User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Disappointed.
Yeah, so that is the keyword with this final installment of the Year One series.
I adored the first book. It was a five-star book that I felt had scope, depth, action, and suspense. It set up a world-shattering apocalypse delivered on the wings of disease and magic. And we got to see how a bunch of different people in a bunch of different places all had to confront and cope with it. And at the end of that book, their different stories and lives converged, ended on a great climactic yet tragic moment and set up what promised to be a ripping story toward a hopeful conclusion.
I liked the second book a little less so, but understood it was necessary. It was a textbook hero’s journey of a ‘chosen one’ hero who has to be at the forefront of the looming and final conflict. It had to take us through that hero, Fallon’s training and show us how and why she’d earn an army to follow her. Even though I didn’t love that book as much as the first one, it was still action filled, all show rather than tell, and had some great set action pieces.
So I was really looking forward to this final installment. By all rights it should have used all the stuff the first two books set up -- all the characters we’ve learned to love and hate, the scope, even the time that has elapsed in this world -- to show us (not tell us!) the lead up to and then the final confrontation.
But I was very disappointed in the result. I think this book squandered the stellar promise of the first book and the groundwork of the second book. The first book felt really grand and pretty epic, this one just felt… small.
For one thing, I thought too much of it was told from Fallon’s POV. I get that she is the chosen one, but almost every single scene was from her POV. One of the things that made the first book so wonderful was the differing experiences of all the main players. It gave such a great overview what was happening distilled into different human stories. This time is almost all filtered through Fallon, and I hate to say, Fallon is just not all that interesting on her own. She is what she is. A chosen hero who learned all these mad skillz in the last book. But her inner struggles and ruminations are not enough to make an exciting book
Also the book was too damned talky. Fallon speechified
a lot and intoned spells and drew her flaming sword and made lofty pronouncements about ‘light’ and lapsed in rhyming visions. Every word spoken was heavy with light vs. dark symbolism. And I mean HEAVY symbolism. People didn’t just talk, they talked with Meaning (capital ‘M’). And a lot of commas. Holy commas, Batman.
All the interesting personalities in the first book are relegated to parents who are super worried and wringing their hands over their youngsters who have to take on this fight. At this point after the apocalypse, these people should be more resolute than that. They don’t live in the world they lived in before. This one has no security, none. They have to be constantly vigilant and understand that until they have eradicated their enemies they are never safe. But it feels like this book has lost the thread and wants to be more conventionally an inner reflective romance than the previous two books in the trilogy suggested this series would be. In fact, one of the things that impressed me about the first book was that it felt so very different from anything else NR had written. This one really feels very familiar, it feels like everything else she’s written.
And finally, there are all these ambitious plans to take back the big cities – New York, DC etc. from the dark forces. Lots of plans and looking at maps and gearing up troops. But it is clear NR simply doesn’t or can’t write battle scenes. The descriptions are generic and these major offensives are over in two pages where the good guys are declaring victory. We get all aftermath or Fallon has ‘already taken care of that’ reassurances. It just feels all so very toothless. You get all dressed up and the dance is already over.
So yeah, disappointed.
Rating: really liked it
There’s something about a culmination that makes me hesitate. Whether it’s a fear that the ending won’t live up to my expectation or a desire for the journey to never end, it leaves me inclined to never finish anything. Not in life, mind you; I’m incredibly dependable and the opposite of a procrastinator when it comes to reality. But
when it comes to entertainment, I’d rather let the story live on unfinished in my mind than risk a final chapter that sours something I grew to love. Constant Readers of Stephen King can relate, I’m sure; though I love his work, the endings are rarely satisfying. However, there are some authors I always trust to really deliver with their endings, and Nora Roberts is high up on that list. She knows how to stick the landing
every single time.
The Rise of Magicks is no exception, and has actually shot this series into my list of best loved series of all time, alongside
The Kingkiller Chronicle and
The Stormlight Archive.
“Loss can shake faith if you let it, and the dark gloats when faith seeps out with loss.”
