Did not realise that this was the fifth book in the series,I will have to read the first four first before I even tackle this one.The premise looks really good,however no point in reading this one till after I have got through the first four.

Honestly. I didn't think that this was the best book in the series. Whilst it was nice to have a conclusion and there were parts that I genuinely enjoyed, I did find myself skimming through loads of parts that just seemed very long winded. If the book had been cut by a quarter, I still think it could have retained the same story. I love Cameron's work, but it is just overly dense at times.

Immersive epic fantasy series like the Wheel of Time, Game of Thrones, Kingkiller Chronicles, Farseer and tie-ins, First Law and others, everyone has a favorite with 700+ page books and 5 or more books in the series. These are the series that many fans revisit every few years over a span of years (or decades).

I am a huge fan of what I think of as BIG fantasy. Doorstop books that you carry around for weeks. Books that drag you in so deeply that you actually miss your train stop or suddenly realize it's 4 am and you only intended to read a few pages before bed. (Been there, done that).

This is a very worthy addition to that list of BIG fantasy. The Fall of Dragons is the 5th book in the Traitor Son Cycle by Miles Cameron, out 19th October, 2017 from Orion Books.

The narrative doesn't drag, despite the book's nearly 700 page content. The entire series, by my rough count, has over 3000 pages of war, grief, betrayal, victory, evil guys, dragons (dragons!), world building, pitched battles, military precision and desperate struggle. It's very well written with incredibly well drawn characters and confidently written, believable dialogue. The editing is perfect also, I found no typos, no formatting errors, and surprisingly, no 'book bloat'.

Exceptionally well crafted BIG epic fantasy.

One caveat however, this book (as most epic multi-book fantasy series) is emphatically NOT a standalone. No spoon feeding or hand holding. This book encompasses a cast of (literally) thousands. If the reader doesn't have the background from the earlier books, they'll likely spend most of their time frustrated or confused.

Five stars for this final book and five for the series. Really top shelf quality epic fantasy.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.

Review

The Traitor Son Cycle has been Miles Cameron’s fantasy debut, with so many amazing Historical fiction titles written and read by many proving the quality and power of his writing, for me this was always going to be a case of how good can this get, how can it compare to the many accomplished fantasy series out there, how will the plot cope with the freedom beyond the structure of history?

Miles Cameron has since book one given us an astounding series, one filled with a new and highly intelligent and in-depth magical system, a total world spanning societal structure based on varying real world empires and a code of chivalry that underpins the fighting force of the red Knight, one that we can truly believe, because Christian himself lives this code himself, fights in the amour and knows the history. Most of all it has given us a deeply involved plot that employs all of the research and all of the knowledge of a great writer.

Fall of Dragons is the culmination of this wonderful series, and for me the linchpin of the series, if you fail to tie the knots of a series so full and complex you fail the series. At times Christian/ Miles has cast his net of plot far and wide, sometimes worryingly so, but slowly carefully and with great precision he has pulled those differing views, plots, perspectives and locations together back into the main sort arc, giving a series and book that absorbs you utterly with all its twists and turns. More complex and yet with none of the waffle when compared to series like Game of Thrones, for me this blows away GRRM’s work, because it keeps the plot on point, nothing is there just to appear smart, its there for a reason and you can feel the tension mounting as the author takes you on this majestic and massive journey.

Most of all for me, the series had an ending, one that’s hugely satisfying and really powerfully done. The author doesn’t save himself for a another book or a further series, he powers towards the promised ending and leaps into that void with the reader no character is safe. Couple that with the utterly relentless pace of this book, which is essentially 560 pages of battle , journey to battle, preparation for battle and then more battle…. yet written with true heart and passion, taking account of the lives and travails of all involved, lost and celebrated in this war to end all wars.

I cant give this any higher recommendation…. i doff my cap sir!!

(Parm)

