Review: The Conquering Dark by Clay & Susan Griffith

Title: The Conquering Dark
Author: Clay & Susan Griffith
Series: Crown & Key #3
Genre: Steampunk/Urban Fantasy/ Historical Fiction
Publisher: Del Rey
Publication Date: July 28th 2015
Pages: Kindle Edition, 352 pages
Source: NetGalley
Purchase: Amazon US | Kobo | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository | iBooks

Synopsis:

     The Crown and Key Society face their most terrifying villain yet: Gaios, a deranged demigod with the power to destroy Britain.

      To avenge a centuries-old betrayal, Gaios is hell-bent on summoning the elemental forces of the earth to level London and bury Britain. The Crown and Key Society, a secret league consisting of a magician, an alchemist, and a monster-hunter, is the realm’s only hope—and to stop Gaios, they must gather their full strength and come together as a team, or the world will fall apart.

      But Simon Archer, the Crown and Key’s leader and the last living magician-scribe, has lost his powers. As Gaios searches for the Stone of Scone, which will give him destructive dominion over the land, monster-hunter Malcolm MacFarlane, alchemist extraordinaire Kate Anstruther, gadget geek Penny Carter, and Charlotte the werewolf scramble to reconnect Simon to his magic before the world as they know it is left forever in ruins.

Review:

I have come to expect intense and engaging situations from this series. And I was not disappointed. This was possibly more intense than the previous two combined. The team is still recovering from the events from the last book. Everyone is waiting for what's to come. And with the King asking them to fight battles for the crown, but the threat being more than the King could ever realize.

This series is so well written with an array of wonderful characters, and villains you love to hate. This book has just about everything. Everything about this book makes me want more. 

Simon and Kate have come closer than ever, Malcolm has softened a little towards the young werewolf Charlotte. Penny has become a much more central part of the story than she was before, Imogen has become comfortable in her new body. Their character development towards each other, and with themselves is some of the best character writing I have read in a while.

Gaios, an earth elemental set on destroying England is the new villain, and the most challenging they have faced so far, especially considering the loss Simon suffered in the previous book. But thankfully that issue was solved soon enough that they could win, but not so soon that it wasn't really a problem. 

I really want there to be more books in this series. This series with all it's amazing characters, I want to read more of their adventures. It's hard to talk about this book and not spoil anything. But if you like magic, steampunk and epic crazy battles, then you will love this series.