This is an epic storyline. Well written and just so gripping it's hard to put down. I would suggest reading the others first so you know the world building and characters from the get go..

The author writes in so much detail that you really feel it, really feel like your within the pages and the very core of the story.

This was an exciting and violent epic fantasy. This third book started up right where the second left off (and for this series, it is important to read the first two books). After finishing book two, I had no idea how a war between Gods could be pulled off, but the author did it nicely. A lot of things happened that I didn't expect, which is always fun. And it was great to see how the characters finally ended up in the same place.
R.S. Moule wrote a great trilogy - it really scratched my fantasy itch.

This is the third book in a trilogy, and regrettably I haven't read the first 2. This means there's a lot of back story that I've missed. However, there was a useful list of characters at the start of the book, which was very helpful. I'm definitely going to be downloading the first 2 books to read.

I did enjoy this story once I'd got my head around the world. The complexities of family relationships and battles for the crown are brilliantly portrayed. I really liked Pherri and how much she was prepared to fight to save her loved ones.

"The Madness of Gods" by R. S. Moule is a captivating high fantasy adventure that continues to build on the strong foundation of the series. Moule's writing is both engaging and detailed--he is a skilled word-crafter--I often highlighted sentences on my e-reader so that I would remember their evocativeness. The entire series has a well-crafted plot that keeps readers invested. The rich world and dynamic characters make this a standout addition to the trilogy, perfect for fans of epic fantasy and adventurous storytelling.

.Another Sci/Fi fantasy that had me gripped from beginning to the end. Some great charactersc and a fantastic storybline.Lots of different characters that the story brings to life. Can't wait for the next one!

Before I started reading the book three of this trilogy I've decided to re-read the previous ones. And I'm so glad I did! I had a feeling that I had missed something, maybe misunderstood, maybe I should have paid more attention... Something wasn't right. After re-reading this so many things fell into its own right places. The characters felt more real, more complex. The story got more colors, more vivid. And yes... I have missed some details that turned out to be of a significance to the plot. Only this time I decided to skip battles completely as this isn't my cup of tea.
The ending is not very satisfying in my opinion. I can understand why the author decided to leave it at the point where it's left, however I have at least seven other options in my head. Are mine any better? Probably not.
To sum this up: this saga is really good. Not the best one, but still worth your time. I'd like to see how R.S. Moule will progress as a writer in his next project.

What a wonderful ending to the Erland Saga!

The gods are free, and the people of Erland are their puppets! Each wants to win at any cost, and they do not see the people as a cost. Pherri is lost in another dimension, with no magic and a need to get home. Orsian is a prisoner in the castle he helped defend, an enemy of the people he had helped save from the Empire. And Rymond is still fighting for his crown, unbelieving of the gods who are pulling his strings. It's hard to believe in the gods when greed and power are yours for the taking.

This was an amazing ending to the trilogy, I found I could hardly put it down. Once again, the writing was smooth, the narrative easy to read and the story kept a good pace throughout, A wonderful book, with superb world-building and imaginative characters. The whole trilogy is a must-read for fantasy fans.

Thank you NetGalley and Second Sky for this eCopy to review

I enjoyed the final book in the Erland Saga, The Madness of Gods it is an epic denouement tying together all the different plots into a massive battle for East and West Erland, ultimately culminating in a battle between the God Eryi and Goddess Vulgatypha, which if either god will prevail?

I particularly liked how each chapter was told from a different point of view, allowing us to get a real sense of the politics, battle tactics and magic of the world

A great series, Moule is definitely going on my must read list for the future

The Madness of Gods is the thrilling and memorable conclusion to the Erland Saga, this epic fantasy trilogy written by R.S. Moule, and published by Second Sky Books. The gods are free from Eryispek, and they plan to use the current conflict to fuel their power filled mad dreams; only a few heroes can stop this.

Moule picks the story after the miraculous save at the end of The Hunger of Empires, with East Erland still under the siege of the Ulvatian Empire; the fights for East Erland's control are slowly breaking their defense. Meanwhile, Pherri has been sent to an alternative version of Erland, and only returning to her own reality will allow her to stop the madness Eryi and Vulgatypha plan to unleash.

In this final instalment, Moule puts the cherry on the top for this saga, still expanding a bit more of the world, but most importantly, finally putting together all the threads that lead us until this moment. While some subplots are created, such as the fight for Cliffark, all our characters will finally be reunited in one place; the sense of something ending is there.

With the excellent writing style that we have been accustomed, the epic battles are still happening, but with the sense that they are just pawns in the game of bigger players. Pherri's arc is especially interesting in that regard, as she's the only that can be in the level of the two deities that are fighting.

In The Madness of Gods we have the perfect ending for this epic saga, concluding that R.S. Moule is a voice at the level of George R. R. Martin or John Gwynne. I loved bingeing this saga, and I hope to read more books from this author in the future.

