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The Runelords #7
The Wyrmling Horde
The next thrilling installment in the most epic fantasy series since Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
41 people are currently reading
2025 people want to read
About the author
David Farland
155 books1,203 followersDavid Farland is the author of the bestselling Runelords series, including Chaosbound, The Wyrmling Horde and Worldbinder. He also writes science-fiction as David Wolverton. He won the 1987 Writers of the Future contest, and has been nominated for a Nebula Award and a Hugo Award. Farland also works as a video game designer, and has taught writing seminars around the U.S. and Canada. He lives in Saint George, Utah. He passed away on January 14, 2022.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidf...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidf...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
October 1, 2019
Apart from a few forays into the True World, a peek or two into Brightlords and the original sundering of all the alternate reality worlds that make up what could be a pretty awesome worldbuilding scenario, this book falls back into a pretty average fantasy read.
Our interesting MC is sidelined and tortured while the rest of the cast do their best to power up using the old magic system to break him out of the Wyrmling labyrinth. The potential for great character building is mostly lost, although it's not without its charms.
Seeing some of our great villains in an alternate world act all noble (indeed, be noble) in this one is actually rather cool. But Lady, or rather, Lord Despair?
It's kinda cookie-cutter and aside from giving off that whole Legend feel, it is what it is. Average.
I hope the last book gives this a good sendoff.
Our interesting MC is sidelined and tortured while the rest of the cast do their best to power up using the old magic system to break him out of the Wyrmling labyrinth. The potential for great character building is mostly lost, although it's not without its charms.
Seeing some of our great villains in an alternate world act all noble (indeed, be noble) in this one is actually rather cool. But Lady, or rather, Lord Despair?
It's kinda cookie-cutter and aside from giving off that whole Legend feel, it is what it is. Average.
I hope the last book gives this a good sendoff.
January 30, 2026
I feel like Farland has great ideas, but his execution is just not good enough. The first two Runelords books were too long, whereas the last few Runelords books have been too short.
I had read(and also knew by finishing the last book) that Fallion would be captured in this book. I was afraid that we would get some extended torture scenes(ala Wizards First Rule), and I am delighted to say that was not the case. Fallion is captured and tortured for most of the book, but almost all of the book is told from other characters' perspectives.
Most of the book focuses on two differing storylines, Talon and Rhianna. Both of their storylines followed standard Runelord plots from previous books, and they were both very enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed Talon's relationship with the Emir and the revelation during that plotline was shocking and exciting. I hope they have more story in the future. Rhianna's plot line was interesting, and it was the plotline that built up the most anticipation for me. I found myself getting excited for her chapters because the plot was moving along.
The weakest part of this book, by far, is its opening. Farland explains the events of the previous books too often, as if he's expecting that this will be someone's first entry into the series and he doesn't want them to get lost. If you've read the other books, this becomes very tedious, similar to Robert Jordan's issue in his Wheel of Time books. Once you get past the first 100 pages, the book flies by.
I will reiterate my main frustration with this book being it's length. This is the shortest Runelords book, and it could have easily been another 100+ pages. Farland could have fleshed out Talon and the Emir's relationship more, could have shown more perspectives, and could have added to the Cullossax/Krissa subplot. The battles in this book were more subdued, and could have been bigger and more epic.
However, despite all those criticisms, I really enjoyed this book, especially the last 2/3rds of it. When it comes to individual books, Farland can be hit or miss, but his magic system is still my personal favorite and his world and characters and plotlines are still great! This book, while not his best, still is worth the read for any Runelords completionist. I think this book is right about the same as "Worldbinder", earning a 7.2.
Speaking of Runelords completionists, Mr. Farland, please finish the series. I promise I will buy a copy of the book.
I had read(and also knew by finishing the last book) that Fallion would be captured in this book. I was afraid that we would get some extended torture scenes(ala Wizards First Rule), and I am delighted to say that was not the case. Fallion is captured and tortured for most of the book, but almost all of the book is told from other characters' perspectives.
Most of the book focuses on two differing storylines, Talon and Rhianna. Both of their storylines followed standard Runelord plots from previous books, and they were both very enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed Talon's relationship with the Emir and the revelation during that plotline was shocking and exciting. I hope they have more story in the future. Rhianna's plot line was interesting, and it was the plotline that built up the most anticipation for me. I found myself getting excited for her chapters because the plot was moving along.
The weakest part of this book, by far, is its opening. Farland explains the events of the previous books too often, as if he's expecting that this will be someone's first entry into the series and he doesn't want them to get lost. If you've read the other books, this becomes very tedious, similar to Robert Jordan's issue in his Wheel of Time books. Once you get past the first 100 pages, the book flies by.
I will reiterate my main frustration with this book being it's length. This is the shortest Runelords book, and it could have easily been another 100+ pages. Farland could have fleshed out Talon and the Emir's relationship more, could have shown more perspectives, and could have added to the Cullossax/Krissa subplot. The battles in this book were more subdued, and could have been bigger and more epic.
However, despite all those criticisms, I really enjoyed this book, especially the last 2/3rds of it. When it comes to individual books, Farland can be hit or miss, but his magic system is still my personal favorite and his world and characters and plotlines are still great! This book, while not his best, still is worth the read for any Runelords completionist. I think this book is right about the same as "Worldbinder", earning a 7.2.
