From the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Paper Magician Series comes the enthralling climax of a cataclysmic war between monstrous creatures.
Sandis has finally freed herself from her master and his plans to use her as a vessel for the ancient beast Kolosos. But her master has found a new, impossible vessel: Sandis’s brother, Anon—a brother she long thought dead.
Kolosos is … dead.
Kolosos is ancient, massive, and seemingly unbeatable. Fortunately, Sandis has her own monster—an ethereal fire horse that she can summon at will. In addition, she and Rone may have discovered the secret to defeating Kolosos: ancient lore that details the creation of magic. It could be the key to victory and the key to saving Anon.
The price is steep, and Sandis is willing to pay it. Rone is not, and his attempt to save her only pulls them apart. As both are tested in ways they never expected, Sandis and Rone will need to determine the sacrifices they are willing to make. If their efforts are not enough, their city will fall…just as the ancient city beneath it already has.
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Charlie N. Holmberg is a phenomenal author, everything she puts out is amazing! Her world building is second to none. Her characters jump off the page, and her story telling is wonderful.
I can honestly say I have enjoyed all of Ms. Holmberg’s work, but nothing so far has captured that same feel of the Paper Magician Series for me . . . That is until this series. The world-building is centered around a theology-based lore instead of a world of magic like in the prior series, but she has managed to capture that same fire of excitement, of intrigue in the plot. There is magic, but there is so much more. Rich and complex characters in an equally riveting world pull you in from that get-go. By this final book, you are so emotional invested in characters, this world starts to feel real, bigger in your mind. It’s beautiful and so well written from her previous work. I won’t spoil it, but if you have been waiting for a grand follow-up piece to the Paper Magician Series, this is it.
*** I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. ***
White-knuckled tension and sensory writing mark this dazzling finale to a superb fantasy trilogy from the very original mind of its author.
Chaos, grave decisions and unstoppable fury lace the plot. Sandis and Rone are battling the unthinkable in the shape of a monster never seen before. That is only one of the many irrevocable changes that shake the foundation of everything they know. In between the slaughter and destruction, this couple of dynamic characters have to face esoteric discoveries, thwart the murderous plans of a madman, and make the ultimate sacrifice.It is like dwelling in a never-ending apocalypse, and it might be daunting to the characters but it is gripping to read.
There are several intense surprises as Sandis uncovers secrets about the numen, the vessels and the distant past. I felt truly sorry for her harrowing experiences. She suffers for everyone who suffers, and that’s double the ache. I admire her resilience and her bravery. I also really loved Bastien and his irresistible puns.
The plot gets complicated and unentangled at the same time. It’s relentlessly built up with precarious alliances, wild magic, haunting losses and ruthless violence, along with a mystical sense of life and death. Fire, blood and fear strike through the city, while humans and numen fight the final battle in a frenzied crescendo.
I loved the fact that it happens as one long scene that pulls at your strings to exhausting limits. It’s like feeling as one of the characters in their quest to survive. Saving the future is really hard when you have to fight a deific creature while deciphering ancient riddles. There’s still space for love and unity and empathy, and I think hope shines at the end of a very demanding war. The world created in this final book is beautiful and provocative to imagine. I might dream with it tonight.
I’m having troubles wrapping my head around the enormous magnitude of awesomeness that was this book. Admittedly, it’s been a few months since I read the 2nd book in this trilogy, but it didn’t matter one bit. From the first page, I was immediately sucked right back into this amazing story, down into the proverbial rabbit hole, to the city of Dresberg and the world of Sandis and Rone and the Numina.
There is so much to love. The amazing characters. The vividly created scenes. The action and the magic that swirled as if they were real in front of my eyes. I loved all of it, each and every part.
I’m in awe, sitting here with my jaw hanging open after a whirlwind of these words swirling through my head for the past two days. I’ve loved this story from the beginning. It’s by far and away my favorite by Charlie Holmberg, and I dare say one of my top reads of 2019, and most definitely my favorite fantasy I’ve ever read.
This book deserves far, far more than 5 stars.