Chronicles of the One is, in ways, radically different from anything else Nora has ever penned. For one thing, she very rarely kills off characters, much less 80% of the world’s population. But not only did she launch the planet into a pandemic of apocalyptic proportions,
she also took a pretty hefty risk by killing off a central character in the first book.
While this might seem pretty par for the course for fantasy fans, remember that Nora has, until recent years, been first and foremost a romance author, whose audience expected happily ever afters in the final pages of any book she penned. Even I had a hard time accepting that radical choice, and I read plenty of fantasy and horror. I suppose I was thrown off because Nora was my ultimate source of comfort reading for a decade. She’s added some incredible depth to her work over the past few years, but I just wasn’t quite ready for what I found in the pages of
Year One. At least, I wasn’t the first time around. On my second read-through, my cognitive dissonance was replaced with a ton of respect and a genuine love for the story Nora was telling. By my third time through,
Year One had become one of my favorite books. Both of the following installments cemented that love.
“The other, the not-like-me, would always spark hate in some hearts.”
In other ways, Chronicles of the One is merely a final draft of the story Nora has been telling for years: magic finds its way to a group of friends or family or strangers destined to become both, and those who use magic for good must battle back the dark, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. While never derivative, it’s a story that Nora has told before, and told well.
You can tell that it is her center, a belief that magic lies just beneath the surface and that those who wield it for light will always triumph over the darkness. However, that triumph never comes without blood, sweat, and tears. One of my favorite elements of any Nora novel or series is her portrayal of idyllic families and communities, while also showing how much hard work went into building them and goes into maintaining them. In all of her stories, the central characters find their passion, be it art or carpentry or baking or bookselling or defending others in a court of law, and how hard they work at said passion. The same goes for any practitioner of magic;
nothing worthwhile comes freely or even easily.
I love how much emphasis she puts on giving whatever path you’ve found for yourself absolutely every ounce of effort you have. And I love how, no matter how long and hard the fight, that good will always triumph over evil in everything she writes.“I can’t lean on you until I’m sure I can stand on my own.”
There’s very little I can say about the actual book itself without spoiling it. So I’ll say that it was a perfect conclusion, both for romance fans and fantasy fans.
There were a multitude of battles and strategic preparations and war councils, but there was also love and humor and the culmination of a romance that had been building since the involved parties were born. Nora perfectly balanced fate and free will in regards to both the war and the romance, and I think she handled both beautifully. For those who are fantasy fans and not lovers of the romance genre,
don’t worry; the romance in the book never takes over the plot even as it becomes vitally linked to it. The entire trilogy was handled in such a way that I truly believe that fantasy fans will love it should they give it a chance.
“Then again, love’s a victory… Without it, all the battles mean nothing.”
If you can’t tell,
I loved everything about not only this book, but the trilogy it concluded. I wish I could say more about the character development and the magic and the scope without fearing that I’d inadvertently spoil the story in some way, but suffice it to say that I couldn’t have been more satisfied.
In fact, upon finishing the book I did something I’ve thought about but never actually done in my entire life: when I finished the last page, I decided to read it again. I went with the audio version the second time through as Julia Whelan did such a brilliant job with the first two, and I loved going that route when I decided to reread them in preparation of this book’s publication. And I loved every minute of both reading experiences. All of Nora’s books are fabulous in print, and this trilogy was no exception. But there’s something about her writing that lends itself incredibly well to audiobooks. There’s a cadence, a distinctive and lovely rhythm to her prose that is absolutely enchanting when read aloud by a talented narrator.
“Now I’ve looked… And I see. The treasures, the dreams, the dangers, the glorious diversity of the world and those who live in it. She’s a generous mother who offers all we need, and she’s a child who needs our tending and care.”
I can’t recommend this series highly enough to everyone, no matter your preferred genres. If you’re a fantasy fan, please don’t let the fact that Nora is a “romance” author deter you.
The woman can seriously write. Her world building, and lore weaving, and character development are all absolutely stellar. And for someone fairly new to the game, her battle scenes were completely gripping. If you’re already a longtime Nora fan, and are hesitant to pick this up because of the darkness of theme and plot, please give it a try anyway. You already know that you’re in good hands;
trust her to get you through a radically different story in such a way that you’ll be completely won over by the final pages. (Side note: my grandmother devoured this series and isn’t a fantasy fan.
