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War of the Twelve #4
The Obsidian Eyes of Klief
Every Truth Has Its Cost.
War ravages the troubled lands of the nine Baronies. The once-great cities of Arelium, Kessrin, and Talth are forever scarred by the passage of the greyling tide, their graveyards filled with the corpses of those who fought and died on their blood-stained walls.
Surrounded and exhausted, the fragile alliance of men must wager all on a final, daring plan: to find and destroy the creatures’ leader, an enigmatic entity known as the weaver. One of the Twelve, Makara, may hold the key to the weaver’s location, but he too is missing, lost somewhere in the remote Barony of Klief.
The tattered remains of the human armies have no choice but to follow Makara’s trail north, pursued by a relentless horde of greylings. At their head rides Zygos, his god-like intellect transferred into the body of the traitor Praxis.
The town of Klief beckons, as friend and foe alike are drawn to its dim light. It is here, before its golden gates, that the War of the Twelve will be decided.
It is here that an ancient evil will rise …
And heroes will fall.
Coming Summer 2022.
War ravages the troubled lands of the nine Baronies. The once-great cities of Arelium, Kessrin, and Talth are forever scarred by the passage of the greyling tide, their graveyards filled with the corpses of those who fought and died on their blood-stained walls.
Surrounded and exhausted, the fragile alliance of men must wager all on a final, daring plan: to find and destroy the creatures’ leader, an enigmatic entity known as the weaver. One of the Twelve, Makara, may hold the key to the weaver’s location, but he too is missing, lost somewhere in the remote Barony of Klief.
The tattered remains of the human armies have no choice but to follow Makara’s trail north, pursued by a relentless horde of greylings. At their head rides Zygos, his god-like intellect transferred into the body of the traitor Praxis.
The town of Klief beckons, as friend and foe alike are drawn to its dim light. It is here, before its golden gates, that the War of the Twelve will be decided.
It is here that an ancient evil will rise …
And heroes will fall.
Coming Summer 2022.
- GenresFantasy
409 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2022
38 people are currently reading
299 people want to read
About the author
Alex Robins
12 books97 followersAlex Robins was born in Norwich, England back when it was still trendy to wear lycra tracksuits and bright pink headbands. Norwich School Library was where he first discovered his love of reading, an old converted undercroft packed to the rafters with books. The first fantasy series he read was The Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weis & Tracey Hickman, quickly followed by The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and David Eddings' The Belgariad.
At the age of twelve Alex moved across the channel to Nantes in France. Speaking very little French, the first few years were difficult and sometimes lonely as he scrambled to get a grip on the intricate grammar and vocabulary of the French language. His taste in books branched out from epic fantasy to science-fiction, mysteries, thrillers, and historical fiction, but he always came back to his favourite fantasy authors when looking to escape the outside world.
After degrees in agronomy, project management, and computer sciences, Alex founded his own company dedicated to online voting. He met his wife during a game of badminton and they spent several years getting trounced in various regional tournaments before getting married. Alex now lives in the sunny Loire Valley in western France, surrounded by imposing castles, sprawling vineyards, and two children. After reading fantasy books for the last thirty years he decided to write one. The Broken Heart of Arelium is his first novel, and the first in the War of the Twelve series.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 10, 2022
Very solid ending. I really enjoyed this quadrilogy. Nice cast of characters, with solid character development throughout.
I was unsure how it was going to end, but I think it was wrapped up very nicely for the surviving characters.
Everything was pretty consistently written, and the editing was solid throughout, no obvious issues there. The covers are beautiful, and I like how the titles of the books are worked into the books themselves.
Overall, a very good series. Very action packed, with some nice twists and turns in the story and everything was answered by the end. Aside from one question, where did the twelve actually come from originally, were they truly gods? Why were they so special?
I know you read these comments, so well done, Alex Robins. I'll definitely be reading more of your work if you ever release more in the future. You did a wonderful job. I wouldn't mind a book of short stories from this world either!
