The end of a magical, hilarious adventure.

While I am heart broken that this series is over, this installment is such a perfect send off. Hijinks from our favorite characters, growth for everyone, and new characters to dazzle the plot with.

Al is a complicated man, but not by his doing. Every sting that has been left loose in the previous two books is tied up nicely. The epilogue is beautiful, and perfect, and it makes soooo much click into place for his character. I mean I kind of want an adventure-less short story where he just has a nice vacation or something to explore somewhere he's always wanted to go.

Buck Foi and Nadia also get such a well deserved ending that I couldn't have predicted. So much personal growth for the both of them, mixed with hilarious break ins, and cult like adventures. Maybe a spin off series potential for Nadia? Like where does she go from here? Or the hobgoblins? I have soo many questions about all the world building we get for their race. I need more of their crazy antics!

Gladys Who Has Seen Some Shite explains more about herself, and we get to know Roxanne's new self which is a neat aspect to the world build since we've known that this happens. The newness of everything, and the well deserved justice spread through out this book is marvelous.

As a writer I adore how well the language is woven into this series. It's careful and with purpose, there is never a point where I'm like what in the world does that mean?!? So so good. I'm sad to leave these characters and their insanely hilarious antics behind. With that I want to add that my text to speech reads MacBharrais as Mac Berry Ice, and it makes me giggle every time.

You're going to love this series if you enjoy sprawling world builds, a plethora of magical beings and quirky characters.

These books are reliably entertaining, amusing, and satisfying. This book is a nice conclusion to the series, wrapping up some threads from the first two. Al is quite likeable, so it's a relief to see him finally get to connect in his personal relationships. Nothing too original, just a nicely told, enjoyable tale from a storytelling natural.

Al MacBharrais is a sigil agent, keeping the monsters and gods that roam the Earth in line, one treaty at a time. He's more than ready to retire, but a couple of curses he's having trouble getting rid of, a former Irish death goddess looking to start a new life, and some supernaturals misbehaving are keeping him more than busy.

It's the perfect ending to Al's story. We get to see the very satisfying tying off of many of the threads laid down by the previous volumes and a couple of fun adventures to fill in the gaps in between. It does feel a tiny bit like they were ideas for more books that got shoehorned into a final volume, but Hearne makes it work through sheer writing mastery. Every character and situation has a reason for being there and adds to the story even when it might not feel like it; some line or moment later in the story will prove that reason. So even though it's objectively a complex story with way too many characters, it remains a fun, easy to follow adventure.

I do not recommend jumping into this series with this volume. Not just because it's the last of the series, but because it's a ton of characters and backstories that you need to have straight to truly appreciate it. It is not the kind of book where you can just jump in and figure things out.

Very happy thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine | Del Rey for the excellent read!

I won't be reading this. I've tried multiple times and haven't gotten into it. Thank you though for the opportunity. If I read it in the future I will come back and change this review.

Kevin Hearne once more returns to the world of the Iron Druid in this third installment of the Ink & Sigil series. Al MacBharrais has faced gods, fae, magical monsters and creatures of all sorts. He is brave, or foolhardy enough, to have a hobgoblin as a servant. With his craft he can create magical sigils and use them to keep the magical and mundane worlds safely separate. But with all his abilities and all the powerful beings he knows, he has suffered for years in a cursed existence. The time has finally come for him to focus on this problem and find a solution.

It doesn’t help that there are actually two curses. One causes his apprentices to die, while the other causes just the sound of his voice to make anyone to whom he speaks frequently to hate him. It is a lonely existence with no one to teach the secrets of his craft and having to depend on a text-to-voice app to “speak” aloud to others. So Al does some research and finds a seer who can tell him how to locate the source of the curse.

Of course - it’s never that easy. While he is trying to solve his personal problems he still has to carry out his work as a sigil agent. And everyone around him seems determined to make life more complicated. His servant Buck plans to pull off a major caper that will make him the most famous hobgoblin of all. The Morrigan, ancient goddess of death, now has a new human body and wants to live in the mortal world and even date humans. His employee Nadia is starting up a new church to worship the god she invented, who loves cheese and whisky. The police are prowling around asking questions. It never rains but it pours, as the saying goes.

