"The morning air was thick with cold, so sharp Gelick could almost taste the frost on his tongue." This was the first line of the prologue. And it started me off on the wrong foot. How could the air be thick and sharp at the same time? Also, though air is usually associated with high humidity. Cold air is thin. Thin and sharp would actually make sense. Despite this first line, the book, the sentences and paragraphs anyhow, seemed to be well written. However, the story was lacking in substance. I felt this was meant to be done in a similar fashion to A Game of Thrones, but the effect wasn't really there. I didn't feel personally invested in any of the characters, not necessarily because the characters lacked depth, but because you're given a pretty limited amount of story time with any of them as the perspective jumps from character to character and, with that, place to place. The first two thirds of the book really felt more like historical fiction, just typical battle in a very medieval setting. It seemed maybe magic was thrown in as an after thought. The last third of the story started to flesh out some details, but we'd only seen a glimpse or two of the magical character we're now becoming acquainted with at the end of the book. This is obviously a set up to have this character play a bigger role in the next book, but I think the story should have started at the 2/3 point and the beginning should have just been back story. If I hadn't had some time to kill, it's very likely that I would have DNF'd this, even as someone who reads and listens to dozens of fantasy books every year. There are battle scenes and action early on, so for some that may keep them interested. I personally don't like to operate disconnected from the characters and even after the first book, I wouldn't say I felt a connection to any of the characters. The battle scenes seemed to drone on for me as I didn't ever feel sure which side I wanted to root for and didn't build any significant connection with the characters. It's probably a fine line between creating a story with realism that portrays each side as the protagonist in their own eyes and having an end result where no one is particularly likeable, unfortunately I felt this was the latter. Final rating 2.5 stars.

I expected to enjoy The Fury of Kings, but R.S. Moule blew my expectations out of the water.

I was easily drawn into the writing style and the story itself. Moule gave us multiple perspectives throughout the story, and I loved that. I didn't get lost or confused, and the various perspectives really enhanced the story for me. Surprisingly, each of the characters were intriguing in their own right, and I looked forward to every perspective rather than having favorites.

There wasn't an overabundance of fantasy elements in this installment of the Erland saga, but I think that might change in the upcoming installments. Either way, I feel the fantasy was the perfect amount for this story.

I was also thoroughly intrigued by the political machinations and maneuvering, and I look forward to seeing how the saga continues. (The good guys need some serious help, and the bad guys need a good butt kicking.) Fingers crossed.

I will say I am desperate for a map. I always like to look one over prior to reading the story and to reference it as needed throughout. It's a must.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by NetGalley.***

I really enjoyed reading "The Fury of Kings". It's written well and has great characters, but, for me, it felt like something was missing from the story... Almost like something was edited out to be included in the second book instead. Even so, I have no regrets about spending time with this book, and I'm eager to get my hands on the second in the series.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

Great fantasy read! I loved the plot and the setting. This gave me all the feels I was looking for in a fantasy book!

Epic fantasy where the world feels like it has a truly rich and varied history to it. As if this book is only part of the whole. I hope the author continues this series.

I am really getting into my fantasy genre now f late and this did not let me down.
Such an epic brilliant read . Very well written. Great characters.
Will be recommending to all.

Those who live in the shadow of the mountain Eryispek cannot escape its power and presence. This is book one in the series and a really good read, so looking forward to the next volume.

Errand is in crisis following the murder of the King’s only son. Great characters and really good storyline. We follow the lives of different characters, good and bad. Orsian wants to follow in his fathers footsteps while his sister spherical wants to learn magic.

Epic battles and love won and lost. Enjoy the journey.

A great epic fantasy book. What a brilliant debut entry from this writer.

I loved the plot - it was well written and well thought out.

Thank you for letting me review your book.

Another new author and what a cracking read. A slow burner but there are so many main characters the reader has to get to know. The first book in an epic fantasy which I found very hard to put down. Well written with very strong and fantastic characters. Something evil has awakened. The battle scenes are breathtaking. I did not want this book to end. Please can I have the next book now PLEASE. A must read for all lovers of this genre. Loved, loved it!!!!!!!!!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for giving an honest review.

⭐️4.5 Stars⭐️

Thanks to SecondSky Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

🏔️⚔️🏔️⚔️🏔️

“There is a word in our language, without a direct translation: ealagny; a longing so deep that the pain in your heart wakes you in the night.”

Boy oh boy was this book good! I don’t want to post any spoilers, so I’ll just do a rundown of my impression though my read.