Chronicles of the One, written by one of her favorite authors, opened her up to reading more fantasy. I can’t tell you how excited I am about that.) This trilogy is truly something special.
It’s among my top ten series I’ve ever read. In my whole life. Now I have to face the difficult decision of which books to move from my favorites shelf in my living room so that
Chronicles of the One can take its rightful place among them.
You can find this review and more at Novel Notions.
Rating: really liked it
For me, it always has been hard to continue a series after a year long break. To keep all the characters straight. To remember all the battles that have been fought. And to connect all the dots. Surprisingly it wasn’t as hard to get into The Rise of Magicks as expected. But I still needed a chapter or two to become accustomed again with the story and its cast.
I finished the book in two days, and it kept me quite busy and enthralled with its 454 pages. I even got goosebumps at one time. And I definitely loved the overall feel-good theme. Especially how LIGHT banishes the DARK, again and again. After only a short time of becoming familiar with the characters, it was like revisiting old friends again. There are so many fantastic characters in this trilogy. Partially because the POV of the entire trilogy is told from the view of the ONE and her family. Another reason why they story isn’t as dark as it could have been.
Besides meeting favorite characters, what I think I enjoyed the most was how with each battle, skirmish and confrontation LIGHT surged forward in its never ending quest to banish the DARK side. I loved how the author emphasized this by giving the novel an overall feel-good vibe. Same with seeing places that were lost to the DARK, built back up and flourish again. There was a noticeable progress, hope and successful integration in every page of this book. All of this made for a very satisfying read.
But, there were a couple things I felt were missing.
This novel had a lot of battles going on, and I didn’t feel like the length of the fighting scenes compared to the amount of battles that were fought. But I must also say that I’m someone that reads Kate Daniels who is known for her fighting scenes. The biggest issues was for me that the battles were just too easily won. It’s supposedly this HUGE battle between good vs evil, LIGHT vs DARK, and I felt the gravity of it all was just not met.
Now I also know that the author doesn’t write high fantasy or anything that comes with epic battles like e.g. in Lord of the Rings. But the feeling I got from the books, the overall plot, the message, all of it didn’t mesh with what was delivered on he pages. The epicness that I had built up in my mind since I read Of Blood and Bone was missing.
Of course, whatever I felt was missing in the end worked towards delivering a feel-good novel. With a ‘light banishes the dark’ kind of feel, which was of course the heart and soul of the entire novel/trilogy. I just felt that for a 454 page novel, with a lot of substance, and a plot that covered multiple years that this last book might have been better split into two. But this is just me, mulling over the fact that the book felt LONG at times, and maybe even a tiny bit repetitive.
Nevertheless, as I mentioned above, I devoured the novel in two days. And I believe many readers will love it, especially if they aren’t as bloodthirsty as I am apparently – lol. I wish there would have been a longer epilogue, but that’s something I always wish for. Anyway, this epic saga, that covered multiple generations, is finally concluded, and I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next.
___________________________________
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.
You can find me on my blog and on Bookstagram
Rating: really liked it
What a great series. I enjoyed that so much! I listened to the audio which was narrated beautifully and which added to the whole experience.
The whole series has been very character driven and it was really nice in this last book to have so many of the original characters coming forward and playing their parts. Lana, Katie, Fred and Arliss in particular helped round things off as they helped the light return
Fallon of course was the main event and she was a remarkable character. I enjoyed the way her power grew and grew - I always like my main characters to be practically unbeatable. Roberts wrote this in her usual fashion, punchy and dramatic but with lots of tear jerking moments. I thought she handled the battle scenes well especially the final fight with the black dragon.
All good just as we expect from this excellent author.
Rating: really liked it
So nicely Nora.
Rating: really liked it
Edit 2/11/20:
I'm lowering my original rating of this book because, upon further reflection, the "You didn't say no" justification for unwanted sexual contact is still a thing in this last installment. Roberts has and continues to throw out implications about a woman's knowing complicity in sexual violence, something I've only recently picked up on when rereading some of her work.
