The Faithful and the Fallen
#194.38 of 664 ranked universes · full ranking
Books 4 books Status Complete 2013–2016 Reading commitment Medium John Gwynne Last reviewed 2026-08-21
Overview
The Faithful and the Fallen is John Gwynne’s complete four-novel epic fantasy sequence (2013–2016), set in a world drawn into a war between the Otherworld’s angels and demons, fought through mortal kings, warbands, and a coming-of-age hero’s journey. It follows a large ensemble cast across several kingdoms as prophecy, betrayal, and old blood-feuds pull the world toward the Long War foretold in its scripture.
Epic fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (4 works) counts toward ranking
The Faithful and the Fallen John Gwynne
| Work | Year | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Malice | 2013 | core | 4.18 (66,735 ratings) |
 | Valour | 2014 | core | 4.43 (46,788 ratings) |
 | Ruin | 2015 | core | 4.50 (39,356 ratings) |
 | Wrath | 2016 | core | 4.53 (36,618 ratings) |
Complete 4-book epic fantasy sequence; single continuous plot, read in publication order.
Quick answers
- How many books are in The Faithful and the Fallen? The Faithful and the Fallen's Core Canon is 4 books.
- What is the reading order for The Faithful and the Fallen? Publication order, starting with Malice. Full list and years in the Core Canon table above.
- Is The Faithful and the Fallen finished? Complete (2013–2016).
- How much reading does The Faithful and the Fallen take? Medium reading commitment (estimated from 4 Core Canon books · ~672 pages).
- How is The Faithful and the Fallen ranked? #19 of 664 ranked universes on this site, based on 189,497 reader ratings across 4 Core Canon books. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #19?
Ranked #19 of 664 ranked universes.
- Average reader rating of 4.38 across 4 core books.
- Backed by 189k reader ratings.
- Less than 0.01 behind #18, Lockwood & Co (a finer tie-break level decides the order).
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
Why explore this universe?
Top-tier rated · 4 books · Complete · 189k ratings · Ranks #19 overall
Good choice if you want a moderate-length epic fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
Publication order (4 Core Canon books)
- Malice (2013)
- Valour (2014)
- Ruin (2015)
- Wrath (2016)
Awards (verified)
- No independently-confirmed awards found.
Related universes
- Same author The Bloodsworn Saga: Both universes are created by John Gwynne but confirmed to be separate continuities with no shared characters or setting.
You might also like
Suggestions computed from what The Faithful and the Fallen and each of these worlds have in common on record (subgenre, audience, shape, reading commitment and score), not a documented narrative connection.
- Shadow of the Leviathan Epic fantasy · Ongoing · Medium commitment · 4.35
- The Bound and the Broken Epic fantasy · Ongoing · Medium commitment · 4.33
- Lightbringer Epic fantasy · Complete · Medium commitment · 4.33
- Ash and Sand Grimdark / Epic fantasy · Complete · Medium commitment · 4.30
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 4.38 across 189,497 ratings on 4 Core Canon books. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: The Faithful and the Fallen admitted as a new universe accepted 2026-08-21
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gwynne
- https://www.fictiondb.com/series/the-faithful-and-the-fallen-john-gwynne~34689.htm
- Rating-platform source ↗
Related universes: see the Related universes section above.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-21
Rule: Core Canon = all four novels (Malice, Valour, Ruin, Wrath), forming one continuous story read in publication order.