Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
Humanity's last chance could be a new beginning.
It's been months since the demons arrived and slaughtered the world. The earth belongs to the damned and barely anything of civilisation remains, but some still fight. Mankind's last survivors remain defiant.

Nestled deep in the middle of the UK's largest forest, a small group of adults fight to remain hidden in the apocalypse. In their care are almost fifty children; perhaps the last children left . Their survival is vital to mankind's survival, but their sanctuary is put in jeopardy when three weary strangers arrive at once. Can the newcomers be trusted? Or do they bring catastrophe?

DEFIANCE is the 4th book in the epic apocalyptic Hell on Earth saga. Follow characters old and new as the twist-filled story continues, providing new threats, mysteries, and acts of human kindness.

414 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 23, 2018

361 people are currently reading
318 people want to read

About the author

Iain Rob Wright

168 books1,828 followers
One of Horror's most respected authors, Iain Rob Wright is the writer of more than forty books, many of them bestsellers. A previous Kindle All-Star and a mainstay in the horror charts, he is a prolific producer of unique and original stories. From his apocalyptic saga The Gates to his claustrophobic revenge thriller ASBO, Iain writes across a broad spectrum of sub genres, creating both beloved series and standalone titles.

With work available in several languages and in audio, Iain Rob Wright is one of the fastest rising stars in horror, but when not writing he is a dedicated family man. Father to Jack and Molly, and husband to Sally, he is often seen sharing his family memories with his fans on Facebook.

To get 6 of his books for free (no strings), just visit: www.iainrobwright.com

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
427 (56%)
4 stars
232 (30%)
3 stars
86 (11%)
2 stars
7 (<1%)
1 star
5 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
4 reviews
June 2, 2019
After reading the first 3 books with no end in sight, I started reading this to find out how it was all going to end.........still waiting!!!!! Yeah it’s been an epic read, but how long can you drag it out????? Even Lord of the Rings was only 3 books
Profile Image for William Bitner Jr..
601 reviews34 followers
November 4, 2018
Defiance (Hell on Earth, Book 4)
By Iain Rob Wright

Genre - Fiction
Category - Apocalyptic/Horror/Series
Pages - 412
Publication Info - Independently Published (October 23, 2018)
Format - Paperback
Rating - 📙📙📙📙📙

At what point does a person surpass brilliance? I’m not sure, but what I am sure of is that Defiance (Hell on Earth, Book 4) by Iain Rob Wright is pretty damn near perfection and this series of books gets better with each new installment. As a person who reads a lot of series type books we hope that the next book will be at least half as good as the prior one. In the case of Hell on Earth Iain Rob Wright has surpassed himself on that front. He continues to maintain excellence in his writing style and as with all his other books, you know you are reading a Iain Rob Wright book just from the style of writing. I used to have this same feeling years ago when reading Stephen King, Dean Koontz or Clive Barker...you can just tell from the rhythm, cadence and timing and flow of the story that you are experiencing yet another great creation from the mind of a brilliant writer. This books is so much more than apocalyptic horror, it’s about survival of the fittest, about community coming together to stop evil and injustice in our lives and the lives of our fellow human beings, it’s about doing what is right no matter the consequences. And, the consequences for some of these characters is dire and life changing. Not only for the person doing the deed, but for the whole human race. I’m a huge fan of Iain’s work, and what we are experiencing here is the continuation of a legend, and a writer making his mark as well as a writer to be reckoned with. It really is a whole and complete experience reading one of Iain’s books and I love how he manages to somehow bring the reader at the end of a book to think about one of his other books. In this case it was for me Wings of Sorrow. It’s almost like a clue to which direction the next book will be going in. No matter what the direction you will get your money's worth and much enjoyment out of reading one of Iain’s books. You can tell when reading one of Iain’s books just how much he loves what he does. The blood, sweat and tears pour from the pages. It just doesn’t get any better than this in my opinion. I continue to read and enjoy his work and always look forward to the next book.

From the back cover: Humanity's last chance could be a new beginning.

It's been months since the demons arrived and slaughtered the world. The earth belongs to the damned and barely anything of civilisation remains, but some still fight. Mankind's last survivors remain defiant.

Nestled deep in the middle of the UK's largest forest, a small group of adults fight to remain hidden in the apocalypse. In their care are almost fifty children; perhaps the last children left . Their survival is vital to mankind's survival, but their sanctuary is put in jeopardy when three weary strangers arrive at once. Can the newcomers be trusted? Or do they bring catastrophe?