WARNING: Very Long Review Below.
This is a2.5 star read, and the .5 is only because the lead up to the "climax “is, for the most part, quite an adventure.
I’d decided, after having endured the steaming pile of annoyance that was Of Blood and Bone, that I was going to wait on this one, but the opening chapters were compelling enough that I couldn’t put it down/shut down cloud player.
The thing is, it was the little things and, frankly, one huuuuuuuge one, that worked collectively to bring down my estimation of this, the long anticipated final installment of the chronicles of the One trilogy. Marred by repetitive diction, careworn tropes and clichés (many of these are unique to Roberts), and lazy, incoherent plotting, The Rise of Magics is, on the whole, a quite entertaining, but ultimately disappointing, conclusion to what began as a fantastic trilogy.
First, while I really could have done without the romance, I really appreciated (I can never tell you how much) the fades to black. I couldn’t care less that “they moved together” or that “light melded with light” during mechanical sex scene x, y, or z.
Still, the whole “get behind me; I’ll protect you,” “kiss her to shut her up,” “the relationship rules are different for me because I’m the male” tropes were fully in play here.
To continue, as is her wont, Roberts stuffs this book with the usual melodramatic conflicts. you know the ones; the protagonist(s) flexes her/his/their autonomy and subsequently endures a blistering round of castigation from all corners. Cue the protracted apologies for actions that make perfect sense but are deemed to be major offenses because egos, mistrust in abilities, and youth-envy.
Of course, not a single solitary person on team castigation takes ownership of his/her inability to relinquish control of anything to do with their children or lovers. Nope, it’s all about how wronged they are and about how their precious feefees being discounted during wartime is more tragic than, say, the profound and far-reaching consequences of Fallon taking time (infinitely more precious) to secure their approval.
In this case, the collective tantrum has to do with the “adults” (adults specifically meaning the “parents/original” founders of New Hope)not being given the opportunity to grant permission to or set ground rules for a grown ass, highly trained heroine before she embarks on a dangerous but very, very necessary mission. No joke, they throw a tantrum because Fallon neglects to afford them the opportunity to micro-manage/backseat drive her mission.
Honestly, their inability to trust her to get safely in and out of a dangerous situation after an entire lifetime of training and at least a dozen battles under her belt smacks more of disrespect than does being robbed of the opportunity to lay down the law before said dangerous situation is to go down.
This isn’t the only instance of “protagonist does perfectly understandable thing, only to crumple beneath the weight of multiple instances of overprotective gaslighting,” but you get my point.
Speaking of youth-envy, the repeated elder-worship seriously grated. Hardly a chapter goes by when one or more of the younger generation isn’t falling all over him or herself to prop up this or that parent with reminders of what they did/built/gifted 20 years ago.
It's almost like Nora Roberts is trying to reassure readers that Fallon and company, for all their extensive training, will always need their mommies and daddies. This sentiment/theme gets underscored in a seriously problematic way; keep reading if you aren’t worried about spoilers.
The ending was a complete let down, full stop.***Huge Spoiler Here*** Tonia is conveniently injured during the final battle; this clears the way for none other than "the [One's]"mommy to rush onto the battlefield.
Cue record scratch.
Yup, you read that right;Fallon has trained her entire life and, at the long anticipated sticking point, her mommy has to step in and bail her out! This, coupled with all of her parents' gendered hovering and nose wiping, spelled the official death of the quality of this installment.
Here is where it became clear to me that Roberts was thinking less like her heroine and more like a mother. When you can't bear to even make up a world in which a young adult female canstand on her own in a dangerous situation, there's something seriously wrong.
My other theory is that Roberts is trying to illustrate for a certain segment of readers that Lana, a figure emblematic of "traditional" womanhood, can also be useful in battle. This was a major failure, but I digress.
However, what she proved was that Fallon was never "The One" but just one among the more powerful soldiers on the side of "the light."When you've got a community full of worried mommies and daddies who clip your wings and punish you for autonomy, how do you stand as a heroine with any degree of confidence?
