Author: Michael J. Sullivan
Series: Legends of the First Empire #5
Genre: High Fantasy
Publisher: Riyria Enterprises, LLC
Publication Date: February 4, 2020
Edition: 341 pages, Kindle Edition
Source: Library
Purchase: Amazon US | Barnes & Noble | BAM | Bookshop | Powell's | Thriftbooks
Synopsis:
Do Gods truly exist? Can you know the future? And what lies beyond the veil of death?
Winter blankets the land, and more than hope has died. Barred by the tower of Avempartha, the western army cannot invade the Fhrey homeland. So it must seek a way across the Nidwalden River before the fane obtains the secret of dragons. As time runs out for both humanity and the mystic Suri, the only chance for the living rests with the dead. Having made their fateful choice, can a handful of misfits do the impossible, or are they forever lost to an inescapable grave? As in Virgil’s Aeneid, Dante’s Divine Comedy, and Milton’s Paradise Lost, the most epic tales transcend the world of the living. It’s time to see what lies in Elan’s Age of Death.
Winter blankets the land, and more than hope has died. Barred by the tower of Avempartha, the western army cannot invade the Fhrey homeland. So it must seek a way across the Nidwalden River before the fane obtains the secret of dragons. As time runs out for both humanity and the mystic Suri, the only chance for the living rests with the dead. Having made their fateful choice, can a handful of misfits do the impossible, or are they forever lost to an inescapable grave? As in Virgil’s Aeneid, Dante’s Divine Comedy, and Milton’s Paradise Lost, the most epic tales transcend the world of the living. It’s time to see what lies in Elan’s Age of Death.
A lot happens in this book. Some of it did feel a little meandering at times, but over all I really enjoyed this book. The author's note says, and I agree, that this is Brin's Book. She is very front and center here. I don't think I've talked too much about her in previous reviews, but she's always been a huge part of everything. Each chapter of every book starts with a passage from "The Book of Brin". She is her tribes Keeper, and she is develops writing and is the first one to read. But until now she was more in the background.
The side-characters had a chance to really shine in this book. Moya, Roan, Gifford, Tressa. Tesh and Tekchin, while they did play a role in this book, it was more support for the other characters. I do wonder if they will have some kind of face off in the next book, especially where things leave off with them. I really hope Tesh pulls his head out of his ass in the next book.
Suri's arc was a little sparse considering. I did really enjoy reading her interactions with the Fhrey and how they start to view Rhunes. How she shocked each one she met, for good or bad. I am curious and a little concerned for where her story is going to end.
Persephone wasn't in this book much. And it makes me a little sad in a way, because it feels like foreshadowing for how history is going to remember her in later books. She deserves the credit I know Nyphron is going to undermine in the years to come, even more so after her death since he has a longer life than she does. He's such a tool.
This was a very fast-paced book, and at times that felt like it was to its detriment. There weren't many moments that let the events "breathe", it was just one thing after another. I do hope the next book has more slow moments to let events have an impact before the next thing happens. I already have it from the library, and I've read the first chapter.
I plan to read this series of series in historical chronological order, so the next arc of books will have more time between them. Unless I bite the bullet and buy them. Which I want to do anyway. I am loving the writing in these books.
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