Speaking of Runelords completionists, Mr. Farland, please finish the series. I promise I will buy a copy of the book.
June 4, 2012
In theory, each book should have a beginning, middle, and end. It's the beginning and end that readers enjoy the most. That is why I think many fans of the Runelord series dislike the latter books in the series; books 6 and 7 consist mostly of the boring middle part that we're just trying to get through to get to the end.
Instead, things just keep getting worse and worse, and it's to the point now that things are so bad there is no frame of reference anymore. It is difficult to relate to the characters because they suffer on a much greater scale than we do, thanks to runelore. Things are so bad that I can't take the situation seriously anymore. I hate it when authors make everything all happy butterflies and unicorns all the time, but this constant hopelessness is really difficult, and it's crossed the line of ridiculousness.
Nonetheless, I am still curious to see how this all ends, assuming it DOES end. However, I'm taking a break for a while. I want to read something that isn't drawn out forever without progress.
Instead, things just keep getting worse and worse, and it's to the point now that things are so bad there is no frame of reference anymore. It is difficult to relate to the characters because they suffer on a much greater scale than we do, thanks to runelore. Things are so bad that I can't take the situation seriously anymore. I hate it when authors make everything all happy butterflies and unicorns all the time, but this constant hopelessness is really difficult, and it's crossed the line of ridiculousness.
Nonetheless, I am still curious to see how this all ends, assuming it DOES end. However, I'm taking a break for a while. I want to read something that isn't drawn out forever without progress.
May 21, 2022
Moral limits of endowments.
The magic system of Farland's "Runelords" system has always been frought with moral questions of when it's proper to divest someone of their strength/wit/metabolism/etc in service of another. Sometimes this is wholly voluntary (still creepy) and sometimes coerced/purchased (also creepy). Sometimes it involves juveniles (creepier). The books have never REALLY delved into this aspect of the magic system but for some hand wavy denunciations against the taking of endowments or the use of children.
So it was somewhat refreshing to find in "The Wyrmling Horde" a little more discussion about how grotesque the practice can be -- especially if you endow protagonist Fallion with compassion so he can feel the pain of the various prisoners that are being tortured by the evil Lord Despair (occupying the body of Prince Areth, this alternate reality version of Fallion's father, the Earth King Gaborn).
While I say this is interesting, it is only in passing as the plot is largely nonsensical otherwise (lots of attempts to form alliances to fight the wymlings). There is a very intriguing reveal of the goodly Emir being the alt reality equivalent of the evil Raj Ahten of the earlier novels. There's some like conflict insofar as those that knew Raj Ahten do not trust the Emir and the latter's efforts to convince them to.
As the series has gone on, there are glimmers of promise, but as before, characters remain thin, everything is solved by Epic Battles, and while many things are *described* -- few, if any, are developed. One more to go.
The magic system of Farland's "Runelords" system has always been frought with moral questions of when it's proper to divest someone of their strength/wit/metabolism/etc in service of another. Sometimes this is wholly voluntary (still creepy) and sometimes coerced/purchased (also creepy). Sometimes it involves juveniles (creepier). The books have never REALLY delved into this aspect of the magic system but for some hand wavy denunciations against the taking of endowments or the use of children.
So it was somewhat refreshing to find in "The Wyrmling Horde" a little more discussion about how grotesque the practice can be -- especially if you endow protagonist Fallion with compassion so he can feel the pain of the various prisoners that are being tortured by the evil Lord Despair (occupying the body of Prince Areth, this alternate reality version of Fallion's father, the Earth King Gaborn).
While I say this is interesting, it is only in passing as the plot is largely nonsensical otherwise (lots of attempts to form alliances to fight the wymlings). There is a very intriguing reveal of the goodly Emir being the alt reality equivalent of the evil Raj Ahten of the earlier novels. There's some like conflict insofar as those that knew Raj Ahten do not trust the Emir and the latter's efforts to convince them to.
As the series has gone on, there are glimmers of promise, but as before, characters remain thin, everything is solved by Epic Battles, and while many things are *described* -- few, if any, are developed. One more to go.
November 19, 2020
The seventh installment of David Farland’s The Runelords series is the shortest, opening with one of the main antagonists, the wyrmling tormentor Cullossax, whom his lesser fear, striding through Rugassa, with the world having suddenly changed. Meanwhile, the humans of various warrior clans flee the fortress at Caer Luciare, and Rhianna practices her newfound flight. Moreover, in the wyrmling keep at Rugassa, Lord Despair uses Areth Sul Urstone’s awakening Earth Powers to “choose” certain wyrmling lords and create a bond with them, allowing him to sense their danger and warn them ahead of time.
In the meantime, Talon finds herself in the underworld, ironically in a florally-lush area, and Rhianna finds herself in the care of martial horse-sisters. Early on in the book is a vivid description of the Sanctum used for worship among the wyrmling hordes, with Lord Despair yearning to take various endowments. Back to Talon, she challenges Emir Tuul Ra of Dalharristan to a duel, an offer that he doesn’t take seriously at first, with the two taking special endowments in anticipation of the conflict. Various other battles end the book, with the main heroes visiting and fleeing Rugassa.
