As I comb through The Great Betrayal a final time, I am reminded just how much of the story takes place in the Forbidden Forest.
For those uninitiated with Estos, this is a vast, wild, and unruly expanse of woodland that not even the sun can penetrate. It also serves as a natural barrier between the rival kingdoms of Vlencia and Elron.
But more than that:
It’s a place only those with a death wish traverse.
I won’t spoil “what” lurks within the timber giants, nor divulge too much about all the action that takes place there in The Great Betrayal.
Just know the answer to both is…
A LOT.
The thing I’m enjoying most re-reading Book #5, however, is just how fleshed out the forest is compared to our first foray in Book #2. I thought I did a decent enough job of portraying its majesty, but honestly?
I wish in many ways that The Great Betrayal was the second book in the series.
The details are far richer.
The inhabitants, the lore, the dangers are more… tangible.
It really does feel like a world within a much larger one, being Estos, which is exactly what I wanted from the get-go. Alas, I can’t be too hard on myself. I’m a work in progress, after all; a writer merely a dozen short novels and novellas into what will hopefully be a long career.
(We can’t all be Joe Abercrombies and JK Rowlings, sadly.)
Only one thing is certain for chaps and chapesses like me:
Incremental improvement.
And that’s exactly what The Great Betrayal represents.
In fact, I’d say this one builds on the rest of the series like no sequel has to date.
Bold claim, I know.
It’s not only twice the length of previous books, but is also packed with twice the trials, twists, battles, death, and adventure WITHOUT slowing down the pace of its predecessors.
If you’ve enjoyed the series so far — especially your time in the Forbidden Forest — then you will want to block off the last weekend of this month when this puppy launches.
And should all this talk of ancient woodlands whet your appetite, you can find the Forbidden Forest (as well as Exiled, Last Alliance, and One True King) in the starter bundle here:
https://djjwatsonstore.com/products/TDR-Bundle
DJJW