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The Edge Chronicles: Rook Trilogy #3
Freeglader
'We have to save the Free Glades . . . we must never surrender!'
Undertown is destroyed! Dishevelled and homeless, those who once lived there--gnokgoblins, cloddertrogs, woodtrolls, waifs and many others--huddle by the ruins, preparing for a mass exodus across the Edgeworld to a new home in the Free Glades.
Rook Barkwater, a young librarian knight, knows the journey will be perilous-- across the desolation of the Mire, through the swirling mists of the Edgelands and on into the treacherous Deepwoods. Vengeful shrykes are :flocking to swoop on the travelers and predators are everywhere--wild muglumps, lumpskulls, spiderbats and flesh-eating plants.
For those who survive and attempt to forge new lives in Free Glades, there are further dangers to come. For the in Nations, hordes of bloodthirsty goblins, are gather- Can Rook and his friends possibly withstand the goblin onslaught and preserve freedom in the Edgeworld?
Undertown is destroyed! Dishevelled and homeless, those who once lived there--gnokgoblins, cloddertrogs, woodtrolls, waifs and many others--huddle by the ruins, preparing for a mass exodus across the Edgeworld to a new home in the Free Glades.
Rook Barkwater, a young librarian knight, knows the journey will be perilous-- across the desolation of the Mire, through the swirling mists of the Edgelands and on into the treacherous Deepwoods. Vengeful shrykes are :flocking to swoop on the travelers and predators are everywhere--wild muglumps, lumpskulls, spiderbats and flesh-eating plants.
For those who survive and attempt to forge new lives in Free Glades, there are further dangers to come. For the in Nations, hordes of bloodthirsty goblins, are gather- Can Rook and his friends possibly withstand the goblin onslaught and preserve freedom in the Edgeworld?
416 pages, Library Binding
First published January 1, 2004
36 people are currently reading
2114 people want to read
About the author
Paul Stewart
217 books919 followersPaul Stewart is a highly regarded author of books for young readers – from picture books to football stories, fantasy and horror. Together with Chris Riddell he is co-creator of the bestselling Edge Chronicles, which has sold more than three million copies and is available in over twenty languages. They have also collaborated together on lots of other exciting books for children of all ages. The Far-Flung Adventure series includes the Gold Smarties Prize Winner Fergus Crane, and Corby Flood and Hugo Pepper, both Silver Nestle Prize Winners. Then there are the Barnaby Grimes books, two Muddle Earth adventures, and the sci-fi Scavenger and fantasy Wyrmeweald trilogies. For younger readers there is the Blobheads series, while for the very young, Paul has written several picture books, including the Rabbit and Hedgehog series, In the Dark of the Night and, his latest, Wings.
Other authors by this name disambiguation Note:
Paul Stewart - business and management books
Other authors by this name disambiguation Note:
Paul Stewart - business and management books
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
July 27, 2024
After the events of the last book, the people pack their bags and flee to the Free Glades. But there’s a lot of trouble ahead and a whole army of goblins standing in their way.
I can easily see why some people call this one the best book of the whole series, not just of the Rook trilogy. Still, I do have some small gripes about it. Plot-wise this is definitely the strongest book of the series that I’ve read. The world building in this one, which is in my opinion the series’ greatest strength, feels good enough. The character development is also on point here, though it does feel like Xant has a more interesting character arc than the protagonist Rook.
It’s an intense epic finale for the Rook trilogy with some great action scenes and plenty of room for some good character development. Overall, I liked this one. Though I also get why I didn’t continue the series as a kid after reading this one. It feels like the series has reached its peak. And the climax of this book feels like a proper and satisfying ending. Not just of the Rook trilogy, but also of the series as a whole.
I can easily see why some people call this one the best book of the whole series, not just of the Rook trilogy. Still, I do have some small gripes about it. Plot-wise this is definitely the strongest book of the series that I’ve read. The world building in this one, which is in my opinion the series’ greatest strength, feels good enough. The character development is also on point here, though it does feel like Xant has a more interesting character arc than the protagonist Rook.
It’s an intense epic finale for the Rook trilogy with some great action scenes and plenty of room for some good character development. Overall, I liked this one. Though I also get why I didn’t continue the series as a kid after reading this one. It feels like the series has reached its peak. And the climax of this book feels like a proper and satisfying ending. Not just of the Rook trilogy, but also of the series as a whole.