All in all, I enjoyed this entry of the literary franchise, more so in that it’s the shortest of the series, with plenty of good fantastical action and characters and a decent focus on the antagonistic wyrmlings. As with most fantasy series with interconnected storylines, though, it’s somewhat inaccessible to those who haven’t read its predecessors, and those who haven’t taken good notes on previous entries may find themselves lost without referencing the internet. Regardless of its flaws, The Runelords is a decent rival to other daunting fantasy series such as The Wheel of Time.
In the meantime, Talon finds herself in the underworld, ironically in a florally-lush area, and Rhianna finds herself in the care of martial horse-sisters. Early on in the book is a vivid description of the Sanctum used for worship among the wyrmling hordes, with Lord Despair yearning to take various endowments. Back to Talon, she challenges Emir Tuul Ra of Dalharristan to a duel, an offer that he doesn’t take seriously at first, with the two taking special endowments in anticipation of the conflict. Various other battles end the book, with the main heroes visiting and fleeing Rugassa.
All in all, I enjoyed this entry of the literary franchise, more so in that it’s the shortest of the series, with plenty of good fantastical action and characters and a decent focus on the antagonistic wyrmlings. As with most fantasy series with interconnected storylines, though, it’s somewhat inaccessible to those who haven’t read its predecessors, and those who haven’t taken good notes on previous entries may find themselves lost without referencing the internet. Regardless of its flaws, The Runelords is a decent rival to other daunting fantasy series such as The Wheel of Time.
June 15, 2011
The eighth book of well-done Runelords series, Wyrmling Horde just came out, and I was excited. Despite the fact that Tor set a word-count restriction on the author, resulting in a much smaller book starting with the previous Worldbinder (which resulted in a truncated feel to that ending), the series has been a good, solid read. So i delved in.
A few chapters in, I was horrified. The recap from book seven was contrived and forced. Very disappointing was the questionable cast of characters asked to carry the story. Fallion, by far the strongest character of an already weak cast is left sidelined, which may have been forgivable if his comrades took up the challenge and blossomed. Not only did they fail to do so, they undermined an already floundering plot with chance run-in's, a cheesy romance, and another encore of the all-too-convenient magic system that hasn't evolved or deepened since Book One.
The plot, the plot! Wyrmling Horde is a lisping fraction of a story. About 1/6th of content compared to the earlier books. Which is simple to understand; starting with Worldbinder, the remainder of the plot is spread over the last books, scraped thin and unsatisfying. If you read the back of book blurb, you have read the entire story; Fallion is captured by Lord Despair and his friends try to rescue him. (Insert a few unbelievable and distracted attempts for rescue). By the merciful end of the book, we are left with an ill feeling that the characters will quite possibly be in the same exact situation in Book 8 as the beginning of Wyrmling Horde. Unless someone accidentally runs smack into a facilitator who happens to be holding some ready-to-use endowments, recycling the all-too-familiar magic system... which is entirely plausible.
Most disturbing was the level of disinterest within the writing itself. Word repeation, half-hearted try-fail cycles. Halting and unsure dialouge is cluttered with unnecessary and ill-timed descriptions... I found myself increasingly confused, flipping to the cover page every paragraph or so, disbelieving whose name was on the cover. It was like the author had asked some of his more dubious college writing students to collaborate their amateur hands at the manuscript, then sent it unread and unedited to the publisher. I was a bitter reader, bitter at having paid $14 for the book that didn't deliver. Before the halfway point was even reached, I was gnashing my teeth, demanding a refund, but still torturing myself with the read, like staying on a bad amusement park ride to just to see how jolty the end would be.
It was jolty, obliterating any last shreds of respect like a resounding fart after being booed for a bad speech.
All in all, Wyrmling Horde reads like a thin half-cooked soup with a random carrot floating by if you were vigilant enough to spoon it. You have been warned: Read at your own risk.
A few chapters in, I was horrified. The recap from book seven was contrived and forced. Very disappointing was the questionable cast of characters asked to carry the story. Fallion, by far the strongest character of an already weak cast is left sidelined, which may have been forgivable if his comrades took up the challenge and blossomed. Not only did they fail to do so, they undermined an already floundering plot with chance run-in's, a cheesy romance, and another encore of the all-too-convenient magic system that hasn't evolved or deepened since Book One.
The plot, the plot! Wyrmling Horde is a lisping fraction of a story. About 1/6th of content compared to the earlier books. Which is simple to understand; starting with Worldbinder, the remainder of the plot is spread over the last books, scraped thin and unsatisfying. If you read the back of book blurb, you have read the entire story; Fallion is captured by Lord Despair and his friends try to rescue him. (Insert a few unbelievable and distracted attempts for rescue). By the merciful end of the book, we are left with an ill feeling that the characters will quite possibly be in the same exact situation in Book 8 as the beginning of Wyrmling Horde. Unless someone accidentally runs smack into a facilitator who happens to be holding some ready-to-use endowments, recycling the all-too-familiar magic system... which is entirely plausible.
Most disturbing was the level of disinterest within the writing itself. Word repeation, half-hearted try-fail cycles. Halting and unsure dialouge is cluttered with unnecessary and ill-timed descriptions... I found myself increasingly confused, flipping to the cover page every paragraph or so, disbelieving whose name was on the cover. It was like the author had asked some of his more dubious college writing students to collaborate their amateur hands at the manuscript, then sent it unread and unedited to the publisher. I was a bitter reader, bitter at having paid $14 for the book that didn't deliver. Before the halfway point was even reached, I was gnashing my teeth, demanding a refund, but still torturing myself with the read, like staying on a bad amusement park ride to just to see how jolty the end would be.
