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The Book of Deacon #3
The Battle of Verril
In this, the finale of the Book of Deacon Trilogy, Myranda and the Chosen face their greatest challenges yet. Time is running out, and the Generals are growing desperate. Through victory and defeat, reunion and betrayal, neither the heroes nor their foes will rest until they have seen their task through to the end. The only question is, will it be the end of a war, or the end of times?
323 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 5, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 205 reviews
May 9, 2012
What a way to end a series! So much better than Jordan. So much better than virtually everyone. By this time you are so bonded with the characters and their goals that you are straining right along with them to win each and every battle, to kill each and every villain, to attain each goal, to escape each prison, to meet each challenge and to learn each scrap of information that will help them fight the good fight.
Now that the Great Convergence has happened, we have our divinely picked five Chosen. There is Lain the malthrope assassin, who is a master of blades and killing. There is Ether the mystic one, shapeshifter and immortal born of the gods. There is Myranda, wizard master and healer. Myn, a dragon twisted by the D'karon after she died, but healed by Myranda. And last but not least Ivy, great with weapons, with a powerful aura,once a creature of General Dement , artistic prodigy. And then there is Deacon, while he is not Chosen, he should have been. He chooses love for Myranda and duty to the world over home and family to help stop the war and little does he know it, but it is far more than war that needs stopping. He is so helpful with his grey magic that they couldn't have done it without him.
The five Chosen work as a team - melding their skills, battling the five Generals and their nearmen, dragoyles and mutant beasts. At one point, four of the Chosen are betrayed by Lain's business partner Desmeres and locked away separately for torture. To find out what happens read the book, in fact, read all three in order, they are simply a treat for the mind.
Out of all the quest fantasy that I've read over the years this has to rank up in the top five - and believe me, I've read a lot. Not only was the plot original, but it had so many twists and turns you never saw coming - not once. I fell in love with the characters, especially Myranda, Deacon, Myn, Ivy, Caya, Solomon and Calypso. I was fascinated by Desmeres too until he turned traitor.
The characterization in the story is absolutely brilliant; it's like one of your friends relating a real story about real people in their life. The characters are not characters; they are like real people, people you could meet shopping, at the grocery, at the corner drugstore. Nothing is left out, no feeling, no mood, no failing, no idiosyncrasy - nothing. They are as possibly real as you could get in a fictional character, and that'saying a lot.
The pacing in the book is swifter than the others, or maybe it only feels that way because there is so much at stake. You, as always, are sucked in from page one, and like a strong current in river, moved quickly through events, closer and closer towards the Battle of Verril, but that is not the ending by far. Much awaits our heroes after the battle, and none of it is good, in fact it could be world shatteringly catastrophic. And now they have to deal with that after everything else. The transitions in the book were silky smooth - shifting from from one Chosen to another plus Deacon and back again. Because their personalities are so distinct, it makes it childs play to know who is speaking and who you are following. Of course, the main narrator of all three books is Deacon, and even though he wasn't there for many of the events that took place, other Chosen were, and he took down their stories in their own words which he made up into the three books with his magic quill and paper.
I would recommend this whole series to anyone who can read English and appreciate a thumping good read. It's got something in it for everybody, a study of human nature, good versus evil, war, divinely inspired beings, romance, magic, adventure, weird alien science, dragons, strong women, strong men, elves, battles, mutant beasts, highly developed edged weapons and alternate worlds. Just like Tolkein's Lord of the Rings, this deserves the same type of wide readership because of it's quality and genre busting value as one of the premiere thumping good reads that I've had the pleasure to come in contact with. BUY THE SERIES! Do it now! The first one is even free! How can you lose? This is the best deal you'll get in years. Mr. Lallo, I want to thank you for hours of unalloyed reading pleasure of such a degree that I can't remember the last time I read books that were this good. Sir, you are an artist. Good luck to you!
Now that the Great Convergence has happened, we have our divinely picked five Chosen. There is Lain the malthrope assassin, who is a master of blades and killing. There is Ether the mystic one, shapeshifter and immortal born of the gods. There is Myranda, wizard master and healer. Myn, a dragon twisted by the D'karon after she died, but healed by Myranda. And last but not least Ivy, great with weapons, with a powerful aura,once a creature of General Dement , artistic prodigy. And then there is Deacon, while he is not Chosen, he should have been. He chooses love for Myranda and duty to the world over home and family to help stop the war and little does he know it, but it is far more than war that needs stopping. He is so helpful with his grey magic that they couldn't have done it without him.
The five Chosen work as a team - melding their skills, battling the five Generals and their nearmen, dragoyles and mutant beasts. At one point, four of the Chosen are betrayed by Lain's business partner Desmeres and locked away separately for torture. To find out what happens read the book, in fact, read all three in order, they are simply a treat for the mind.
Out of all the quest fantasy that I've read over the years this has to rank up in the top five - and believe me, I've read a lot. Not only was the plot original, but it had so many twists and turns you never saw coming - not once. I fell in love with the characters, especially Myranda, Deacon, Myn, Ivy, Caya, Solomon and Calypso. I was fascinated by Desmeres too until he turned traitor.
The characterization in the story is absolutely brilliant; it's like one of your friends relating a real story about real people in their life. The characters are not characters; they are like real people, people you could meet shopping, at the grocery, at the corner drugstore. Nothing is left out, no feeling, no mood, no failing, no idiosyncrasy - nothing. They are as possibly real as you could get in a fictional character, and that'saying a lot.
