From the Bookshelf of Grimdark Fantasy…

The Mirror’s Truth (Manifest Delusions, #2)

Michael R. Fletcher

Start date: March 1, 2017

Finish date: April 30, 2017

Discussion: Group Reads Discussions

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* May/June '18 - Blackwing - **BEWARE OF SPOILERS**
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last updated Sep 27, 2018 05:21AM

* May/June '18 - Blackwing by Ed Mcdonald - **NO SPOILERS**
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What Members Thought

Nov 25, 2016 Mogsy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, magic, arcs-and-galleys, review-copy

4.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2016/12/05/...

The Mirror’s Truth is a sequel that builds upon everything that made the first book so great and all-consuming, featuring storylines and characters that are grittier, twistier, and even more insane. In other words, it’s even more fucked up than Beyond Redemption…and I loved it.

“War isn’t insanity, it’s the base state for all reality. Plants war for sunlight. Animals war for food and water. Wolves battle to decide who lea

“War isn’t insanity, it’s the base state for all reality. Plants war for sunlight. Animals war for food and water. Wolves battle to decide who leads the pack. All life is struggle.

Peace, now that is insanity.”

You didn’t actually think it was over for our protagonists, did you? In the world of Manifest Delusions, death is only the beginning. Bedeckt, Stehlen, and Wichtig are back, following the complete and utter bloodbath that was the end of the first book. Only now, they’ve emerged even more brutal, bloodthirsty and psychotic than ever before.

It all started when the old and wretched Bedeckt, filled with the sudden horror of his actions, decided that he could not go through with the plans he had made. Now he must undo the damage caused by his weakness and do whatever it takes to stop Morgan, the mad child who has become a god. And if it takes abandoning his companions to the eternal greyness of the Afterdeath, then so be it.

Not surprisingly, Stehlen and Wichtig react none too kindly to that idea. Livid at being left behind, the murderous Kleptic and the self-styled Best Swordsman in the World decide to make clandestine deals of their own, returning to the world of the living in order track down Bedeckt and make him pay—slowly and painfully.

With friends like these, who needs enemies? At the same time though, it would be a mistake to dismiss these characters so casually. They may be insane, but they are deep. Beyond Redemption would not have been such a wildly successful book in my eyes if our protagonists had merely been the vile, monstrous degenerates they appeared to be on the surface. Instead, Michael R. Fletcher drew me in with the complexity of their personalities and relationships, and I was glad he continued to build upon these in the sequel. While Bedeckt, Stehlen, and Wichtig spend much of this book apart, we are still treated to the fascinating inner workings of their deep, dark scary minds.

In fact, with the chapters basically alternating between their POVs, each of the three are essentially given their own storyline thus giving way to a lot more character development on an individual level. The Bedeckt we used to know has become transformed, no longer just an old jaded thief looking to end his financial troubles once and for all with the score of a lifetime. Now he is a man wracked with guilt and grief, struggling to keep what morals (and sanity) he has left. We also get to see a softer side of Stehlen—and if you’ve read the first book, you’ll understand why I just burst into incredulous giggles while typing that—but believe it or not, it is true; the psycho kleptomaniac woman actually has feelings that go beyond wanting to slit your throat and steal your shit. And finally, there’s Wichtig, perhaps the most complicated of them all. Of the three protagonists, he’s the only one whose past is explored in depth, and I also find the story surrounding his delusion of being the world’s best swordsman to be extremely compelling.

And of course, I am once again floored by the originality and excellence in the world-building. People always complain about the same tired old tropes in fantasy and the lack of fresh ideas when it comes to magic systems and powers. To them I say, “Take some Manifest Delusions and call me in the morning.” Fletcher has done an incredible job creating this world where magic is madness, and those who are the most powerful are also the most unhinged. It’s a premise ripe for all kinds of ruckus and mayhem, and this sequel pushes the envelope even further.