Defiance is the 4th book in the epic apocalyptic Hell on Earth saga. Follow characters old and new as the twist-filled story continues, providing new threats, mysteries, and acts of human kindness.

About the author: Iain Rob Wright is one of the UK's most successful horror and suspense writers, with novels including the critically acclaimed, The Final Winter; the disturbing bestseller, ASBO; and the wicked screamfest, The Housemates.

The three most important things in his life are his wife, his children, and his fans.

His work is currently being adapted for graphic novels, audio books, and foreign audiences. He’s an active member of the Horror Writers Association and a massive animal lover.

Other books by Iain Rob Wright: Animal Kingdom, A to Z of Horror, 2389, Holes in the Ground (with J.A. Konrath), Sam, ASBO, The Final Winter, The Housemates, Sea Sick, Ravage, Savage, The Picture Frame, Wings of Sorrow, The Gates, Legion, Extinction, TAR, House Beneath the Bridge, The Peeling, Blood on the Bar, Soft Target, Hot Zone and End Play.
Profile Image for Mylene.
315 reviews1 follower
December 2, 2018
The defiler and his ward Scarlet? Can’t wait for the next adventure!

Wow! What a ride.
If you have read the other three books about the war between the humans and the demons, then you know how great Iain is with his character development.
In this novel, we get a whole new story about a group of survivors in the North of England. The only returning characters are Vamp and Aymun.
Although I was a little taken aback that I would not be reading more adventures about the team in Portsmouth, I truly fell in love with an all new cast of characters and their adventures.
Iain concludes this novel with the reemergence of Tony Cross and General Thomas (who now wants to battle General Wickstaff for power in Portsmouth.... lol... what is that old fool thinking?), and the trio of Damien (one of my all-time favourite characters, alongside Lucifer/Lucas), Harry, and Steph.
It seems that we are in for a big treat in the next novel as all the survivors in each part of the world are bound to reunite. I mean, c’mon....Damian and friends manage to recruit the Defiler and his ward Scarlet (how’s that for just all out wacky?). Iain looks like he has a few more twists and turns up his sleeve. I’m really hoping the demon slave, David, has a larger role in the story to come.... he is quite intriguing as a character.
Finally, although I gave this story a 5 star review because I love the content and I have read everything Iain has ever written, I was a little perturbed by the editing in the last 20 pages. It was very weird how all of a sudden there were noticeable spelling, grammar, and other mistakes. The biggest one for me was using Hannah’s name instead of Steph.... Sacrilege!!!!! (I expect this will be fixed in new editions so don’t let it deter you from reading a terrific follow up to the apocalypse on earth).
Profile Image for William Mills.
267 reviews5 followers
July 24, 2021
Another superb instalment of the series, I found myself being annoyed at first because it centres on a new set of characters and new camp. I feared it would go the way of the TV series the walking dead where they keep introducing new factions and rehashing the same storey over and over. Unlike the walking dead though this actually gets better and the new characters are a great addition and so add to the story very well. It's super fast paced as usual and written in a way that keeps you turning pages yearning for more. Excellent book and excellent series so far.
As with all I.R.W books I highly recommend this book, the man is a genius.
Profile Image for Kerry Cahill.
160 reviews5 followers
January 23, 2019
Totally awesome!

This is one series you don't want to miss! There is so much going on with these books, they leave your head reeling. One poignant message came through... if we stuck together as a human race regardless of religion, race, creed and colour etc, how different would our world be?? I love this series for many reasons... I'm sure you will too.
TTFN 😊 ENJOY 😈
Profile Image for AJRXII .
492 reviews9 followers
April 21, 2020
Widening the story for the finale, taking us to new characters and different place (or two 😉)

So far 5 ⭐for 1,3 and 4 and 4 ⭐ for 2 just because it went over too much from one. That being said they are all coming together and I've got to say brilliantly written and such fun. Right on to number 5 now .... COME ON!
Profile Image for Megan.
142 reviews1 follower
December 26, 2018
What Can I Say About Defiance? All Good!

Defiance is the fourth book in the ongoing Hell On Earth series... and I could not be happier to have it continue. This particular installment introduces more new characters and you don't see some of those that played an upfront rule in the last three books, but there are a few key players. The action, the intrigue, and Iain's ability to take you on an emotional ride alongside his panoply of people is exquisite.