The pacing in the book is swifter than the others, or maybe it only feels that way because there is so much at stake. You, as always, are sucked in from page one, and like a strong current in river, moved quickly through events, closer and closer towards the Battle of Verril, but that is not the ending by far. Much awaits our heroes after the battle, and none of it is good, in fact it could be world shatteringly catastrophic. And now they have to deal with that after everything else. The transitions in the book were silky smooth - shifting from from one Chosen to another plus Deacon and back again. Because their personalities are so distinct, it makes it childs play to know who is speaking and who you are following. Of course, the main narrator of all three books is Deacon, and even though he wasn't there for many of the events that took place, other Chosen were, and he took down their stories in their own words which he made up into the three books with his magic quill and paper.
I would recommend this whole series to anyone who can read English and appreciate a thumping good read. It's got something in it for everybody, a study of human nature, good versus evil, war, divinely inspired beings, romance, magic, adventure, weird alien science, dragons, strong women, strong men, elves, battles, mutant beasts, highly developed edged weapons and alternate worlds. Just like Tolkein's Lord of the Rings, this deserves the same type of wide readership because of it's quality and genre busting value as one of the premiere thumping good reads that I've had the pleasure to come in contact with. BUY THE SERIES! Do it now! The first one is even free! How can you lose? This is the best deal you'll get in years. Mr. Lallo, I want to thank you for hours of unalloyed reading pleasure of such a degree that I can't remember the last time I read books that were this good. Sir, you are an artist. Good luck to you!
March 21, 2012
Right this will be the main review for all three books.
First the bad
1. They are to long, i think Lallo could have cut a few things and still had an excellent story.
2. There are to many pitched battles, I think this detracts from the final battle, instead of gradual building i feel it goes from peaks and troughs just a little to much
3. The Generals are to hard to kill, No one wants a bad guy that is to easily defeated, but ones that can barely be hurt much less killed is to much.
4. The henchmen were far to easily dispatched, it felt to me that the creatures were so inconsequential that a toddler with a bat could have bested them, except the dragoyles, those things were badass!
5. The world was a little under developed, The world lacked something for me, They talk about the gods and fate but you don't get any sense of the belief system or of the history or culture. In a trilogy this long it is a surprise.
6. To much walking, it seemed that the heroes were constantly walking, felt very LOTResque and not in a good way.
Now the Good
1. THIS STORY IS FREAKEN AWESOME!!!!! it hooked me in from beginning to end, i desperately had to know what happened.
2. The characters are strong and believable, developed well, unique and easy to support and get behind.
3. There is a romance but it is kept firmly in the background, i like this, to many fantasy books are obsessed with love and destiny, i don't mind it being there but i don't want it to detract from the story.
4. The story itself is somewhat unique, which is hard to do in the fantasy genre, i like the way Lallo has managed to create his bad guys and heroes and Quest and not make it feel like just another "Sword and Magic" epic
5. I loved that the first book was free, what a cunning way to get people hooked on the series and then ensure sales of the second and third book, very sneaky!! ;-)
6. Brilliant use of creatures, Myn and the Malthropes, Elves, Mermaids everything i love about the fantasy genre.
7. Not to many spelling or grammatical errors, which for a self published book (at the moment anyway) is a fantastic effort.
So despite the bad points mentioned above i would 100% recommend this trilogy to anyone, crafted and told well, Definitely one to put on your reading list.
First the bad
1. They are to long, i think Lallo could have cut a few things and still had an excellent story.
2. There are to many pitched battles, I think this detracts from the final battle, instead of gradual building i feel it goes from peaks and troughs just a little to much
3. The Generals are to hard to kill, No one wants a bad guy that is to easily defeated, but ones that can barely be hurt much less killed is to much.
4. The henchmen were far to easily dispatched, it felt to me that the creatures were so inconsequential that a toddler with a bat could have bested them, except the dragoyles, those things were badass!
5. The world was a little under developed, The world lacked something for me, They talk about the gods and fate but you don't get any sense of the belief system or of the history or culture. In a trilogy this long it is a surprise.
6. To much walking, it seemed that the heroes were constantly walking, felt very LOTResque and not in a good way.
Now the Good
1. THIS STORY IS FREAKEN AWESOME!!!!! it hooked me in from beginning to end, i desperately had to know what happened.
2. The characters are strong and believable, developed well, unique and easy to support and get behind.
3. There is a romance but it is kept firmly in the background, i like this, to many fantasy books are obsessed with love and destiny, i don't mind it being there but i don't want it to detract from the story.
4. The story itself is somewhat unique, which is hard to do in the fantasy genre, i like the way Lallo has managed to create his bad guys and heroes and Quest and not make it feel like just another "Sword and Magic" epic
5. I loved that the first book was free, what a cunning way to get people hooked on the series and then ensure sales of the second and third book, very sneaky!! ;-)
6. Brilliant use of creatures, Myn and the Malthropes, Elves, Mermaids everything i love about the fantasy genre.
7. Not to many spelling or grammatical errors, which for a self published book (at the moment anyway) is a fantastic effort.
So despite the bad points mentioned above i would 100% recommend this trilogy to anyone, crafted and told well, Definitely one to put on your reading list.
