Product Description

After ten years of servitude, Nish is about to be released from the blackest prison of the maimed God-Emperor, Jal-Nish Hlar, his corrupt father. Jal-Nish holds the two sorcerous quicksilver tears, Gatherer and Reaper, and with them controls all of the Secret Art. All opposition having been crushed, he has begun to remake the world in his depraved image. The only hope of overthrowing him lies in Nish, whom the oppressed peoples of the world see as a messianic figure. They have named him the Deliverer for, as Nish was dragged away to prison a decade ago, he wildly promised to return and cast down his father. Unfortunately Nish is powerless and without allies. But worse, his father wants Nish to become his lieutenant and become as corrupt as he is. Jal-Nish offers Nish everything he has ever desired and, faced with the unbearable alternative of another ten years in prison, he isn't sure he can resist the temptation.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #88806 in Books
• Published on: 2007-06-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 624 pages

About the Author
Ian Irvine lives in the mountains of NSW, Australia.

Customer Reviews

A Great Start to a New Series!
This book starts ten years after the last series, "The Well of Echoes" leaves off. Irvine again has created another masterpiece of fantasy fiction that sits well upon the The Three Worlds universe that he has created.

The God-Emperor Jal-Nish rules the world with an iron fist, but all is not lost, there is one hope (or a few more hidden in the cracks) that will hopefully end this despotic, and savage world.

Irvine's books, and world for that matter, have gradually become darker and more sedistic as the series has gone on. I question the motivation behind this change, as the reference to debauchery in the first series was very minimal, but is quite prevalent in this one so far. It certainly sets the stage for the landscape of this heretical world. I do not find it unappealing, however a cautionary word to parents, this material might be a little too graphic for children, this series is certainly not a substitute for a Harry Potter, or Diane Duane youngster looking for adventure in between releases.

I am a devoted fan of Irvine's and have read all of his "Three Worlds" books knowing that I have to import them from either the UK or Australia. It's worth the cost for shipping and the book just to immerse myself in each of his titles. I commend Ian Irvine for creating an original world with a very unique background. Irvine's twist on Darwinian logic of survival of the fittest works wonders on the progression of his world, and certainly the notion that history is written by the victors.

For anyone that has read his earlier work, I urge everyone to support Ian Irvine's newest book "The Fate of the Fallen" in hope that we can get all of his books published in the United States and expose others to his wonderful and original world.

Action, adventure and inventivess turned up to 11
Short summary: This a truly excellent book, so full of excitment, adventure and action that it's almost exhausting to read.

The characters hijack magical flying beasts, attempt to start a rebellion, actually start a rebellion, find lost forms of magic, wander through bizzare alternate planes of reality and escape death so many times you'd think they'd start to get blase about it.

The characters are fascinating, if a little unorthodox, Nish, pining for a his dead lover, mildly comptant Maelys, the raving zealot Vovimond. And of course Jal-Nish one of the best fantasy villans in a long time. Nobody quite as interesting as the Geomaner Gaehilys from 'Well Of Echos' or Tiaan from the same series, though.

A few flaws. The map at the front is 300 years out of date. Why oh why does it not mark Morrelune?

The Cursed Flame is poorly explained and largely incomprehensible.

And it ends on The. Biggest. Cliffhanger. Ever.

Fate of the Fallen
This book, i have been eagerly awaiting, being an avid fan of Ian Irvine. I got hooked with 'A Shadow on the Glass' which in my mind is one of the best modern fantasy sequences, with brilliant characterisation and unpredictability, which is sadly lacking in much modern fantasy. 'The Well of Echoes' Quartet which followed did not inspire me to the same degree, although very enjoyable and with a climactic ending, which was incredibly brave. Without giving the story away, it sets the scene for this new novel. Irvine uses a similar approach, with a strong female character in Maelys, who i am convinced is meant to be related to Karan, the brilliantly realised heroine of an age past (and who i hope features again in Irvine's writing). The story however has a central chaacter in Nish, the tortured son of the evil despot, all-powerful Jal-Nish. We encounter many characters, old and new, as Nish embarks on his quest to overthrow his father. In one of these i noted echoes of Gilhaelys from earlier books, and the evil myrmidon Phrune is also wonderfully realised. Later we re-encounter Xervish at the atmospheric Mistmark mountain, who has aged but is clearly agile and as cunning as ever! The brutality of a humbled world is evident in this novel, and like so many fantasy novels, is a journey/quest-driven saga towards redemption. I look forward to episode 2!