4.5 stars, Metaphorosis reviews

Summary
Gyre, with his augmentations, and Maja, with her magic, have reconciled after being separated as children, and having fought on opposite sides. Now, both, along with their varied companions, are trying to prevent a powerful madman from bringing everyone under his control.

Review
I didn’t read the first book in this series, Ashes of the Sun, and I’m sorry about it. I may well go back and read it later, at some point. I liked the middle book, Blood of the Chosen , and this final book in the trilogy is even better. It’s not perfect, but it’s been a while since a new book drew me so well into its world.

The strength of the books is manifold: the interesting and varied magic system (never really too well explained, but well enough to keep it interesting), the epic scope, the ancient artifacts, the relatively small set of well-balanced key characters, and the deft use of humor throughout. Key among those for me were the magic/engineering and the engaging characters.

Wexler avoids some character predictability, but the plot resolution is evident a hundred pages or so out. That didn’t keep it from being interesting, but I thought he missed a trick regarding one of the key arcana. Generally, with a bit of fudging for the fairly numerous fight scenes (Gyre in particular is constantly coming up against enemies he can barely defeat, then defeating them), the plot and world work well. I was disappointed not to get a little more of a warm and fuzzy wrapup of some elements, though arguably the ending that is provided is more credible.

Some of the book’s infrastructure is less effective. In ebook form, the included map remains useless. I struggled to make sense of the ‘previously…’ wrapup in the second book, but blamed it on not having read the first. This time, the ‘previouly…’ referred almost exclusively to the second book, which I just recently read – and I still couldn’t make head or tail of it. It’s largely a waste of space. This time around, I also wasn’t too taken with the glossary. Last time, it was mildly useful. This time, I skipped it. And the covers are pretty generic. But that’s all incidental.

I encourage you to try this series. It’s a clear step above most new books I’ve seen.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

This book - and the Burningblade & Silvereye trilogy as a whole - is pure, awesome, unapologetic fantasy fun.

To give a brief intro to the trilogy: Maya and Gyre are roughly 5 and 8, respectively, when Maya is taken away to become a centarch. The centarchs are guardians of the Republic, the government that formed after the empire of the Chosen (who ruled humanity) was destroyed in the Plague War some centuries before the book begins. Centarchs are humans who can wield some portion of the power the Chosen had, and protect the world from the Plaguespawn that have been roaming the world ever since the end of the war. Or they’re the enforcers of a despotic government that keeps humanity bound to the will of their long-dead enslavers, depending on your point of view.

Maya grows up to believe in all the Republic stands for - or, at least, what the Republic *says* it stands for, which is not necessarily the same thing. Gyre grows up as a dissident. They do eventually encounter one another again (of course) with the expected drama.

The trilogy as a whole is fun and inventive. The worldbuilding is great, the plot is well-executed, the twists and turns deftly handled. The action sequences are very well done, and the characters are a delight. (Varo Plagueluck is a particular favorite, for any of my fellow fans of Dolorous Edd.) Overall the trilogy is a story one reads purely for entertainment, and it does a damn good job of it.

For those who have read the first two books, I’m happy to report that Wexler sticks the landing. The plot ending was satisfying, and the character endings warmed my cynical little heart. There’s certainly room within the world for a sequel, if the author wanted to write one, but there are no loose ends that will leave me wanting either.

Yet another solid read from Django Wexler. This is the type of series that is so consistent from start to finish. If you enjoyed book one, you are likely to enjoy the rest of the series equally. For me, the world really shines here. I love the subtle insert of sci-fi mixed with a really cool fantastical world. Gyre and Maya are great main characters, and the supporting characters are equally as strong. Kit deserves the world and I absolutely adored her one liners.

The reason this doesn't get a 5 from me is similarly to the reason book 2 didn't as well. The ending was a bit rushed and the big battle over a lot faster than I wold have expected. Especially considering the beginning did drag a bit for me. I preferred our characters be together working to defeat the big bad for the ending of the series.

Overall, I love this world and really enjoy the characters. I think this is a great bridge book between YA fantasy and adult epic fantasy. I highly recommend!

An absolutely remarkable ending to one of my favorite fantasy series of all time!
Video Review of Ashes of the Sun - https://youtu.be/9Lb1AQy3d5A

This book absolutely expanded the universe and the world and I think that is one of Django Wexler's best talents. There may have been times I was a little lost on what was going on, but I was never lost in WHERE I was in the world.

I cannot recommend this series enough!

A wonderful conclusion to the trilogy; I felt like everything wrapped up beautifully and all my questions were answered. This book is very heavy on both dialogue and action scenes, which Wexler excels at writing. The plot just flows by and the ride is over before you know it. Because the world building is so intriguing, I wish we had a little more exposition and description. This was also my only complaint from the first two books. To me the aesthetic of this trilogy feels like Star Wars meets Arcane: League of Legends and I would have loved for a little more exploration of the world and tech. Overall an excellent conclusion to a much-loved series.

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)

I’ve really been enjoying this trilogy so far. It’s not really a surprise, however, as I’ve been on record as a fan of Wexler’s work for quite some time. But there has also been a lot to like specifically about this series. It’s been a wild romp of a ride with two characters who are both sympathetic and wonderfully flawed individuals. I’ve gone back and forth between loving them both and then wanting to smack them each upside the head. But here we are at last with the final book in the trilogy. Will my beloved, broken, estranged siblings finally get their acts together in time to save the world? Let’s find out!