January 15, 2012
I got tired of the battles between the Chosen Ones and the Generals' creatures. I got bored at the end of the 2nd book but decided to finish the series. The ending was so-so, no twist to it. The Red Shadow's character was no longer fierce & mysterious. Ivy kind of annoying. Myranda's relationship with Deacon could have been more real - it was said that they were madly in love but I did not feel like their passion in the book. It was really too bad because the first book was great.
March 21, 2012
Last of the trilogy, and still great in my opinion. Myranda doesn't improve much in character development to me, still felt a little flat. I did feel this last one, though much darker, more intense, was a bit more predictable and easier to understand the twists before they were explained. There were still some bits though that surprised me. Overall, I actually like the jumping from character to character/story to story as I was able to get a better feel of the complete scene rather than just one side. I also enjoyed the idea that it was sort of a journal or diary account or record of the events by one who had been there. Not sure why I enjoyed that specifically, was just a neat way to do it in my opinion. I kind of hated parts of the end because I felt that some of the character endings should have been switched (I won't spoil anything). I was also left with a few questions still and wonder if there might be more to come from this little world. Great trilogy for fantasy genre lovers though! I can't comment about most formatting/grammar/typo stuff unless it's really excessive because if it's a good enough read, I get far too involved to notice those minor details.
June 25, 2017
I really enjoyed reading this trilogy, the characters are great and the tension between Ether and Ivy is annoying but funny to watch them always arguing and fighting. It's a wonderful series, can't wait to read the other spin offs novels and the latest fourth novel of the series
June 11, 2014
Ah, the end has come…..and now I am sad. It’s been a long time since I started this trilogy. I first reviewed The Book of Deacon and then The Great Convergence. Both were excellent books with a gripping cliffhanger into the 3rd and final installment, The Battle of Verril. I was pissed to say the least….
I don’t want to give up any details but I can tell you that in The Great Convergence (book 2 of 3) there is a great loss. We lose a character from the cast that…..well, it just SUCKED to see this character go. I was so afraid when I went into the Battle of Verril that there was no way of coming back from that. I started reading not really sure where the story was going to take me and I was quickly reminded of why I fell in love with this story. *wink wink*
I am going to stick to the basics with this review because this is such an epic story that I don’t want to ruin it for anyone.
Our characters that we have grown to love – or grown to love to hate, whichever the case may be – get run through the gauntlet in The Battle of Verril. Myranda started out as this lost girl just struggling to survive day to day life has become a serious force to be reckoned with. She’s so much fun to read because from the start of this journey, we learn right along with her as we read. We understand the fine line that she’s walking between confidence and self doubt and that’s a dangerous line to be walking when you’re trying to save the world. Lane is ubermysterious and deadly. How can that NOT be fun?!?!?!? Oh! I am going to stop myself right there with the character list because you may not know who we lose in book 2…..
The Battle of Verril is a classic way to wrap up this amazing journey. The Book of Deacon trilogy brings together fantasy and fairytale, magic and myth, mystery and intrigue and the writing is simply wonderful. The description that Mr. Lallo uses in his writing is something to be envied. In my eyes, the true test of how well a writer is with description is how clear the book plays out in your head – characters, scenery, events, etc. – and how long the memories of those things stick with you. I don’t mean the memory of reading a book. I mean the memory of watching it happen in your mind. This entire series, from beginning to end, is clear as crystal in my head.
As I said above, I am sad to see the trilogy come to an end but I assure you that this trilogy will be one that I read over….many times, I’m sure.
Although there wasn’t a lot of battle scenes in The Book of Deacon, we started to get a smattering in The Great Convergence. Well, The Battle of Verril was no exception. Lots more action scenes to this one. Again, very well written and each battle scene has a higher purpose. There is no unnecessary scenes written in. Everything has a reason for being.
For all the parents out there, another great thing about this trilogy is that you can let your kids read it. As long as you’re ok with your kids reading epic fantasy, this entire trilogy is good to go. Sexual content and language are 100% NOT and issue. I would have no problem at all with my 11 year old daughter picking up The Book of Deacon.
Overall, I am giving The Battle of Verril 5 magical stars! I was incredibly impressed with this series! I highly recommend it to anyone out there who is a die hard fan of traditional epic fantasy. Mr. Lallo’s style is a little Piers Anthony-esque – although 100% unique at the same time. I look forward to getting a look at his other books as well!!!
I don’t want to give up any details but I can tell you that in The Great Convergence (book 2 of 3) there is a great loss. We lose a character from the cast that…..well, it just SUCKED to see this character go. I was so afraid when I went into the Battle of Verril that there was no way of coming back from that. I started reading not really sure where the story was going to take me and I was quickly reminded of why I fell in love with this story. *wink wink*
I am going to stick to the basics with this review because this is such an epic story that I don’t want to ruin it for anyone.
Our characters that we have grown to love – or grown to love to hate, whichever the case may be – get run through the gauntlet in The Battle of Verril. Myranda started out as this lost girl just struggling to survive day to day life has become a serious force to be reckoned with. She’s so much fun to read because from the start of this journey, we learn right along with her as we read. We understand the fine line that she’s walking between confidence and self doubt and that’s a dangerous line to be walking when you’re trying to save the world. Lane is ubermysterious and deadly. How can that NOT be fun?!?!?!? Oh! I am going to stop myself right there with the character list because you may not know who we lose in book 2…..