It was jolty, obliterating any last shreds of respect like a resounding fart after being booed for a bad speech.
All in all, Wyrmling Horde reads like a thin half-cooked soup with a random carrot floating by if you were vigilant enough to spoon it. You have been warned: Read at your own risk.
July 12, 2023
This series is just fantastic. Every book has been really good so far, and this one’s no different.
I don’t have a ton of massive thoughts about this book, it’s mostly little revelations and slowly piecing things together. But the one that that continues to impress me is the conversation around Endowments. It’s so layered, and every time something happens, we are forced to rethink our own opinions on it a bit.
The series continues to be surprisingly brutal, even though it’s not written to be gory. The level of Despair in this book really starts to come to the forefront, and there is a lot of desperation in every action.
So excited to see how this series wraps up. It’s changed so much since book 1. And I truly believe that if people can get past the weirdness of the series (or better yet, appreciate it), they’ll find a ton of great stuff.
Audiobooks are fantastic for this series as well.
I think this one is closer to a 4.5* for me.
I don’t have a ton of massive thoughts about this book, it’s mostly little revelations and slowly piecing things together. But the one that that continues to impress me is the conversation around Endowments. It’s so layered, and every time something happens, we are forced to rethink our own opinions on it a bit.
The series continues to be surprisingly brutal, even though it’s not written to be gory. The level of Despair in this book really starts to come to the forefront, and there is a lot of desperation in every action.
So excited to see how this series wraps up. It’s changed so much since book 1. And I truly believe that if people can get past the weirdness of the series (or better yet, appreciate it), they’ll find a ton of great stuff.
Audiobooks are fantastic for this series as well.
I think this one is closer to a 4.5* for me.
January 13, 2023
Well, this one kind of really took a nosedive. It was rather mundane, and run-of-the-mill. But for me, what really killed this was Lord Despair. UGH I hated this character. I don't think David Farlard could have created a cheaper cookie-cutter type villain than this poor excuse! Just... No! I want to punch this jerk square in the ego!
You, Lord Despair, are the very reason for 2 stars! Thanks, jerk!!!
You, Lord Despair, are the very reason for 2 stars! Thanks, jerk!!!
August 6, 2009
I can't believe all the 4 and 5 star ratings. What book did you people read? I think David is running out of ideas. This series has never been at the top of my list, but I've enjoyed reading it until now. This is the worst book of the series. It's more of the same thing over and over again. Nothing seems to really happen.
I kinda liked where books 5 and 6 went with the story, but now it's just, blah. Which interestingly, is what I thought of the third book, the third chapter of the first story arc. Now here in the third book of the new arc, we have the same situation. Stagnation. I sincerely hope the story actually goes somewhere in the next book. He seems to be stalling with this one. Seemed like a waste of time to me, I feel the characters would agree.
I kinda liked where books 5 and 6 went with the story, but now it's just, blah. Which interestingly, is what I thought of the third book, the third chapter of the first story arc. Now here in the third book of the new arc, we have the same situation. Stagnation. I sincerely hope the story actually goes somewhere in the next book. He seems to be stalling with this one. Seemed like a waste of time to me, I feel the characters would agree.
July 7, 2009
A very disappointing read. I was really looking forward to this and it failed on so many levels. It was slow, filled with mindless descriptions and repetitive writing. The plot failed to move at even a snails pace and I feel that the story itself wasn't moved along at all. To me this should have been chopped down by 150 pages and been a section of a quality book instead the entirety of a pathetic book. Its quality that matters in writing Mr. Farland, Not quantity. I say this as a fan, and I hope that others have felt the same and expressed this so that future books in this series reflect the skills that you have shown to posses in the past.
December 19, 2022
This is another series that I started on audible and couldn't walk away from. I enjoyed it a lot.
Bulk Input Day.
Bulk Input Day.
February 18, 2009
The writing is simply poetic.
Warning--while the cover looks YA--it's very violent and graphic.
Warning--while the cover looks YA--it's very violent and graphic.