I was unsure how it was going to end, but I think it was wrapped up very nicely for the surviving characters.
Everything was pretty consistently written, and the editing was solid throughout, no obvious issues there. The covers are beautiful, and I like how the titles of the books are worked into the books themselves.
Overall, a very good series. Very action packed, with some nice twists and turns in the story and everything was answered by the end. Aside from one question, where did the twelve actually come from originally, were they truly gods? Why were they so special?
I know you read these comments, so well done, Alex Robins. I'll definitely be reading more of your work if you ever release more in the future. You did a wonderful job. I wouldn't mind a book of short stories from this world either!
December 29, 2022
I love fantasy but I can admit I'm picky when it comes to this genre probably more then any other - I'd come off a particular bad fantasy book read before starting the Twelve and it's a testament to this series that it cheered me up immediately. Part of the big appeal of this book and series is the author's ability to tell an interesting story without putting me through an 800+ page epic. Fantasy books tend to be on the longer side and it's a refreshing change to go through a series that is in the 300-400 page range yet still manages to convey an epic story.
I don't like giving spoilers so I won't go into too many plot details here but Obsidian Eyes of Klief wraps up the story of the Twelve nicely. It's another epic battle as the greylings lay siege to the city of Klief with Reed, Aldarin, and company hatching a desperate plan to kill their leader and stop them once and for all. Some big plot twists I never saw coming here and a a satisfying ending. Really enjoyed it.
Respect to Alex Robins for putting together an intriguing world and action packed story. I'm also glad this wasn't some 10+ book saga because it doesn't need to be - it's the perfect length for someone who wants a great fantasy story without being overwhelmed. Great books at affordable prices - I can't ask for more then that. Going to check out his new book Panacea now!
I don't like giving spoilers so I won't go into too many plot details here but Obsidian Eyes of Klief wraps up the story of the Twelve nicely. It's another epic battle as the greylings lay siege to the city of Klief with Reed, Aldarin, and company hatching a desperate plan to kill their leader and stop them once and for all. Some big plot twists I never saw coming here and a a satisfying ending. Really enjoyed it.
Respect to Alex Robins for putting together an intriguing world and action packed story. I'm also glad this wasn't some 10+ book saga because it doesn't need to be - it's the perfect length for someone who wants a great fantasy story without being overwhelmed. Great books at affordable prices - I can't ask for more then that. Going to check out his new book Panacea now!
April 8, 2024
A common annoyance is finding a fantasy book that sounds great, only to find it’s only the first of a 10 volume series. The War of the Twelve is four books, and deserves all of them. It’s a rich fantasy world layered with myths and legends, with strong characters and a twisting and turning plot. It forgoes usual fantasy cliches and feels very fresh and new. Action and battle sequences are written and described very well, although many characters have to do information dumps by way of dialogue that no one would really say. Despite that, I’m happy I made the commitment to this series.
August 19, 2023
I read it in a day. My thoughts are a mess. It's 1:40 over here. AM. Yes. I have lots of things to talk about.
June 29, 2022
I waited until I read all four books before I wrote any kind of review. Let me just tell you I LOVED this series, but I was a little disappointed in the ending. Alex has a gift for throwing surprising, curveball tidbits at the end of every chapter. These little tidbits made the reader (me) READ ON instead of going to bed. I am by no means a professional, however I am a prolific and aggressive reader. The storyline gripped me from the beginning and held me until the end. It was not your TIRED everyday story of an unknown poor waif who doesn't know who he is......searching for a legendary sword to defeat some evil entity that has killed just about the whole world's population. The world, ideas, and concepts were believable and very well thought out. However, I was so SADDENED that it ended so abruptly. The War of the Twelve had the potential to be a work to rival Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" Series. I think that a little more time should have been taken to meet and develop new characters. We did not get a chance to meet all of the Twelve. Having said that, I am keeping Alex in mind for any future books to be written. You have a true gift sir. Know that you have a fan for Life.
