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Darkfall

(The Rhenwars Saga #4)

M.L. Spencer (Goodreads Author)

4.16 · Rating details · 128 ratings · 19 reviews

There Is No Mercy for the Merciless.

★★★★★ “Some of the deepest and most polarizing characters that I have read to date.” —Pierce Erickson, Goodreads Review

The invasion of the Rhen has begun! Darien Lauchlin is determined to find a refuge for the people of Malikar by any means necessary—even if it means conquering the nations he formerly swore to protect. Wielding th ...more

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Kindle Edition, 387 pages

Published November 28th 2018 by Stoneguard Publications

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Dec 10, 2018 C.T. Phipps rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, grimdark

5/5

DARKFALL is the grand finale of the Rhenwars Saga and it's nice to have a series which ends properly even if the ending is bittersweet. M.L. Spencer is one of the new voices in dark fantasy (which I use when talking non-pejoratively about grimdark fiction). She doesn't use violence or swearing to win her accolades but a persistent deconstruction of the traditional heroic narrative.

The premise of the series is that a ragtag band of heroes tried to save the world a 1000 years ago and failed mis 5/5

DARKFALL is the grand finale of the Rhenwars Saga and it's nice to have a series which ends properly even if the ending is bittersweet. M.L. Spencer is one of the new voices in dark fantasy (which I use when talking non-pejoratively about grimdark fiction). She doesn't use violence or swearing to win her accolades but a persistent deconstruction of the traditional heroic narrative.

The premise of the series is that a ragtag band of heroes tried to save the world a 1000 years ago and failed miserably. Instead, the world has been divided into a dark and depressing hellscape as well a picturesque Gondorian paradise. You'd think this would be an easy set up for a conflict between the "good" people from the pretty lands and the bad people from the pseudo-Mordor, right? Wrong. It's much more like George R.R. Martin's Wildlings versus the North except the Watch equivalent are mages. Except in this universe, Jon Snow defects to join the side of the Wildlings and they really are going to butcher as many people as necessary to

For the past few books, we've watched the main character of Darien struggle with his loyalties. Darien has resolved that conflict and has now decided to go 100% #TeamDarklands. The problem is that it was never about serving one side absolutely and all he's done is become a monster in service to a new cause versus recognizing the humanity of both sides. However, the other side is #TeamLightlands ad the only thing this is going to accomplish is get more people killed.

Darien is a character who has had a magnificent and complicated journey from plucky hero to deranged fanatic. It's wrong to simply term him as a villain, though, even when he's planning on massacring every survivor of the villages he conquers in order to make sure there's enough food for his army of refugees. His decisions are irrational but he's certain he's making the most logical plans he can as both PTSD as well as stress have worn him to the quick.

On the other side of the conflict is Kyel, who has become the mage Darien tried to be but refuses to cross the line and break his Oath of Harmony (no killing with magic). This despite the fact he's leading a massive army to exterminate the Darklanders. Kyel is the more traditionally heroic of the two but he's surrounded by people with absolutely no honor who, ironically, don't trust him because he thinks of the Darklanders as people.

There's a third faction of individuals trying to figure out a way to deal with the "Convergence" that is coming around for a second time and potentially will render the entire war moot. I, personally, like their story most as I was always fond of its characters and don't feel comfortable spoiling all of the twists as well as turns there. It does, however, nicely illustrate the healing power of revenge. Really, what can you say about a story where murdering your closest ally in saving the world is a legitimate means of doing good?

The series end on a bittersweet note which foregoes the nihilism of Joe Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy and is more akin to Mark Lawrence's The Broken Empire. Some measure of redemption is achieved by a few characters while the majority of the cast doesn't make it out of the finale. It's a lot harsher than the Lord of the Rings but, ironically, I think honors its Tolkien inspiration better than most. War is a traumatizing and soul-destroying activity that never fully is recovered from. It remembers Frodo dies of a broken heart (Journey to the West aside).

In conclusion, this is an epic ending to an epic series. Whatever her future works, M.L. Spencer has created something that I believe deserves to be read by fantasy readers throughout the world. The characters are beautifully illustrated, tragic, and well-realized. The action is amazing and full of amazing feats that would make a blockbuster movie. The morality is also ambiguous but makes real and solid points. The world-building is simple but always consistent with revelations about its structure until the last. Read this series. You won't be disappointed. ...more

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Jan 27, 2019 Rebekah Teller rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

A fitting end to a thrilling series. Loyalties are tested and characters are pushed to the limits of their fortitude and resolve.

Time and again, Darien's fate has been fraught with hard choices. In this final installment of the Rhenwars Saga, everything is at stake—the fate of the world, the fate of the magic field, the fate of the Well of Tears, and the fate of Darien's soul. How much strife can a man endure before becoming vengeful and evil? At what point will Darien break?

Darien has been wil ...more

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Dec 04, 2018 The Scribblings rated it it was amazing

The final battle for the Rhen has been a long time coming but now the invasion has begun. As Darien leads his new people into the lands he once defended, he has to face former friends and protect himself against the enemies that are supposed to be on his side.
 Endings can be tricky things. Not only do you have to try to tie up all the plot threads and pay off what has gone before, but you also want to satisfy the readers that have stuck with you. I'm happy to say that Darkfall succeeds on all co ...more

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May 13, 2019 Bonnie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019-tbr

I wonderful finish to a epic tale of the dark within the world and the portrayal we allow it to infuse in our lives. My favorite excerpt:

“There must be some middle ground. I just don’t know where it is or what it would look like.”
“I think I know,” Naia said. “And it has nothing to do with oaths, and everything to do with what’s inside. Our decisions define us. Not our chains.”