October 15, 2025
The Dragons Have Awakened, the Worlds Are Unraveling — Let’s Talk The Wyrmling Horde by David Farland! 🐉⚔️🌌
Alright, my rune-marked adventurers and chaos-loving mystics, buckle your armor and brace your souls—because The Wyrmling Horde (Book 7 of The Runelords saga) is a full-blown, fire-breathing, world-merging explosion of power, prophecy, and peril! 🔥🌍✨ This is the book where destiny stops whispering and starts roaring. 💥🐉
When Worlds Collide, Dragons Rise! 🌌🐉🔥
After the reality-shattering events of Worldbinder, the boundaries between worlds are obliterated, and chaos reigns. 💫 Two universes now exist in the same space—overlapping, fusing, devouring each other. 😱 Mountains shift, cities crumble, and ancient magics awaken from their slumber. 🪶⚡ Amidst the ruin rises a new terror: the Wyrmling Horde, an army of twisted dragon-blooded beings determined to enslave every living soul. 🐲💀
It’s mythic. It’s dark. It’s epic on a scale that redefines fantasy. 🌌💎
Fallion Orden Faces His Darkest Hour 💔🔥
Our boy Fallion—the Soulbinder, the reluctant savior, the child of flame and hope—is tested like never before. 🕯️🌿 Once again, he stands at the intersection of destiny and despair, trying to unite two dying worlds while fighting off an unstoppable force. 😔⚔️ His compassion remains his greatest strength and his deepest vulnerability. 💫 Every choice he makes ripples across existence itself. 🌍✨
He’s growing into something more than human now—part elemental, part divine, part utterly heartbroken. 💖🔥 Watching him struggle to save both worlds (and his own soul) is beautiful, painful, and powerful all at once. 🌕💎
The Wyrmlings — Children of Shadow and Flame 😈🐉
Let’s talk about the villains, my dark-hearted dreamers. 😈✨ The wyrmlings are terrifying—mutated beings of draconic essence, filled with corrupted runes and ancient malice. 🐉💀 They are organized, intelligent, and merciless, marching across both realities in a tide of burning wings and shattered hopes. 🔥💫 Their leader? A creature of staggering willpower and twisted vision—a reflection of Fallion himself, but forged in shadow instead of light. 🌑⚖️
Magic at the Edge of Creation 🌟🪄
This is Runelords magic taken to its ultimate form. 💎✨ Runes of strength and wit are now interwoven with soulbinding, elemental resonance, and divine energy. 🌿🔥 Every spell feels cosmic—every act of power carries a price. ⚖️ Fallion’s magic has grown beyond mortals’ understanding; it bends space, merges souls, and reshapes reality itself. 🌌💫
It’s alchemy meets apocalypse, and it’s utterly breathtaking. 🌙⚔️
Allies, Sacrifice, and the Cost of Hope 💔🌕
Despite the chaos, light endures. 🌙✨ Fallion isn’t alone—his allies fight, fall, and rise beside him. 💫 There are heartbreaking sacrifices, moments of impossible bravery, and quiet acts of faith that remind you why this series matters. 🕊️💖 Farland reminds us that even when gods and monsters clash, the smallest act of love can change the fate of worlds. 🌍🔥
The Emotional Depth? Galactic-Level Feels. 🥹💎
This book hits hard, my rune-bonded souls. 💔 The grief, the guilt, the impossible hope—it all comes crashing together. 😭 Fallion’s journey is no longer just about survival. It’s about transcendence, forgiveness, and finding balance between creation and destruction. 🌌🕯️
The Tea, My Flame-Touched Seekers ☕🔥
The Wyrmling Horde is dark, intense, and gorgeously complex. 🌑✨ It’s less about swordplay and more about soulplay—about identity, destiny, and the terrifying beauty of power unrestrained. 💫 The pace is fierce, the stakes are astronomical, and the atmosphere feels like watching a star go supernova. 🌟💀
Final Vibes, My World-Weaving Warriors 🌙⚡
The Wyrmling Horde is where fantasy meets apocalypse and magic meets morality. ⚔️🔥 It’s a story of souls colliding across dimensions, of dragons that are both destroyers and symbols of rebirth. 🐉💫 Farland takes the mythic scope of his universe and turns it into a meditation on creation, compassion, and consequence. 🪶💎
Bottom line, my rune-carved kin: This is cosmic fantasy done right—fierce, emotional, and endlessly imaginative. 🌍⚡ The worlds are breaking, dragons are rising, and hope still dares to shine through the darkness. 🐲✨
🔥 The Wyrmling Horde — where the light fights hardest when the night burns brightest. 🌑💫
Alright, my rune-marked adventurers and chaos-loving mystics, buckle your armor and brace your souls—because The Wyrmling Horde (Book 7 of The Runelords saga) is a full-blown, fire-breathing, world-merging explosion of power, prophecy, and peril! 🔥🌍✨ This is the book where destiny stops whispering and starts roaring. 💥🐉
When Worlds Collide, Dragons Rise! 🌌🐉🔥
After the reality-shattering events of Worldbinder, the boundaries between worlds are obliterated, and chaos reigns. 💫 Two universes now exist in the same space—overlapping, fusing, devouring each other. 😱 Mountains shift, cities crumble, and ancient magics awaken from their slumber. 🪶⚡ Amidst the ruin rises a new terror: the Wyrmling Horde, an army of twisted dragon-blooded beings determined to enslave every living soul. 🐲💀
It’s mythic. It’s dark. It’s epic on a scale that redefines fantasy. 🌌💎
Fallion Orden Faces His Darkest Hour 💔🔥
Our boy Fallion—the Soulbinder, the reluctant savior, the child of flame and hope—is tested like never before. 🕯️🌿 Once again, he stands at the intersection of destiny and despair, trying to unite two dying worlds while fighting off an unstoppable force. 😔⚔️ His compassion remains his greatest strength and his deepest vulnerability. 💫 Every choice he makes ripples across existence itself. 🌍✨
He’s growing into something more than human now—part elemental, part divine, part utterly heartbroken. 💖🔥 Watching him struggle to save both worlds (and his own soul) is beautiful, painful, and powerful all at once. 🌕💎