1: Setting/World
First, I would like to tell perspective readers to give this story 100 pages or so, as the world building takes some time. This will be a multi book series so the first book needs to set the scene and lore, which Moule does perfectly. He does not info dump you, but provides a steady history build while gradually feeding you major key pieces as it fits into the current setting of the story.

2: Characters
We have a wide age range of characters in this story. Some of these characters that are younger have a thought process of a untested child, because that’s what they are. Some POV’s in the book are through a child’s eyes and while some people think that’s “cringy”, I feel that it is refreshing. I’m tired of books portraying a 11-15 year old child as a mastermind criminal or leader. I like how through the book, some of our younger characters have these sobering realizations that the world isn’t going to play by a child’s rules, and that they lack experience in these real wild situations. It’s enjoying to see younger characters get put in their place, gain experience, succeed, and fail.

3: Battles
Battle scenes are pretty epic. If you are a fan of Gwynnes shield wall battles, you will like this authors. Moule’s battles are descriptive and intense.

4: Writing Style
(This is probably more of a personal preference)
The author gets straight to the point with their writing.
I have read many fantasy authors who take multiple pages to explain a simple scenery or characters point of view, and while some people enjoy that Steinbeck level of description, it’s not my cup of tea. Moule’s writing takes the reader straight to the point and advances the story. We aren’t left hanging, wondering when the plot will pick up. The filler details are just the right amount.

Book doesn’t have a world map, but author said it might be incorporated in the next book. It was difficult for me at first as I’m a visual learner, but after a very gracious convo with the author I have a better layout in my mind of what the world looks like.

I’ll be hiding under my rock waiting for book two. 👀

As a debut, this was impressive. Here we have a multi POV novel with a brilliant cast of characters with various differences. It's a slow start but once it gets moving I couldn't stop. It was gripping, emotional and a great start to the series.

Thank you Netgalley and Second Sky for this eCopy to review.

I absolutely loved this book. The different points of view added a different side to the story making it very detail and engrossing. I cannot wait for the rest of the books in the series.

The setting and characters were so well written it was almost as though you were there with them, sharing their triumphs and set backs. It is so much more than a book about going to war.

The magic does not feature overly much until the end, but was easy to understand, especially as magic lessons describe it. I'm hoping this will become more of a feature in the later novels.

The plot centres on the battle for an heir to Erland essentially between West Erland and East Erland, it was very interesting to see all the politics and this is not something that normally interests me at all. It primarily follows the different members of Andrick the Barrelbreaker's family and how they all grow and follow their destinies. I loved that Moule tells us how Andrick got the name of Barrelbreaker.

This seems like a great epic fantasy novel with complicated politics, but I'm afraid I was unable to finish this book. I don't review books that I cannot finish, but I wanted to leave feedback to say that I could see some very complex world building here, but it just wasn't for me. I prefer reading 3rd person close narrative style and this is omniscient narrator, so I just couldn't get into the book due to the head hopping. I'm certain it will gain fans who are used to reading this type of book.

Superb, epic fantasy. Gripping until the very end. Excellent character development, clever intertwining plots. Couldn't put it down and can't wait for Book 2. The book is set in the mythical land of Erland and describes warring factions between East & West along with other mystical forces beyond, focused mostly on one noble family's exploits. How the latter develops is so well described that you feel you know the individuals personally. The various strands left open at the end of the book leave you desperate to start the next book in the series. Best book I've read in a long time.

For a debut novel, I was mightily impressed by The Fury of Kings. We have a multi-POV book with an interesting cast of characers. One thing I particulalry enjoyed was the varied ages and experiences of the characters, and because of this you get to learn about and experience the world along with them. I did have to encourage myself to get through the first few chapters, but once things got moving I was swept away into the story and rarely wanted to put it down. The pacing was great, the plot gripping and the writing was very accomplished.
I am looking forward to continuing this series - I feel there is a lot of scope for the characters to be developed further, and of course, we need to know what happens next!

ARC recieved from Second Sky and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review - thank you.

This is R.S. Moule's debut work and it was an easy read. The book has all the classic tropes of a fantasy novel, of magic, mayhem and mystery and as the author’s first novel in this genre, it is a good book. The majority of the characters, in my opinion, don’t yet have the range, depth and personality of those of say Eddings or Feist, but I am sure as the author develops them in the later books in this trilogy they will develop more complexity.

The book is set in a land divided in the shadow of the mystical and sacred mountain ‘Eryspiek’. Of the principal characters Orsian and Pherri are a little on the young side for their roles, though they are good characters. However, at ages 11 and 14 would have been more convincing at ages 14 and 17. The majority of the female characters are strong and believable, though I did find some of the male characters a bit obvious and predictable.