Shouldn't you be trusted to take risks if you've spent more than half of your life receiving training that no one, not your siblings, not your parents, not your "aunts or uncles" have received?
Fallon makes a great point, one that , of course, is dismissed as a childish outburst. Bottom line, she asserts, as the *only* one who has had to sacrifice what passes for normality, she should be able to actually lead without being questioned by old people, most of whom aren't even a quarter as powerful as she is.
All of the "adults" needed to back the hell off and trust her abilities and instincts.
There was no place for parental protection in this situation. This was war, and people really needed to do what generations of parents have been doing and get the hell out of the way of the soldiers they love.
Were I John Little or any of the other arms of Fallon's army, I'd be side-eyeing the whole idea of her as a leader if I'd caught wind of her having to account for her deeds.
As tip of the spear, she should have been trusted implicitly; she was not.
Finally, the hastily scribbled epilogue that follows this tragedy of a climax is , for me at least, cast-iron proof that retirement may be in order for Mrs. Roberts. In comparison to the epilogues of the two previous books in the series, this was inexcusably lazy and flat.
I’ve been reading her work for many years, so I’m used to more and better from her trilogies.
All in all, this was little better than a slightly more than ok reading experience.
Rating: really liked it
Word of caution...this series has a continuing story arc and is intended to be read in order. Fallon Swift, The One, and the rest of her family and community at New Hope are continuing their strikes against Raiders, Purity Warriors and the corrupt government officials who are waging war against magickals and keeping the world immersed in darkness. But, Fallon realizes that it’s time to play a bigger game, to bring back the “light” and move the world out of the chaos and despair into hope and progress. The only way to do that is with bold actions.
I could hardly wait for this book’s release as I’ve loved the series and what it stands for. There’s a particular emphasis on “light” and “dark” elements, whether it be individuals’ or groups’ behaviors or the difference in magickals. It was underlying everything of significance throughout the book, so much that I began to think of every encounter this way. It was a powerful distinction as I considered what it would mean if this kind of doomsday event really happened. At some point, it does boil down to good versus evil, lightness or darkness of heart.
Most of the story is told through Fallon’s point of view, though we do get others’ insights regularly as part of her narrative. That felt appropriate given that she is The One and earned that mantle even though it was ordained. I loved how the weight of that weighed heavily on her. There are lots of small skirmishes that helped me understand both sides clearly. But what was even more compelling was Fallon’s leadership. Great leaders have bold vision, know how to inspire others and surround themselves with those who are not only wise but will be truthful to them, speaking truth to power. Her father, Simon, and trainer, Mallick, were two extremely important voices, helping guide her decisions. There were others, including her mother, Lana, who had influence and that gave me comfort because it’s critical to success.
While the great battles initiated by Fallon and her forces seemed to end swiftly, I didn’t believe that because there was great emphasis on the casualties and losses, which were many. I’m not a fan of the details of war and battle campaigns but if you are, know that this isn’t a strong element in this story. You’ll have to just accept that they were bloody and tough because they aren’t outlined. However, the strength of this final story lies with the relationships, some stemming from the beginning of the trilogy, others cultivated during the journey to present day. The final showdown between Fallon and her nemesis was exciting and the return to where it all began was poignant. I love the strong themes and their resonance as it’s relevant for current times. The resilience of the light was encouraging as we experience dark times ourselves. It left me in such a good place.
Finally, Julia Whelan is in a class by herself as a narrator. I had to remind myself that there weren’t multiple performers because it seemed like there were at least four! Just truly an outstanding performance, making the listening experience extraordinary.
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Rating: really liked it
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Well Deserved Stars - Thank you Edelweiss for an ARC
I can not wait to put this conclusion in the hands of my library patrons because it was so beautifully wrapped up - I couldn't have asked for a better ending. I've said it before, *raises hand* not the biggest Nora Roberts fan here I admit this freely however, if I can specify a series to be the HUGEST Nora Roberts fan for - it'd be this one. She ties up loose ends, ravels and spins a web with each and every character and yet it somehow flows perfectly.