July 26, 2022
Epic! The entire War of the Twelve series, in my humble opinion, rates as Excellent! The world building is phenomenal. This authors writing style allows me to "see" the story while reading. I could envision this as a movie his skill is so good!
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the War of the Twelve series and highly recommend to anyone that enjoys a true Epic Fantasy. Expect the unexpected. You will truly enjoy this from the first page of book #1 to the last page in #4. I must warn you that it is a page turner that is hard to put down. But well worth the time.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the War of the Twelve series and highly recommend to anyone that enjoys a true Epic Fantasy. Expect the unexpected. You will truly enjoy this from the first page of book #1 to the last page in #4. I must warn you that it is a page turner that is hard to put down. But well worth the time.
August 27, 2024
Closure
The final book of War of the Twelve ended perfectly. As all of the different baronies come together, they learn to use their differences to help each other in the last stand against the Weaver. When reading the previous books in this series, I will admit I had many questions. Alex Robins answered each and every one with this final book. If you like Lord of the Rings, you will definitely enjoy this series!!
The final book of War of the Twelve ended perfectly. As all of the different baronies come together, they learn to use their differences to help each other in the last stand against the Weaver. When reading the previous books in this series, I will admit I had many questions. Alex Robins answered each and every one with this final book. If you like Lord of the Rings, you will definitely enjoy this series!!
June 25, 2022
Absolutely losing my mind while reading this! We were still learning new information though a lot of this book, so I was concerned how it would end, but this wrapped up everything really well. I loved the main characters so much, they really went though A LOT in a relatively short amount of time so I was glad to see some happy endings, especially with my boy Reed! Honestly, The war of the twelve would make for a great TV series, or movie. Ive been recommending these books to everyone, its probably the best series ive read this year. 10/10
June 29, 2022
After reading the previous three books, I was so looking forward to finding out the fate of my favourite characters and to having a few things explained ...
Well, I wasn't disappointed! And I was also pleasantly surprised by how the author continued to introduce new concepts and cliffhangers that held my interest right to the very end.
I'm going to miss this world and its inhabitants so please, Alex Robins, can you come up with some more riveting stories soon?
Well, I wasn't disappointed! And I was also pleasantly surprised by how the author continued to introduce new concepts and cliffhangers that held my interest right to the very end.
I'm going to miss this world and its inhabitants so please, Alex Robins, can you come up with some more riveting stories soon?
May 31, 2023
Book Review - The Obsidian Eyes of Klief
So did Alex stick the ending…I would say yes!
The Obsidian Eyes of Klief is the fourth and final book in The War of Twelve.
I’ve had a great time reading this four book series. Each book was better than its predecessor, with the final book being the best of the series.
This series was all about the characters. Each character went through some serious growth throughout the four books.
My favourite character from the start was Reed and that didn’t change as I progressed through each book. There are some other great characters like Aldarin and Jeffson but Reed was top of the list.
The story/world building definitely comes second to the characters but do not let that put you off if you’re not a character driven reader. The world building and story was still great and Alex did an awesome job keeping the story exciting and the stake high to make sure I was still invested.
It would be remiss of me not to mention the awesome covers. Each cover has a beautifully picture of one of the main characters and land marks. Plus they all had different colour scheme.
Overall this was a good ending to the series, with the story wrapping up nicely, with Alex leaving a just a few unanswered questions. Probably for future books 🧐
After enjoying this series, I would definitely pick up more work from Alex.
8.5/10 ⭐️
So did Alex stick the ending…I would say yes!
The Obsidian Eyes of Klief is the fourth and final book in The War of Twelve.
I’ve had a great time reading this four book series. Each book was better than its predecessor, with the final book being the best of the series.
This series was all about the characters. Each character went through some serious growth throughout the four books.
My favourite character from the start was Reed and that didn’t change as I progressed through each book. There are some other great characters like Aldarin and Jeffson but Reed was top of the list.
The story/world building definitely comes second to the characters but do not let that put you off if you’re not a character driven reader. The world building and story was still great and Alex did an awesome job keeping the story exciting and the stake high to make sure I was still invested.