Great conclusion to the trilogy. It's gritty and ;political with interesting and grey characters. I've seen it be compared to Gwynn and Martin, which initially had me intrigued and I don't believe Moule failed to live up to those comparisons.

A totally addicting series. I had to go back and read the first two as I did not realize that this was the last book in a series. Not my usual genre and I couldnt put this down!

The third book in the Erland Saga Trilogy, The Madness of Gods, continues from the end of the previous book. I was just hoping that this book would be as compelling and immersive as the rest. I should have known better than to doubt this authors writing. I was again propelled back into the fantasy world I was eager to return to.

Fast paced and, again, plenty of action and adventure. The quality of writing is just so good! The characters are created so they feel so real and well developed. The fact they are all as unique as possible with their own voices and parts to play.

Once I had started reading this chaper of the trilogy, I just couldn't stop. It was so good that I almost inhaled this one. The pages sped by as I got more and more invested. I was loathe to stop and leave this fantasy world for anything else. A very skilful ending to the events of book 2. R.S. Moule is on my radar now, and I shall definitely be looking out for his books in the future!
Thanks to Second Sky Books and NetGalley for my gifted ebook.

The final book to the Erland saga. Orisan is trapped below the castle in the dungeons, his sister pherri in another world, his brother above in the castle against him, his father dead, his mother overtaken by a god, his once lover Tansa returned home after murdering the king (his uncle), his cousin a prisoner, the queen on the run with her newborn, the heir and another god on the loose and ready for battle. There’s a lot of characters in these books and each have depth and importance, each storyline overlaps and comes to a conclusion in this book. Lives and limbs will be lost in the name of destiny, kings and gods, no one is safe and no amount of plotting and war can defeat a god coming to your door, even worse when two come.

I thought this was a brilliant end to the story, my favourite characters were orisan, tansa and the queen, all losing so much but fighting for their people to the very end

Thanks to @SecondSkyBooks and R.S Moule for my copy of The Madness of Gods.

This book is the third instalment in an exciting series that focuses on the epic battles between gods and humans. The story takes place in a world where the gods have broken free and are wreaking havoc on the land, leading to a final battle that promises to be an action-packed adventure.

One of the strongest aspects of this book is its well-developed, relatable main characters. They are all determined to save their land, and their bravery and determination are truly impressive. As a reader, I found myself fully invested in their journey, unable to put the book down from start to finish.

Another standout feature of this book is its use of multi-point perspectives. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character, which makes for a really engaging and immersive reading experience. It allows the reader to feel for each character as an individual and become invested in their individual stories. At times, I found myself rooting for some characters more than others, which made for a really dynamic and engaging read.

Throughout the book, there is a perfect mix of magic, battles, and politics, which keeps the story interesting and unpredictable. The author, Moule, has done an excellent job of weaving together these different elements to create an immersive and captivating world.

Finally, the ending of the book was truly adored by me, which doesn't happen often. It tied up all the loose ends nicely and left me feeling satisfied with the story's outcome. Overall, this trilogy has been fantastic to read, and I will definitely be keeping an eye on Moule as an author in the future.

#FantasyReads #GodsAndMagic #IntriguingPlot #CharacterDevelopment #PoliticalIntrigue #MustReads #EpicFantasy #BookRecommendations #MagicAndMayhem #LiteraryMasterpiece

5/5 Stars

The Erland saga comes to an end (for now) and it’s been one hell of a ride!

Readers who enjoyed The Fury of Kings and The Hunger of Empires will in my opinion find a satisfying conclusion and more of what they loved in those books, whilst also being quite distinct in comparison.

The series has been liked to A Song of Ice and Fire, though I think of the three, this book is the most dissimilar to Thrones in that magic and supernatural power come to the forefront much more prominently.

While as a reader I almost always prefer gods keeping out of the way and low fantasy worlds, these elements have been introduced so organically through the series and in such a way that I came to appreciate the extra layers of sparkle and grandeur the magic and gods add to the story overall. Because the warring gods were also once regular mortals, I found this more fitting than if they had just been dormant and then decided to interfere with the mortal world.

What didn’t quite work for me personally was the introduction of a parallel universe and the way the characters were sort of the same but with very slightly different names. Some readers will find it really cool though and although the idea of this didn’t appeal, I did enjoy Pherri’s journey in this alternate Erland and meeting Horned Grawl and the Sorrowmen! Ultimately it’s completely subjective; I’m not a fan of Ciri disappearing across portals in The Witcher either but I still love the series as a whole and enjoyed her story.

And boy were there enough political manoeuverings and low fantasy elements to satiate my hunger for these elements with some incredibly satisfying and enjoyable moments. There was one moment I’d been waiting for from quite early in this trilogy with the payoff unexpectedly coming at around 40% into the book. It didn’t let me down! Fantastically done, as are all R. S. Moule’s set pieces.