August 17, 2015
[4 Stars] Really wonderful end to the Rook trilogy! I still think it wasn't quite as good as the other two trilogies but intereresting nonetheless. My main problems were probably all the battle stuff. I always enjoy the adventuring more. This had less of that. I really liked reading Xanth's journey though. I really need to read the Immortals now!
August 19, 2018
A lot of the book is a flashback to the past, which is fine for someone who hasn't read the books, but is a bit boring for those who have. In general, I think this one missed the opportunity to explore the Freeglades more and really show the ways of living there, much of the book was concentrated on the characters and plots surrounding them. I like Xanth's story line and that's about it. Hope the next one will be more engaging.
July 26, 2016
What have I done with my life? I could be a foundling living in the Freeglades reading barkscrolls, but I'm here. What planet is this again?
October 2, 2019
It’s going to be a little odd to review Freeglader because I’ve read all the others in the series up to this point, but I read them before I reviewed.
It’s interesting that these are marketed toward kids simply because there is technically a lot of violence and death. However, it’s not explained in detail or in a particularly gory manner. People die terrible deaths but it’s very vague and matter of fact. I don’t believe in censorship, but some parents may want to just give a quick read through of some of the fighting scenes at least so they can talk about it with their child, but it’s certainly no worse than most PG or PG 13 movies I’ve seen.
**Spoiler alert** The glade eaters are super terrifying and kind of cool. I mean I obviously hate them but at the same time I’m fascinated. I think whoever decided to have the drivers on the outside of the tank is a moron and clearly a terrible strategist. **end of spoiler**
The reckoning was such an amazing addition. A person’s life hangs in the balance of how other’s feel about him. That has to be nerve-wracking and it definitely makes me wonder about how I would stack up against the memories of my peers. Have I been kind enough?
The battle scenes were well-described which is never easy and I was sweating during certain scenes. I always find middle grade/children’s novels hard to review partly because I’m not the target audience, but also because they’re incredibly wordy for very little action (416 pages for this one), but the Edge Chronicles have always been pretty action-packed. Also the pictures help, because it’s like a little illustrated recap of what happened and who did what. I know some reviewers didn’t like this one as much because it does do quite a bit of flashback, but in my case that was fine because...
for the full review please visit https://www.literarydragonreviews.web...
It’s interesting that these are marketed toward kids simply because there is technically a lot of violence and death. However, it’s not explained in detail or in a particularly gory manner. People die terrible deaths but it’s very vague and matter of fact. I don’t believe in censorship, but some parents may want to just give a quick read through of some of the fighting scenes at least so they can talk about it with their child, but it’s certainly no worse than most PG or PG 13 movies I’ve seen.
**Spoiler alert** The glade eaters are super terrifying and kind of cool. I mean I obviously hate them but at the same time I’m fascinated. I think whoever decided to have the drivers on the outside of the tank is a moron and clearly a terrible strategist. **end of spoiler**
The reckoning was such an amazing addition. A person’s life hangs in the balance of how other’s feel about him. That has to be nerve-wracking and it definitely makes me wonder about how I would stack up against the memories of my peers. Have I been kind enough?
The battle scenes were well-described which is never easy and I was sweating during certain scenes. I always find middle grade/children’s novels hard to review partly because I’m not the target audience, but also because they’re incredibly wordy for very little action (416 pages for this one), but the Edge Chronicles have always been pretty action-packed. Also the pictures help, because it’s like a little illustrated recap of what happened and who did what. I know some reviewers didn’t like this one as much because it does do quite a bit of flashback, but in my case that was fine because...
for the full review please visit https://www.literarydragonreviews.web...
April 25, 2025
Dies ist der letze Band in der Trilogie um Rook. Man kann die Bücher immer wieder lesen oder hören und entdeckt stets etwas neues. Es ist schon eine sehr komplexe Reihe und sehr lesenswert, finde ich. Doch würde ich sie eher als Jugendbücher ab 14-15 Jahren denn als Kinderbücher empfehlen, da es teilweise doch recht heftig und gnadenlos zugeht. Situationen werden nicht beschönigt aber auch nicht verharmlost. Man sollte sich nicht davon irritieren lassen, dass die Protagonisten mitunter sehr jung sind. Der Krieg nimmt, wie eben auch hier im Buch, darauf keine Rücksicht und Heldenpathos schützt nicht vor dem Sterben.