It would be remiss of me not to mention the awesome covers. Each cover has a beautifully picture of one of the main characters and land marks. Plus they all had different colour scheme.
Overall this was a good ending to the series, with the story wrapping up nicely, with Alex leaving a just a few unanswered questions. Probably for future books 🧐
After enjoying this series, I would definitely pick up more work from Alex.
8.5/10 ⭐️
July 13, 2022
Great ending to the series.
June 14, 2022
I've really enjoyed Robins's other book and this one is no exception. He manages to bring the different threads of the previous books together in a satisfying way and the send-off he gives to his characters feels well-earned. I especially enjoyed the Extras section explaining where the inspiration for the Twelve came from. More of this in books, please!
January 2, 2025
This is an excellent ending to a great saga ! I couldn't stop reading, eager to see how the story would come to an end for all the characters. Epic book ! A must-read for sure ! Looking forward to other books by the author Alex Robins.
December 24, 2025
A good end...
I wasn't sure how this was going to be wrapped up but Alex did it very well... Continued in the same style, jumping from storyline to storyline, keeping me wanting more... This could be converted to an awesome movie!
I wasn't sure how this was going to be wrapped up but Alex did it very well... Continued in the same style, jumping from storyline to storyline, keeping me wanting more... This could be converted to an awesome movie!
January 11, 2025
Excellent series
So we come to the last book of the series and I was a little worried about reading it because previous series I've read by different author's the final book has sadly ruined the entire series. This is NOT the case for this one. Perfect ending gripping,fast paced I couldn't out it down until completed. These books I found through kindle unlimited but loved them so much I have decided to buy them so I can reread in the future. Will now be going on to try Alex's book series The ruined God's and have followed him so any future books come my way. Look forward to reading them....
So we come to the last book of the series and I was a little worried about reading it because previous series I've read by different author's the final book has sadly ruined the entire series. This is NOT the case for this one. Perfect ending gripping,fast paced I couldn't out it down until completed. These books I found through kindle unlimited but loved them so much I have decided to buy them so I can reread in the future. Will now be going on to try Alex's book series The ruined God's and have followed him so any future books come my way. Look forward to reading them....
March 27, 2023
The entire book was basically the last battle. Which was awesome. So glad Reed got a happy ending, man was too good not to get something good out of this ordeal.
May 3, 2025
Fantastic Series
Loved this series! It literally had everything- wonderful world building, excellent character development, exciting adventures, and even romance. Though I usually read romances, I sometimes switch to Fantasy, and this was well worth it. Kept me interested- and prevented me from doing any of my other projects lol!!
Loved this series! It literally had everything- wonderful world building, excellent character development, exciting adventures, and even romance. Though I usually read romances, I sometimes switch to Fantasy, and this was well worth it. Kept me interested- and prevented me from doing any of my other projects lol!!
October 10, 2025
Robbins has crafted quite the story.
Everything built up to this point pays off with a desperate battle between the surviving people of the nine baronies, and the spawn of the pit.
Robins does not let up in this final book. We get revelations regarding the original Twelve, more world building [the desert landscape of Da'nara], and twists, turns, and betrayals.
Not everyone survived this final battle, and the realm of the Nine Barronies are forever changed from [as you can see on the cover] the emergence of the Wyrm.
I am an ardent fan of Robins, and will be looking forward to the prequel series "Mothers of Sorrow" as well as the sequel series "Legacy of the Twelve" as teased by books end.
Everything built up to this point pays off with a desperate battle between the surviving people of the nine baronies, and the spawn of the pit.
Robins does not let up in this final book. We get revelations regarding the original Twelve, more world building [the desert landscape of Da'nara], and twists, turns, and betrayals.
Not everyone survived this final battle, and the realm of the Nine Barronies are forever changed from [as you can see on the cover] the emergence of the Wyrm.
I am an ardent fan of Robins, and will be looking forward to the prequel series "Mothers of Sorrow" as well as the sequel series "Legacy of the Twelve" as teased by books end.