The Wyrmlings — Children of Shadow and Flame 😈🐉
Let’s talk about the villains, my dark-hearted dreamers. 😈✨ The wyrmlings are terrifying—mutated beings of draconic essence, filled with corrupted runes and ancient malice. 🐉💀 They are organized, intelligent, and merciless, marching across both realities in a tide of burning wings and shattered hopes. 🔥💫 Their leader? A creature of staggering willpower and twisted vision—a reflection of Fallion himself, but forged in shadow instead of light. 🌑⚖️
Magic at the Edge of Creation 🌟🪄
This is Runelords magic taken to its ultimate form. 💎✨ Runes of strength and wit are now interwoven with soulbinding, elemental resonance, and divine energy. 🌿🔥 Every spell feels cosmic—every act of power carries a price. ⚖️ Fallion’s magic has grown beyond mortals’ understanding; it bends space, merges souls, and reshapes reality itself. 🌌💫
It’s alchemy meets apocalypse, and it’s utterly breathtaking. 🌙⚔️
Allies, Sacrifice, and the Cost of Hope 💔🌕
Despite the chaos, light endures. 🌙✨ Fallion isn’t alone—his allies fight, fall, and rise beside him. 💫 There are heartbreaking sacrifices, moments of impossible bravery, and quiet acts of faith that remind you why this series matters. 🕊️💖 Farland reminds us that even when gods and monsters clash, the smallest act of love can change the fate of worlds. 🌍🔥
The Emotional Depth? Galactic-Level Feels. 🥹💎
This book hits hard, my rune-bonded souls. 💔 The grief, the guilt, the impossible hope—it all comes crashing together. 😭 Fallion’s journey is no longer just about survival. It’s about transcendence, forgiveness, and finding balance between creation and destruction. 🌌🕯️
The Tea, My Flame-Touched Seekers ☕🔥
The Wyrmling Horde is dark, intense, and gorgeously complex. 🌑✨ It’s less about swordplay and more about soulplay—about identity, destiny, and the terrifying beauty of power unrestrained. 💫 The pace is fierce, the stakes are astronomical, and the atmosphere feels like watching a star go supernova. 🌟💀
Final Vibes, My World-Weaving Warriors 🌙⚡
The Wyrmling Horde is where fantasy meets apocalypse and magic meets morality. ⚔️🔥 It’s a story of souls colliding across dimensions, of dragons that are both destroyers and symbols of rebirth. 🐉💫 Farland takes the mythic scope of his universe and turns it into a meditation on creation, compassion, and consequence. 🪶💎
Bottom line, my rune-carved kin: This is cosmic fantasy done right—fierce, emotional, and endlessly imaginative. 🌍⚡ The worlds are breaking, dragons are rising, and hope still dares to shine through the darkness. 🐲✨
🔥 The Wyrmling Horde — where the light fights hardest when the night burns brightest. 🌑💫
December 15, 2016
The Wyrmling Horde is the seventh book in the Runelords Series, a series which I started reading earlier this year and have enjoyed periodically throughout the year. One of the reasons I've enjoyed the series is that it has confronted the cost and morality of the magic system of the book head on. In earlier books, this dilemma has been a central theme and I've documented my interest in this theme in other reviews of the series.
It is becoming increasingly obvious as the books have progressed that this moral dilemma lies at the heart of this series. While it may seem to be a story of good versus evil, a familiar tale where evil wants to conquer and vanquish good and rule the land/world/universe, this magic makes it more than just about good versus evil. The question that keeps popping up is whether the means to secure victory are worth the costs. Can good win without becoming evil or has this magic corrupted humankind to the point that they'll never be able to survive without becoming evil themselves. This question seemed to have been answered earlier in the series, but McFarland introduced a new twist whereby this old "solved" dilemma was introduced into a new world with a new set of players when worlds were bound together and a whole group of characters unfamiliar with the magic and its costs found themselves with access to it.
Like any epic, there is an overarching plot. The challenge for the author is to write the epic in such a way that there are logical break points for each book. Each book must stand on its own while also adding to the larger story. As a reader, the challenge is to remember these books are but portions of the overall story and not actually the overall story. The Wyrmling Horde is definitely part of the larger story arc, but at this point in the series the future outcome seems dire, evil appears to be spreading and conquering, and the outlook is quite dim. Luckily, I've enjoyed the series and am invested. What may be a terribly depressing book to just pick up and read has rekindled my curiosity and got me wondering if the cost of good winning is worth the price. It's definitely got me interested to read on and see how this dilemma is resolved.
It is becoming increasingly obvious as the books have progressed that this moral dilemma lies at the heart of this series. While it may seem to be a story of good versus evil, a familiar tale where evil wants to conquer and vanquish good and rule the land/world/universe, this magic makes it more than just about good versus evil. The question that keeps popping up is whether the means to secure victory are worth the costs. Can good win without becoming evil or has this magic corrupted humankind to the point that they'll never be able to survive without becoming evil themselves. This question seemed to have been answered earlier in the series, but McFarland introduced a new twist whereby this old "solved" dilemma was introduced into a new world with a new set of players when worlds were bound together and a whole group of characters unfamiliar with the magic and its costs found themselves with access to it.