The Battle of Verril is a classic way to wrap up this amazing journey. The Book of Deacon trilogy brings together fantasy and fairytale, magic and myth, mystery and intrigue and the writing is simply wonderful. The description that Mr. Lallo uses in his writing is something to be envied. In my eyes, the true test of how well a writer is with description is how clear the book plays out in your head – characters, scenery, events, etc. – and how long the memories of those things stick with you. I don’t mean the memory of reading a book. I mean the memory of watching it happen in your mind. This entire series, from beginning to end, is clear as crystal in my head.
As I said above, I am sad to see the trilogy come to an end but I assure you that this trilogy will be one that I read over….many times, I’m sure.
Although there wasn’t a lot of battle scenes in The Book of Deacon, we started to get a smattering in The Great Convergence. Well, The Battle of Verril was no exception. Lots more action scenes to this one. Again, very well written and each battle scene has a higher purpose. There is no unnecessary scenes written in. Everything has a reason for being.
For all the parents out there, another great thing about this trilogy is that you can let your kids read it. As long as you’re ok with your kids reading epic fantasy, this entire trilogy is good to go. Sexual content and language are 100% NOT and issue. I would have no problem at all with my 11 year old daughter picking up The Book of Deacon.
Overall, I am giving The Battle of Verril 5 magical stars! I was incredibly impressed with this series! I highly recommend it to anyone out there who is a die hard fan of traditional epic fantasy. Mr. Lallo’s style is a little Piers Anthony-esque – although 100% unique at the same time. I look forward to getting a look at his other books as well!!!
June 1, 2014
I'm typically very hesitant when it comes to reviewing entertainment, be it books, shows or movies. However, after investing so much time into this series, I felt it necessary to somehow grasp my feelings on it as a whole.
If one were to ask for my general consensus, I would say that this series was a good read. It kept me interested to the point that I wanted to know how it ended. Sadly, after getting through the second book, little more than that drove me to finish it. I simply wanted to know the ending, but I wasn't ever truly invested in the characters.
I would not call the third installment, The Battle of Verril, a "let down", but it did not really have the same sense of build up that the prior two books had. It was somewhat repetitive, despite the differing forms the obstacles took on. The protagonists were constantly faced with increasingly more formidable threats and they always somehow managed to barely escape. Though entertaining, the battle sequences were a little difficult to follow. There was just too much action happening at once.
The characters had so much potential. A few of my favorites include Desmeres, Ether, Epidime, Deacon and Ivy. I very much enjoyed the presence of these characters and the roles they played. While others, such as Myranda and Lain, did not really strike me as particularly intriguing, I found Desmeres' knack for self preservation, the unflinching pride of Ether, the purely wicked drive for Epedime's actions, Deacon's absentminded yet adorable quirks and Ivy's endearing and innocent qualities to be enough to hold my interest. This isn't to say that I didn't like Myranda or Lain (or Myn, for that matter). In the first book, Lain was actually my favorite character. But as the story progressed and his character developed, he lost the edge that "The Red Shadow" had and adopted a more possessive side as he became obsessed with getting Ivy to safety.
The romance, though a small aspect of the overarching story, left much to be desired . I feel that, because it was so rarely touched on (because of the overwhelming amount of action), the situations between the characters were more awkward than romantic. However, I liked the straightforward approach that the author took with it. He did not string the readers along through the entirety of the book, making us guess at whether they were going to get together or not (I have been reading too much YA lately >_< ).
Despite these critiques, there were moments of brilliance in this novel. Moments that stirred my heart and moments that were powerful and meaningful. And I cannot deny that I enjoyed reading it, so while the rating may seem low (I would have given it a 3.5, had I been able to), I still recommend it.
For those who are concerned about violence and gore, I will say that there is quite a bit of it.
If one were to ask for my general consensus, I would say that this series was a good read. It kept me interested to the point that I wanted to know how it ended. Sadly, after getting through the second book, little more than that drove me to finish it. I simply wanted to know the ending, but I wasn't ever truly invested in the characters.
I would not call the third installment, The Battle of Verril, a "let down", but it did not really have the same sense of build up that the prior two books had. It was somewhat repetitive, despite the differing forms the obstacles took on. The protagonists were constantly faced with increasingly more formidable threats and they always somehow managed to barely escape. Though entertaining, the battle sequences were a little difficult to follow. There was just too much action happening at once.
The characters had so much potential. A few of my favorites include Desmeres, Ether, Epidime, Deacon and Ivy. I very much enjoyed the presence of these characters and the roles they played. While others, such as Myranda and Lain, did not really strike me as particularly intriguing, I found Desmeres' knack for self preservation, the unflinching pride of Ether, the purely wicked drive for Epedime's actions, Deacon's absentminded yet adorable quirks and Ivy's endearing and innocent qualities to be enough to hold my interest. This isn't to say that I didn't like Myranda or Lain (or Myn, for that matter). In the first book, Lain was actually my favorite character. But as the story progressed and his character developed, he lost the edge that "The Red Shadow" had and adopted a more possessive side as he became obsessed with getting Ivy to safety.
The romance, though a small aspect of the overarching story, left much to be desired . I feel that, because it was so rarely touched on (because of the overwhelming amount of action), the situations between the characters were more awkward than romantic. However, I liked the straightforward approach that the author took with it. He did not string the readers along through the entirety of the book, making us guess at whether they were going to get together or not (I have been reading too much YA lately >_< ).
