The Fury of Kings

The solution is the combination of plot and people. It doesn't happen very often that one of these doesn't stand out more than the other, creating an imbalanced sensation. The warring kingdoms and groups in The Fury of Kings are interesting, and I became pretty committed to learning everything I could about their history and political climate. This is propelled by some fantastic characters who, by the conclusion, I had grown attached to and sprang off the page. The Fury of Kings has only recently entered the environment, yet I'm already curious about what occurs next. I wholeheartedly suggest this book! The beginning of the book was a little confusing, which is reasonable given how quickly the storyteller introduced the reader to many characters. However, as the plot got going, it moved along at a nice pace and was very readable, so much so that when this book ended with its cliffhangers, my first thought was, where can I acquire the next book in the series? So, after reading 'The Fury of Kings,' I want more and to know what happens next, and if I feel that way, the book has several benefits.

I must confess I am not a big epic fantasy reader as I can count one hand how many times I have read this genre. However,  the trailer for The Fury of Kings coupled with the knowledge that magic would be one of the features, I felt compelled to pick it up.  Fury of Kings, the first book in the Erland Saga and debut release for author R. S. Moule delivered a scintillating tale filled with interesting characters. nail biting action and drama to keep the reader turning the pages.

The Fury of Kings started the Erland Saga on an exciting note. From the first page I knew this would be an interesting read and it did not disappoint. Moule transported readers to fascinating medieval, patriarchal, breathtaking world. A world where secrets, deceit, betrayal and greed prevail. As this is the first book in the series the world developed at a steady pace as a result giving the reader time to appreciate the culture, the scenery, the setting and the history. 

The story features a wide range of characters of varying ages. Ages range from middle grade to adult. We see the younger characters slowly finding their footing when faced with the realization that the world isn't all fun and games. It was interesting seeing their willingness to face the danger and fight for their country despite their inexperience. 

In the first couple of pages tragedy struck, placing the king of Erland's throne in jeopardy and setting the groundwork for war. Attempts were made to secure the kings throne and avoid the fall out. Despite these attempts war was inevitable.  The battle scenes were intense and there were moments where I feared for characters I have come to love. Moule's description plunged me right in the middle of the battle.  

At over 500 pages one would not have expected a cliff-hangar, however, the unexpected occurred. Now I am eagerly awaiting the next book so I can continue the journey in this magnificent and epic world.

The best magic book ever! It was packed full of so much action from page one and went full on throughout. I was spinning going from one kingdom to the next, but in a good way. I couldn’t read fast enough to see what was happening next! The only thing I hated was that it was to be continued and I have to wait for the next book. You can believe I will get it though. It was a long book and no lulls. Well worth the purchase!

Thank you Netgalley for this amazing story! This may be the best Indie Fantasy I’ve ever read. Just outstanding. There is politics, there is murder, there are battles, there is love, and there is TREACHERY!

The story follows a bunch of characters. All of which are fun to love or fun to hate and the development of these characters are wonderful.

The King’s son has just been murdered and he has no heir. This creates major disputes throughout the kingdom and people are picking sides. His daughters are supposed to be married off but they have plans of their own.

The Hand of the King is the best warrior in the land but he’s getting old and tired of fighting a mad King’s battles. His sons desire to be just like him but may not be able to fill his shoes, but they better figure it out because war is brewing.

The characters and world just felt like Westeros to me which makes me feel warm and gushy inside. I loved this book and will absolutely be reading whatever this author puts out if he keeps the same level of writing!

If this novel, which is a skilled foray into the genres of High & Epic Fantasy, is just his debut, then R. S. Moule has just secured his spot as one of my newest favourite Fantasy authors and I can't wait to see what he has for us next!

The attention to detail with which he wields his craft in building the world of Erland is nothing short of incredible--I think it easily rivals any of the great fictional realms of Pern, Midkemia & Kelewan, the World of the Wheel, Westeros, Middle-earth, The Stillness, Temerant, Alagaësia, Discworld, Earthsea, Mid-World, Witch World, Xanth, Fionavar, Nikan, the North & South Kingdom's of the Dark Star trilogy, or any other epic fantasy world that you can name!