Like many series, I wouldn't suggest reading these books out of order. I would suggest not only reading the first three in order, but also consider joining Iain Rob Wright's mailing list. His finely honed skills show through in each novel he has penned, including this one. It has left me in the situation all avid readers both love and hate - wanting more novels added to the series, yet knowing there is going to be a wait. Thanks for another great read, Iain, and keep up the fantastic work!
Profile Image for Louise.
109 reviews
November 9, 2019
Wasn't too sure about this, where it was going what the reasons were going to be ;the driver for it. I read on the characters normal and I teresting enough, thrust into a strange terrifying and inexplicable situation.
Sadly key characters you're just getting to know die. I thought the loss of our femal character was sad when she was just growing in strength and questioned the authors choice in this when her partner had been so brusque and dislikable. A curious choice and one that took the shine off for me.
I wasn't always feeling the emotion of loss, it just happened and you moved on.
Towards the end the story starts to take shape, there begins to be some reason for why it's happening but not how or who. A hint of that possibly at the end.
I will read the second, it was compelling enough for me to want to find out, particularly about Rick and Daniel.
309 reviews3 followers
March 8, 2021
slight spoiler in final line of review.
Another solid book. Though this time we follow a new group of survivors. Though familiar faces do pop up again. Can't really give it a five for certain demons not really being quite a threat. That demon was a pain for our survivors but it just wasn't the same. As you'll read it in the book. Overall its another fantastic location/setting for survivors to fight off demons. Ted, Kamiyo and Hannah and the returning characters from the previous book were all fantastic, even Nathan. The threat seems to be shrinking but the war not over. its not a spoiler but i hope there is a point to get that pov from the USA survivors. The characters introduced sound very interesting. Won't say which characters or when they appear. Onto the 5th book.
Profile Image for Nigel.
1,030 reviews7 followers
July 26, 2024
Another good instalment in the series. This time the story focuses on a group of survivors who have hidden away at a D of E outdoor centre in Kielder Forest. So far they had not seen any of the demons and weren't entirely convinced they are even real. Dr Kamiyo is wondering around on his own and stumbles across the camp and there is immediately suspicion. Not long after he arrives the camp is attacked for the first time, with devastation only being thwarted by the arrival of Ted and Hannah 2 more strangers to the group. The group grows and changes they become focussed on strengthening their defences against a further assault the know is coming. Will their preparations be enough?
As with the previous books, this is raw horror at its best. It moves along at a good pace but still find time for personal relationship to flourish.
Profile Image for Laura Patterson.
47 reviews1 follower
September 24, 2020
This was my least favorite of the series, so far. It reminded me of later seasons of The Walking Dead, where everyone was stupid. That's exactly what I didn't like about this book. I was constantly yelling at the characters, "Why the hell did you do that?!" Arg so frustrating. They would come up with a plan, and then do something else. I pretty much skimmed the last 40 or so pages so it could be over with. I'm not sure if I want to finish the series now. I did give it 2 stars because there were some good parts, and I like most of the characters. If you've read this series, let me know what you thought, should I read books 5 and 6?
Profile Image for Alan.
163 reviews2 followers
November 6, 2018
And so it continues.....

Yet another great page Turner in this series. The author creates an electrifying and engaging storyline with old and new characters, weaving their separate journeys together, cleverly taking the reader first one direction, then another and just when you feel you know what's about to happen he adds yet another twist.....to who knows where. I can say honestly that it's been a long time since I enjoyed a series of books as much as this.
116 reviews
November 27, 2018
The series continues!

And what a series! Always loved this author's work and this current Apocalyptic series is excellent, good balance of humour, action, sorrow, despair the whole gamut of human emotions laid bare.
Characters you grow to love...or hate...and huge battles between humans and demons, I'd say this more than deserves to be made into a Hollywood blockbuster but doubt even Hollywood could do this series justice.
If you haven't read the series yet....WHY NOT?!!!!!
Profile Image for Liz.
291 reviews5 followers
October 30, 2018
Brilliant

Wow ! What an imagination Iain Rob Wright has ,I read this book over 2 days ,would have been less but stupid things like sleep got in the way. I love this series and I loved the new characters and I was also delighted to be reunited with a couple of old characters ,I can't wait to see what happens when the army gets to Portsmouth,keep writing mr Wright
Profile Image for Kaye Nutman.
Author 38 books10 followers
December 8, 2018
Another Winner

I read this pretty quickly, and sometimes into the early hours. It was as compelling as the previous three in the series. Absolutely gripping at times and an enjoyable read. Ian Rob Wright manages to add in new characters seamlessly, featuring different points of view in separate chapters. Can’t wait for the next one!
Profile Image for Orkney Dean.
88 reviews5 followers
May 16, 2019
Just gets better

Another touch of brilliance from the master of horror. Some new characters in this combined with the ones we know and love make a great fourth installment of Hell on Earth. Please book 5 come quickly because nothing I read between now and then will mean a thing compared to the ride I'm on reading this series.
506 reviews3 followers
July 30, 2020
AN ABSOLUTELY AWESOME READ!!!