Like any epic, there is an overarching plot. The challenge for the author is to write the epic in such a way that there are logical break points for each book. Each book must stand on its own while also adding to the larger story. As a reader, the challenge is to remember these books are but portions of the overall story and not actually the overall story. The Wyrmling Horde is definitely part of the larger story arc, but at this point in the series the future outcome seems dire, evil appears to be spreading and conquering, and the outlook is quite dim. Luckily, I've enjoyed the series and am invested. What may be a terribly depressing book to just pick up and read has rekindled my curiosity and got me wondering if the cost of good winning is worth the price. It's definitely got me interested to read on and see how this dilemma is resolved.
February 6, 2022
I think that for the most part The Wyrmling Horde takes everything I mentioned in Worldbinder and does a bit more of that. There are some really fascinating worldbuilding ideas being explored here, although I miss the smaller scope of just the Endowments and possibly the wizards of the early books. The characters are cool–and I do actually find the inversions of several of them fascinating–but we’re also missing a few faces that I really wish we would see more of. Plotwise… nothing much actually seems to happen.
Overall, at this point, I’m going to finish the series, but I still stand by my previous standpoint that the original four Runelords book are absolute gems of the craft–and that you can probably finish after that or treat the rest as a separate series entirely. So it goes.
Full review: https://blog.jverkamp.com/
As an aside:
RIP David Farland/Dave Wolverton. This marks the third author I’ve been listening to while or soon after they died. (Clive Cussler and Terry Pratchett being the other two.) Starting to feel like a bit of a curse… but on the other hand, I read/listen to quite a lot so it’s going to happen. As an aside, I recently learned that the mentor that Sanderson mentions several times in different media was Wolverton:
A good person.
Overall, at this point, I’m going to finish the series, but I still stand by my previous standpoint that the original four Runelords book are absolute gems of the craft–and that you can probably finish after that or treat the rest as a separate series entirely. So it goes.
Full review: https://blog.jverkamp.com/
As an aside:
RIP David Farland/Dave Wolverton. This marks the third author I’ve been listening to while or soon after they died. (Clive Cussler and Terry Pratchett being the other two.) Starting to feel like a bit of a curse… but on the other hand, I read/listen to quite a lot so it’s going to happen. As an aside, I recently learned that the mentor that Sanderson mentions several times in different media was Wolverton:
I remember distinctly one day after, where I mentioned I’d finished several novels already. Surprised, he took me aside (to his office, which was fun, since he had never used it before) and talked me through what I’d been doing in my writing. Impressed, he told me, “Here’s what you’re going to do next. You’re going to go to the Nebula Awards, Worldcon, and World Fantasy convention next year. Find the money somehow. You’re going to meet editors and start submitting to them.” – Sanderson on Wolverton
A good person.
April 22, 2022
I think I intend to read at least 8 of these. Not sure if I need to read post wyrmling war. But I'm almost done with #7 and my last comments were on #3.
A friend commented on that review that he stopped reading after Raj Aten was defeated. I felt there was too much said in the book to assume that it was the end. But I had a vision of Earth and Water against Air and Fire.
I feel like book 5, was the end of being able to believe that though. It's in book 5 that Gaborn's son becomes the focus, and while it still is a direct sequel to the events in books 1-4, the series is clearly taking a turn.
Book 5 is also where the internal canon starts to break apart. Book 4 ends with Gaborn, Iome, Binnesman, and Borenson parting, never to meet again. I don't remember the exact words, but it was explicit. It made sense because Gaborn and Iome had dozens of endowments of speed, meaning they would die of old age very soon. Yet Iome and Gaborn are still alive 10 years later. Borenson works for their household, and they talk to Binnesman again. Binnesman survives through the events of book 6 (where and most of book 7 (probably all, but I've got some pages left).
Book 5 is clearly setting up a fight with the big baddie of 5-7, but... the whole plot of Worldbinder feels a lot like just trying to reset everything so Farland can tell the story of 1-4 in a different way.
Don't get me wrong, there's some fascinating bits. I like a lot of the things going on here and it's an interesting, nearly overwhelming, conflict our heroes find themselves in. And some of those things are even interesting because of how they play off books 1-4. But I feel it could have been done as a different series.
Still, it's entertaining, which makes it a 3.
A friend commented on that review that he stopped reading after Raj Aten was defeated. I felt there was too much said in the book to assume that it was the end. But I had a vision of Earth and Water against Air and Fire.
I feel like book 5, was the end of being able to believe that though. It's in book 5 that Gaborn's son becomes the focus, and while it still is a direct sequel to the events in books 1-4, the series is clearly taking a turn.
Book 5 is also where the internal canon starts to break apart. Book 4 ends with Gaborn, Iome, Binnesman, and Borenson parting, never to meet again. I don't remember the exact words, but it was explicit. It made sense because Gaborn and Iome had dozens of endowments of speed, meaning they would die of old age very soon. Yet Iome and Gaborn are still alive 10 years later. Borenson works for their household, and they talk to Binnesman again. Binnesman survives through the events of book 6 (where and most of book 7 (probably all, but I've got some pages left).
Book 5 is clearly setting up a fight with the big baddie of 5-7, but... the whole plot of Worldbinder feels a lot like just trying to reset everything so Farland can tell the story of 1-4 in a different way.
Don't get me wrong, there's some fascinating bits. I like a lot of the things going on here and it's an interesting, nearly overwhelming, conflict our heroes find themselves in. And some of those things are even interesting because of how they play off books 1-4. But I feel it could have been done as a different series.
Still, it's entertaining, which makes it a 3.