I’m enjoying this book so much that I’ve been only allowing myself to read it on the weekends—it’s my weekend book!—because I don’t want to rush through it. The worst part of finding an engrossing new series is that I need to wait for the next installment—book 2 of the Erland Saga (The Hunger of Empires) isn’t due out until October 2023. 😭

The Fury of Kings introduces us to a cast of remarkable characters, has an enthralling plot, and battle scenes I wasn’t tempted for even one second to skip past (which I admit I’ve done with some others series—WofT & GofT I’m looking at you 👀)—it is truly a wholly immersive world! I really believe this book is a 2023 must-read for fantasy enthusiasts.

I would like to express my gratitude to R. S. Moule, @SecondSkyBooks, & @NetGalley for providing me with an advance digital reader copy of The Fury of Kings in exchange for an honest review.

This debut is worth all the applause. It lagged it some areas - but it did not disappoint. I could not believe this was a debut!
Political intrigue.
Complicated family.
I loved Pherri - the struggle to meet the expectation of being her father's daughter. While only be considered a girl - Pherri fights her desperation to contribute, pushing against imposed limitations.
Just so well done.

I'm not a spring chicken and I've reading fantasy for ages and this can explain why the style of writing and the characters made me think about Gemmel.
I'm not saying this is that Andrick or any other character is the new Druss, but the pacing and the storytelling made me think about Gemmell.
A compliment on my side as The King Beyond The Gate and Leende are amongst my fav fantasy novel.
This is the start of a new series, set in a world in crisis. A patriarchal society in a moment of political crisis and a dark enemy waking up again.
It could be the beginning of an average fantasy series but this is a well done and well plotted fantasy, one of those very huge book that you read in few days and didn't even notice that tahey were a sort of door stopper.
The author did an excellent job in developing the characters: some of them are quite hateful, some of them are more on the grey spectrum. I'm curious about what will happen to the women in this series as a patriarchal society could also be the perfect environment for a female warrior or a ruthless political player.
I enjoyed this story and can't wait to read the next novel, this one is highly recommended.
Many thanks to Second Sky for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

When I heard there was a new release perfect for fans of George R.R. Martin, John Gwynne and Raymond E. Feist, I couldn't resist getting cozy with a new chonky read.

The Fury of King's is the first book in the Erland Saga by R.S. Moule. I had the pleasure of reading and listening to this book and both formats are engrossing! The narration is exceptionally done by Colin Mace who you may recognize as the voice for The Bloodsworn Trilogy. He knows exactly how to narrate each character and fluctuate between action, emotion and scene.

The writing style of Moule is immersive and imaginatively descriptive. Like most epic sagas, this is a slow build to the action. Moule lays the character attributes, world building and history down slowly all while sprinkling a sinister atmosphere soaking in a rising tension. I loved that he didn't hold back from the gruesome and barbaric.

The story is told from multiple POVs and even with the depth it is not a complicated or hard to follow read. Each character is bringing a unique perspective that drops little eggs that tie together. Personally, I love Pherri and cannot wait to see where the next book takes her. Sigac comes in second with his completely ruthless personality.

This was an utter pleasure to read. I'm looking forward to the next release and cannot thank the author and publisher enough for giving me a new world to enjoy. If you like dark forces, magic, political maneuvering and sagas that keep you sucked in, than you'll want to check this one out. True rating 4.5/5.

"People hate a woman who dares to dance with power."

Fury of Kings is a wonderful fast paced debut. Fantasy books often get touted as Wars of the Roses with magic but this is the real deal. The power dynamics shift and change constantly and you really feel the inevitability of war repeated over and over.

The book is multi POV following a street urchin cutpurse, an ignored princes, a grizzled veteran, a young man training to be worthy of his father's legacy and a girl trying to understand her strange dreams and more.

