A man is not great because he is a good man. A great man can be good, evil, or any shade of gray in between. A great man is a man who sees the world around him, and changes it to suit him, instead of letting it change him to suit itself. Lowin Fenly didn't want to be a hero, and he never thought of being a villain, but sometimes the path that must be walked by great men leads to dark places. Body twisted by dark magic, the scribe-turned-Knight must learn to control the beast he is becoming, or risk losing the few remnants of humanity he clings to.

All men who would change the world, must first be willing to destroy it. The continuation of the epic saga began in The Noble Fool, The Vengeful Malice follows the path of Lowin Fenly on his quest to bring peace to his people, his land and himself as he faces a new and alien menace.

Lowin has driven himself tirelessly towards his goals, seeking an end to the torments that have riddled his soul with guilt for years. The threat of the Hungering seems abated, but still greater challenges lay ahead. His companions are divided, and his own mind is split by dark thoughts, and darker urgings. Lowin must master himself, and find friends amidst the enemies that surround him, or all he has worked so hard to gain will be lost. Far across the ocean, an enemy beyond his understanding waits. Hero, tyrant, man, beast; which is Lowin Fenly?