Series
Traitor Son Cycle
1. The Red Knight (2012)
2. The Fell Sword (2014)
3. The Dread Wyrm (2014)
4. A Plague of Swords (2016)
5. The Fall of Dragons (2017)
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Masters & Mages
1. The Master (2018)
Christian Cameron
Series
Tyrant
1. Tyrant (2008)
2. Storm of Arrows (2009)
3. Funeral Games (2010)
4. King of the Bosporus (2011)
5. Destroyer of Cities (2013)
6. Force of Kings (2014)
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Long War
1. Killer of Men (2010)
2. Marathon (2011)
3. Poseidon’s Spear (2012)
4. The Great King (2014)
5. Salamis (2015)
6. Rage of Ares (2016)
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Tom Swan and the Head of St George
1. Castillon (2012)
2. Venice (2012)
3. Constantinople (2012)
4. Rome (2013)
5. Rhodes (2013)
6. Chios (2013)
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Chivalry
1. The Ill-Made Knight (2013)
2. The Long Sword (2014)
3. The Green Count (2017)
4. Sword of Justice (2018)
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Tom Swan and the Siege of Belgrade
1. Tom Swan and the Siege of Belgrade: Part One (2014)
2. Tom Swan and the Siege of Belgrade: Part Two (2014)
3. Tom Swan and the Siege of Belgrade: Part Three (2014)
4. Tom Swan and the Siege of Belgrade: Part Four (2015)
5. Tom Swan and the Siege of Belgrade: Part Five (2015)
6. Tom Swan and the Siege of Belgrade: Part Six (2015)
7. Tom Swan and the Siege of Belgrade: Part Seven(2015)
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Tom Swan and the Last Spartans
1. Tom Swan and the Last Spartans: Part One (2016)
2. Tom Swan and the Last Spartans: Part Two (2016)
3. Tom Swan and the Last Spartans: Part Three (2017)
4. Tom Swan and the Last Spartans: Part Four (2017)
5. Tom Swan and the Last Spartans: Part Five (2017)
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Novels
Washington and Caesar (2001)
God of War (2012)
A Song of War (2016) (with Libbie Hawker, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter, Stephanie Thornton, S J A Turneyand Russell Whitfield)
Tudor Knight (2018)
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Omnibus
Songs of Blood and Gold (2017) (with Ruth Downie, Stephanie Dray, Libbie Hawker, Ben Kane, E Knight, Sophie Perinot, Kate Quinn, Vicky Alvear Shecter, Stephanie Thornton, S J A Turney and Russell Whitfield)
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Not quite full 5⭐️. But this is the last book in a series and I love Miles/Christian Cameron.

I felt a bit torn in my opinion when I read the book. On one hand, it is incredibly messy (particularly part 1): a dazzling kaleidoscope of characters, plot lines, adversaries, conflicts, enemies, allies... It is genuinely hard to stay on the same page with the author. On the other hand, Miles Cameron clearly cares deeply about his characters, the world and the background historical setting (circa XIV CE) - and you get charmed away as well as a reader. You cannot miss the author's love that drips off the book pages like the honey of a honeycomb. He is also an incredibly informed author. His attention to detail and ability to immerse you in the environment of his story is absolutely superlative...

Still, there are some issues that rattled my experience a little (I wonder if you feel the same):

1. The entire book felt a bit like a conclusion of an epic level D&D campaign. With characters flexing the muscle of their Lv20 powers and no breaks on the epicness any longer apply.

2. Same as with D&D campaign, apart from the main plot-line, there is a hive of mini-subplots and unresolved conflicts that assault the attention of the reader. This also makes a reader feel like a newcomer to a party where everyone knows each other and go many years back. So it feels like you are missing out on all the inside banter (and that is even after reading the prequel books).

3. Whilst you are drowning in the buzz of misc minor characters, some of the main movers and shakers often will disappear without much notice. It is impossible to give examples without spoilers, but let's just say some main characters die and the pace of the story does allow the news to sink in properly. So it feels like a letdown.

4. There is a general feeling of a rush throughout the book. It is clear that the author is trying to wrap up the story - but sometimes it achieved through shortcuts. And even though the resolutions are often rather clever - they still feel a bit undercooked in terms of build up or their import.

Speaking of the overall series: I loved book 1 - The Red Knight (it is on my best of all time shelf), and I enjoyed books 2-5. Unfortunately, I never loved the sequels as much a book 1.

Retrospectively I just wish the author would merge the content of the last 4 books in just 2 (so that the whole series is a trilogy) and would trim out some side stories to focus on the core. Similar to the way his Chivalry series does it (see The Ill-Made Knight).

I also would love to read more fiction set in this world. Perhaps the author would consider a serialised novel, like his Tom Swan series (see Castillon)? I would definitely enjoy that!

Otherwise, thanks a lot, Miles Cameron! It was a pleasure to be on this journey with you.

Another solid book in the series, good humor, great characters.. My only complaint is it felt like it ended too suddenly. When it came to a close I felt there was still story to tell,. maybe I am just greedy and wanted another 2-3 books to the series.

A phenomenal conclusion to the greatest military fantasy in recent years, perhaps ever. Yet again, and i think this after every book of his i read, Miles (Christian) Cameron has delivered a winner.

His writing style is so unique, he writes as he talks, calmly, slowly, emphasising certain words, then builds to a crescendo. Page after page.

The Red Knight's world of Alba has become so real, with such depth, and I've awaited the conclusion all year. It was great to dive back in with its large cast of real characters, straight where we left off last year. If you haven't already started this series, go back to the beginning, id imagine a new reader would be very lost picking this one up first.

But for those of us who have journeyed from the start, this was magical.

I cant wait to see what fantasy Miles Cameron delivers next.