August 17, 2019
Well, I was hoping I liked this book more than the last, and I wasn't disappointed. While certainly not on the caliber of the first half of the series, this is a good book, and I liked it much more than Worldbinder. Farland seems much more sure of himself in this book, and seems to be developing characters that he's sticking with, instead of the situation as I felt in the last book, where he seemed to be uncommitted to either the world he had created or the one he was creating, he seems invested in this one. I'm getting to know these characters better, instead of seeing them as the bastardized versions of the previous characters I'd enjoyed. After too much turnover, and then several key characters only lasting one book, this one makes it seem that we'll be sticking with them for a while.
I enjoyed in this book the fact that we're getting to see Wyrmlings as people, far more than we ever got to know the Reavers. Of course, the Wyrmlings are definitely portrayed as inherently evil and knowing it, vs the Reavers, who were only evil, IMHO, the way an antelope sees the lion as evil. I also love the way that Vulgash was dealt with! I'm not sure I could have come up with that interesting way of doing it without "attacking" him!
Overall, a worthy addition to the Runelords saga! Yes, unfortunately, it means slogging through Worldbinder, but this book made it worth it!
I enjoyed in this book the fact that we're getting to see Wyrmlings as people, far more than we ever got to know the Reavers. Of course, the Wyrmlings are definitely portrayed as inherently evil and knowing it, vs the Reavers, who were only evil, IMHO, the way an antelope sees the lion as evil. I also love the way that Vulgash was dealt with! I'm not sure I could have come up with that interesting way of doing it without "attacking" him!
Overall, a worthy addition to the Runelords saga! Yes, unfortunately, it means slogging through Worldbinder, but this book made it worth it!
February 7, 2022
So, this book is firmly in the category of "grimdark," but it's so well done, it's still a pleasure to read and makes me want to track down more books by this author. This is also well-done grimdark, where the awful things that happen both make sense in universe and would still make sense if real people faced similar but real dilemmas--this is not always the case in a lot of grimdark fantasy.
There's just something so endlessly cool about the whole idea of the Runelords, where ordinary people can become extraordinary by taking on the useful attributes of tens or hundreds of people. I don't get tired of reading about this/these world(s). Rhianna is definitely my favorite Runelord in this particular novel--an excellent development for the character, and not just for the awesome factor. In conclusion, this book has good world-building and good characterization by a good author I should have picked up sooner.
There's just something so endlessly cool about the whole idea of the Runelords, where ordinary people can become extraordinary by taking on the useful attributes of tens or hundreds of people. I don't get tired of reading about this/these world(s). Rhianna is definitely my favorite Runelord in this particular novel--an excellent development for the character, and not just for the awesome factor. In conclusion, this book has good world-building and good characterization by a good author I should have picked up sooner.
September 20, 2021
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The series is taking a darker tone. In this continuation of the second era the magic that was keeping everyone safe is now being turned against them. I am not sure how it is going to wrap up but I am excited to see what happens next. One thing I guess that would be important is letting people feel and experience their own pain but I guess I get why the character accepts the pain and suffering of others. I am excited to see what will be happening next in this series.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg4e...
The series is taking a darker tone. In this continuation of the second era the magic that was keeping everyone safe is now being turned against them. I am not sure how it is going to wrap up but I am excited to see what happens next. One thing I guess that would be important is letting people feel and experience their own pain but I guess I get why the character accepts the pain and suffering of others. I am excited to see what will be happening next in this series.
December 20, 2021
As I continue with this series I find that Farland has done a wonderful job at mixing things up. I enjoyed the way he allowed Fallion to become the world binder and has made this entirely new mix of people and characters. The world binding idea was so wonderful, and at the time unexpected, so I have been surprised nearly every time someone is reveled to have a shadow self or have been combined with their selves. It's such a crazy idea and Farland has done it so well. I feel like the worldbuilding is the best part of the series.
April 24, 2018
Merely decent when I was hoping for gripping. The story continues, but at times it feels to expansive and at other times too monotonous. By the end I was interested in seeing where it goes, only to find out the next novel picks up with a completely different story. I'm going to have to do some research, but I don't see where the ending of this series is, and that bothers me.
March 25, 2021
There is a lot going on this book which is a little disjointed and hard to follow. Our previous main protagonist is relegated to the sidelines and we follow other characters in this book. The progress of the book isn’t fully satisfying but it is compelling and I want to know what happens next.
July 7, 2025
3.0/5
Everytime there appears to be an interesting or promising plot point or development of character or storyline it goes absolutely nowhere and the book continues in a very linear and predictable way.
Everytime there appears to be an interesting or promising plot point or development of character or storyline it goes absolutely nowhere and the book continues in a very linear and predictable way.
January 30, 2026
I'm still struggling with the dramatic shift in the world, but it's done so well all the same, and man does it drive! i salute the author for taking the reader on such a ride, and executing it well. I'm looking forward to the next book!
October 22, 2018
The writing is simply poetic.
June 10, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this read. I'm a fan of fantasy and magic. This story offers both.
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
September 28, 2020
Not as much character development as it seems there should have been. It moves the story along, but not much of great significance happens in this one.
December 5, 2020
Bought all the books in this series in one massive Kindle book, only one left. Not a bad story so far
June 4, 2022
It's alright. Meh.
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