By Patrick W Carr
Bethany House, 2014
English, 464 pgs
Description:
Dark Forces Have Gathered and the Final Battle for Illustra Has Begun
Their journey to Merakh should have made Errol and his companions heroes of the realm. Instead, they've been branded enemies of the kingdom.
In the wake of the king's death, Duke Weir is ruling the country--and he intends to marry Adora to bring an heir from the royal line. With Errol and the others imprisoned and the identity of the rightful heir to the throne still hidden in secrecy, Illustra is on the verge of civil war--and threatened by hostile forces gathering on every side.
A dangerous mission to free Errol is attempted, but the dangers facing the kingdom mount with every passing moment. The barrier has fallen, ferrals are swarming toward the land, and their enemies draw ever closer. Will the discovery of the true heir turn back the tide of Illustra's destruction?
Review:
This is the third, and final, book in The Staff & The Sword series. It still follows Errol, Adora, Martin, Luis, Cruk, and all the characters we have come to know and love in the series.
It starts with action and doesn't slow down too much before the end. The group who went to Merakh are returning to a country that isn't quite what they were expecting. After the above mentioned attempt to free Errol the story moves to the final battle, between Illustra and the forces of both Merakh and the Morgols.
I liked that there was attention given to minor characters, like Karele and his quest to go back to his father. There were several different journeys going on at the same time and I almost felt that if there hadn't been so many it would have been easier to follow along with the action. The battle against the Morgols is barely mentioned and the battle with the Merakhi is quick.
The ending reminded me of the ending of The Wheel of Time series. I can't say that I don't like the ending, because I really do like how things end up, but it felt too familiar. I do realize that not everyone has read The Wheel of Time series so many will not know what I'm talking about. This is not a spoiler.
Characters die, characters live, characters change, characters elevate in status, and characters become monsters. Every one is dealt with in a manner that I can honestly say feels right.
I'm sure that Mr. Carr needs a break from writing such a lengthy series, but I look forward to more from him!
I received a copy of the book from Bethany House for the purpose of a review. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review.
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