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A Vengeful Realm

The Scales of Balance, Book 1

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A Vengeful Realm

Written by: Tim Facciola
Narrated by: Landon Soelberg
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About this listen

Peace bought by blood seldom lasts, for vengeance knows no end. The same is true for mortals and gods alike. Decades, centuries, and even eras may pass, but the cycle remains. As war and revolution rise again, Zephyrus finds himself at the center of it all. Chosen by the gods, hailed as a prophet of liberation, and forged as a weapon to break the kingdom and restore balance to the realm, hope rests squarely on his shoulders.

If only he could remember....

Enslaved as a gladiator and thrust into a prince’s game of espionage, Zephyrus has only two clues to help unlock his shattered past: a prophecy foretelling destruction, and a letter to the enemy king, promising peace. Now Zephyrus must survive the dangers of the gladiatorial arena, the cunning fury of the prince’s enemies, and the gods’ torment if he is to find the truth of his identity and fulfill his fate. But to have any hope of breaking the cycle, first he must secure his freedom—and not just from his slavers.

Within this vengeful realm, a queen protecting her kingdom, a prince defending his father, and a gladiator slave haunted by a prophecy each contend for their own brand of freedom. But the gods have an agenda of their own, and they'll use any vessel—patrician, plebeian, or slave—to see it done.

The scales must be balanced. By peace. Or by blood.

©2023 First Torch Books LLC (P)2023 First Torch Books LLC
Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fantasy Fiction Royalty
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If you like books set in a medieval/roman centurion setting, sword fights, political drama, and a subtle but intricate magic system - this book is for you.

I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say this is easily one of the best debut novels, let alone fantasy books I've read in years.

You can tell from the very beginning that Facciola took extreme care when writing this, because it truly feels like not a single word is wasted - which is kind of crazy in a 16 hour long book.

I will say that at the start it's a little like drinking out of a fire hose, but that's extremely par for the course for this genre. From page 1 you are thrust into an incredibly detailed world with as little understanding of what's happening as our protagonist, who has mysteriously lost his memory. From that moment on, every sequence, every chapter, every sentence gives you more information, builds on the world, lore, and characters, and propels the plot forward.

I already purchased the next books in the series before I even finished this one, and have already jumped into book 2.

The world building and magic is not simple and straightforward enough to let you dive into it without massive info dumps, while also leaving quite a lot open for development in the series. Facciola also does a masterful job of developing the magic system slowly, over time, while we learn with our protagonist.

Performance - I have to give a shoutout to the voice actor. He somehow juggled a cast of like 50 characters incredibly well. Men, women, accents, ages - he did it all. And for those who care, the sound quality was also 10/10.

I really don't have enough good things to say about this book, and I can't wait for book 2!

One of the best debuts I've ever read!!!

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