Despite these critiques, there were moments of brilliance in this novel. Moments that stirred my heart and moments that were powerful and meaningful. And I cannot deny that I enjoyed reading it, so while the rating may seem low (I would have given it a 3.5, had I been able to), I still recommend it.
For those who are concerned about violence and gore, I will say that there is quite a bit of it.
October 21, 2011
The third book in Joseph Lallo's excellent series, I give this book three of five stars. You may ask why I gave it 3/5 if I like it so much; I will explain.
I really liked this series overall, it had interesting characters, there was decent plot development, and it was unique. I liked the first book, I liked the second book even more, and had high hopes for the third but I had to give this book only three stars because it wasn't as engaging. It might have had something to do with the ever increasing level Lallo was trying to take the evil creatures to. I like most of the beasts he came up with, but the large ones (which I won't describe should I give too much away) near the end of this book were just not really of the same fantasy world as the others. They seemed less well thought out, too forced and did not fit into the story as well as the others.
The plot also seemed too rushed at points, not well enough developed. The characters were rushing to do something important, they would complete that task almost as soon as they decided it needed to be done, and then rush off and repeat.
Like so many authors before him, Lallo faltered a bit on the third and final book of the series, but overall he has produced an interesting series I'm sure will only become more popular.
I really liked this series overall, it had interesting characters, there was decent plot development, and it was unique. I liked the first book, I liked the second book even more, and had high hopes for the third but I had to give this book only three stars because it wasn't as engaging. It might have had something to do with the ever increasing level Lallo was trying to take the evil creatures to. I like most of the beasts he came up with, but the large ones (which I won't describe should I give too much away) near the end of this book were just not really of the same fantasy world as the others. They seemed less well thought out, too forced and did not fit into the story as well as the others.
The plot also seemed too rushed at points, not well enough developed. The characters were rushing to do something important, they would complete that task almost as soon as they decided it needed to be done, and then rush off and repeat.
Like so many authors before him, Lallo faltered a bit on the third and final book of the series, but overall he has produced an interesting series I'm sure will only become more popular.
February 20, 2013
I struggled to make it through this trilogy. Lallo's writing style, which I really enjoyed in his science fiction series (Bypass Gemini and Unstable Prototypes), felt unrealistic and forced in this fantasy setting. I did a decent amount of skimming over the overly-wordy sections, especially some of the pages-long fights.
The story itself is a fantasy opera. There's very little in the way of unexpected twists, plenty of temporary angst but little real loss, and the good guys always seem to come out all right. No deep social commentary or convoluted plots here. The setup in the first book was interesting as the world was described and we met all the characters, but the last two thirds of the trilogy provided very little new until the very end.
Having said that, I did still finish all three books. Perhaps that's because I'm a completionist, but I really was interested in how Lallo was going to wrap up the plot. I found the ending to be satisfying in terms of the overall plot, leading pretty much where you knew it was going all along.
I can't really recommend the Book of Deacon series, though I'm sure there are some who would enjoy it. It just doesn't do anything particularly well, and nothing at all new.
The story itself is a fantasy opera. There's very little in the way of unexpected twists, plenty of temporary angst but little real loss, and the good guys always seem to come out all right. No deep social commentary or convoluted plots here. The setup in the first book was interesting as the world was described and we met all the characters, but the last two thirds of the trilogy provided very little new until the very end.
Having said that, I did still finish all three books. Perhaps that's because I'm a completionist, but I really was interested in how Lallo was going to wrap up the plot. I found the ending to be satisfying in terms of the overall plot, leading pretty much where you knew it was going all along.
I can't really recommend the Book of Deacon series, though I'm sure there are some who would enjoy it. It just doesn't do anything particularly well, and nothing at all new.
July 18, 2012
The third book is the best and wraps the trilogy up nicely. Myranda comes into her own and shines. I like strong heroines. Myranda holds true to her beliefs throughout all and inspires everyone else. The build up to the ending is finely crafted.
It does get frustrating when the heroes keep walking into the exact same traps over and over. I felt like smacking them in the back of the head. But it's also nice to see villains that are every bit as nasty as they're supposed to be. By the end, I wanted them all destroyed.
My favorite characters are Ivy, Myn and Deacon. Lain is a bit too sullen for me and Ether is incredibly foolish for someone who's supposed to have been watching the world since it came into existence. My absolute favorite is Myranda though. She's lived a tough life and remains strong and resolute throughout all three stories. Strong leading women are my favorite. :)
It does get frustrating when the heroes keep walking into the exact same traps over and over. I felt like smacking them in the back of the head. But it's also nice to see villains that are every bit as nasty as they're supposed to be. By the end, I wanted them all destroyed.
My favorite characters are Ivy, Myn and Deacon. Lain is a bit too sullen for me and Ether is incredibly foolish for someone who's supposed to have been watching the world since it came into existence. My absolute favorite is Myranda though. She's lived a tough life and remains strong and resolute throughout all three stories. Strong leading women are my favorite. :)
September 26, 2012
Wow! A great finish to the Book of Deacon Trilogy.
The Chosen are finally united, the goals are defined, and battle lines become clear. The stakes in this challenge is the world itself. There can be no rest now until the battle is over. Win or lose, the Chosen must remain united and vigilante.
I found this to be the defining book of the trilogy. The first two were good. This one is great. It is exciting, fast-paced and constantly changing. The five Chosen heroes finally unite in their purpose, and realize that no one stands alone. They fight the evil in their universe, with and without each other. At times, winning seems so easy. At other times, it seems there is no alternative to losing.
