This book was absolutely amazing, I didn't know I had been wanting a book like this until I started it. It has an old school feel to it, it's dark but not grim dark. Out main character is basically a good guy, weaknesses and flaws yes, but you root for him and he seems to want to do the right thing. John Gwynne has said he was a big David Gemmell fan and it shows. Not in the story mind, Gemmell was generally low key stories, this is Epic fantasy, and the capital E is deliberate. It is more in the characters, flawed but generally good.

    The story is in an iron age world, and seems very Celtic in origin. Humankind shares the world with a race of giants and both are recovering after god nearly destroyed the whole world a thousand years before because of a ploy by the devil and his angels. Ok they are not called god and the devil in this story but that's what basically they are. And there are angels, on both sides. There are prophecies, nice and obscure so you have no idea who is supposed to be who. A champion for the light and the dark. Writing it down makes it seem a bit tropey but it is so well done that it works brilliantly, and honestly I have no problem with tropes if they are done well.

    There are a lot of character POV's in this book. We have Corban, a young sometimes blacksmith in the village, a few years from his coming of age ritual. He has by far the most chapters, usually every other one. I think his character growth was really well done, starts off a callow and frightened youth but by the end is a confident, even inspirational, young man and the change is so gradual that you don't really see it happening until you get a few POV's from people around him and realise. We also have Veralis, a younger son sent to his king for experience and gets put in the Prince's retinue. This is a very interesting arc, things are definitely not what they seem and the parallels to another young prince in history are strong. This storyline probably contains more of the broader picture on what's going on, it has some info dumps but nothing major and does not affect the pacing as it also has the most battle scenes. We also have other POV's from Corban's sister, an advisor to Corban's king, a nephew of another king, an outlaw living in a forest. I could be missing one or two.

    I'll be honest it was a little confusing at the start with all the POV's and them all being in different countries but once you started to get to know them it was no problem. I didn't mind any of the POV's and usually in books like this there is at least one I don't like. Some people may say that the pacing is a little slow but I thought it was perfect. This is a four book series, all of them big, so I don't mind spending time building up the characters and the world, and there were enough events, both major and minor to keep the interest strong. The world feels real and has a weight of history behind it which I always enjoy. There is enough ambiguity going around to keep you wondering and I love that we are getting POV's from both the 'good' and 'bad' guys, and even the worst of the bad guys (so far) is sympathetic in some ways. Anyway I can't help but gush a little over this book, it simply blew me away and I don't get that too often anymore. I was excited reading it and kept thinking about it during the day when I wasn't reading it, can you ask for anymore? 100% recommended and I hope he keeps it up for the next few books.
    Report