A Chosen has finally returned to the world and with him comes great change. While many see the return of a fabled god-like being, Gyre and Maya know first-hand that Ashok is no one’s savior. Indeed, his monstrous exterior barely hints at the darkness within. Now, not knowing what horrors Ashok has cooked up over his centuries’ long exile, Maya and Gyre must race to not only piece together the mysteries of the past, but cobble together a resistance that can save their world. But even if they succeed, each most grapple with the fact that the world that emerges will look nothing like the one that will now be left behind. And will there be a place for a mythical thief and revolutionary? Or for a powerful, near-Chosen herself?

So, I’ll just get right to it. I think this was my favorite book of the trilogy! In hindsight, maybe I shouldn’t be surprised by this fact. Thinking back on my reactions to the first books, I realize that many of my minor frustrations dealt with the growing pains through which our two main characters were constantly struggling. They’d each keep coming out with these perspectives that were either incredibly naive or supremely narrow-minded, and, at times, it drove me bonkers! So, is it really any wonder then that when we get to the final book, presumably where our two main characters do in fact get their acts in order and temper their instincts, I’m suddenly all in? And don’t let this say anything about the quality of the first two books. Indeed, without those character moments where Maya and Gyre were frustrating and short-sited, we’d never get the true payoff that we see here when each has to come fully into the roles they have chosen for themselves. Roles that are much more nuanced and full of compromise than their former selves could have ever imagined.

But while my sudden increase in appreciation for these two characters may come as no shock, this trilogy also had a lot of surprises in store that I truly wasn’t suspecting. The end of the second book sets up Ashok as your rather typical “big bad” who will come and lay waste to the world unless the ragtag group of resistance fighters come together and dramatically hold him off. And yes, that all did happen, too. But what surprised me was the addition of a third character perspective that layered on an entire new story on top of the one that I thought we had been developing. When I started this book, I’d have said I had a pretty clear understanding of the history and world that had been developed. All that was left was for the grand confrontation. But nope! There was almost more world-building and history in this book alone than in the first books together, and I gobbled it all up! Truly, there were some excellent surprises and twists that I think will please all fans of this series so far.

I also really liked the use of the ever-growing cast of characters. I particularly liked the role that Kit played. Not only do we see her abilities with her constructs used to their full creative powers, but the character was once again allowed to be a fully-fledged character, instead of only the quippy, raunchy, side-kick she’d kind of become in the second book. There were also a few twists towards the end with her that I was particularly happy about, especially with regards to her complicated relationship with Gyre.

There were, however, a few hiccups in pacing that came in the beginning of the story, I felt. There were a few quests and and extra missions that began to feel…well…extra. Not that they weren’t necessary for getting crucial pieces of information or crucial characters all together, but I did struggle a bit with the pacing in the first half of the book due to these various side stories. But once I got to the halfway mark, things picked up and never stopped until the end.

Overall, I really loved this conclusion to the book. Not only did it follow through on the grand confrontations that had been set-up in the first two books, but it added so many new layers to the world and extra twists to the story that it ended up being the best book in the trilogy. I highly recommend this book to fans of the first two books. And now that the trilogy is done, complete with a stellar conclusion, I can universally recommend the series as a whole to practically all science fiction/fantasy fans, especially those who enjoy lots of action in their stories.

Rating 9: Not content to rest on any laurels, this book rose above and beyond the numerous promises made in the first two books to deliver a conclusion that is as epic and enjoyable as the best SFF out there today!

(Link will go live Feb 17)

Another masterful story in the riveting epic fantasy saga continues this epic story where the previous book left off and takes readers on a high-stakes ride with tightly-plotted twists and horrors that are downright eldritch.

5/5 stars! The final installment of the "Burningblad & Silvereye* series, this book took you on a trip from the very first page. This book has everything fantasy lovers could possibly want. Epic journeys and battles of power, strong LGBTQ+ representation, that internal struggle between doing the right thing or the easy thing, and the power of friendship. I'm not admitting I cried at the ending, but umm.....
This book was truly special and I can't wait to read more by this author.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

A solid conclusion to one of the most unique fantasy series I have read to date.

Wexler writes his characters with a passion that we truly feel. From the awkward and loveable becs, to maya who is solid in her beliefs and has a huge heart. To gyre who is stoic and brave. To kit who is the comedic relief we all loved. There isn't a character in this story I didn't believe and feel for. Even the villains are nuanced.

Then on top of that we get an action packed story with cool magic.

Every book in this series is wexler just doing the stuff we love. If you liked ashes of the sun you'll continue to love the series. I can't wait to see what he writes next. And I'm secretly hoping he'll decide to revisit this world maybe a like "300 years later" series!

This was an excellent ending to a trilogy!

One of my favorite things about this series is even though it was a plot driven novel there are small moments with the characters that made me feel the connections I also love the mix of science fiction and fantasy and how that affects the world creating interesting worldbuilding.

There are a few small things that I did not enjoy that much including a plot device that was not my favorite (personal preference). I wish it was longer to slow down the action at some points.

However, overall I loved the series and had a fun time reading it.

Would recommend to newer fantasy readers or readers looking for a unique take on fantasy.