Since the author was able to immerse me so thoroughly in the story at times, I can easily recommend this book to all readers, young and old. If you enjoy fantasy and science fiction, this book will keep you happy.
The Chosen are finally united, the goals are defined, and battle lines become clear. The stakes in this challenge is the world itself. There can be no rest now until the battle is over. Win or lose, the Chosen must remain united and vigilante.
I found this to be the defining book of the trilogy. The first two were good. This one is great. It is exciting, fast-paced and constantly changing. The five Chosen heroes finally unite in their purpose, and realize that no one stands alone. They fight the evil in their universe, with and without each other. At times, winning seems so easy. At other times, it seems there is no alternative to losing.
Since the author was able to immerse me so thoroughly in the story at times, I can easily recommend this book to all readers, young and old. If you enjoy fantasy and science fiction, this book will keep you happy.
March 6, 2013
Stunning conclusion to an epic trilogy. Loved everything about it. All the previous events of the other two books were tied together well, the characters continued to develop, it wasn't the same characters with the same traits, problems and abilities that were developed in the previous books - the characters continued to grow, evolve, and shape their destinies. I only regret that the trilogy is finished. Only critique is that I wish Joseph Lallo had spent even 20 pages wrapping up what happens...Myranda's father needed at least 2 words, Deacon and Myranda, do they get married? Go back to Entwell? What happens to Ether? Myn? Does the kingdom stay at peace? What is the Age of Ignorance Deacon found mention of? What about Ivy? The list goes on. You can't just spend 3 books making me love these characters and their world, and then just end the war, and spring "the end" on me!!! Otherwise, phenomenal, and highly recommended.
March 1, 2012
The only character i enjoyed in this entire series was Desmeres all others especially deacon and ivy were boring and annoying. the battles were too drawn out and had the same conclusions until the end. This series needed a more realistic romance bc these two characters had no chemistry and deacon was just mentally off and creepy. Ivy was a waste, lian never develop into much after the first book and although ether had her moments by the middle of this book her arrogance was just too much to take. i felt this book needed characters of importance to die during the adventures and characters with diverse emotions and actions. There were no surprises and i hate adventures where within the ending presents itself at the beginning of the book. in a world where the war went on for over a century the ending just did not fit
March 13, 2013
At the conclusion of the book, Joseph Lallo stated, “But you dear reader, ay count yourself lucky that you came upon this book.” And I do count myself fortunate to have had such an outstanding read. This was one of those trilogies that make the reader constantly find time to stay in the books. This was an unusual series with all types of supernatural beings that young and old can enjoy. Although it was written for the young reader, older readers like me can sit back and thoroughly enjoy the read.
The twists and turns in the story will keep the reader’s attention. Every time you think things are over, the author seems to pull something else out of his proverbial hat and makes us read on for more. And the ending was the icing on the cake … good always overcomes evil! This author has become one of those that I will definitely read more of in the future. Thanks for a great read!
The twists and turns in the story will keep the reader’s attention. Every time you think things are over, the author seems to pull something else out of his proverbial hat and makes us read on for more. And the ending was the icing on the cake … good always overcomes evil! This author has become one of those that I will definitely read more of in the future. Thanks for a great read!
October 1, 2015
4 1/2 STARS!!!! Really enjoyed, great tale, epic battles!!!
Final episode of the tale of the Chosen, led by Myranda. Huge battles of will and magic. Will the Chosen overcome the D'Karon and their all-powerful dark magic. This is a very exciting saga and one that you won't want to put down. Great characters, vivid scenes, struggle of good vs evil. Magic, dragons, cruel and powerful enemies. Definitely a worthwhile read. HAPPY READING!!!
Tim
Final episode of the tale of the Chosen, led by Myranda. Huge battles of will and magic. Will the Chosen overcome the D'Karon and their all-powerful dark magic. This is a very exciting saga and one that you won't want to put down. Great characters, vivid scenes, struggle of good vs evil. Magic, dragons, cruel and powerful enemies. Definitely a worthwhile read. HAPPY READING!!!
Tim
October 31, 2012
Was this the best fantasy ever? No.
Was it filled with magic, fighting and excitement? Yes.
Maybe a little too much fighting and not enough character work but still this book ends a good engaging fantasy trilogy. Cheap to buy on kindle and overall entertaining. The characters were likeable overall.
Hopefully this author will continue writing and continue to improve. Worth a read.
Was it filled with magic, fighting and excitement? Yes.
Maybe a little too much fighting and not enough character work but still this book ends a good engaging fantasy trilogy. Cheap to buy on kindle and overall entertaining. The characters were likeable overall.
Hopefully this author will continue writing and continue to improve. Worth a read.
January 17, 2024
I finished this masterpiece!..
Nothing I have to say will be enough to describe how great it was, so I will just simple go sit next to a corner and cry!
Don't worry about me - I'm not sad... I'm filled with happiness! I just need to let it be...!!!
P.S - A big thank you to the author, who showed the world how a fantasy series should be written!!!
You'RE the BEST!!!
Nothing I have to say will be enough to describe how great it was, so I will just simple go sit next to a corner and cry!
Don't worry about me - I'm not sad... I'm filled with happiness! I just need to let it be...!!!
P.S - A big thank you to the author, who showed the world how a fantasy series should be written!!!
You'RE the BEST!!!