Defiance was a total non-stop read!! The story is still ongoing with the horror In Europe! Survivors struggling to survive in this messed up war! Try to stay alive, along with those they love! Never knowing, if those they meet along the way, will help or try to kill them!
I'm off to read the next book!!!
Profile Image for D.S. Mac.
Author 1 book38 followers
August 9, 2020
This is probably my favourite book of the series so far!

Every single new character was well written and their parts of the story were fantastic!!
Even the crossovers with existing characters were gripping and felt right.

I love where this is all seemingly going.

This whole book flew perfectly in a way the some of others haven't quite managed.

On to the next 😁
Author 17 books4 followers
March 12, 2021
Again, wonderful book with great characters and a great story. The only thing keeping it from five stars is the need of a good copy editor. There was also one inconsistency in the story, which I will not mention specifically, as it would spoil some of the story. Worth reading, though. Onto the next one for me.
Profile Image for Wenzel Roessler.
820 reviews6 followers
December 1, 2022
The series continues on and seems to get better. This book introduces many new characters who are all well written. Although the end of this book has me scared as to what direction the story is taking. Regardless this is probably the best in the series so far. Excellent pacing and a good use of tension to keep you wanting to turn pages.
Profile Image for Scarlet.
Author 27 books176 followers
July 26, 2023
Love the whole series

I absolutely love the whole series so far. I can’t get enough of them. I enjoy how there are different pov but some of them meet up and join the fight together. Looking forward to the next instalment. Can’t wait to see what happens with Vamps, Damien, Ted and Tony.
Profile Image for PJ Lea.
1,064 reviews
December 7, 2018
Horrific.

Humanity is in its dying throes against the demons that have surged through the gates, but we're a determined species and it'll take a lot to eradicate us.
Really put my heart in my throat, horribly graphic and exciting as hell, there are all manner of characters to like or loathe.
A rollercoaster through a nightmare world.
32 reviews1 follower
October 31, 2018
The best so far!

I got hooked on this series of books last year and have devoured every one in a day or two. This one is the best so far. Tying up old loose ends and presenting even more interesting characters and situations. This could go on until the real Apocalypse!
78 reviews1 follower
November 19, 2018
Can't Stand The wait...

And the saga continues...introducing new characters at the end was a spin. Can not wait to see this to the end. This storyline will keep you on the edge of your seat. This author never fails....
Profile Image for Brandie Lea Slicer.
337 reviews4 followers
April 5, 2019
Please write more in the series!

Well I could just read this series forever! Love the story, horror, plot line, numerous characters, their developing lives and stories. I don’t know if there will be more but some stories seem left to be told...so I hope so!
33 reviews
July 14, 2019
Loved it!

This book was fantastic. I have read all 4 now and, I loved them all. I just hope that IRW will release a 5th book, as the end was not enough closure on the series! So please , let's have no5 IRW .
69 reviews
August 18, 2019
Another great read!

Every book in this series just keeps getting better and better! Fantastic story, I agree with others, it would make a great film or TV show too! Cant wait to read the next book. IRW is truly a show stopping author. Would highly recommend.
Profile Image for haylie.
454 reviews21 followers
September 6, 2019
Does not disappoint

Another excellent book in the hells gate series.
The books just get better and better with terrifying things happening over and over and I love it. Not a predictable book at all and I would go as far as to say I have found !y new favourite horror author
5 reviews
May 27, 2020
Absolutely love this series of books. I honestly got so wrapped up in it. The main characters and the entire story! What an incredible story along with exceptional plots and challenges along the way. It builds up and in some parts had to hold back my own tears.
Profile Image for Mary.
251 reviews2 followers
October 8, 2020
I like the storyline very much. It is hard to see favored characters die during the battles but it makes the story more believable. As old characters die off new ones are added. Well written and engrossing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.