The Failures

Wanderlands, Book 1

De: Benjamin Liar

Narrado por: John Skelley

Welcome to the Wanderlands.
A vast machine made for reasons unknown, the Wanderlands was broken long ago. First went the sky, splintering and cracking, and then very slowly, the whole machine—the whole world—began to go dark.

Meet the Failures.
Following the summons of a strange dream, a scattering of adventurers, degenerates, and children find themselves drawn toward the same place: the vast underground Keep. They will discover there that they have been called for a purpose—and that purpose could be the destruction of everything they love.

The end is nigh.
For below the Keep, imprisoned in the greatest cage ever built by magicians and gods, lies the buried Giant. It is the most powerful of its kind, and its purpose is the annihilation of all civilization. But any kind of power, no matter how terrible, is precious in the dimming Wanderlands, and those that crave it are making their moves.

All machines can be broken, and the final cracks are spreading. It will take only the careless actions of two cheerful monsters to tip the Wanderlands towards an endless dark … or help it find its way back to the light.

“The Failures is the kind of book you find maybe once, under a blood moon, if you’re lucky enough to wander off the trail … an unabashed triumph of speculative fiction. It’s not exactly science fiction, not quite fantasy … deep, thrilling (I’m looking at you, Deadsmith), and masterfully atmospheric.”—Daniel Cohen, author of the Coldmaker Saga

©2024 Benjamin Liar (P)2024 Recorded Books

Love this weird book!

I went into The Failures with no clear expectations and came out thoroughly impressed. This debut novel exceeded all my expectations, reminding me of the game setting of Fallen London and the atmosphere of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. The story is set in a meticulously crafted, grimdark world where some very broken people rise above their brutal circumstances to make a difference.

One of the standout aspects of this novel is its ensemble of characters. Each group of characters is given ample time to develop and shine, but my favorites were The Monsters and The Killers (and their leader, who exudes a "too-tired-for-this" attitude). Girl, same. Honestly, I avoid male authors with female characters because I've been burned in the past by authors who do not tend to write women well (ie mostly as women-shaped caricatures -- don't come for me, you know it's true) - but no worries about that here. And that is very high praise coming from me.

The world-building is deep, gritty, and immersive but allows for sweetly vulnerable moments and even humor. Every detail seems meticulously crafted to enhance the story's setting while not losing sight of the plot. The characters are complex and well-developed, making it easy to become emotionally invested in their journeys. Even the 'villains' are given depth and dimension, making them sympathetic and interesting.

The book's structure is like an intricate spider web, with seemingly disparate threads gradually coming together in a way that is incredibly satisfying. I love how much of a puzzle this book is. This complex and convoluted style is one of my favorites. I also appreciated how the story allows readers to understand more about the unfolding events than the characters themselves, adding an extra layer of anticipation.

Fans of Tamsyn Muir's Locked Tomb, M.A. Carrick's Rook and Rose, and Lostetter’s The Five Penalties will likely find The Failures equally enjoyable. Did I mention that those are some of my favorites? The blend of intricate plotting, deep world-building, and complex characters makes it a must-read for those who enjoy grimdark fantasy mingled with apocalyptic sci-fi.

Thanks to DAW, the author, and MTMC Tours! This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary.

One of the hardest to describe books I’ve read in awhile

This is a captivating book that pulls you in for a ride as long as you accept the fact that you will not fully understand the plot until the last 1/5 of the book. This may be off putting to some, but the final stretch is full of “ah ha!” moments that make the ride worth it. Excellent world building that reminded me of China Mieville though not as grim. Unfortunately the ending is rather abrupt though it had me wishing for the next installment. Overall, a fun read that will leave you struggling to describe the book to friends.

Who the Heck is this Writer? Amazing1

Where did this guy come from? This is one of the most original fantasy books I have read in ages. Complex deep world building meets wonderfully flawed characters. This is a complicated well plotted book whose distinct threads all entertained by themselves and each individually amazed me. As the book progresses, the various perspectives and plots of the story gradually reveal their connections to each other and the feeling you get as they are brought together and their intertwined purposes revealed is wonderful. It makes you just want to root for the many characters to meet each other. Who is good and who is bad can be very hard to discern sometimes. No one is perfect and all perspectives make sense and work together.

This is the best book so far this year and the best start to a series in ten years.

Bravo! Now get writing the next one.

Every fantasy reader will love this book

The plot, the characters, and the world are so well developed in this debut novel! I enjoyed all of the perspectives and nothing feels better than being immensely confused in a fantasy book but finally figuring out what is happening. I know that sounds weird but it’s the most incredible feeling.

I’m going to be thinking about this book for a long while

Wow. I’m in love with this strange and wonderful story. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like it, but I seriously can’t wait for the next one.