After the first two books in the series left readers and Al with only more questions about his cursed state, the resolution of <i>Candle & Crow</i> almost seems hurried. Perhaps it is just that we have waited so long (like Al) to find out who did this to him and why. But the ending feels like it is too easy, despite all the obstacles. It is still an enjoyable read - and the inclusion of some time with Atticus and Oberon is always welcome (as are Oberon's insights into the flavoring of sausages). Perhaps things can spin off to let us see some of the other sigil agents in action? This is a world that is hard to step away from once you have discovered it.

Final installment of the series and it was a good way to go out. I enjoy that the MC is older and I enjoy all the Scottish slang. The secondary characters also really pull this story along and made it even more enjoyable.

The third and final Ink & Sigil novel finds Al and crew taking on a bunch of short (in terms of length in the book) endeavors, while he also tries to find out who has cursed him. I didn't realize at first that this was the final book, but I quickly started to realize that as characters' storylines started to be wrapped up or events happened that gave them closure in the larger narrative. It was still enjoyable, although I missed the longer mystery/quest throughout the whole book (yes, there is an element of that with the curse, but that is not why all the things happen). Hearne did a good job though wrapping up this short series - it felt complete and satisfactory!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for an ARC of this book. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, and an all around good romp with plenty of action, funny shite (sometimes literally), and everything else you could possibly want.

I was very happy with how all the major plots were wrapped up, while at the same time leaving room for future adventures following other characters in the series.

The ending felt very rushed, but overall it was still a solid book that was hard to put down. I think with 50-100 more pages it could have been absolutely amazing.

Thanks to Del Rey Books and Netgalley for the ARC.

I remember seeing the cover for the first book of this series several years ago and thinking, sure why not! And now after finishing the series I am again so glad to have picked it up, as this series is an absolute delight!!! I truly have a hard time remembering another series that made me laugh so much and still made me tear up at the end. And if you enjoy audiobooks then these are an absolute must to listen to as Luke Daniels just slays it......and be sure to listen to the outtakes at the end of the audio.....hilarious!!! The final book has all the things I loved from the previous books, lots of Buck, Nadia and Gladys Who Has Seen Some Shite......as well as some new characters to tickle the funny bone......the whole hobgoblin clans....OMG!!! There are new plots to foil, heists to plan, VAMPIRES, and finally Al gets to find out who cursed him. I can highly recommend this series to anyone who wants lots of fae, magical beings, creatures, good dugs, and just a really good time!! Can't wait to see what Kevin has in store in the future!! So, grab a pint and some cheese and cheers!!!

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

A nicely wrought ending to this trilogy, it does a nice job of wrapping up most of the ongoing plot lines, and still leaves enough open that it's possible that we could see more more of Al and his friends. It also continues to have good connections to the author's Iron Druid series, which I loved. I would definitely come back to read more about these characters.

From the publisher:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Druid Chronicles comes the final book in the “action-packed, enchantingly fun” (Booklist) Ink & Sigil series, as an ink-slinging wizard pursues the answer to a very personal mystery: Who cast a pair of curses on his head?

Al MacBharrais has a most unusual job: He’s a practitioner of ink-and-sigil magic, tasked with keeping order among the gods and monsters that dwell hidden in the human world. But there’s one supernatural mystery he’s never been able to solve: Years ago, someone cast twin curses on him that killed off his apprentices and drove away loved ones who heard him speak, leaving him bereft and isolated.

But he’s not quite alone: As Al works to solve this mystery, his friends draw him into their own eccentric dramas. Buck Foi the hobgoblin has been pondering his own legacy—and has a plan for a daring shenanigan that will make him the most celebrated hobgoblin of all. Nadia, goth queen and battle seer, is creating her own cult around a god who loves whisky and cheese.

And the Morrigan, a former Irish death goddess, has decided she wants not only to live as an ordinary woman but also to face the most perilous challenge of the mortal world: online dating.

Meanwhile, Al crosses paths with old friends and new—including some beloved Druids and their very good dogs—in his globe-trotting quest to solve the mystery of his curses. But he’s pulled in so many different directions by his colleagues, a suspicious detective, and the whims of destructive gods that Al begins to wonder: Will he ever find time to write his own happy ending?
My thoughts: This was a good wrap up for the trilogy. Story threads for Al, Buck Foi, Nadia, the Morrigan, and Gladys-who-has-seen-some-shite are drawn to conclusions. I felt that the endings were open-ended enough that if the author decides to revisit any of the characters, say for a short story, he will have plenty to write about.

