Author Jenn Lyons made her mark on the fantasy genre last year with her debut novel The Ruin of Kings. This was the first in an epic fantasy series that subverts tropes and reader expectations at every turn. This was followed swiftly by the second volume The Name Of All Things. Now the third title in The Chorus of Dragons series by Jenn Lyon is set for release this week. Let's take a look at the new novel The Memory of Souls by Jenn Lyons, that will be available worldwide on August 24 from Tor Books.

As there is no way to review The Memory of Souls without discussing the first two books in this series, please be aware of book spoilers to follow.

In order to delve into The Memory of Souls, we must first take a look back at the first two volumes in The Chorus of Dragons. Each book is framed with an unreliable narrator telling their story. And in The Ruin of Kings, the narrator is the primary male protagonist named Kihrin. A synopsis of the novel tells us the following about The Ruin of Kings.

Kihrin is the bastard son of a treasonous prince. Drawn into the intrigues and ambitions of his father’s family, his dreams of overcoming his past to become a heroic leader are shattered when he discovers his true destiny isn’t to save the kingdom, but to destroy it…

From the first book in the series, Lyons sets up the trope of the 'Chosen One' in order to subvert it. Kihrin is many things: a thief, a bard, and an orphan who discovers that he is a long-lost noble. However it soon becomes clear that being the Chosen One is not all that it is cracked up to be.

In the first book Kihrin is manipulated and abused by his long-lost family, and then sold into slavery. He is chased across the map by powerful demons, and hounded by gods who want him to do their bidding. In the end he learns that he is the reincarnation of the sliver of a dark god's soul. He is the one who will fulfill some ancient prophecies that will unleash demonic forces on the world. He has been chosen, yes. But by who?

This question is asked repeatedly over the course of the first two books. Because the gods are not here to play. The Chorus of Dragons has a large cast of characters, and among them are actual gods who are just as fallible as mortals. Kihrin soon discovers that there are many prophecies he is set to fulfill. And one of them details the destruction of the current Empire. Despite resisting this strongly over the course of three books, it is clear to the readers that this would be a good thing.

The Empire as it stands in the first three books is clearly evil. Slavery is common; genocide is encouraged, poverty is rampant, homophobia and misogyny is embedded into the society. There are noble houses who essentially run the Empire, and they are clearly decadent, debaucherous, and entirely corrupt. If ever an Empire needed to be torn down, it is this one.

The second book The Name of All Things makes it clear that Kihrin is also not the only one who has been chosen. Reincarnation is a common theme in the books, with at least one character who can clearly remember all of his past lives. It soon becomes apparent that there was a group of individuals who volunteered for reincarnation, in order to continue fighting a looming magical cataclysm.

Alongside Kihrin is the character of Janel. She is set up in the first book as the primary love interest for Kihrin. But her character is much more than that. The Name of All Things is Janel's book, her story that is told primarily from her point of view. We learn about the unique society that she comes from, with its gender-bending social norms. And we discover that much like Kihrin, she has also been marked by a demon and chosen by the gods to fight in this endless battle. Also like him, she chafes at the bonds placed on her and the very idea of fate or destiny. Another unlikely Chosen One, who never thought to envision herself as the hero of the story.

All of this brings us to newest entry in the Chorus of Dragons series. The Memory of Souls raises the stakes for all of the characters significantly as it reveals the inevitable end of the world is fast approaching. The novel delves deeper into the non-human societies of the world. Among them are the Vané (they are essentially Tolkien-esque Elves only far more sexual and sparkly). The Vané are the last of the immortal races left in the world. The rest gave up their immortality in a powerful ritual that just kind of put a band-aid on the whole widening-abyss-that-will-swallow-the world problem that has been around for centuries. Now it is time for the Vané to perform the ritual, as dictated by the gods.

The majority of the book revolves around trying to convince the Vané to give up their immortality. Which they definitely do not want to do. It is a book full of politics that gives readers a deeper understanding of the world history. But it is also a book that is full of very human moments, with characters falling in love and figuring out their own identities. You would think that from this description, that the third book might be slower paced or even boring. But this is not the case with A Memory of Souls. The book is full of action, with epic battles waged against dragons, demons, and even the gods themselves. But the intimate character moments give the story space to breathe. They allow the reader a glimpse into the increasingly complicated inner lives of the characters.

While reading A Memory of Souls I often felt like I was immersed in a complicated role-playing game. This is not a derogatory mark against the book in any way. I grew up reading RPG novels like Dragonlance and The Forgotten Realms series. I am a sucker for a role-playing game. And yes, I would play a game based off this series in a heartbeat.

The side quests that the characters must embark upon add to the complexity of the story. There are magical artifacts aplenty, and there is no one set magical system that everyone must adhere to. Each character has their own unique magical talents that are integral to the plot. The RPG-esque nature of the story might be due to the fact that author Jenn Lyons actually got her start writing for video games. She also credits her own geeky origins to playing Dungeons & Dragons as a kid. These influences are clear in her writing style, and she uses them to their best advantage. The non-human races feel familiar, but are given a new twist. The action is fast-paced and exciting, and it keeps the reader turning pages long into the night.

Overall The Memory of Souls is an excellent addition to The Chorus of Dragons series. It introduces some new characters, and adds unexpected depth and complexity to others. This includes the 'villains' of the series, including the one who narrates The Memory of Souls. Not even the demons are wholly evil, just alien and unknowable. The gods are not wholly good either, with their own plans and deceptions.

The complexity of the books can sometimes be a bit confusing, what with so much body-swapping and reincarnating going on. But if you delve into the books and fully immerse yourself in the world that Jenn Lyons has so cleverly constructed, you will find the journey to be a highly enjoyable adventure.

Jenn Lyons is almost certainly bound to become the next big name in epic fantasy. And we look forward to seeing where A Chorus of Dragons goes from here.

The Memory of Souls is the third book of A Chorus of Dragons by Jenn Lyons. There are five planned books in the series, with a book set for publication every six months since 2019. The Memory of Souls will be out on August 24, 2020 from Tor/Forge.

I began this series late and picked up this third book (of a planned 5) after having read the first two recently. I’m very glad, because I may have missed something if I hadn’t. Good strong 3rd book. But not the end, so don’t expect to be fully satisfied just yet. These books are very much series books. Read them all and in order.

I'm running way behind on this series - I love it and I am certain that this is fantastic, but need more time to get caught up.

I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley.
This book is the third in the series and definitely continues the excitement and interesting perspecitves and POV from the first two. The first book introduced us and told us the story of Kihrin, the second introduced us to and gave the story of Janel. This book gives us the continuation of their story together as the react to being the champions of prophesy and the adventures they have.
The book continues to use first person tellings of the tale from multiple narrators. One of the additions is a historical figure who gives us insight into the history of the world we are in and the rise of the Eight "gods" as well as the dragons and even some of the previous incarnations of our heroes. There are also journeys and explorations of relationships, love and growth in the individuals that are not just central to moving the plot forward to the next piece of action. I like watching these character grow, change and learn on their journey beyond just learning how to "fight evil" like what happens in many fantasy books. The book is also very forward in it's views on relationships, sexuality, identity and how those things are seen and viewed in the society. I really like the explorations in gender and attraction, and even with relationships beyond monogamy that happen in the book
This is a large book and a long read, like the other novels in the series. That they come out so quickly and of such quality is amazing.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Please tell me that we get another book after this? PLEASE!

Just like the previous books, The Memory of Souls was addicting to read. Of course I'm constantly confused by every little thing that comes my way in this series but I still end up loving each book. This probably sounds beyond weird.. but it works. For me.

Without trying to spoil anything about this book, just know that you will be confused. It's bound to happen really but with this book you just will be. There's just so much going on and no one is really just themselves. Not sure if that makes sense.. but I never said that this book will be either.

In it, you will get to know Kihrin, Janel and Teraeth a bit more. We get to explore so many things with these three that I was entertained the entire time. They made this a page turner for me. I mean, everything else did too because this book was just that good.

Just as we dove into relationships, we got to learn about what worked and what didn't. Again, so much went on that you might get whiplash. This book dove into so many things but it ended up flowing pretty well.

In the end, I seriously need another book. Please be amazing as well!

Atrine has been destroyed and Kirhin, Teraeth, Janel and Thurvishar find the swords of the empire pointed at them, but the journey is far from over. Tasked by the Eight Immortals, they find themselves having to convince the Manol Vané to give up their immortality in a desperate attempt to buy more time to find a way to destroy Vol Karoth. But not everything is as it seems and the sacrifices that will need to be made carry a high cost.

“Plummeting to his death was starting to sound quite appealing.”

I feel like I am not in anyway intelligent enough or eloquent enough with my words to reviews these books. The world building of these books is so intricate and complicated that even now in book three we are still seeing layers being revealed. Every time I reread any one of the books in the series I still find myself picking up on things I missed on my first read. Every single book continues to add more depth and expand on this incredible world that has been created. It’s next level stuff and I don’t know how Lyon’s does it. It’s like nothing I’ve ever read before.

The Memory of Souls is one of those books where you cannot afford to dismiss a single word as irrelevant because small, seemingly unimportant lines will come back to play hundreds of pages later. I found myself flicking back to things either earlier in The Memory of Souls or from the first two books and doing an ‘oh OH’.

Memory of Souls finally gives us Kihrin, Janel and Teraeth together in the same room. I have waited 84 years for this and it was everything I could have wanted. I love these characters as individuals but together they’re an absolute delight and my ot3 ship is sailing. You don’t know slow burn until you’ve read these books.

The Memory of Souls opens up to some new perspective AND WE GOT TERAETH POV!!!!! I’m still not over that one, I’ve been waiting for it since The Ruin of Kings. I love him so much. Of course, there are some downsides to pov changes which is mainly that Jenn is mean and ends just about every chapter on a cliffhanger of sorts so you’re constantly hanging out for more except it’s that for every single pov so it’s just impossibly to put the book down.

By the end of this series I don’t think there is going to be a single straight character left and I’m here for it. If you’ve met a character and assumed they’re straight, think again because I can pretty much guarantee you at this point that they aren’t. It’s glorious and refreshing. Even as a queer reader you can fall into the assuming straight is the default when reading but Jenn said bitch think again. There’s no one token gay and it’s so great to see in an epic fantasy.

Something that I love about the Chorus of Dragons series is that there isn’t a straight ‘it’s good vs evil’ plot here. You find yourself filing people away on certain sides but The Memory of Souls comes along and makes you question everyone and their motives. People you thought were good do terrible things and people you had written off as evil are actually making a lot of fucking sense. Nothing is clear cut and there’s no villain cackling madly as they reveal their evil plans and that’s all there is to it.

Every single book in this series has me thinking that there’s no way it could possibly be topped and then the next one comes along and manages to be every more amazing. The Memory of Souls was my favourite yet and I cannot wait for The House of Always to one up it. It was simply incredible. No review could possible do the scope of this book justice, just know that one of the best books I have ever read.

“And you are music and songs and the light of a thousand stars. You are storm clouds and velvet skies and brilliant columns of fire. How can I not be drawn to you?”

*eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Once again, I am blown away by the incredible world building and writing of Jenn Lyons. Before reading The Memory of Souls, I re-read the first two books: The Ruin of Kings and The Name of All Things. Because they are both really long books (and because there is so much information to remember), I thought it would be a slightly tedious task. However, they were as amazing as I remembered them, probably more so because I already has a basic knowledge of how the world works.

Which brings me to The Memory of Souls, my new favorite book in this series. All of the books in the Chorus of Dragons series are told from different points in time and points of view. The Memory of Souls is a conversation over past events between Kihrin and Thurvishar (though it is told from more points of view than that), catching up to the present mere chapters before the end of the book. It follows Kihrin, Thurvishar, Janel, and Tereath as they try to stop the end of the world.

This book takes the foundation of the world-building merely glimpsed in the first two and turns it on its head. Truths are revealed and lies are uncovered. The story behind the creation of the gods, Relos Var, Vol Karoth, and the dragons is finally told, leading to unlikely friendships between enemies and unlikely wars between friends.

Gods and goddesses, mortals and immortals, humans and demons. All fighting for the world they wish to save. Unfortunately, they all want to save different worlds.

To sum it up, it is the perfect adult fantasy. I am excited (and a little scared) and eagerly waiting to read the next book the second it comes out.

5 stars

A tale as big as any epic series in modern literature. In saying that it has as many twists and subplots as a garden maze. I found the language graphic,and the title character sufficiently conflicted. But the going for me was tough and a struggle to navigate at times. The author is so invested you can feel her hero’s angst and his sorrow. Not a simple read but a trip worth the time

My head hurts almost as much as my heart after turning the final pages of The Memory of Souls, but knowing that Jenn Lyons is currently writing book 4, The House of Always, has me healing . . . and smiling.

This was insane, chaotic, and often confusing – but wonderfully so. It’s a beautiful mess of characters and relationships that defies either convention or description. I’ve read plenty of fantasy dealing with reincarnation and past lives, but never like this . . . never to this degree. This is a story where past lives are just that – plural – and where longevity plus reincarnation combine to make for complex, cross-generational, sometimes incestuous family dynamics. Nobody is just one person, one life, one memory, and sometimes the whole of one’s soul is very different than the sum of their lives.

Whereas so much of epic fantasy is about saving the world, this series (and this volume in particular) is more about not destroying the world. It’s been saved more than once already, but each respite is shorter than the last, while the price grows higher each time – and yet everyone seems determined to save it again, in the exact same way, expecting a different result. The very definition of insanity. It’s Kihrin who refuses to accept that, who questions the motives of gods, guardians, and immortals, and who is prepared to give up everything to make it work this time. We trust him because he’s supposed to be the hero, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to changing my mind on that multiple times before this volume was through.

Getting back to those characters and their relationships, how Lyons not only validates the emotional triangle between Kihrin, Janel, and Teraeth but explores the complex romance dynamic of a potentially polyamorous triad – one with reincarnation issues and a question of gender fluidity – is perhaps the most satisfying aspect of the novel. After so much will-they-won’t-they in The Name of All Things, we get pivotal moments of coming out, confession, and (yes) copulation. I really hope that relationship gets a chance to continue evolving because it’s fantastic. The other relationship we’re granted insights and revelations into is that of the Kihrin, Relos Var, and Vol Karoth, and it sets up that final scene that broke my heart.

As for that gender-fluidity, I love what Lyons has done here with the possibilities of gender. There’s simple reincarnation into different genders; races such as the voramer and morgage who are born male but become female later in life; the magically gifted vane who can alter their gender and appearance over time; and the treacherous mimics who can become anyone at will. There’s a whole question of romance, inheritance, and bloodlines that hinges upon gender, not because same-sex marriage is an issue, but because childbearing is far more problematic.

As for saving or not destroying the world, this is a book that builds to what seems impossible heights, making you wonder how Lyons will ever pull off a climax, but she absolutely nails it. The finale here is big, bold, violent, and full of magic. It involves dragons and demons, mortals and immortals, gods and guardians, and for a book about reincarnation, there are some ‘final’ deaths that threaten to change everything going forward.

As has been the case all along, The Memory of Souls is a book you really must read closely to enjoy. The different narrative voices have nuances and perspectives that alter the story, there are questions of who actually wrote what, and the footnotes are a reading experience in and of themselves. I freely admit, I was getting lost and frustrated reading this as an e-ARC, but once the hardcover landed on my doorstep I sat down, curled up by the window, and devoured the second half over a weekend.

I raved about the first book in this series and then was appalled by how horrible the second book was and I am sorry to say I don’t think there’s anything redeeming in this one. Much like the last one this book is a jumbled mess. I missed Kihrin’s narration and adventures that were so riveting in the first book and the humorous narrator that kept it light and entertaining. I don’t know if I’ve ever read a series that has fallen off so badly from the first book. I was so excited about the world building and epic scope of the first book so I don’t understand what happened. I could not get through this book so I would strongly recommend skipping it unless you actually enjoyed the last book. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Memory of Souls is Jenn Lyons’ third addition to The Chorus of Dragons series and it is without a doubt my favourite. Just like the other novels, The Memory of Souls is stunningly structured, with complex stories and plot-lines slowly converging and allowing the bigger picture to be revealed. It’s fascinating and so much fun.

The novel picks up immediately after the gripping conclusion of The Name of All Things as Kihrin, Teraeth, Janel and Thurvishar barely escape the devastation of Atrine and Relos Var unleashing one of the chains that binds the dark god, Vol Karoth. So the gods task them with a job: the gang must find a way to convince the Manol vané of performing an ancient ritual that will strip them of their immortality but will reinforce Vol Karoth’s bonds. But the Manol vané are determined to prevent that from happening, while Vol Karoth’s connection to Kihrin only grows stronger.

Like its predecessors, The Memory of Souls is narrated by multiple characters. Kihrin and Thurvishar are putting together a chronicle of the events they experienced during the novel — we read those same events as they’re happening in real time, with Kihrin and Thurvishar popping in every now and again to share their opinions. I love complex storylines in my fantasy novels, so I thoroughly enjoyed the way Lyons constructs these multiple timelines. It’s also a fantastic, clever way to reveal plot twists, which frequently had me at the edge of my seat as I couldn’t guess where Lyons was taking the story.

By far my favourite element of A Chorus of Dragons series is the amazing characters. Lyons’ has a full cast of diverse characters with staggeringly complex backstories that are mind-blowing when they’re revealed. As this series focuses on reincarnation, you think you know a character and their previous life and then wham, Lyons’ reveals another past life and the important role this character plays in the story. Think of it like a massive jigsaw puzzle you’re trying — and kind of failing — to put together. Just when you think you figured out where a certain piece fits, the plot changes and the piece reshapes itself. The unpredictability is part of the fun.

I absolutely adored the relationship developing between Kihrin, Tereath and Janel. Lyons has mentioned on her Twitter and in the A03-style tags she has on her website that the trio are heading towards a polyamorous relationship, and you can definitely see this development in The Memory of Souls. Teraeth is in love with Kihrin and Janel, Janel is in love with Kihrin and has feelings for Teraeth (though she doesn’t want to), and Kihrin is in love with Janel and in complete denial that he also loves Teraeth. The tension is amazing and I can’t wait to see what direction their relationship takes in the next novel in the series.

Just when I thought the plot couldn’t get any more wild, Lyons pulls the rug out from under me in The Memory of Souls. Like the multitude of characters, just when you think you’ve figured out the plot and what direction it’s going in, a new twist in the story is revealed. It just gets more and more epic. There wasn’t a single moment where I was bored, and even though the story could be a bit confusing at times, half the fun is figuring out where the story will go next. Without spoiling anything, I think my favourite scene in fiction (ever!) occurs right at the end of the novel — just before that massive cliffhanger! I can’t wait to purchase myself a physical copy and read it all over again.

The Memory of Souls is a mind-twist of a novel that will keep you gripped to every page. I find myself constantly surprised by how great each novel in the series is and think that Lyons can’t possibly outdo herself, and yet she constantly does. If you’re looking for a complex fantasy series about dragons, immortals and gods battling for power, an ancient evil awakening to destroy the universe, demons, queer characters, and polyamorous relationships, then look no further than A Chorus of Dragons. 2021 can’t come soon enough — I need book four!

HOLYYYYY FUCKING MOLY

I am not okay. I'm not exaggerating when I say this might be one of my favourite reads of 2020 (and i've read some really good books this year!!). I love all the characters in this books so much, and I think what makes this book stand out from it's two predecessors is we really see everyone start to come together (I loved having Khirin and Teraeth back!!) and plot threads from books 1 and 2 start to weave together in the most satisfying way!!!

We also got so many answers about the past in this book, which I really appreciated, the family politics in this book can get very convulted at times but I felt it was much clearer in this book than book one. I also really loved learning a bit more about the eight immortals and their motives in his one, I love it when books have slightly shady god characters. Relos Var is also such an interesting villain because you are never sure if you agree with his reasoning or not.

We also learnt more about Khirin, Janel and Teraeths past lives and how they tie into the plot now. Also on the subject of these characters aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH their relationship was everything!!!!!!! I'm a huge fan of polyamoury in books and I loved the subtle hints and general interactions between all three characters. Safe to say I am very invested. I also really appreciate all the representation in this series, all three of Khirin/teraeth/janel are bisexual, there is a side f/f relationship and 2 characters who a heavily implied to be asexual.

I'm not going to say too much about the plot because it's book 3 of a series but it kept me engaged the whole time (I seriously read like 70% of this book in one day because I had to find out what was ging to happen) and HOLY GODS WHAT AN ENDING T_T i'm not okay after that, I need book 4 now!!!!

In summary: wow. just wow.

Jenn Lyons' third book in this series, The Memory of Souls, continues the intriguing story of Kihrin, an unlikely hero who has seen a crime committed by the most powerful mage in the land, Relos Var. I was immediately drawn in by Kihrin's journey, and by the world Lyons has created. There are an array of curious and convoluted characters, and loads of intrigue, misdirection and intriguing plot twists throughout. The story is complex and takes a careful reading to catch what is happening with all the different characters- definitely recommend skimming or re-reading the first two novels before starting this one- but following all of them on their journey makes it worth the while. The world is well-drawn, and the magic and intricacies of the different races are well thought-out and immersive.

I was never sure till the end how things would play out, or what the intent of many of the main players really were- there was so much trickery and deception, and layered motives, which made discovering who the characters were a lot more satisfying- we aren't sure who will wilt or be courageous, who will strive for integrity and who will defect and debase themselves. There are some harrowing adventures and epic confrontations to relish along the way. Will definitely read more from this author.

I love this series! Seriously, they are just sooo good! This is my favorite book so far, and probably my favorite book of the year. Lyons does a great job at revelations, and while it is confusing at times, as the characters learn/remember things, we learn them. It feels very organic and realistic and it's amazing how much we learn without it feeling info-dumpy. Lyons also does a great job at portraying the hero's life. So many times books romanticize being a hero, but she does a great job at showing the pain, sadness, and sacrifice Khirin has to go through. I loved the four main characters, and the romance made me squeal. Her climaxes are epic, and this one was so exception. I can't wait for the next book!

Tl;DR: It was awesome! The juice is worth the squeeze!

While much of Ruin of Kings had the usual setup and first book issues, Lyons was able to tell her story from the second volume of this series - The Name of All Things. I had the luxury of reading both these books in a week, so the payoff in "The Memory of Souls" was worth every bit. In the third volume of the series, Lyons has hit full stride and delivers the best book thus far. A full review will be posted (on Aug 27th) closer to the publication date.

Another fantastic entry by Jenn Lyons in a series that continues to get deeper and more complicated with every book. The story begins straight after the previous book ends, with Kihrin and friends still coming to terms with their betrayal at the hands of Relos Var. Slowly more and more mysteries are peeled away until we get to the climax that left me stunned and eagerly awaiting the next book.

My only note for prospective readers would be to definately read/re-read the earlier two books in the series as the list of characters is getting quite long as to almost need a flow chart to remember who is who and who is related to who.

The Memory of Souls is the third book of a planned five in Jenn Lyons' "A Chorus of Dragons" series of Epic Fantasy novels, which began with 2019's The Ruin of Kings and continued that same year with the second book, The Name of All Things. And when I say "Epic Fantasy", I mean "Epic", both of the first two novels were absolute doorstoppers of novels - well over 500 pages in small text print (I'm not kidding about the text size in the hardcover either) - that even I couldn't finish in a single day, featuring a lot of characters, mythological histories, gods, demons, and magic, to the point of being well...everything that a lot of people might love or hate about Epic Fantasy as a genre.

And honestly, I didn't particularly love the first novel in this series - The Ruin of Kings (review linked above) - finding it too concerned at times with setting up its epic fantasy over-arching plot to really feel like a cohesive story and not having the time as a result to set up its characters in interesting ways. But when I took a chance on the second novel in the series without bothering to reread the first (because that would take far too long), I discovered a much improved novel that I really greatly enjoyed, with its new two main characters both being fascinating, a setting that was suddenly much more interesting (and more explicitly queer incidentally), and a plot that combined both its long term myth-arc with its single book plot in a really effective way.

So yeah, I was excited to read the third book in this series when it showed up on NetGalley, even if its length was intimidating and made me keep pushing it off. But the results was very much what I wanted after book 2 - continuing a story filled with excellent characters, expanding on a number of plots, and keeping me constantly amused and entertained at the interactions and events throughout. The book still have many of the same problems of the first two - the framing device and narrative structure just feels insanely clumsy, the rape issues (see below) prop up again early on before going away, and the book loves having a billion terms and historical characters who are hard to keep straight and adds even more here. But even with those issues, I couldn't help but be exceedingly entertained the more I got into the book, binging through it in two days. This is almost certainly the best of the series so far, and its a decent high note if you can get through it.

TRIGGER WARNING: Rape. The series includes mind control and charm magic as a magical ability in the setting, and in the past (off page), at least one character has used mind control to have sex with and impregnate an enslaved woman. In this book, that turn is reversed, with the now formerly enslaved woman doing the mind controlling of the man for a similar purpose. It doesn't last long in this plot and never happens again, but it's there and I should note it.

Note: Spoilers for Books 1-2 are discussed below; I don't think they'll reduce your enjoyment of anything, but they're impossible to avoid 3 books in. Also, if you've read the first two books, you don't need to reread them to enjoy this, as like in the second book, the story essentially contains a summary of the major events of the last book in the foreword.

----------------------------------------------Plot Summary------------------------------------------------

Vol Karoth - the King of Demons - is awake. The events in Atrine, in which Kihrin and Janel attempted to stop the Dragon Morios from destroying the city, could not have gone worse - Vol Karoth awoken, the godslayer Urthaenriel taken by Relos Var, the city destroyed and the Hellwarriors betrayed by Brother Qown, who at the last moment threw his support behind Relos Var and his sinister agenda.

Now, the four Hellwarriors - Kihrin, Janel, Thurvishar, and Teraeth - are given a task by the Eight Immortals: To convince the King of the remaining immortal race, the Vané, to enact the Ritual of Night, which would strip from them their immortality in order to repair the warding crystal and force Vol Karoth asleep once more.

But naturally convincing an immortal race to give up their immortality isn't something done easily, and the four find themselves taken to the Blight - the very place where Vol Karoth is imprisoned. There Kihrin discovers a terrifying fact, Vol Karoth is calling to him, calling for Kihrin to reunite with the part of his being that is the King of Demons. Escaping the monster's call will test all four of the Hellwarriors, and require them to reexamine the bonds between them. And even if they do escape, their original task will require them to figure out who really opposes them, and to find a way beyond them....even as outside forces of great power, freed from former bonds of slavery, begin to muster for their own intentions on the Vané throne.......

And somewhere out there remains Relos Var and his minions, planning the next step in his long term agenda of power, which might result in the freedom of Vol Karoth, who killed not only the gods the last time he was free, but threatened to destroy the entire world.......

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As with any plot summary of an epic fantasy novel, the above is hilariously incomplete, but well to go into all the major plot threads (and I've omitted two that show up very early) would result in it being way too long. But we're in book 3 now, so you should expect that. You should also expect The Memory of Souls to continue the strained framing device of the first two books - the very novel itself is a manuscript written by a character (Thurvishar in this case), with Thurvishar putting together various accounts of other characters together into a cohesive story of what just happened in-universe, with Thurvishar adding comments in footnotes. Like I said, it's a bizarre framing device that just seems a bit silly, and the footnotes are often not as humorous or useful as they seem to be trying to be, but the book actually manages to use the fact that the prior novels were manuscripts characters could read in-universe for some entertaining moments. Unlike the prior two novels however, this novel is not split into two narratives (book 1 being split into two Kihrin narratives taking place at different times and book 2 being split between Janel and Qown), but rather there are at least 9 point of view characters throughout the book - which strains credibility as to how Thurvishar managed to acquire them all mind you even more if you think too hard - which is a bit ridiculous, and very much feels like the author trying to pull together a mess.

Thankfully that mess still results in a very good story, thanks to the fact that for most of the characters - particularly the main quartet - we already have a good grounding in who they are and why we should care about them. And I really love the main quartet quite a lot, or really the main trio plus Thurvishar. Readers of the first two novels will know of course that Janel, Kihrin, and Teraeth have a bit of a love triangle starting up, and wow does this book explore that fully, featuring all three of their points of views at times. And while all three have other parts of themselves unrelated to the others, as well as goals and ideals they aim to achieve, their connections are tremendously fun parts of this book as they try to figure it all out (well, mainly Kihrin and Teraeth, as Janel more or less just wants the two to figure out they love each other already). It makes it really easy to love the trio and care for them all, especially as we see through all of their heads in this novel.*

*I should point out that this relationship somehow becomes even MORE Queer than the very Queer last novel, and when all the reincarnations of people are added in, it becomes absolutely delightful.

Which is not to say the other characters are any lesser, as this book does a phenomenal job - better than its predecessors - at really making those side characters feel like important characters (and a number of them get their own viewpoints). Thurvishar, as the odd one out of the main quartet, has his own love story sort of which is incredibly cute. Then you have an undead queen on a quest of vengeance with the human woman who doesn't think herself good enough for her. And you have Kihrin's messed up parents, returning from book 1 in a VERY different power arrangement, you have an antagonist from book 1, as well as Senera from book 2 and well, all of these characters are fascinating, with their own feelings and goals to go along with it all. I haven't even mentioned the drunk out of his mind legendary wizard who the team has to find in the second act.

All these characters collide in an epic fantasy plot, which is split again into multiple parts like the last books, but this time is really split into three parts: Part 1 deals with the main quartet altogether while occasionally flashing away to other parts of the world; Part 2 splits the party in two, and those other parts come into full play; and then Part 3 features it all coming together (like Part 2 did in the prior books) into an epic finale. I will say, after reading an epic space opera that tried something similar recently, that this book does an excellent job not cutting away from interesting plot lines to ones I didn't care about at extremely tense moments, so I never got annoyed by a cutaway. Instead, it kept me riveted and wanting to know where it was going, even if the wheels within wheels of the plots of the two bad guys and others was often incredibly confusing to try to follow.

So yeah, the book still has some of the typical epic fantasy flaws - figuring out the geneologies and reincarnations of various characters is still confusing (my eARC copy suggests that a "Family Tree" will be included in the final copy, but my eARC did not include it) - and has so many characters, terms, races and events going on that it's very easily confusing at times. And as I put in the trigger warning above, an element of rape in the first book - Kihrin's biological mother Miya(body) / Khaeriel(mind) being gaeshed (enslaved) by his biological father Therin which rendered any sex they had obviously nonconsenual) - comes back in reverse in this book with Khaeriel enchanting Therin for the same thing. That whole relationship is INCREDIBLY squicky, uncomfortable, and honestly problematic and well, it's not good.

But the rest of the book is strong enough that I'm willing to overlook it, and the plot resolves in a way that surprises and is tremendous as it ends yet again in a massive cliffhanger, that makes me eager to read the fourth book, when that eventually comes. But I will be back for it, and probably won't take so long to read my copy once I get it....

The 3rd installment of the Chorus of Dragons series has completely raised the bar!! Our four Hellwarriors Kihrin, Teraeth, Janel and Thurvishar are finally together and ready to take on Relos Var and Vol Karoth. Once this story starts if does not let up and just when you think you know where you are going.... nope!! Not so fast. Not only do the memories from their previous lives influence the choices our characters make but also their personal interactions. So much is revealed and brought to a head in this book, the pacing is wonderful and the unfolding of events just keeps you enthralled all the way to the end. And that ending........oh my. I love the building relationship between Khirin and Teraeth, plus with the dads!!! Such a phenomenal continuation to the series and so excited to see where we go next in book 4!!!!

A complex book of a series I am going to have to buy to start at the beginning of. A wide range of characters all meshed out with action & intrigue & well written backgrounds with detail in scenes. I would not recommend this as a stand alone read as the nuances & characters are not the usual types to figure out easily or know their backstories all of t=which are important. It was like a forkful of the best exotic cake but you realize you are missing so much more to what you just tasted. Queens, Gods, Dragons, Monsters, Wizards,Witches, Oracles Complex structure oh. my, definitely something to dive into & immerse properly to revel in joy!