August 10, 2025
It would be unfair to call The Edge Chronicles hit and miss because there is a consistent quality to the imagination and adventure that raises them above much middle grade literature. You know what you are going to get from an Edge Chronicles and it will always be enjoyable. That said, some are definitely more enjoyable than others and none more so than Freeglader.
Dealing with themes of war, refugees, slavery, trust and friendship, industrialistion, revolution and redemption (to name just a few), there is a relatability here that is less present in many of the earlier books (sure, a blood oak or a great maelstrom might be terrifying in context, but can you really feel it in the same way?).
Far from the episodic adventure of Beyond The Deepwoods, Freeglader shows that this is now a series full of nuance. We have war, yes, and of course we want to see the Free Glades safe and the horrors of Hemuel Spume's slave-driving factories ended, but there is no basic good and evil. Among the Undertowners we see characters whose actions are reprehensible and among the Goblin Nations we find good people who stir our sympathy. There is joy and tragedy for all sides in almost equal measure.
Although this is Rook's series, the book - befitting the nuance - is much more Xanth's. We all know our dashing Librarian Knight is going to find new strength and purpose and achieve great feats of daring. Much harder to guess is whether Xanth can forgive himself and find forgiveness among his new comrades. If I have one major criticism of this book, it is the one-sidedness with which the issue is decided, but until then it is handled with care and balance.
It is wonderful to see how far this series has come. Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell have created a magical world with depth and dedication to rival any of the classics out there.
Dealing with themes of war, refugees, slavery, trust and friendship, industrialistion, revolution and redemption (to name just a few), there is a relatability here that is less present in many of the earlier books (sure, a blood oak or a great maelstrom might be terrifying in context, but can you really feel it in the same way?).
Far from the episodic adventure of Beyond The Deepwoods, Freeglader shows that this is now a series full of nuance. We have war, yes, and of course we want to see the Free Glades safe and the horrors of Hemuel Spume's slave-driving factories ended, but there is no basic good and evil. Among the Undertowners we see characters whose actions are reprehensible and among the Goblin Nations we find good people who stir our sympathy. There is joy and tragedy for all sides in almost equal measure.
Although this is Rook's series, the book - befitting the nuance - is much more Xanth's. We all know our dashing Librarian Knight is going to find new strength and purpose and achieve great feats of daring. Much harder to guess is whether Xanth can forgive himself and find forgiveness among his new comrades. If I have one major criticism of this book, it is the one-sidedness with which the issue is decided, but until then it is handled with care and balance.
It is wonderful to see how far this series has come. Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell have created a magical world with depth and dedication to rival any of the classics out there.
May 16, 2023
my own figyelmezavar and difficulty with reading isnt a reflection on how good this book is
September 2, 2020
'Freeglader' is the third and final book featuring Rook as its protagonist. It tells the story of Undertown's inhabitants fleeing to the Free Glades, and the subsequent war to defend said Free Glades from their more aggressive neighbors.
The beginning is strong, with the refugees and those defending them facing mounting difficulties as they journey towards the Free Glades. The battle with the Shryke sisterhood is pretty good, and serves as a decent conclusion to the first act of the book. We get to see Xanth struggle to come to terms with his past, and Rook gets knocked out for a large part of it, so we don't have to put up with him for so long. As the story progresses we get to see a little of the fledgling Deepwoods civilizations that will one day become the enormous city states of 'The Immortals'. The Goblin Nations are portrayed in a somewhat positive light, thankfully managing to avoid becoming a discount Mordor full of orcs.
But this book has several flaws. Rook, as I feared he would, feels no guilt for the destruction of Undertown. None. It's his fault all these people have to flee their homes and he never considers it once. The middle section slows down so we can be lectured about how amazing the Free Glades are. The battle scenes suffer from Deus ex Machinas, the final battle in particular. And while the Goblin Nations avoided being a discount Mordor, the Foundry Glades most certainly did not.
I'm going to have to give the final battle a whole paragraph to itself. Firstly, I'm amazed the clan leaders managed to stay in power for as long as they did, seeing as they sold their own people into slavery. Why didn't they just try enslaving the nomads in the forest, like every other group of slavers in the series? The battle is also quite oddly paced. I appreciate the author's attempt to portray a sweeping battle of epic scale, but the book isn't really long enough for that. Important sections are skimmed over or simply explained after they occur. The Freegladers sustain huge losses, but their opponents are clearly pushovers. It doesn't really stand up to scrutiny.
