The Madness of Gods (The Erland Saga #3), by R.S. Moule
15 May 2024The Book
Synopsis:
Heroes will rise and gods will fall…
The gods have broken free, in an inferno of magic and flame. Now they seek total domination, turning Erland’s conflicts and divisions to their own dark purposes
.Orsian is trapped in the dungeons of Merivale. He must escape the darkness and duel his hateful brother to take up his father’s legacy, as Erland’s champion in the coming storm.
Far to the West, Rymond Prindian fights for his crown. Outnumbered and outclassed by the imperial legions, his ragged band of warriors and mercenaries needs a miracle to survive.
Pherri, torn from existence by magic, awakes in another world—a twisted mirror of the Erland she knows. Only by finding a way home can she hope to save the ones she loves.
Erland’s armies march once more, guided by the ancient malice of the gods. Bonds of family, love and loyalty will be shattered in an epic final battle that will echo across infinite worlds.
The Madness of Gods is the third and final volume in R.S. Moule’s thrilling Erland Saga. With action, magic and intrigue on every page, it’s perfect for fans of George R.R. Martin, John Gwynne and Raymond E. Feist.
My Review
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.
The Author/s
R.S. Moule
R.S. Moule ('Roger') lives in South London with his wife Eloise and their cat Tinks. He has a passion for writing epic fantasy grounded by human flaws and desires, set in worlds inspired by a childhood divided between his home in the rolling hills of the Cotswolds and summers spent exploring the rugged coastline and deep glens of the Isle of Man. When not reading or writing, he can often be found playing guitar, watching football, or looking for his keys.