February 26, 2024
This book stretched my incredulity past its limits. One minute the vaguely mentioned gods that seem to oversee this world are as arbitrarily heartless in their entertainment as biblical demons and Greek gods, and the next minute they are constrained by rules—but whose rules? Then we find the so-called pure-of-soul Myranda praying. To whom? Those unnamed gods?
And what does the author mean by pure-of-soul—something he assigns to all the Chosen, including vindictive assassins and analytical bookworms?
This book moves from bad to worse, with magicians multiplying their skills exponentially without credible cause. The source of all the power is the crystal. Somehow, the magicians can steal others’ staffs and crystals and know what spells they can work, even in languages they don’t speak. If the dead can be forced to action through manipulation by crystals, and destroyed when the crystals are broken, how can their scratches cause new undead?
There is a lack of follow-through, world development and logic in much of this book. Great battles all followed the same pattern with impossible victory for magicians. No one seems to notice that their land is full of non-human creations. And while the northern arena is emptying due to generations of war, the capital city is found full of foppish nobility, even though such class structure was never developed.
Nonetheless, Mr. Lallo masterfully entrenched me in his characters. Though he only seems to embrace evil, somehow he made me believe in his characters, and I had to read to the end. I wish I hadn’t. I lost all interest in reading anything else in the series. I prefer heroes with real skills and strong values.
And what does the author mean by pure-of-soul—something he assigns to all the Chosen, including vindictive assassins and analytical bookworms?
This book moves from bad to worse, with magicians multiplying their skills exponentially without credible cause. The source of all the power is the crystal. Somehow, the magicians can steal others’ staffs and crystals and know what spells they can work, even in languages they don’t speak. If the dead can be forced to action through manipulation by crystals, and destroyed when the crystals are broken, how can their scratches cause new undead?
There is a lack of follow-through, world development and logic in much of this book. Great battles all followed the same pattern with impossible victory for magicians. No one seems to notice that their land is full of non-human creations. And while the northern arena is emptying due to generations of war, the capital city is found full of foppish nobility, even though such class structure was never developed.
Nonetheless, Mr. Lallo masterfully entrenched me in his characters. Though he only seems to embrace evil, somehow he made me believe in his characters, and I had to read to the end. I wish I hadn’t. I lost all interest in reading anything else in the series. I prefer heroes with real skills and strong values.
February 16, 2017
Having struggled with the first in this series, it with great pleasure that I can say that they get better. The first novel in the series was readable but flat with a central character who was in turns both too perfect and too child-like. This final instalment in the series doesn't fix all of the issues but it does mitigate them.
There are some scrapes where you actually don't know if characters will come out unscathed. Myranda is a little more rounded as a character and therefore far less annoying to be following. And the other characters are grown so much more effectively with changing loyalties and motivations, experiences that mouldy and shape then and all in all become characters that you actually care about.
This is most certainly a high fantasy epic finale and the tone of the novel can almost be dry and bland at points but there's enough action and emotion to draw you back in. The enemies are true enemies and the challenges faced by our hero's are inventive and intriguing. There isn't much doubt that Myranda will succeed in most of what she puts her mind to but the how's and what's and wherefore's keep the book alive.
The only thing that really peeved me was the epilogue. Decisions were made that have no basis in common sense or logic and it therefore jars with the tone of the rest of the book. Despite being focused on high magic and such like it is at this final hurdle that the world building grinds to a halt.
Either way though, I actively enjoyed this as it was worth ploughing through the first in the series for.
There are some scrapes where you actually don't know if characters will come out unscathed. Myranda is a little more rounded as a character and therefore far less annoying to be following. And the other characters are grown so much more effectively with changing loyalties and motivations, experiences that mouldy and shape then and all in all become characters that you actually care about.
This is most certainly a high fantasy epic finale and the tone of the novel can almost be dry and bland at points but there's enough action and emotion to draw you back in. The enemies are true enemies and the challenges faced by our hero's are inventive and intriguing. There isn't much doubt that Myranda will succeed in most of what she puts her mind to but the how's and what's and wherefore's keep the book alive.
The only thing that really peeved me was the epilogue. Decisions were made that have no basis in common sense or logic and it therefore jars with the tone of the rest of the book. Despite being focused on high magic and such like it is at this final hurdle that the world building grinds to a halt.
Either way though, I actively enjoyed this as it was worth ploughing through the first in the series for.
March 7, 2019
The 7th book of 'The Book of Deacon' series, which essentially ends the first half of the series. Yes, 7 books are just the first half, we've got it all to do again to finish the series. So what was book 7 like?
Well, it was a bit of a roller coaster, and then some. A relentless, none stop, too and fro between The D'Karon and The Chosen. We've been informed several times that one of The Chosen isn't going to survive this battle, so we kind of know the rest are, but it's what's going to be left of the world after they survive that is the question. We also know that this is only the end of the first half of the series, so obviously something of The D'Karon is also going to survive as well, but as we don't know exactly what The D'Karon is, or are, we don't know much on what or who is going to survive.
It's all pretty big, epic fantasy, and while i'm not big into all the fighting stuff, i still find it really enjoyable. Well written, easy to follow, with great characters on both sides of the conflict. You can really lose yourself for a couple of months in this series.
The next book is 'The Adventures of Rustle and Eddy', which, although set in the same world, isn't part of the conflict and serves as a nice palate cleanser after all those nasty battles before we dive back into the next half proper.
