A tavern's front door, broken in and covered in bloody handprints. A Vision of Ruin by R. P. Dunwater.

A Vision of Ruin is the second installment in the Book of Payne series.

It’s a dark fantasy novel featuring a clairvoyant female lead, a fresh take on angels and demons, queer found family, and a world in chaos.

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Mariela Rossi’s only desire was to be a supportive wife to Eleanor Payne, High Priestess of Ebroth.

But when Eleanor’s rash actions at the Harvest Festival incite the wrath of the High Priestesses of Dienna, Mariela finds herself pushed into the spotlight.

Left behind, Mariela must lead the survivors of Blackridge in picking up the broken pieces of their village, all while learning to navigate new clairvoyant powers of her own.

Just as it seems the village is on the mend, a terrifying vision foretells the new horror that will befall Blackridge. And there’s only one way to prevent it from coming true:

Mariela must put an end to Eleanor’s reign of destruction.

But will stopping her wife be enough, or are the people of Ebroth now trapped in a war they have no hope of winning?

Reviews for A Vision of Ruin:

  • Everything you thought you knew in Blight, you don’t even know half of it! The Prophets are not what they seem, and neither are the Priestesses.

    Amazon reviewer

  • Mariela shares with the reader a gentler side in sharp contrast to the gripping reality of her wife. If Blight of Blackridge is a grim and gritty revenge (which read it first, absolutely read every part of the Book of Payne) then Mariela's is like watching a tragic love story in the middle of a war.

    James Stadig, author of Of Rebels and Gods

  • 5/5 stars again. The pacing kept you going with every page turn.

    Amazon Reviewer

  • I am truly left stunned after finishing this book. Every time I thought I knew exactly what would happen next, the story took another unexpected turn.

    Tricia Meyers, author of Queen of Earth and Stone

  • A Vision of Ruin is a stunning follow up to The Blight of Blackridge— a sequel that both captures the same feelings as the first installment, while also managing to turn everything you thought you knew on its head.

    Adrian Page, author of Tautened

  • This book was easily a 5/5 stars. I read the reviews before I read this book and STILL didn’t anticipate the twists coming.

    Goodreads reviewer

Trigger Warnings

Though nothing is explicitly described (published as YA), A Vision of Ruin comes with a few trigger warnings:

  • Death

  • Violence

  • Religious Persecution

  • Animal sacrifice

  • Topic of genocide

  • Mild Profanity

    **What we DO NOT have is any bullying, persecution, or hate based on a character’s sexual orientation. Our worlds will always be queer normative.