In the spirit of continuity, I have to start this review off by praising this book’s cover art. All three books in the Curse of Shavhalla series have such excellent covers; they all match perfectly but still have elements unique to the stories they contain.
I’ve mentioned in my reviews of the previous two books that I am not a fantasy reader. Although this is still very much the case, this series contains plenty of elements I enjoy: action, adventure, intrigue, and well-written character arcs. The heartfelt, fantastical spirit of Narnia meets the political intrigue of Game of Thrones. Even for someone like me who doesn’t have much experience with fantasy settings, the magic system is interesting, and after reading all three of these books, I felt like I had a solid grasp on this world. Seasoned fantasy readers will probably enjoy it even more.
I thought this book did a wonderful job capping off the series. We’re immediately reunited with Amar, Kesari, and Aleida, the three protagonists we’ve gotten to know throughout the previous two books. I honestly always forget they’re the only POV characters in this series because so many of the other players have such a presence on the page. Way back in Tethered Spirits, Kesari was probably my least favorite of the three POV characters, but I really enjoyed her arc in this book. She grew so much over the course of the trilogy, both physically and mentally/emotionally, but it was all in a manner that stayed true to her character. Tarik, the crotchety guard introduced in Revenant Prince, was definitely my favorite sidekick this time around.
Knowing this was a trilogy, at the conclusion of RP I was naturally left wondering how everything would conclude in one final book. We had an empire divided and actively engaged in a civil war, a curse that still needed to be broken, and the most conniving, annoying villain that needed to be…permanently neutralized in some manner. What I really enjoyed about this book was that, while the foreshadowing was kinda strong in some places, there was some other element I still had a question about. So even if I had a pretty good prediction of what was going to happen, I still wasn’t sure HOW it would happen, and that left me wanting to read more. The final resolution wasn’t what I was expecting, but it still felt very appropriate and true to the characters. The last trio of chapters serve as kind of a three-part epilogue that adds some very nicely executed closure.
I should also note that I cried at a part in this book. I am not someone who cries at books. Not sure if it was a weird fluke or if it was in response to how well-written the part was, but it happened.
Anyway. If you’re an avid fantasy reader, you’re sure to enjoy this series. And even if you’re not into fantasy as much, you’ll still find a trilogy of very competently-written books, with rich descriptions, a well-developed world, and excellent character arcs.
CHECK OUT T.A. HERNANDEZ’S OTHER WORK, ranging everywhere from dystopian thriller to circus fantasy to microfiction and short stories!
ABOUT T.A. HERNANDEZ
T. A. Hernandez is a science fiction and fantasy author and long-time fan of speculative fiction. She grew up with her nose habitually stuck in a book and her mind constantly wandering to make-believe worlds full of magic and adventure. She began writing after reading J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings many years ago and is now happily engaged in an exciting and lifelong quest to tell captivating stories.
She is a clinical social worker and the proud mother of two girls. She also enjoys drawing, reading, graphic design, playing video games, and making happy memories with her family and friends.