I gave this book 5 stars. It's well-written. It's a good conclusion for the trilogy. Things happen at a good pace. My only note is that I felt there wasn't enough foreshadowing about who is responsible for the curses on Al. If you enjoyed the first two books in this trilogy, this is a must read. If you enjoyed the Iron Druid books, you will most likely enjoy this trilogy as well. And the trilogy would make a good Christmas present for your fan of urban fantasy.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This did not affect my review.

Enjoyed this one very much, another great action-adventure fantasy from author Kevin Hearne. Never disappoints, highly recommend!

Candle & Crow is the conclusion to the Ink & Sigil series and thus the likely end of the world of the Iron Druid.

I greatly enjoyed the Iron Druid series as well as Ink & Sigil, I will be sad to see the characters go.

While this book manage to touch on several favorite characters, the story was mostly a series of side quests rather than a cohesive story. I enjoyed the book, but I wish there was more meat to the story. I was glad that we got closure on most aspects of the series.

I can't wait to see what Kevin Hearne does next!

I really wanted to love this series because of how much I adore the Iron Druid series. Unfortunately, this falls a bit flat for me. There's still a wacky cast of characters going on wild adventures, but the storyline isn't quite as enthralling overall. It's not bad but also not amazing.

Thank you to NetGalley and del Rey for providing me with this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

Al has just returned from Australia with a god, now reformed, in tow. His accountant and hobgoblin have returned as well but his receptionist still seems to be out seeing some shite. Now that he’s back in Ireland Al thinks he will finally get a chance to discover who cursed him. Little did he know, his accountant and hobgoblin were busy completing a heist and starting a cult! That’s just the tip of the iceberg for Al. His next assignment has fallen into his lap with hardly a break. In this final installment of the ink & sigil trilogy, we are on another fun adventure with Al and crew.

This book is a delight! The series as a whole is such a fun adventure. I love all of the characters and I audibly chuckle at them on an often basis. I enjoy all of the mishaps and adventures the crew get into. This final story was such a sweet cherry on top. Kevin Hearne is a master of character creation, a creative with prose, and an overall amazing storyteller. Overall, I gave this 4/5 stars!

Book Three of the Ink & Sigil Series continues the quirky, supernatural adventures of Al MacBharrais, a Scottish sigil-writer tasked with keeping the peace among gods and monsters in the human world. This time, Al finds himself unraveling a long-standing mystery behind the twin curses that have isolated him, costing him both apprentices and loved ones. Yet, his friends bring their own unique chaos: Buck Foi the hobgoblin plots his legacy with a grand escapade, goth battle-seer Nadia builds a cult around a whisky-loving god, and the Morrigan dives into online dating to experience mortal life firsthand. Along the way, Al encounters old allies (including a few Druids and their loyal hounds) while globe-trotting through various magical messes.

While Candle & Crow has Hearne’s signature humor, it relies heavily on juvenile jokes and thick Scottish slang, which can feel excessive. For fans of the series, this installment offers more of the familiar: zany side quests, eccentric side characters, and Hearne’s particular brand of whimsy. However, the humor and repetitive elements may not resonate with all readers, especially those seeking a more mature or focused narrative. It’s a light, playful read that will appeal to a specific audience, but it may leave others hoping for a bit more substance.

I’ve been lucky enough to receive this complete trilogy as ARCs from Net Galley. While I liked the first two books, they just weren’t engaging as the Iron Druid, despite his actually appearing in the second book. I said in my review for both book 1 and 2 that I would keep reading, but hoped the next one would have a little more pizazz. While I thought the likelihood of that happening wasn’t that great, I nevertheless feel as if Mr. Hearne read my reviews and set out to make me happy. This final book in the trilogy pulled out all the stops, it was extremely funny and entertaining, and sweet, with happily ever afters for the hole crew. Now that I have what I wanted, I’m so sorry that it is over!

One mischievous hobgoblin... on the brink of falling in love. One warrior queen... set on founding her own cult. One (former) goddess of death—now trying out life as a human—who thinks online dating is the way to go. One (seemingly) ordinary secretary who... well, is actually known as “Gladys Who Has Seen Some Shite” (although the “shite” in question remains unmentioned, so... who knows?).

And, one Glaswegian septuagenarian skilled in ink-and-sigil work (basically, magic spells made by using special inks and symbols)... whose job it is to keep the gods above, and all manner of fae creatures hiding in plain sight here in the human world down below, in line.

Together, they’re about to face what may be their greatest challenge, yet: finally figuring out who placed the twin curses on Al MacBharrais’ (the aforementioned septuagenarian) balding head... curses which killed off numerous apprentices, over the years, and caused his entire family to shun him, for no reason.


