A Vengeful Realm

The Scales of Balance, Book 1

By: Tim Facciola

Narrated by: Landon Soelberg

Peace bought by blood seldom lasts, for vengeance knows no end. The same is true for mortals and gods alike. Decades, centuries, and even eras may pass, but the cycle remains. As war and revolution rise again, Zephyrus finds himself at the center of it all. Chosen by the gods, hailed as a prophet of liberation, and forged as a weapon to break the kingdom and restore balance to the realm, hope rests squarely on his shoulders.

If only he could remember....

Enslaved as a gladiator and thrust into a prince’s game of espionage, Zephyrus has only two clues to help unlock his shattered past: a prophecy foretelling destruction, and a letter to the enemy king, promising peace. Now Zephyrus must survive the dangers of the gladiatorial arena, the cunning fury of the prince’s enemies, and the gods’ torment if he is to find the truth of his identity and fulfill his fate. But to have any hope of breaking the cycle, first he must secure his freedom—and not just from his slavers.

Within this vengeful realm, a queen protecting her kingdom, a prince defending his father, and a gladiator slave haunted by a prophecy each contend for their own brand of freedom. But the gods have an agenda of their own, and they'll use any vessel—patrician, plebeian, or slave—to see it done.

The scales must be balanced. By peace. Or by blood.

©2023 First Torch Books LLC (P)2023 First Torch Books LLC

Very cool!

This book has a ton of great things: gladiators, freedom fighters, political intrigue, twists and turns. What else could you ask for? Also, the narrator is top-notch!

Could not stop listening!

I’ll be honest, this was my first ever audiobook, and I mostly read non fiction, but WOW!! Not only did this story make me a fan of fantasy, the talent of the narrator kept me so engaged I made it through the whole book in three days.

Facciola’s ability to world build paired with superb storytelling was both delightful and riveting. Yet the real treasure of this book is buried within each character’s internal narrative. Each of the many characters face brutal yet relatable choices. Torn between love and duty, saving and sacrifice and belief and purpose you are lead to think you have it figured out only to be met by new twists, turns, tips and surprises.

A must listen!

Amazing Narration!

The Scales of Balance is an enjoyable and immersive fantasy read. The narration is incredible in bringing life to these characters.

Could not stop listening!

Absolutely loved the story and can't wait for book two! The story line kept me engaged and wanting for more. I enjoyed the narrator which helped bring the story to life and bring out the characters personalities. Can't wait for the next book!

Flawless narration and action

The narration was superb and the story line very engaging I couldn’t have asked for a better story and each of the characters development. Bravo! On to book 2!!!

Great for fans of Epic fantasy

It was hard for me to keep up with all the different povs. I'm not someone who is big in high or epic fantasy, however, I believe for someone who loves epic fantasy would love this books, especially if they love Roman civilization.

outstanding thrilling and original!!

brilliant character work and equally brilliant pacing!! AVR combines the perspective of more than half a dozen characters so skillfilly that I always knew what every character was about and was gripped by their stories. I read a lot of epic fantasy but I haven't ever seen it framed through a Roman gladiatorial lens before which created a refreshing and different feeling world filled with New politics and intrigue to explore! very excited to read book two!!

Perfectly paced!!!

I’ve never left a review on a book before but this book not only promised and delivered on said promise it surpassed it! The pacing of this book was perfection! Not a moment was wasted or felt drawn out.

Each character was memorable, impactful, and kept me wondering how they would go about getting what they wanted and if they would change in order to do so. I’m beyond excited for the next installment and can’t wait to see what more there is to uncover and learn about these characters, the world, and the gods!

If you love epic fantasy this is a must read! All I can say is that you won’t be disappointed! Thank you Tim for such an exciting adventure! ☺️

A must listen!

My Husband is a big fantasy reader, that’s typically not my favorite genre. He read this book and told me I should give it a read for the psychological messages and themes. This book was a rollercoaster of human emotions. Most of the character’s perspectives I could relate to—especially Fenyx with his black and white thinking and Nallia whose strength is overlooked by most people in her life. There were moments I had to stop and just think, moments I needed to pull my husband aside to discuss what I just read, and moments where all I could do was cry. Every character is acting from a place where they believe they are doing what’s best, and that’s not the case. To see the good intentions spiral up and down made this book feel so real. On the days I picked the book up, I couldn’t put it down because I felt so committed to staying in their world. Tim Facciola did a wonderful job at turning a story into a world I could see, feel, and become invested in. I loved reading this book and am thrilled to know it’s just the first in the series. Thank you for the new found hope your story has given me.

Separate from the story, I loved the narrator! His voices were fun to listen to. I felt extremely immersed into the world!

A new and compelling narrator

Narrator’s can make or break a book for me. Landon Soelberg is a MAKER. Every character (and there are a lot of them) has a unique yet world-appropriate voice that only adds to the story. Accents, dialects, and character inflections bring every scene to life. I flew through this and what a joy it was to listen to!