It’s something that really stands out to me in this series; everything feels carefully crafted, deliberate, considered. Every chapter is important to the whole, whether that’s character development, setting up a showpiece, providing depth to events, constructing the world, providing context, building immersion or tension.

Orsian’s story was probably my favourite but the cast of characters is amazing. Spending some more time with Errian and further exploring the relationship dynamic between the two brothers aswell as how their stories weave quite unexpectedly through the final book was enjoyable as I always felt on my toes, unsure what was going to happen next.

Out of all, although Pherri perhaps has the grandest story in some respects, Tansa comes to the fore here with a lot more presence and ambition. I like that Moule has made the women in this saga no less important than the men. In fact their stories are arguably the most important as a whole and the development and presentation of their characters has been really enjoyable to read. Pherri, Ciera, Tansa, Helana, Viratia, the awesome Breta Prindian (one of my faves of the series). These characters have been a joy to read.

The conclusion is a satisfying one, unlike so many stories! That was a huge relief. I also like how Moule leaves it open ended for the possibility of more adventures in this world. He apologises at the end of the book for leaving the epilogue open ended but I can only be thankful as it would have been a shame to close this world off completely without the possibility of revisiting.

This has been such an awesome trilogy I’ve enjoyed so much. It’s been especially satisfying to discover it on my own with a new author and series that isn’t yet on all the best fantasy lists or where you know so much about it before you read it. I’ve been free from outside influences or biases and discovering this from the very beginning gives this series a very personal and special place in my reading adventure. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it and I really hope you give it a chance and love it as much as I have.

This is an epic fantasy saga and this third installment starts with an epic bang and never stops keeping your attention alive even if the size is quite huge and there's plenty going on.
Actions, some sweet and poignant moments, great characters and well developed villains.
The very useful character list at the beginning is an excellent way to refresh the memory and keep track of who-is-who and if alive or dead.
Multiple POVs, action packed, an epilogue that makes me hope that there will be more stories (no spoiler).
This is not a book that is easy to read as a stand-alone due, it's better to read the series in order.
Take your time and be prepared for an entertaining and wild ride.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to Second Sky for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Madness of Gods is the superb conclusion to the Erland Saga trilogy. It picked up where Book 2 left off and like Books 1 & 2, Book 3 is a compelling read. Unlike some trilogies, where Book 3 (and often Book 2) are almost like an afterthought to the first book, R.S. Moule has thought this through from beginning to end, so there's no let up in terms of pace and excitement. I was a bit anxious as to whether I'd like Book 3 as much as the first two books, but I absolutely loved it, devoured it, read it late into the night until I fell asleep, then picked it up again early morning,

I was very curious to see how a potential "battle of the Gods" that started at the very end of Book 2 would play out alongside mortal characters, but without spoilers, that was very cleverly played out in Book 3.

The imagination, writing skills and character development, for me, puts R.S. Moule right up there with George R.R. Martin and the likes, in terms of the intricate world building and how gradually different narratives and characters come together in the overall plot. I could easily see this trilogy being turned into a big screen movie. It is pleasantly complicated keeping who's who and where they are in your head too.

I'd thoroughly recommend this book (and indeed the trilogy), and indeed now I have all three books, I intend to go back and read them all together as one (long) book. Thanks to NetGalley and @secondskybooks for the ARC.

We return to Erland and the Gods are free and creating havoc and war as they fight for domination. Pherri has been sent by magic to a version of Erland but can she get home again? Armies are marching and lives will be lost as we move towards the final battle.

This is a great novel, full of action, adventure and a sense of purpose for the future, which may be destroyed by warring gods. Strong, determined characters who will do all they can to survive and save the future of the land and the people.

No shortage of adventure, danger, magic, love and hope in times of turmoil.

The Erland Saga by R.S. Moule finally gets its conclusion. I've been invested in these characters from the beginning, and I was so eager for them get what they deserved.

I have really loved the layout of these books with so many POVs. Each character had a unique voice, so I never felt confused as to who was who/what was going on/etc., and I always felt like I was flying through the pages.

Also, there was finally FINALLY some justice around here, but not without more bloodshed and heartbreak, of course.

I will say I was a touch disappointed in the ending for three particular characters. I'm more of an HEA type of gal; however, Moule has left things open for a potential return to Erland, and I would not be opposed to coming back to these characters and this world. Not at all.

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

This is the final thrilling and highly satisfying instalment in the Erland Saga which is a truly brilliant fantasy trilogy.
This is a multi POV novel, but all of the characters are so well written with a unique voice that each one is a pleasure to read. Orsian is still my favourite by far, but I really loved seeing the journey the others took as the Gods prepare to battle each other and take over Erland. There was a perfect mix of magic, battles and politics. I actually adored the ending too, which doesn't often happen. This trilogy has been wonderful to read and Moule is an author I'll be keeping my eye on!
This trilogy is a real must for those who love gritty fantasy.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an arc in return for an honest review.