Valour - John Gwynne

The Banished Lands are torn by war as the army of High King Nathair sweeps the realm challenging all who oppose his holy crusade. Allied with the manipulative Queen Rhin of Cambren, there are few who can stand against him. But Rhin is playing her own games and has her eyes on a far greater prize ...

Left for dead - her kin have fled and her country is overrun with enemies - Cywen fights to survive. But any chance of escape is futile once Nathair and his disquieting advisor Calidus realize who she is. They have no intention of letting such a prize slip from their grasp. For she may be their one chance at killing the biggest threat to their power. Meanwhile, the young warrior Corban flees from his conquered homeland with his exiled companions, heading for the only place that may offer them sanctuary. But to get there they must travel through Cambren, avoiding warbands, giants and the vicious wolven of the mountains. And all the while Corban struggles to become the man that everyone believes him to be - the Bright Star and saviour of the Banished Lands. 

Embroiled in struggles for power and survival, the mortal world is unaware of the greatest threat of all. In the Otherworld, dark forces scheme to bring a host of the Fallen into the world of flesh to end the war with the Faithful, once and for all.

My thoughts:

I do think I enjoyed this one more than book 1 *checks book 1* I definitely did. That one was good, and this was better. I love when that happens.

Though I did have the same problem as in book 1, so many characters. I am used to many characters but here for some reason I kept checking who is who, but then I told myself to go with the flow and  that worked perfectly. So if you are afraid of many POVs, then this is so not the book for you. If a silly thing like many POVs is nothing, then this is so the book for you. It kept my attention all the way through. I read it in a day after all.

Those many Povs then. Well, there is Corban, Bright Star, who who shall fight the Black Sun. Right now just a confused young man on the run with his mother, a princess, soldiers and other friends.

Cywen, his sister was left behind in the conquered city. And she has her own battles to fight. I really grew to like her in this one. She has spirit.

Veradis, ack Veradis. You are on the wrong side!! I want him to see the truth. He has a good heart and thinks he is doing the right thing. But he is fooled by a friend.

Nathair the king who thinks he is Bright Star. Aye I loved that twist. He thinks he is doing good and fighting to unite the lands. So they all can fight the bad guy. But, he is the bad guy! He is slaughtering innocent men, women and children, all while believing his is the prophesied. How can I hate him when he is the biggest fool of them all? Ok I still hate him, but still.

Then we have fighters, kings, giants, all trying to stay alive as the world is falling apart. As kingdom after kingdom is conquered. And it looks dark, how could it not? The bad side is winning cos they are fooled, while the good side is slaughtered. 

An interesting world, a good plot and I am looking forward to the next book. *checks* No word of the release date, noooo.

Conclusion;
Definitely go read this book.

Cover

meh

Hardcover, 640 pages
Published March 27th 2014 by Tor Books
The Faithful and the Fallen #2
Fantasy
Library