I consider myself a pretty well-read individual, especially in my favorite genre, fantasy novels. I’ve read most of the classics, as well as a majority of the popular series of recent years. Malice by John Gwynne is the first book in The Faithful and the Fallen series and has been on my radar for a while now. This was Gwynne’s debut novel, released in 2013 in the U.S.

While not incredibly popular on release, the series has seen a resurgence in fans. This is no doubt due to the success of his newest book, The Hunger of The Gods, which was nominated for best fantasy novel of 2021 on GoodReads. Despite the level of success surrounding Gwynne’s newest work, I myself was pretty disappointed by the book and felt it did not live up to the praise. Nonetheless, there were elements I enjoyed in his writing, and so I decided to give him another shot.

Malice is set in the fictional world of The Banished Lands, where men and giants lived in harmony until an evil angel by the name of Asroth plunged the land into war through lies and deception. Now centuries later, the seeds planted by the god of war are coming to fruition amongst the kingdoms of man.

The story of Malice, like most epic fantasy, is told from multiple points of view. Malice focuses the majority of the story on Corban, a young boy training to become a warrior, and Veradis, a skilled warrior and right-hand man to Prince Nathair. Nathair is the heir to the kingdom of Tenebral, a particularly powerful kingdom whose leader is dubbed High King of the Banished Lands.

This story may not be for everyone. It’s evident from this brief description alone that the main plot here is filled with fantasy tropes and clichés. There’s an ancient battle between good and evil, prophecies, a chosen one who comes from humble beginnings, old mentors with mysterious pasts, et cetera. Even most of the plot twists are relatively predictable with betrayals and assassination attempts galore. It takes a good amount of time for the story to get going, as most of the early chapters are focused on world-building and character development.

Although the central conflict is relatively on the nose with its clear religious allegory to Christian scripture, the world here is still engaging enough. It’s clear that Gwynne has taken a lot of inspiration from Nordic and European folklore. However, I was still excited whenever a new creature or culture was introduced as he manages to give each a unique flair.

The real standout aspects of this novel for me were the action scenes and character writing. Gwynne’s prose is not the best overall, but when it comes to action he is a master. He manages to capture both the chaos and tactical aspects of battle almost effortlessly. I was always able to follow exactly what was happening during conflicts. This is also one of the few stories where I found myself interested in every POV character. Corban’s underdog, coming-of-age narrative is a trope that I always like seeing and it’s very satisfying here.

Veradis was also quite interesting, as he is a morally grey character with a good heart at his core. The main characters all have their own unique voice and distinct personalities but I appreciated the subtle parallels between their respective stories which may foreshadow future events. You can tell that Gwynne has a clear vision for how this story will play out, and I respect that.

Additionally, the side characters in this story are all incredibly entertaining with many often undergoing their own smaller character arcs. I loved seeing the various relationships these characters developed with the main cast. Gwynne knows how to create a sense of camaraderie amongst characters. This makes it all the more heart-wrenching when Gwynne eventually starts killing characters during the exciting climax.

I was shocked at how many were lost in the first book. It certainly made for an exciting set up in the sequels. Another aspect of the character writing I would like to praise is the villains themselves. Gwynne really makes you hate every one of them and even the smallest scale villains (such as Corban’s bullies) are utterly detestable. This aspect amps up the tension in every encounter as I was never sure just how far a villain would go to get what they want. Although some of their motivations are unclear at this point in time, I’m sure they will become more fleshed out later on.

After having finished Malice, I’m happy I gave this author that second chance. Though the story itself has many flaws, I enjoyed reading this tale and am excited to continue the series. Gwynne manages to craft a solid base for a grand, sweeping narrative while also leaving a lasting impression with his characters. I think this is a great starting book for any that are looking to get into the genre of fantasy. It’s an easy read with characters you can’t help but love and a simple enough world to understand.

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Malice

$17.99

6.5

Score

6.5/10

Pros

• Memorable characters
• Great action

Cons

• Lots of fantasy tropes
• Some predictable plot twists