Condemned, Book 4

Смертник из рода Валевских #4

by Vasily Mahanenko

Maximillian has been given the chance to avenge his family’s the Duke of Odoevsky has conspired in a plot against the emperor, and if Max plays his cards right, he’ll be able to destroy the man who read out his family’s execution order with such ecstasy. But one small mistake topples his plans, and now thousands of people caught in the clutches of terrible monsters are counting on him to save them. What choice must he make? Revenge or salvation?

Genres: Fantasy

367 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 27, 2023

About the author

Be the first to know when Vasily Mahanenko’s next book is available! Follow him at https://www.bookbub.com/profile/v-mah... to get an alert whenever he has a new release, preorder, or discount!

Vasily Mahanenko is a fantasy author working in the new genre of LitRPG - the MMO-based fantasy and sci fi. His Way of the Shaman series took Russian literature by storm in 2012.

Vasily dipped into his college-days insider knowledge as a hardcore gamer in order to create a believable world of the virtual-reality MMO game. His bestselling series combines fiction and video games, telling the story of Shaman and his friends stuck in the ruthless reality of Barliona. He used his more than ten years' experience as an ERP implementation project manager to approach his writing in a well-organized manner, working to a strict schedule, a set of deadlines and even a budget. At the moment, the series boasts six novels with the seventh one in the works - this time the author expands on stories of Shaman's companions and those who helped and supported him in his trials and tribulations.

The first book of the series has already been translated into English, with more translations to follow, aiming to make the Way of the Shaman series available to the English-language reader in its entirety.

Vasily's other passion is space exploration which is why he now works on a follow-up series entitled Galaktiona. Set in a space-simulator based world, the first book of the series in already finished while Vasily works on its sequel.

Reviews

[Garrett Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best So Far

Oh how I wish this novel was longer… It really has been the best in the series thus far. I cannot wait to read the next!!

[Dantegideon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Max hears about some exciting events, but just plods about clearing the same old boring rifts himself. At one point he clears a rift where the enemies are new, interesting creatures which just happen to have disguised themselves as the same old guys from regular rifts, thus saving the author from coming up with a load of new descriptions. Talk about phoning it in. I was quite looking forward to this but it was just, eh, you know.

[Murphies_law · Rating 2 out of 5]

More a filler book without any meaningful progress of the main plot. The book´s plot, the creatures in the not-quite-a-rift, the politics and especially the actions of the secret enemy make no sense.

I think i am done with the series..

[Tom Maxey · Rating 3 out of 5]

too complicated layer upon layer

too complicated layer upon layer. It just goes on and on. It is very Russian. Everyone is crooked and out for power. No honor no friendship just dark

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 Stars

Book #4
The Lord Valevsky: Last of the Line Series by Vasily Mahanenko is a gripping blend of dark fantasy, political intrigue, and relentless personal struggle. Across the ten books (with more on the horizon), the series follows Max - formerly Maximilian Valevsky - on his harrowing journey through a world where light dominates and darkness is hunted.
What makes this saga stand out is its moral complexity. Max is not your typical flawless hero - he’s cunning, pragmatic, and often forced to make brutal choices. His quest for vengeance is both deeply personal and intricately tied to the fate of the realm. Mr. Mahanenko excels at showing how power, loyalty, and survival often clash in unpredictable ways.
As expected, the world-building is rich, with a unique magic system and a society shaped by the tension between light and dark forces. The political maneuvering is as intense as the battles, and the pacing keeps you hooked - each book ends with enough intrigue to make you reach for the next.
If there’s any drawback to this collection at all, it’s that the series can be emotionally heavy at times - as Max’s journey is filled with much betrayal, loss, and moral dilemmas. But for us readers who enjoy character-driven epics with shades of grey, then this is a strength rather than a flaw.
A dark, intelligent, and addictive fantasy series with a deeply layered story and a protagonist you can’t easily forget.
Happy Reading…

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a review copy of this book.
Condemned book 4 certainly brings home the problems for the main character. Restricted to the number of rifts he's allowed to close per year now, he's not happy, but when he's stuck in a rift that isn't, things get very interesting. Not to mention all the political machinations of those around him, as well as the changing fortunes of one Maxamillion himself. This is a must read for the series. If you liked any of the previous books in this series, you'll need to grab this one, and keep up with the happenings, as things go pear shaped for our main character. Definitely looking forward to the next one.

[Ford Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book in the series, fun and better pacing.

This book is the best in the series simply because the main character was sent off on his own to make his own decisions and choices. Although the main character ran into issues he figured out problems and overcome situations. Even though the plot line basically is taking away his destiny behind the scenes, when the character has agency to act upon his own decision making you feel like he has a way to overcome a odds. The plot line continued to build out the world and give more depth to the antagonists story lines. You want to root for the main character but it seems that all his actions are for nothing which can really pull this story down. This book was an exception and I hope book five allows the main character the freedom of choice for his actions.

[Ron · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @50% and I paid actual money for this shit. So this volume totally diverges from the previous three. There's a whole new way of doing magic, everything we've bothered to glean from the first three books is wrong. It seems our author painted himself into a corner, so this book he attempts to plot armor his way out. In addition, the fight scenes are lasting way too long. Things are dragging out like a bad web novel.

[Randowne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes, you have to avoid trying to hide layers upon layers in an attempt to add complexity and keep your story going. This will help you to avoid worlds that become a little more wobbly as you try to justify elements that aren't there.

In pause.

[Ray Ritchey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprised

What amazing twists and turns in the story line, and just amazing world building. Story is still going very strong.

[Tony Fecteau · Rating 4 out of 5]

I consider this book a little slower than prior books in the series. Still, it has a lot of information and a build up for future books. Max is well on his way to achieve his goals.

[Jim Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Getting better

I think the storyline keeps getting more interesting. The dogma grinds down my enjoyment but its still a good read.

[Clint Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adventure from start to finish as expected. Max is a fun character getting into and out of exceptional circumstances left and right. Can’t wait for the next book after this ending.