Every character is so realistic and well rounded, my favourite were the women who exerted their own power in a myriad of different ways whether motivated for survival, power, revenge or justice. The She-Wolf is alive and in Erland!

All the action takes places against the backdrop of the Eryispek a mountain where a power is awakening, one that has it's own plans for Erland.

A truly captivating debut, I cannot wait for the second. Please please can we see Thrumb?
Thank you Netgalley and second sky for the eArc

If you're looking for an epic fantasy to read
This could be the book that you need.
Set in a realm where a grieving King ruled
When his only son is killed his anger is fuelled.

Andrick the Barrelbreaker is the King's loyal brother
He's a proud warrior leader, like no other.
The King's new heir wants to stake his claim
But the King's volatile, unpredictable, likely to inflame!

Andrick has three children who are loyal, too,
Though the brothers rarely agree on what to do.
Their eleven year old sister is more mature it seems
But is haunted by some weird dreams.

As the kingdom falls into disarray
Can this family help the move to peace to sway?
With battles, betrayal, murder and magic
Can things work out despite being so tragic?

This story has a long world building that's slow
But once that's sorted things switch to go.
The events are shared from different points of view
Including those of the children, too!

This is the first in a new fantasy series and so
If you enjoy this genre I recommend you give it a go.
For a debut novel, it has so much intrigue and more
As this land and its people you start to explore.

For my complementary copy, I say thank you,
As I share with you this, my honest review.

Not sure what to think of it.
On one hand, it´s a copy of GoT, there are so many similarities that I can't even be bothered to count them. Also, there are many, many characters and all of them have weird names, it´s really hard to keep up with who is who, whom, and where because all places have weird names too. A map and a genealogy tree would be useful.
On the other hand, it´s so much better written than GoT. I tried to read GoT several times and just couldn´t get through it. It felt so dry and flat (I mean the writing style). And yet, the tv series is one of the best I´ve ever seen. Here, despite struggling with associating characters with their names, I sort of swim with the current.
Have I read better books? Sure I have. But this one is not bad either. You just need to focus on names and maybe make some notes in the beginning.

This is an Epic fantasy with a huge cast of characters and an interesting world.
The elderly king of Erland is struggling to hold his realm together when his son and heir is killed by a rebel tribe. The heir is now the son of a man he had killed for rebelling against the crown years ago and whose family bear no good will towards the Erland throne. As well as the realm itself, there is also a mysterious empire across the sea with mages and a more modern lifestyle. And then there is the mountain, mysterious and wrapped in mist and possibly the home of the gods.
This is a huge fantasy with many different POV characters and a vast world for them to live in. R S Moule has created a huge range of characters to tell his story from a group of street thieves who steal something that they really shouldn’t have, to heroes, princesses and warriors. All of the characters are well developed and I enjoyed each of the different story lines. I liked how all of the characters were human and many could show both cruelty and kindness, or be selfish and then show thought for someone else. All of the characters make bad decisions along the way which made me like them more.
Why only three stars?? It didn’t grip me as much as I wanted it to. I could easily put the book down and not return to it for a couple of days. There was a huge amount to enjoy in this novel but for some reason it didn’t really hold my attention until the last quarter of the book when things really started to move in more unexpected directions. This was also where we saw a bit more of the mysterious character introduced in the prologue.
I hope that now the story is up and running, the next volume will really pump up the tension.
Thank you to NetGalley and SecondSky for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Fury of Kings
I was given this by NetGalley for an honest review ..I give this four stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️for its debut!
Takes awhile to get going, to set the tone , so, if you have patience, read it if you’re not that type of person with patience,, you’re missing out !!
the World , the secrets of the erland!
Multiple POVs, even through the eyes of children!!
The pacing finally gets its groove on. Great plot, his writing style reminds me of Kevin J Anderson ( Spine of the Dragon).
fighting scenes very reminiscent of John Gwynne in other words, very intense! Eager for book two!!