Well, it was a bit of a roller coaster, and then some. A relentless, none stop, too and fro between The D'Karon and The Chosen. We've been informed several times that one of The Chosen isn't going to survive this battle, so we kind of know the rest are, but it's what's going to be left of the world after they survive that is the question. We also know that this is only the end of the first half of the series, so obviously something of The D'Karon is also going to survive as well, but as we don't know exactly what The D'Karon is, or are, we don't know much on what or who is going to survive.
It's all pretty big, epic fantasy, and while i'm not big into all the fighting stuff, i still find it really enjoyable. Well written, easy to follow, with great characters on both sides of the conflict. You can really lose yourself for a couple of months in this series.
The next book is 'The Adventures of Rustle and Eddy', which, although set in the same world, isn't part of the conflict and serves as a nice palate cleanser after all those nasty battles before we dive back into the next half proper.
March 10, 2017
The epic final book of the trilogy. By this point the reader is heavily involved with the story. Who are the other Chosen? What will happen? Is Myranda going to find her answers? Will Deacon grow a pair? Why is Epidime such a butthole?
Twists and turns aplenty are within the 3rd book. At one point, a twist was so unanticipated that I had tears streaming down my face. I love books that get me that involved.
My only criticism is that it seems like the story was too long in some spots. I don't need 3 pages to tell me that they crossed many miles to get to where they were going.
Other than being too wordy in some instances, this is a wonderful series! I got book 1 free on BookBub so keep an eye out for it. I gladly purchased the other two. I alllllllmost want a movie to be made out of the series but am afraid it will be ruined, like they did with Divergent.
Twists and turns aplenty are within the 3rd book. At one point, a twist was so unanticipated that I had tears streaming down my face. I love books that get me that involved.
My only criticism is that it seems like the story was too long in some spots. I don't need 3 pages to tell me that they crossed many miles to get to where they were going.
Other than being too wordy in some instances, this is a wonderful series! I got book 1 free on BookBub so keep an eye out for it. I gladly purchased the other two. I alllllllmost want a movie to be made out of the series but am afraid it will be ruined, like they did with Divergent.
October 27, 2018
End of the trilogy. Myranda and Deacon work with malthropes Lain and Ivy, ethereal Ether, and potato-loving dragon Myn to face the evil, insidious aliens working so diligently to bring the evil from another dimension in via a portal to control and take over their world. Some great bad guys here and disgusting monsters to fight. Epidime is probably my favorite bad guy among these evil aliens referred to as the d'karon: he can take over anyone's body , and finds your weaknesses and insecurities to torment you, while being sarcastic and narcissistic with attitude. General Bagu, his colleague, lacks the pop of such personality, but still could bring nightmares, too. This plotline leads up to the ultimate battle mentioned in a prophecy referenced earlier in the series.
Needs some editing help, and as I noted earlier in the series, chapters would make sense, too.
Needs some editing help, and as I noted earlier in the series, chapters would make sense, too.
September 13, 2017
A good conclusion to the first two, fairly straight forward as the Good Guys try to defeat the Bad Guys who are only more bad in this book to the point where they're near impossible to kill. If you liked be first two, you'll like this one, but if you're looking for a surprising twist or anything of the like, you'll be disappointed.
December 14, 2017
Received the first book free from bookbub, I usually just stick to the free books because I get so many, even when part of a series. There was no hesitation at the end of this book, I immediately went to the kindle store and bought all the books in the series. These were great, fun, and engaging, highly recommend.
October 25, 2020
First, let me say that I love this author! He does a really good job making these & other books. With that being said, the only reason I didn’t give this five stars is (no spoilers) because the final battle is hard to picture. The rest of the book was really clear & descriptive most of the time, but the last battle just was very difficult for me to picture. But I still love the Author!
June 5, 2021
Fine ending to the trilogy.
The Book of Deacon 3. Was a great read. Magic, mysticism, and eat are wrapped together in just the right quantities. No one thing takes control. The blended story was great. Characters well done with a satisfying wrap up at the end. Can hardly wait to read more about this world in upcoming volumes.
The Book of Deacon 3. Was a great read. Magic, mysticism, and eat are wrapped together in just the right quantities. No one thing takes control. The blended story was great. Characters well done with a satisfying wrap up at the end. Can hardly wait to read more about this world in upcoming volumes.
January 2, 2017
Again, it's too much. I enjoy the characters and the premise, but I wish there were chapters, and how many times can a heroine be stretched beyond her limits and escape death? At least one more time, that's how many.
July 11, 2017
After being so engaged with the previous books in the series, I regret that I just couldn't get through this one. A DNF at about the half way mark - a droning slog, which is a real shame.
I may try it again at another date and edit my review then.
I may try it again at another date and edit my review then.
October 9, 2017
Excellent fantasy only marred by tortuous long battle details
Excellent captivating tale of wizard's diamonds and dragons. Total enjoyment as long as the reader only skims through the battle details.
Excellent captivating tale of wizard's diamonds and dragons. Total enjoyment as long as the reader only skims through the battle details.
January 9, 2018
Complex
I liked this series if that wasn’t obvious. It was complex and well thought out. I was surprised with some of the turns that kept this from being a typical read. It wasn’t a happily ever after but it was similar to reality. Great read.
I liked this series if that wasn’t obvious. It was complex and well thought out. I was surprised with some of the turns that kept this from being a typical read. It wasn’t a happily ever after but it was similar to reality. Great read.
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