November 16, 2025
Really an outstanding series. We find out what really happened to the Twelve. The wyrm is coming. Praxis redeemed? Reed and Jelaia descend. An eternal battle? Two rings.
Again, battle sequences were well written - pacing was excellent. The author does a great job of tying up all the loose ends to bring us home.
Super, super happy with this series. Highly recommend!
Again, battle sequences were well written - pacing was excellent. The author does a great job of tying up all the loose ends to bring us home.
Super, super happy with this series. Highly recommend!
October 10, 2023
Enjoyable read
First books I have read from this author, and have enjoyed them. The story builds through each book till the 4th book and even then it still builds to a good ending. There are lots of twists and turns to keep you interested, and the characters are well formed and likeable, would recommend.
First books I have read from this author, and have enjoyed them. The story builds through each book till the 4th book and even then it still builds to a good ending. There are lots of twists and turns to keep you interested, and the characters are well formed and likeable, would recommend.
June 25, 2022
This is the fourth and final book in Robins' "War of the Twelve" series. The whole series is wonderful. I read various sorts of fantasy fiction, and I certainly do not exclude the YA books featuring a young hero/heroine, usually Chosen. In this series, the main characters are all adults - what a treat!
No spoilers here. But if you love fantasy, do yourself a favor and begin "War of the Twelve" with the first book, The Broken Heart of Arelium. I strongly suspect that like me, you will be sorry to say Farewell to Jelaïa, Reed, Aldarin, Jeffson, and of course The Twelve. (Especially Jeffson, but maybe that's just me... )
All four books are available in Kindle Unlimited, but are well-worth the cost to purchase them as ebooks or paperbacks.
Looking forward to more books by this author!
No spoilers here. But if you love fantasy, do yourself a favor and begin "War of the Twelve" with the first book, The Broken Heart of Arelium. I strongly suspect that like me, you will be sorry to say Farewell to Jelaïa, Reed, Aldarin, Jeffson, and of course The Twelve. (Especially Jeffson, but maybe that's just me... )
All four books are available in Kindle Unlimited, but are well-worth the cost to purchase them as ebooks or paperbacks.
Looking forward to more books by this author!
June 30, 2025
An action packed end to a brilliant and fun series - I’ve loved both this series and the Ruined Gods. It’s safe to say that Alex Robins has become a must read author for me!
August 7, 2025
Great series!
Overall I’d give it a 4.5. I believe this is the first full series I have ever read and loved every bit of it.
Overall I’d give it a 4.5. I believe this is the first full series I have ever read and loved every bit of it.
June 21, 2025
What was the worst part of this book?
The fact that the story ended. I loved the Characters, the world, the lore and the authors writing style. It has everything I love about fantasy without too many tropes. Alex is more artist than author and his words are his paint. This story was a masterpiece and I don’t say that lightly. This guy is now up there with the greats in my eyes. I have my friends trying him now as well. I can’t quit recommending this series. I look forward to more work similar to what I have just finished enjoying. These books have alot of rereadability. He will hereby be on my radar when he comes out with anything new.
The fact that the story ended. I loved the Characters, the world, the lore and the authors writing style. It has everything I love about fantasy without too many tropes. Alex is more artist than author and his words are his paint. This story was a masterpiece and I don’t say that lightly. This guy is now up there with the greats in my eyes. I have my friends trying him now as well. I can’t quit recommending this series. I look forward to more work similar to what I have just finished enjoying. These books have alot of rereadability. He will hereby be on my radar when he comes out with anything new.
July 4, 2022
As the adventure continues with Jelaia. Aldarin, and Reed and with the help of some of the Twelve it gets pretty intense. They have to fight more of the greylings and the Agamids and get to the Weaver within the Shroud before the Wyrm is released upon Klief. Some will be lost from the war but, also happiness is found. Knowing that the series has ended it was a very great intense adventure. It will hold you attention to the end.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews