A compelling read, that grasps you from the start and drags you into a relentless ride of twists and turns ending in a breathtaking epic finale. One of the best ending to a fantasy series…ever!

I don’t say this lightly as I dived in expecting Mark’s shenanigans and was still blown out by the climax.

After leaving us hanging (near literally) by the climax of The Girl and the Mountain, the book picks the plot seamlessly up. The story follows Yaz as she struggles to unravel the mysteries of the Moon aided by her friends while being hunted by forces which are far superior, more resourceful and always a step or two ahead of her. In what turns out to be a cat and mouse game as Yaz struggles to open the Arc all the while trying to deny Seus, the plot moves at a breakneck pace through the book as I was hooked binge reading till the finish. The plot branches out early on and we get multiple PoVs from Yaz, Mali, Thurin each revealing hints of the puzzle all the while giving the characters nice advancement.

I never cease to be impressed by the Abbess(es) of Sweet Mercy and their sharp tactical acumen. Abbess Claw herein doesn’t disappoint and the balancing act she does between Yaz and the Archon is as compelling as anything fans of Abbess Glass (of Book of the Ancestor series) can expect. Also as readers of Book 2 may know, there are some nice tie-in’s to Book of the Ancestor series that takes place down the line in time after this.

I’m a huge fan of Mark’s blend of ancient sci-fi meets current magical world since Broken Empire and still continue to be spellbound by it. The plot is woven with the leftovers of Ancient Cities & Artificial Intelligence merging smoothly with the Four Tribes magic of current day flawlessly. And as if that wasn’t enough….more surprises! I really have bunch more stuff to write, but will abstain for fear of spoilers however mild or unintentional.

Overall, this book caps a highly entertaining series that all fans of fantasy must read! Certainly is one of my favourite reads of this year!

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mark Lawrence really knows how to plot trilogies expertly. So far, I've read Book of the Ancestor and Book of the Ice and loved them both. I own the Impossible Times trilogy, and once I read those, will go back for Broken Empire.

I care deeply about the characters in this trilogy, as much as the ones from Book of the Ancestor, and really need more. The blurb doesn't say "trilogy," instead saying "series," so maybe this one will have more? *sighs*

Highly recommend this one, but with the caveat that you at least need to read the first two Book of the Ice before picking this one up. I'd definitely suggest reading Book of the Ancestor first as well, and as many others have mentioned his other series, perhaps those too. There are connections a-plenty.

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC of this book available to me.

This, the third book in the author's latest series, was a very satisfying read. Pretty much non-stop action, many of the chapters leaving you at a cliffhanger just to switch perspectives to a different character in the next chapter. This could have been annoying, but instead it just made me want to keep on reading. The last 10% of the book has so many twists and turns that it will make your head spin, including a bit of an homage to the Wizard of Oz. I keep seeing ways in which this trilogy is definitely related to previous trilogies, and other ways in which I may be imagining those relationships.

Get this book, buckle up, and get ready for a fantastic ride.