If the origin of those curses can’t uncovered—and then lifted? Al is apt to die a very, VERY lonely and unhappy man. (Which just wouldn’t be right.)

Yep, it’s the final episode in Kevin Hearne’s whimsical Ink & Sigil series, Candle & Crow.


Okay, so let’s get a couple of things out of the way, first.

Namely, you shouldn’t read Candle & Crow on its own. (I mean, you could, I guess, but that would take away from soooo much backstory that you really need to know. Trust me—if you haven’t already done so, please DO read them first.)

Also? Check out these non-spoilery reviews, beforehand, to get you in the headspace to tackle ‘em... Ink & Sigil (book 1) review, and Paper & Blood (book 2) review . (Seriously, reading these first, will help.)


Candle & Crow is the clever, silly, delightfully-demented series ender we needed.

We get to meet up one last time with most of the side characters we’ve enjoyed throughout, which is a real pleasure. (Hearne does an excellent job of turning them all into fascinating beings... the kind that--even if they're jerks--you just really want to know more about.)

And more importantly, the author gives us enough of an idea about where everyone is headed that we can walk away, at the end, with a sense of what might happen next—after from the books—for each of them. It’s both closure... and room for more, should he ever want to take us into any of these characters’ lives, in future.

So, do Al and company finally figure out from whence the curses come? Well... I’m not gonna tell you that... but perhaps that isn’t even the biggest question Al will face, you know? Suffice it to say, Al’s ending is sweetly, poignantly lovely.

Which may, in the end, be the very best way to end any series... with a feeling of coming full-circle... or at least, going a lot of the way.

Candle & Crow is an excellent end for this charmingly-offbeat series.

And the fact that I’m going to be keeping my eyes peeled for any potential offshoots, in future? Speaks to the magic of the story... and the storytelling.
~GlamKitty

First off, I want to thank NetGalley and Kevin Hearne. It was because of them that I was able to read this entire trilogy and enjoy the world that started in the Iron Druid series that my dad dearly loved. I enjoyed the previous two books in this series, but this book ended things quite nicely. All loose end tied up with plenty of speculation as to the possibility of more stories to come.

With most books that I really enjoy, it is the side characters that really make or break a story. In this case, while I loved Nadia and Buck Foi, I found myself rooting for the Morrigan, or as she goes by now, Roxanne. I truly enjoyed watching her try to navigate dating. Nadia starts a cult and Buck Foi starts a family. Good stuff. We even get a glimpse into the inner workings of Gladys Who Has Seen Some Shite.

The thing that was different about this book was that it did jump around a lot. Poor Al really had a lot on his plate and this book showed that really well. A lot of different mini plots arose and concluded within this book as well as the culmination of several plot points that existed through the whole trilogy. At times it seemed rushed. I would love a novella about this group celebrating together at the holidays. I can only imagine the kinds of chaos that could ensue. With the humor and wit that Mr. Hearne brings to these books, that would be an awesome time. As you can see, I’m not quite ready for this story to be finished. This book was a good conclusion to the series even without extra stories though.

<i>Candle & Crow</i> is the third book in Kevin Hearne's Ink and Sigil series, which takes place in the same world as the Iron Druid series. Al MacBharrais is determined to get the curse on him lifted. He's searching high and low for someone who can tell him who laid the curse on him in the first place so he can get it removed. Of course, nothing is ever going to be easy for MacBharrais. Thankfully, he has his trusty sidekick Buck Foi (a hobgoblin), Nadia (goth queen and battle seer), Morrigan (the former Irish death goddess), and Gladys-who's-seen-some-shite (his ... receptionist!).

Without going into too much detail here, the book centers on a case of a shipping vessel (that was probably involved with human trafficking) being destroyed and all of its passengers drowned. Technically, the incident is within the legalese of the contract created and signed by the sigil agent. Admittedly, it's been a while, so MacBharrais realizes it may be time to update the language of the contract.

Oh, and if Buck Foi isn't enough of a handful already, Buck and Nadia may have started a new religion with a deity that eats people.

Needless to say, MacBharrais has his hands full.

As a whole, I find this entire series highly enjoyable. I strongly recommend reading to anyone who likes urban fantasy or just a little fantasy escapism.

I would like to thank the publisher for giving me early access to this book to read and review prior to publication. While I am thankful for the opportunity, the opinions expressed here are entirely mine.