As for my minor nitpicks: Xanth being promoted to flight marshal after only just being forgiven for his crimes doesn't make sense. The very end of the book is cringe-inducing beyond belief and a leaves a poor final impression. There's a bit where a character is described as having one arm one page and then two arms on the next that has always really bugged me. Also the word 'decimated' was used incorrectly. A lot of people seem to think it means 'devastated'. It does not.
I would like to end on some positive points. Unfortunately, none seem to spring to mind right now. This book isn't bad, and I did quite like it, but it is underwhelming. The Rook trilogy has suffered, much like the Quint trilogy, from having a flat and dull protagonist, but lacks a book like 'The Curse of the Gloamglozer' to raise its overall quality and therefore was unable to reach its true potential.
Actually, I'm not being quite fair. 'Tea with a spindlebug' is one of the weakest chapters in the book but
For a long time, the three trilogies I have now finished rereading would have been the entire 'Edge Chronicles' series. I can remember my joy as a child when I first saw 'The Lost Barkscrolls' and then 'The Immortals' on Amazon. They will be the next ones on my list. I won't be rereading the new trilogy because I only recently found out it existed.
The beginning is strong, with the refugees and those defending them facing mounting difficulties as they journey towards the Free Glades. The battle with the Shryke sisterhood is pretty good, and serves as a decent conclusion to the first act of the book. We get to see Xanth struggle to come to terms with his past, and Rook gets knocked out for a large part of it, so we don't have to put up with him for so long. As the story progresses we get to see a little of the fledgling Deepwoods civilizations that will one day become the enormous city states of 'The Immortals'. The Goblin Nations are portrayed in a somewhat positive light, thankfully managing to avoid becoming a discount Mordor full of orcs.
But this book has several flaws. Rook, as I feared he would, feels no guilt for the destruction of Undertown. None. It's his fault all these people have to flee their homes and he never considers it once. The middle section slows down so we can be lectured about how amazing the Free Glades are. The battle scenes suffer from Deus ex Machinas, the final battle in particular. And while the Goblin Nations avoided being a discount Mordor, the Foundry Glades most certainly did not.
I'm going to have to give the final battle a whole paragraph to itself. Firstly, I'm amazed the clan leaders managed to stay in power for as long as they did, seeing as they sold their own people into slavery. Why didn't they just try enslaving the nomads in the forest, like every other group of slavers in the series? The battle is also quite oddly paced. I appreciate the author's attempt to portray a sweeping battle of epic scale, but the book isn't really long enough for that. Important sections are skimmed over or simply explained after they occur. The Freegladers sustain huge losses, but their opponents are clearly pushovers. It doesn't really stand up to scrutiny.
As for my minor nitpicks: Xanth being promoted to flight marshal after only just being forgiven for his crimes doesn't make sense. The very end of the book is cringe-inducing beyond belief and a leaves a poor final impression. There's a bit where a character is described as having one arm one page and then two arms on the next that has always really bugged me. Also the word 'decimated' was used incorrectly. A lot of people seem to think it means 'devastated'. It does not.
I would like to end on some positive points. Unfortunately, none seem to spring to mind right now. This book isn't bad, and I did quite like it, but it is underwhelming. The Rook trilogy has suffered, much like the Quint trilogy, from having a flat and dull protagonist, but lacks a book like 'The Curse of the Gloamglozer' to raise its overall quality and therefore was unable to reach its true potential.
Actually, I'm not being quite fair. 'Tea with a spindlebug' is one of the weakest chapters in the book but
For a long time, the three trilogies I have now finished rereading would have been the entire 'Edge Chronicles' series. I can remember my joy as a child when I first saw 'The Lost Barkscrolls' and then 'The Immortals' on Amazon. They will be the next ones on my list. I won't be rereading the new trilogy because I only recently found out it existed.
June 28, 2020
A very solid ending to the Rook Trilogy.
After finishing Vox, I was worried the next book would be all about Rook being miserable because of what he set off at the end of Vox, and ultimately forgiving himself. Interestingly, this was not the case at all.
On the one hand, I was relieved, as usually this kind of character arc is not only borring, but also predictable. On the other hand, there should have been at least some consequences for what happened?!?
Instead, this book was mostly action-packed and focused on the war between the Freegladers, the shrykes and the goblins.
Rook also finally found out about his family history, which was very cute and emotional.
My favourite characters were Xanth (poor boy) and the banderbears.
After finishing Vox, I was worried the next book would be all about Rook being miserable because of what he set off at the end of Vox, and ultimately forgiving himself. Interestingly, this was not the case at all.