**Caveat: DO NOT read this book without re-reading the 2nd book at minimum if it has been a while for you**

Jenn Lyons has created an entire world in this series that is as complex as our own. Though it deals with the basics of fantasy such as dragons, magic and faery, this is very much a world with the real world problems of treachery, politics, war, poverty, class conflict and race conflict. That is what saves this whole series - if it were just relying on the elements of fantasy, this series wouldn't work.

In this first book, the complexity of the book reveals itself layer by layer and at times, one feels that you may actually need a notebook to keep track of all of the characters - none of whom are superfluous. These characters, even the ones with bit parts all play a larger part of the whole. The 2nd book is daunting, it continues to fill in the world and also sheds light on what is to come and what is going to be asked of our main characters - and all of the bit players. The key with all of the characters is that none of them are heroes. They are all complex beings with shortcomings. There are no good guys and bad guys per se though that doesn't reveal itself at first glance.

We come to the third book in the series. It is my sincere hope that this isn't the last book in this series. No. Really.

The book opens with a scene of Thurvishar chronicling what has happened with Kihrin et al running around doing their damndest to try and prevent Relos Var from releasing Vol Karoth and potentially succeeding and moves on from there. We have a super unnecessary side trip for Janel that occurred in book 2 that is showing its full ramifications here but to what end? We have the appearance of some characters that are so old, even the Eight don't know they exist, and we have a side trip where Janel, Thurvishar, Teraeth, and Kihrin are kidnapped and tossed into the Manol Blight to die (super unnecessary scenes in this side trip in the opinion of this reviewer). The side trip is necessary because it was part of trying to get the Vané to give up their immortality to bind Vol Karoth again but some of the scenes felt unnecessary and forced in that the writing was uneven.

When they finally figure out how to leave the Manol Blight, Kihirin is aware that Vol Karoth is intimately linked to him but still not aware of just how deeply - and it takes WAY too long for him to deduce it or for those around him, all of whom are supposed to be magical beings in one way or another to figure it out.

The appearance of Kihrin's parents and Khaeriel's whole quest to get her crown and revenge are interesting but if they hadn't happened, the book could have been routed differently. For all that Khaeriel was supposedly devastated by the "murder" of Kihrin, their reunion was lackluster at best. While it can be understood on the part of Kihrin, it can't be on the part of Khaeriel. In that entire story stream, only a couple of things were truly necessary to the book.

The Eight immortals losing their collective cool was a nice touch, I enjoyed seeing their poorly hidden panic and more, their inability to reason out what mortals were reasoning out. There were some beautifully written scenes with the Eight and the death of one of them was particularly interesting because of an action she took. Unfortunately, unless there is another book, we won't know how the consequences of that scene play out.

On to the romances. All but one of them felt forced. Ironically, it is the most prickly one that was more amorphous that didn't feel forced - all of the rest of them felt like the Author wanted them to be happening so she fit the characters into them but the characters (who by now have a life of their own) did not agree to this and as a result, what could have been natural and really beautiful felt really forced. This isn't a new phenomenon, there are other authors who have done this with exactly the same result. Again, if we don't get another book, we won't see what happens with the one romance that really worked well because of its awkwardness. That awkwardness brought it into the realm of funny and sweet and cute.

Suless - what was her purpose? Not really revealed at all in this book. If she was a vehicle to make Janel remember her past lives, she outlived her usefulness. If she was a vehicle to free Janel from Xaltorath - she outlived her usefulness and another character could have done that.

Hands down the most interesting character in this book series is Relos Var. Without fail, he is the middle of the wheel that holds all of the spokes together and he is glorious. Beautifully written, exquisitely fleshed out, he owns every scene he is in and it is fantastic. He is supposed to be the overarching villain but frankly, this reviewer was cheering for him to win in all the ways. His fight with Thaena was underdone and I would have loved to have these two great powers really duke it out with some reveals in it but it was not to be.

Janel was actually such an annoying character and what the hell happened to Qown?? The monk disappeared off without another word. It was so annoying.

This brings us to the ending of this book where I have to say that the only thought I had was "are you kidding me"? This ending is why I say there absolutely has to be another book in this series. I am not going to spoil it but I am going to call the epilogue of this book absolutely anti-climactic after all the work the author did to get us there. The ending felt unfinished.

Are we seeing a theme here? So many of the threads in this story end off not neatly tied but frayed or loose. In order for this series to reach epic, it needs those threads tied off. The author is certainly talented and there is no end to the great characters - the world is lush and so well developed but those dangling threads beg for another book.