Fallon, Tonia, Duncan and their growth as characters is the 💥bomb.com But that isn't even the best part of this book...the best part is how every.single.character has a purpose. There was no fluff written in just to be page fillers.
Mallick, Simon, Fred, Arlys, Mick, Lana... the list goes on and on because every person plays a role. Action, adventure, romance, intense anticipation, impending doom, hope, darkness, you name it, this book has it all and then some.
I'm impressed Ms. Roberts....thoroughly impressed.
Rating: really liked it
A big, fat 'meh'. I found too much of this book laden with jargon, too much woo-woo, and a heavy case of predictability.
I may write more at some later date...
Note: I started this book, then put it down in order to read 3(!!) more books in a series that I'm re-reading. I call that 'failure to grab my attention' on this book's part.
Rating: really liked it
It had been around two decades since the Doom struck, killing the majority of civilization, and all the while Fallon Swift was readying herself; preparing to free those imprisoned or impoverished by the Purity Warriors and Dark Uncanny. As she built her armies, her leaders proved themselves time and again – her brother Colin, Duncan and his twin Tonia, Mick, Mallick and many more – and with her mother and father by her side, Fallon knew it was time.
Fallon was The One; but she couldn’t do it on her own. Her ultimate goal would be the hardest, but to remove the Dark completely she would take it one step at a time. All the while supported by more and more who would fight for the Light. Could it be done? Fallon was determined; the enemy would be extinguished…
Wow!
The Rise of Magicks is such a powerful novel, a brilliant conclusion to the Chronicles of the One trilogy by Nora Roberts – I loved it; loved them all. She is such a talented woman; her pen just flows with the words. Captivating, intriguing, poignant, intense, gripping – breathtaking! The image of the tree of life on the cover of my copy is outstanding and I found the meaning as I read. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my copy to read in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
4 Stars!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️If you dig Fantasy- I highly recommend this unique gem of a series!! I have been an avid reader for years- I tend to lean more towards the romance/fantasy type books. But believe it or not- I never picked up a Nora Roberts book until a few years ago. It was called Obsession. I absolutely adored it- and promised myself I would check out her books again some day.
Well that day finally came when I heard she had a fantasy series coming out - with the first book being Year One. It sounded so good I could not wait to get my hands on it! I fell in love with it and the characters then couldn't wait for the next book to come out! I also really enjoyed book 2 , which took a little detour from the first book- but not too much, it was more of a time jump.
So here we are at Book 3!! I cant believe its finally over! I was so happy with the way Roberts ended this series! All my questions were answered and everything I had hoped for this community of people and New Hope happened!! Cant get any better than that! I look forward to more Nora Roberts in my future and seriously hopes she continues to write more fantasy!
Rating: really liked it
This book was probably my most disappointing read of 2019. I really enjoyed the first two books in the trilogy so I was expecting to like this one as well, but in my opinion it was pretty lackluster. When left to contemplate, why I liked the first two and found the last one lacking I drew a couple of conclusions. My main conclusion was that the first two books had conflict (either internal or external). The final book had little conflict despite it being about the final battle between light and dark. During the first book, the apocalypse was actually occuring and I love a good apocalyptic story. There was all sorts of conflict and survival themes. Plus I really enjoyed the characters Fred, Eddie, Chuck, all of the New Hope originals were at the forefront in this story and I was interested in their story. The second story centered around Fallon, whom I definitely wasn't as interested in as the originals but in the second story she faced a lot of struggles in coming into her powers. I enjoyed her interactions with Mallick and Mick. There was a bit of a magical school vibe as Mallick put her through the paces and the magic system was fleshed out. Then we got to the third story. To me it was a bore. The third story was all about the final battle between good and evil, but it was very lackluster as final battles go. That leads me to Fallon. My husband and sons often talk about superheros and video games and what makes them fun/entertaining and what characteristics make them boring. A common characteristic in the boring games and movies is when the hero/villain/weapon etc is overpowered. It takes away the competitive nature and the suspense. Fallon was overpowered. She was "The One" and there was never any doubt she would triumph. There was never really much of a struggle at all. It came pretty easily to her. She did not face much conflict either internally or externally in the whole story and because of that, it was dull. She was also too perfect and one dimensional. I like my book characters to be more realistic and have some depth. I did really like the last 30 pages. It contained more heart and emotion than the entire 420 pages before it. For that reason I gave it a 3 instead of the 2.5 I had decided on prior to the books completion.