On the one hand, I was relieved, as usually this kind of character arc is not only borring, but also predictable. On the other hand, there should have been at least some consequences for what happened?!?
Instead, this book was mostly action-packed and focused on the war between the Freegladers, the shrykes and the goblins.
Rook also finally found out about his family history, which was very cute and emotional.
My favourite characters were Xanth (poor boy) and the banderbears.
September 14, 2023
What an exciting end to the trilogy! Full of excitement, despair and, underpinning it all, friendship. A really great book with a lovely ending. I enjoyed it very much!
November 1, 2014
This is the third book in the Rook saga of the Edge Chronicles. With Undertown destroyed by a great storm, the valiant Librarian Knights and the confident Ghosts of Screetown must lead the people to a new life in the Free Glades. But threats in the form of old connivers and new greedy warmongers must be dealt with first.
The journey of the Undertowners reads much like the Exodus of Israel. Across the Mire mudflats they travel, old and young, in carts and on foot, driving animals and carrying bundles. Their trek is complicated by the Twilight Woods, full of seductive and destructive whispers, on one side and the Edgelands, bordering the bottomless void of the Edge itself, on the other. Welcomed into the Free Glades, there is still much trouble ahead as old conniver Amberfuce the ghostwaif and greedy Hemule of the Furnace Glades scheme to keep themselves rolling in the dough at the expense of others. Also, a new Shryke battalion is being formed, and the Goblin Armies are planning an attack.
There are 2 great lessons in this book, more so than in most other Deepwoods books. One is on guilt and redemption . Xanth, the former Guardian of the Night, is still mistrusted and threatened by the townsfolk, as Rook attempts to stand up for his friend. Xanth has fully turned to the good side, but is still tormented by guilt over how he helped the Guardians torture and kill prisoners, even though he did all he could to save as many as he could, only to be thwarted many times by the sadistic Guardian executioner. His change of heart is proven to the Undertowners through his saving of Magda, at great risk to his own life. This is reminiscent of Jesus' salvation of us at the cost of His own life.
The other lesson is unity . The Undertowners, Freegladers, Librarians, Librarian Knights, and Ghosts of Screetown must band together for the protection of them all; but the most amazing demonstration of unity takes place among the Goblin Nations. While the leaders of the 5 Goblin Clans desire to work with greedy Hemule, bicker to maneuver themselves into better positions, and thirst for power and blood, not all the Goblins want to fight. Most are regular townsfolk and farmers who want to peacefully live their lives alongside the Freegladers and new Undertowners. The peaceful Goblins outnumber the warlike Goblins many times over. But what can they do against their formidable generals and overseers? It starts out with talk between 2 lowly Goblin brothers. Then it spreads to others in the community. By the end a showdown is drawn, and the lowly Goblins are part of a surprising sequence of events, making a powerful statement on the impact a united group can have when it stops talking and takes action.
There is even something for Rook as he finds out a lot about his family history through caterbird dreams. Then a meeting with a forgotten friend of the past opens his eyes, brings everything together, and provides closure for him.
As always, there's everything I love about the Edge Chronicles: an easy read, depth and mystery, imaginative settings, memorable characters, action and adventure, moral values, and no romance!
The journey of the Undertowners reads much like the Exodus of Israel. Across the Mire mudflats they travel, old and young, in carts and on foot, driving animals and carrying bundles. Their trek is complicated by the Twilight Woods, full of seductive and destructive whispers, on one side and the Edgelands, bordering the bottomless void of the Edge itself, on the other. Welcomed into the Free Glades, there is still much trouble ahead as old conniver Amberfuce the ghostwaif and greedy Hemule of the Furnace Glades scheme to keep themselves rolling in the dough at the expense of others. Also, a new Shryke battalion is being formed, and the Goblin Armies are planning an attack.
There are 2 great lessons in this book, more so than in most other Deepwoods books. One is on guilt and redemption . Xanth, the former Guardian of the Night, is still mistrusted and threatened by the townsfolk, as Rook attempts to stand up for his friend. Xanth has fully turned to the good side, but is still tormented by guilt over how he helped the Guardians torture and kill prisoners, even though he did all he could to save as many as he could, only to be thwarted many times by the sadistic Guardian executioner. His change of heart is proven to the Undertowners through his saving of Magda, at great risk to his own life. This is reminiscent of Jesus' salvation of us at the cost of His own life.