Plot-wise, The Mirror’s Truth is simpler in some ways, but it is also stranger, bloodier, and more violent. The conclusion, however, was the best part. With that ending, Michael R. Fletcher might have just single-handedly redefined the word “insane”. Seriously.

I think it’s safe to say those who enjoyed Beyond Redemption will also love this sequel, and after all this waiting and uncertainty, I’m glad that The Mirror’s Truth has finally found its way into readers’ hands. Manifest Delusions is not so much a hidden gem, but rather an absolute treasure trove of a series to fans of grimdark. By the end of this one you will be begging for more. ...more

60 likes · Like · see review

Mar 02, 2018 Mili rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: own-the-book, personal-favs

Insane read with my crazy Cat Turd who for some reason cant stop washing her hands!

The sequel in Manifest Delusions is even better than Beyond Redemption! Im so glad Orient and I could team up again to read this together and hold eachothers hands!
The plot continues where it left off in Beyond Redemption. So yet again we get to follow the trio. The land is still mad and Morgen wants to rule it all! So ofcourse Bedeckt, Wichtig and Stehlen get dragged into the plot, probably against their wishes b ...more

22 likes · Like · see review

Apr 14, 2017 Chris Haught rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: read-owned-ebook

I probably need some time to process.

"There are no myths or monsters, just things people haven't hallucinated recently."

Well, that was fun. It's actually a bit disturbing that I get these books so well. Does that mean I'm sane, or quite the opposite? Perhaps my own delusions help me understand how this world works. Perhaps the mirror knows, but will it tell me truth?

As a concept, I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it, and it's so perfectly executed. I'm being a bit vague, I kno ...more

22 likes · Like · see review

Nov 05, 2016 James Schmidt rated it it was amazing

My review today is for The Mirror’s Truth by Michael R. Fletcher

A copy of this book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

So where do I began with this mad tale of epic grimdark proportion? Let me go back a little. Last year a author approached me with his book, happens a lot, and I usually politely decline because of my rather “HUGE” TBR stacks. This book intrigued me so I said yes and he had his publisher send me a copy. I received the book but did not rea ...more

17 likes · Like · see review

Sep 11, 2022 Michael Sorbello rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 1-all-book-reviews, 1-instagram, 0-dark-fiction-books, 0-grimdark-fantasy-books, 0-dark-fantasy, 1-fantasy-books, michael-fletcher

Bedeckt: The greatest liar and greatest coward in the world.
Wichtig: The greatest swordsman and greatest deceiver in the world.
Stehlen: The greatest killer and greatest hypocrite in the world.

The main trio of severely disturbed misfits from Beyond Redemption are back from the dead (pun intended?) and they’re even more twisted and deranged than ever. Beyond Redemption was my favorite fantasy book from the past decade, and Mirror’s Truth took everything I loved about it and made it even more dark, ...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Feb 14, 2020 Shawn Wickersheim rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

All the typical grimdark fantasy novel descriptions would apply here: dark, brutal, filthy, vile, gritty, twisted, wicked... and if that is all you’re looking for in a novel, you will be more than satisfied here.

If you’re looking for an artful depiction of madness, a world literally filled with crazed and deluded characters each broken in haunting and heart-wrenchingly disturbing ways, you’ll find that here as well.

But if you’re looking for something more, a story that will make you pause and th ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Jan 01, 2017 Mel rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really like M. Fletcher's universe and magic system. This book, if anything, is even more screwed up than the last one, even if it didn't take place in the afterdeath. Loved it! ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Oct 29, 2020 Daniel rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Beyond Redemption was one of my favorite reads of 2020, but I like Mirror's Truth even more!

Mirror's Truth picks up where Beyond Redemption ended. This book is tighter, it wastes no time to move the story forward. The book has more actions than the last installment, and it is abundant with humors. Don't let the humors fool you. This book is very dark. But it is dark in an awesome kind of way. Once I started reading it, I could not put it down and I did not want it to end. I forced myself to read ...more

2 likes · Like · see review