The Age of Wrath reaches its bloody conclusion, the world will be reforged in steel and fire . . .
Thera Blackspear was once champion to the Sister Queens. Now she’s a queen herself, with Elvine as her spear maiden, wielding a weapon forged by the gods. But while the traitorous Sister Lore plots in the shadows, Ascarlia will never be safe.
Felnir has won a crown of his own and forged a kingdom at the tip of his divine blade. Yet his dreams are troubled by visions of the brother he thought long dead. A brother who needs his help, and whom Felnir would give anything to save – even his hard-won kingship.
Ruhlin’s many victories have made him a hero to the Morvek, who believe he is the prophesied saviour who will overthrow their Nihlvarian enemies. But now he finds himself a prisoner of the Vortigurn, the King of Nihlvar, who has secrets and schemes of his own.
Secrets that could unmake the world.
Upon the Forge of Battle is the epic conclusion to Anthony Ryan’s Age of Wrath trilogy, a gripping fantasy saga of bloody retribution, deadly intrigue, and soaring heroism.
Praise for Anthony Ryan
‘A gritty, heart-pounding tale of betrayal and bloody vengeance’ John Gwynne
‘Sprawling in scope, forged with depth of lore and living history, full of betrayals and deaths and twists and epic battles’ Grimdark Magazine
‘Gritty and well-drawn, this makes a rich treat for George R. R. Martin fans’ Publishers Weekly (starred review)
REVIEW
Upon the Forge has been an epic fantasy that I’ve been waiting for. It’s a fantastic conclusion to the trilogy that Anthony had set upon within the first novel. It’s coming home, as they would say. And I don’t want to leave this world. I’d love it if there was a HBO style adaptation of this show in the future because we need more original fantasy. We need fantasy that evokes, that isn’t afraid to show that there’s something more than the established franchises out there.
This is a novel that has its own secrets, with Thera Blackspear holding her own dark secrets deep inside as she runs her kingdom. Holding a weapon forged by the Gods is and never will be an easy task. The matters of state are always a difficult one to control. For any King, Empress, or Queen. Yet Felnir goes through such a journey in this story that it is one of hardship, of brutality and confronting what it is to be a man and King. Yet this world is full of mad prophies, of people wanting to showcase that they are better and they can bring peace through strength.
What does it mean however when the greed of humanity takes over? When humanity is forced to confront itself with defying the Gods? When humanity itself is an example of how Gods and humans can’t co-exist? When everyone wants to secure their warm thrones and not give it back? That’s a lot of questions within this novel. And somehow, I feel like these novel trilogies need to be 4-5 books. 3 books isn’t enough any longer. I understand LOTR had the three book structure – but when you have a world so rich as this, I think we need more.
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