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Cover of The Core
Book details

The Core

by Peter V. Brett

Published 2017781 pagesISBN 978-0-3455-3150-6

"New York Times bestselling author Peter V. Brett brings one of the most imaginative fantasy sagas of the twenty-first century to an epic close. For time out of mind, bloodthirsty demons have stalked the night, culling the human race to scattered remnants dependent on half-forgotten magics to protect them. Then two heroes arose--men as close as brothers, yet divided by bitter betrayal. Arlen Bales became known as the Warded Man, tattooed head to toe with powerful magic symbols that enable him to fight demons in hand-to-hand combat--and emerge victorious. Jardir, armed with magically warded weapons, called himself the Deliverer, a figure prophesied to unite humanity and lead them to triumph in Sharak Ka--the final war against demonkind. But in their efforts to bring the war to the demons, Arlen and Jardir have set something in motion that may prove the end of everything they hold dear--a swarm. Now the war is at hand, and humanity cannot hope to win it unless Arlen and Jardir, with the help of Arlen's wife, Renna, can bend a captured demon prince to their will and force the devious creature to lead them to the Core, where the Mother of Demons breeds an inexhaustible army. Trusting their closest confidantes, Leesha, Inevera, Ragen, and Elissa, to rally the fractious people of the Free Cities and lead them against the swarm, Arlen, Renna, and Jardir set out on a desperate quest into the darkest depths of evil--from which none of them expects to return alive. Look for Peter V. Brett's complete Demon Cycle: THE WARDED MAN, THE DESERT SPEAR, THE DAYLIGHT WAR, THE SKULL THRONE, THE CORE Praise for the novels of Peter V. Brett The Warded Man "There is much to admire in Peter Brett's writing, and his concept is brilliant. There's action and suspense all the way."--Terry Brooks "[A] fast-paced and thoroughly enjoyable dark fantasy."--The Miami Herald The Desert Spear "Inspired, compelling, and totally addictive: the most significant and cinematic fantasy epic since The Lord of the Rings."--Paul W. S. Anderson, director of Resident Evil: Afterlife "Fans of epic fantasy in the tradition of Robert Jordan and George R. R. Martin will enjoy the arrival of a strong voice in multivolume epic fantasy."--Library Journal The Daylight War "Highly entertaining, fast-paced, and action-packed."--SF Site "[Brett is] at the top of his game."--Tor.com The Skull Throne "Heart-thumping, adrenaline-pumping. The crescendo is near perfect."--Book Frivolity "A page-turner, and quite possibly the best so far."--Starburst Magazine"-- "The epic fantasy saga of humans winnowed to the point of extinction by night-stalking demons, and the survivors who fight back. The New York Times bestselling Demon Cycle series comes to its epic conclusion"--

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Fiction, Fantasy. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.

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What the reading experience may hold

A fuller profile for choosing with more confidence—not just another copy of the preview.

Themes to notice

Fiction · Fantasy

Use these as starting points rather than limits; the most memorable books often stretch beyond their catalog labels.

Content notes

Catalog signals suggest warfare and conflict. These notes may not be complete; consult a publisher or reader-supplied guide when detailed warnings matter.

These notes are inferred from available catalog information and may not be complete. Check a publisher or reader-supplied guide if you need comprehensive warnings.

Reading experience

Dark tone · Urgent pace

Best when you want to settle into a longer reading experience.

Who it may suit

A good fit if…

Readers looking for a substantial, immersive commitment with room for a world or argument to unfold.

At a glance

This book's DNA

A visual estimate based on this edition's categories, description, and length. Select a star to explore the signals.

ToneDark
LuminousDark

This signal is descriptive, not a rating. It helps compare the kind of reading experience this edition may offer.

No plot details

Spoiler-Free Emotional Arc

A broad estimate of the book’s emotional rhythm, shown without story events or outcomes.

Spoiler-free
12345
PeakRelative emotional intensity
The CorePeter V. Brett
Powerful5/5

This visualization is an interpretive estimate based on catalog description, categories, tone, pace, and content signals. It does not describe specific scenes.

Before you choose

A quick reading snapshot

Edition facts and catalog signals to help you decide whether this book fits what you want to read next.

Reading lengthA longer, immersive read781 pages in this edition
Publication eraContemporaryFirst published or edition dated 2017
Primary categoryFictionAlso cataloged under Fantasy
ISBN-13
978-0-3455-3150-6
Language
English
Edition record
OL26931650M
BookenDeX editorial lens

A more thoughtful way into this book

This guide uses the edition details and category signals above to help you choose deliberately. It does not replace the author's work or a full review.

Good to know

Best when you want to settle into a longer reading experience.

Begin with its place in Fiction, then notice where the book resists that label.

Try this reading approach

Read for connection, not completion.

Mark one passage that sharpens the book's central concern and one that complicates it. That tension often reveals more than a quick summary.

Three questions to carry with you

  1. What does the central character want, and what do they misunderstand about that desire?
  2. Which detail or relationship changes how you interpret the story?
  3. What feeling or question does the book leave with you after the plot moves on?

Editorial framework by Wesley Bryan, BookenDeX Founder and Editor.