The beginning of the book was a bit muddled which is understandable as the storyteller was bringing a wealth of characters to the reader very quickly. Though once the story took off it moved along at an easy pace and was very readable; so much so that when this book finished with its cliffhangers, my first response was where can I get the next book in the series. So having read ‘The Fury of Kings’, I want more and to know what happens next, and if I come away with that emotion then the book has a number of merits.

I really enjoyed this story and would like to read the next in the saga.

The blurb gave it a lot to live up to referencing epic fantasy tales and it didn't disappoint.

Well written and really involved you with the various characters.

A lot of books claim to appeal to fans of George R. R. Martin, but not many of them can back it up with political manoeuvring, colourful characters, shocking moments, an intriguing history, an authentic feel and interwoven viewpoint chapters that flow. Where Martin sometimes achieves this through admittedly slower chapters, Moule is able to make sure that in every chapter, you are glued to the page. It’s a real skill and stands out especially given the fact this is a debut.

I didn’t actually look how many pages this was before I read it and I never checked, just being given the percentage progress on kindle. I’d have guessed this was 350 pages. It’s actually 548 pages, a sizeable book that felt like I’d absolutely flown through it in the blink of an eye.

So why in my opinion is this debut such a triumph?

The combination of plot and characters is the answer. It just doesn’t happen very often where one of these does not stand out over the other, giving an unbalanced feel. In The Fury of Kings, the warring kingdoms and factions are genuinely interesting and I became really invested in taking in all the information about their history and the political atmosphere. This is driven by some brilliant characters who by the end I was really attached to and leapt from the page.

Perhaps my favourite character was Strovac Sigac, which shows the quality of the author’s writing and characters. Sigac is a ruthless, cold-hearted and cruel killer with basically no redeeming qualities, yet he brings the pages to life, as do so many other characters. There is no such thing as plot armour; Moule acknowledges that war isn’t always fair and the handsome, chivalrous heroes don’t always overcome the odds in reality. There’s a gritty realism I really enjoyed and the battles are fantastically written, as are the cities he’s brought to life and the chess pieces being moved around the board.

I like that although there is magic in the book, it still feels like it could be real history and the author has brilliantly captured how things often played out in the middle ages when there were disputes over succession, as well as the tactics used to get ahead.

Erland is a patriarchal society but there is no shortage of strong women, many of whom fight against it (whether through small victories or hugely significant acts of defiance) and the female characters are definitely as colourful, interesting and engaging as the men, if not more so. They’re really well written, from small parts such as the religiously fanatical Elder Bride Sister Velna, to King Hessian’s daughter Helena, determined to have agency and control over her life rather than be married off to some old lord or other.

Pherri’s chapters are where we see most of the magical elements in this book and although I personally prefer more low fantasy elements usually, hers were some of my favourite chapters. For me as the first book in the series, Moule has the perfect blend of action, character development, magic and political intrigue. Magic doesn’t play a huge role in the story yet but you sense that when the next book comes along, it will play a much bigger role. The world at present is one in which Magi are a rare thing – they used to be much more populous. With one of the main characters showing the first signs of a natural ability for magic, you sense that this power will only grow as the story continues and I’m really looking forward to it. Of course, I also hope the awesome battles and political manoeuvres continue for that middle ages history brought to life feel!

This is not a hugely complicated book where you have a lot to learn before things get going; it starts well and continues throughout in the same fashion. That doesn’t mean that it won’t shock or surprise, and there are a couple of major events that happen towards the end that will probably leave you speechless. I’m impressed that the author had the balls to do them and subvert the expectations. That to me is the sign of a great book. I don’t want everything to go as I expect it to!

The Fury of Kings has only just entered the atmosphere but already I’m desperate to know what happens next. I highly recommend this book!

Received arc from Second Sky and Netgalley for honest read and review,this review is my own.
The blurb sounded interesting and I was hoping for good things from this book.It is a bit of a slow burner,but overall very accomplished writing .The characters are really good and take a bit of growing up through out the story.
I enjoyed this one, even if it was maybe a bit too long.
Well Worth a read if you like your fantasy epic.

I absolutely loved this book! The general vibe is very Game Of Thrones minus the dragons and pages of boring descriptive landscape. The plot and characters are well thought out, unpredictable but also with very human reactions. A kingdom is being torn apart, the king is not doing well, magic seems to be failing and when a prince is killed leaving the king without a direct heir no one is safe