Rating: really liked it
Because of the way the story unfolds listeners and readers should begin at the beginning Year One and now that the trilogy is complete it’s the perfect time to binge!
The Rise of Magicks brings growth as Fallon Swift forms armies and takes back the light by reclaiming cities and towns ruled by dark. It is not without loss, and she will suffer. One cannot help but admire young Fallon who has been tasked since birth with such responsibilities. Her training, family, mentors and friends aid her and she seeks their guidance and those of the gods.
The magical elements, supernatural creatures, talents and abilities of the people added to the tale giving us healers and travelers.
The prophecy and prophecies spoken gave me chills. Julia Whelan was the perfect narrator for this trilogy. Not only did she capture Fallon, but she gave voice to so many characters we met along the way. She enhanced the magical elements, the prophecies and the battle scenes.
The world building was well done, but it’s the characters who drove the story and held me captive. I got to know these characters and when they hurt I hurt. I rooted for them, laughed with them and oh lord when we lost one I cried for them. That is the magic of this trilogy.
Roberts did a great job of bringing the story full circle and giving listeners and readers a satisfying ending to the trilogy. She tied up threads, gave us some happily ever afters and a glimpse into the future…. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Rating: really liked it
Absolutely horrible and annoying to listen too.
The first book started out as a pretty interesting idea. The second book became a black and white shit fuck with a bunch of characters who all think, act and talk the same and are these paragons of virtue. The third book just overloaded me with unbelievable bullshit. Every character has the same speech pattern as the rest of the writing. I got really annoyed at how Every second sentence sounded the same and she always writes like this: "he could feel her power, her strength." Or "his evil was so intense, so overpowering." half of the length of this book are just all the extra descriptors she adds at the end of every other sentence,and all her characters talk like that too, which is hugely immersion breaking. The characters are really the worst part they are all the same super good people full of light that can do no wrong and are perfect in everyway. Everyone is respectful and hardworking and caring and all the same, even the minor or unnamed characters. Like this is nothing at all like how people act. These paragons of virtue are always right and respectful and speak like no real human does. There is absolutely no conflict in the book because the main characters are always prepared and always win without a struggle. I could go on about how bullshit this story is but it's not worth it.
This is the first series and last I will attempt by Nora Roberts, she should stick to her romance novels. (even the romance and sex parts of this book were insanely awkward and unnatural). But Nora definitely cannot write grim, dark or grimdark stories.
For audible people, the narrator is horrible, every male sounds the same and almost every female sounds the same. And Nora's writing makes the audio so hard and repetitive to listen too.
Rating: really liked it
What a disappointment to a really great start. I really enjoyed book 1 and was so pleased that this was just a trilogy. Book 2 moved the story along nicely setting up book 3. Book 3 just fell completely flat. This was the final battle - Good vs Evil for the fate of the world. And while no one doubted that Good was going to win I did expect some tension and excitement. There wasn't any of that. First is the big battle to take Arlington...there is set up, planning, attack and without any losses -Arlington is taken. Then the next big battle to take Washington DC - which is a stronghold but so unprotected that the good guys can actually flash into the White House to plant bugs! then comes set up, planning, ....Washington is taken. Then comes the next big battle only this one is THE big battle - NY city. Honestly by this time I just skipped the set up, planning and battle because guess what? NY city is taken. And through out this only one minor character is killed! It was sadder when the dog died!!!! So not really any danger at all and if there is no danger the isn't any engagement from the reader. Oh and there are dragons in this one! How to kill the Petra's dragon? Easy, just ask another dragon. And finally, I cannot stand Duncan. He is possessive, entitled, demanding, immature, and grabby - I just wanted someone to tell him in no uncertain terms to keep his god-damn hands to himself. Overall this third book let down the entire series.