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Nov 26, 2019 S. D. Howarth rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 20, 2020 Slater Fortenberry rated it it was amazing

A fantastic and satisfying ending to what quickly became one of my favorite series. I just wish I hadn't read it so fast!! ...more

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Dec 06, 2018 Lana rated it it was amazing

Darien has been mercilessly travelling through town after town, killing and destroying everyone he found in the lands of the Rhen however his people were starving now as every town they were arriving in had now been ransacked and lay empty of people, animals and food. This situation was making Darien both angry and desperate and desperate people end up doing desperate things! Darien kept feeling responsible for everyone and he was riddled with guilt and shame, feeling he had yet again failed his ...more

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Dec 04, 2018 Michele rated it it was amazing

This book wraps everything up perfect. ML does a bit of trickery at the end so just as I was crying the smole came out. She may write get dark epic books but I think she is a softy at heart. I hope she carries on the saga with Rhen to see his journey. I don't know if ML dreams these plots and turns or that is pure imagination but we are lucky for it. ...more

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Jul 23, 2019 Sarah Hays rated it it was amazing

Wonderful conclusion to the series!

I loved how the story followed the characters and their different paths. They each played a big role in the story. It is full of action! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

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Mar 15, 2019 Graham dring rated it it was amazing

A fantastic read

All together these books are amazing, the twists and plots and the way your own feelings for these characters always changing, again an amazing read would recommend it to anyone.

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Dec 01, 2018 Nick Brummett rated it it was amazing

Great ending to a great story. I look forward to whatever the author writes next.

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Sep 19, 2019 James Runnels rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 27, 2020 Rinaldo rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, united-states

3.5/5

Welp, this is disappointing. After 3 books of mostly great build up and interesting explorations on moral, this book is a letdown. It is not a bad book per se, but it plays almost all stereotypical epic fantasy tropes straight.

The previous three books are quick paced and somewhat lean in size, and these result in cracks which take their tolls on this book. From drab and milquetoast worldbuilding, convoluted plot, unnecessary new characters, under-fleshed recurring cast, women in fridge, ov ...more

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Sep 20, 2020 Jonathan Pembroke rated it really liked it

Shelves: indie

I'm of two minds about the capstone book to the Rhenwars Saga.

On one hand, I felt that it slipped back to some of the uneven pacing of the first book. While the climax generally made sense, I thought the set-up for one key feature was inadequate; though lightly foreshadowed, it smacked of deus ex machina. And one character had a personality/power shift than didn't quite seem consistent with the previous books.

On the other hand, the battle scenes were gripping and exciting, and a stark illustrati ...more

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Nov 25, 2020 Rose rated it really liked it

The end is here. Darien Lauchlin paid a high price for saving the people of Caladorn. His brutal and vicious acts showed the demon he had become. I didn’t like it one bit! But a protagonist can be an antagonist as well, so I get it. Quinlan Reis became my champion in this installment. I looked forward to his and Naia’s every little adventures. I was hoping for a better outcome of Kyle Archer, it’s a wonder Gil Archer disliked Rylan Marshall. Now it’s time to move forward with book 2 of the Chaos ...more

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Feb 18, 2020 Scott Pare rated it liked it

Shelves: fantasy, pleasure-reading

I felt this dragged a bit.

Honestly, the 4 books in this series could be 1 Robert Jordan type length standalone book, and trim the filler stuff.

The ending was very predictable, with the exception of the way the very last fight scene went, that was actually pretty cool.

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Mar 26, 2019 Spacechik rated it did not like it

Boring

Predictable. Boring. Kept reading hoping the onslaught of adjectives would stop. And why would all those women fall for a despicable human being? Hours I spent reading this drivel could have been better spent. The only redeeming point is that I read for free.

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Aug 22, 2020 Sandra rated it it was amazing

Master Spencer's great work!

The entire series is full of magic, war, greed, love, hate, chains bound and unbound and so very much more. This is not a tween romance this is so much more! Read the series! I dragon dare you! ...more

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Jul 22, 2020 Terry Morris rated it it was amazing

Love this 4 book series.
Cried at the end, really get into every person she writes about. The best dark fantasy writer. I have read all her books.

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Norox rated it really liked it
Apr 19, 2020

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Feb 05, 2020

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Dec 25, 2018

Angela rated it it was amazing
Mar 10, 2019

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Feb 17, 2019

Glenn Proffitt rated it it was amazing
Mar 16, 2019

Phillip Wyrick rated it it was amazing
Dec 24, 2018

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May 03, 2020

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About M.L. Spencer

M.L. Spencer

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M.L. Spencer is an epic fantasy author. Her debut novel Darkmage won the 2012 IndieReader Discovery Award for Fantasy, and her novel Chains of Blood was awarded Silver in the 2020 Readers' Favorite Awards for Fantasy.
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