The Fury of Kings by R S Moule is a sci fi/fantasy novel and the first in the Erland Saga series. Ingeniously plotted this nerve jangling tale of suspicion and betrayal had me hooked from the beginning. The prologue opens dramatically in an atmospheric scene high in the all-encompassing Eryispek mountains. The scene is taut, I can feel the tension as the pages keep turning and I have numerous unanswered questions. There is an unspoken implication that I will be answered eventually, a credit to Moules’ writing flair. He then moves on to the plains of Erland and its savage politics as I was introduced to the different characters in his tapestry. Currently a fragile peace prevails in Erland.

Andrick the Barrelbreaker, King Hessians younger brother has three children Errian, Orsian and Pherri. Errian is old enough to be fighting alongside his father, while Orsian dreams of the day when he will be. At the moment he is practising his skills in the yard and is bored with mere repetitive exercise. The more I read about Pherri’s dreams or Orsian’s ambitions, the more I was glued to the novel. The murder of King Hessian’s only son threatens Erland’s fragile peace.

I felt there were multiple characters who could equally be the main protagonists. They were all skilfully interwoven into the plot producing a seamless storyline. There’s also a dystopian hint to this tale. Moule transports us to an ancient world before guns and modern ammunition were invented. A time when chivalry should prevail but as history informs us this is totally dependent on the individual characters and their conscience. Though it is a patriarchal society Moule cleverly but subtly throws in strong women who play an equally important role in the plot. I found this fascinating.

This being the first book in the Erland saga series we get to know all the characters and Moule is setting the scene with bewitching brilliance. He is devilishly clever as the plot unfolds to reveal a magical world taut with mystery and suspense. It veers from the breath taking to the sinister with its shady politics, secrets, dishonesty and deceit. Moule paints a vivid world, one that often caught me by surprise. It was peopled with characters that felt real and behaved unexpectedly. It left me astounded and kept me hooked. I discovered why Andrick is dubbed the Barrelbreaker and other astonishing revelations. There is also a Celtic feel to this tale in the characters and place names and a coming of age for the younger characters. Boy what a thrilling first book!

The extraordinary and fantastical world that Moule has built for us to enjoy makes the book such a riveting read. The jaw dropping ending was the cherry of surprises. Moules’ Erland series could well be my next craving. So glad there is more to come. I could live in this world which stayed with me long after the last page. I must add though that this book could be read as a standalone. However, I doubt any reader would not, like me succumb to the temptation of longing to know more. Bravo Moule for giving us a deliciously dark and twisty new series!

3.5 rounded to 4

Everyone's reading experience is different (said Captain Obvious); for me, this was a rough diamond. I really liked the characters, and what the author was attempting in the world building. However, it was a slow read for me mostly because the prose was so rough, and the editing done with perhaps too light a hand.

Numerous word choices tossed me out of the story, ditto certain world building choices that seem a bit overused. Finally, there were many summaries that really needed to be scenes.

That said, this was a debut book. The author's love of fantasy shone through, and with subsequent volumes surely the polish and assurance will happen. I will certainly be on the lookout for the next story in this sequence!

A diverse cast of characters weaves through the narrative, each evolving in their own unique ways. Yet, let it be known that this book is a tome, not meant for those who shy away from getting lost in a story. But for those who relish the prospect, the rewards are great - the writing is well done. While a few plot points may seem predictable, it does little to detract from the overall magnificence of this fantasy story.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

I really enjoyed this fantasy book by RS Moule. A book about neighboring parts of the world which are having problems and facing the possibility of war.
I found the characters interesting and was curious to see where the story would go. I wasn’t sure if it would be a standalone story and it is not. Glad to be able to read more about these characters in the next book just sad that I will have to wait! Happy reading!

There is a lot of complex world-building, along with a ton of complex relationships going on in this story. We get multiple POVs and while usually, I don't mind this, this time I found we weren't with each person long enough for me to form a connection to any of them, or to even figure out which side I should be rooting for.

However, we did get a few snippets of what is to come for Pherri, and something happens with her mom that does have me interested in seeing what's going to happen next.

"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.