The other lesson is unity . The Undertowners, Freegladers, Librarians, Librarian Knights, and Ghosts of Screetown must band together for the protection of them all; but the most amazing demonstration of unity takes place among the Goblin Nations. While the leaders of the 5 Goblin Clans desire to work with greedy Hemule, bicker to maneuver themselves into better positions, and thirst for power and blood, not all the Goblins want to fight. Most are regular townsfolk and farmers who want to peacefully live their lives alongside the Freegladers and new Undertowners. The peaceful Goblins outnumber the warlike Goblins many times over. But what can they do against their formidable generals and overseers? It starts out with talk between 2 lowly Goblin brothers. Then it spreads to others in the community. By the end a showdown is drawn, and the lowly Goblins are part of a surprising sequence of events, making a powerful statement on the impact a united group can have when it stops talking and takes action.
There is even something for Rook as he finds out a lot about his family history through caterbird dreams. Then a meeting with a forgotten friend of the past opens his eyes, brings everything together, and provides closure for him.
As always, there's everything I love about the Edge Chronicles: an easy read, depth and mystery, imaginative settings, memorable characters, action and adventure, moral values, and no romance!
January 16, 2018
I enjoyed this book more than some of the others. I liked how everyone got together on the end and i also liked how all the stories connected. I have enjoyed reading the whole series and wish I had only come across it when i was younger.
January 25, 2009
Picking up where we left off in Vox, the Undertowners are now fleeing a great malestrom which has destroyed their homes. As the storm is traveling faster than the great expedition can on foot, emissaries have been sent to the Sky Pirates living in the Mire to ask for their help in getting across the treacherous expanse, which is the only alternate route to the Great Mire Road.
With the help of the Sky Pirates and the Ghosts of Screetown, everyone is safely evacuated from the elevated road before the storm hits. Once it passes, and they've dug themselves out of the mud, the long journey to the Free Glades begins. A long and tiring journey already, the troubles increase when scouts report back that an army of Shrykes is marching their way. As an army composed of the newly born, it's even more dangerous, as young Shrykes don't have the discipline to stop fighting once the frenzy gets them. It seems hopeless. But the group stands and makes a valiant effort--and with some last minute aid from the Freeglade Lancers, and a death-blow to the Shrykes' leader by a young Undertowner, the battle is a success.
Meanwhile, on the trip across the Edgelands, Rook cut himself free of the group to chase after a friend, only to witness a Great Storm unleash a bolt of Stormphrax lighting into the woods....and then to be hit by a Sepia Storm as it spun its way out to the edge. If not for a clearing of the mist, he would never have been spotted, nor would he have been rescued from going over the edge with the storm. But luck was on his side, and the very friend he had gone after caught him and carried him back to the Deepwoods to the people who could take care of him. The storm's effects left Rook with little memory of who he was or what had happened before he was caught up in it. Only with the help of his Banderbear friends is he able to make it to the Free Glades at all. And there he is found by the Oak Elves of Lullabee Island, who take him away to see if they can help heal him.
Trapped underground awaiting his Reckoning, Xanth worries after Rook. With Rook's memory gone and Magda shot down over the Eastern Roost, there will be no one to speak for him, and he will surely be condemned. Memories of his time as a Librarian Knight haunt him, as they were the happiest of his life, and yet a lie.
In the outer Glades, plans are stirring to attack and enslave the Free Glades, in order to keep the foundries running and stop the disease which is growing among the Goblins, whose nations are sorely taxed by supplying slaves to the Foundry Glade in ever-increasing numbers.
This is probably the most action-packed book of the series yet, with all its battles and the simultaneous storylines of Rook and Xanth and their qwests to discover who they truly are. The older books and the newer also get more firmly tied together in this installment, giving closure and opening new horizons at the same time.
With the help of the Sky Pirates and the Ghosts of Screetown, everyone is safely evacuated from the elevated road before the storm hits. Once it passes, and they've dug themselves out of the mud, the long journey to the Free Glades begins. A long and tiring journey already, the troubles increase when scouts report back that an army of Shrykes is marching their way. As an army composed of the newly born, it's even more dangerous, as young Shrykes don't have the discipline to stop fighting once the frenzy gets them. It seems hopeless. But the group stands and makes a valiant effort--and with some last minute aid from the Freeglade Lancers, and a death-blow to the Shrykes' leader by a young Undertowner, the battle is a success.
Meanwhile, on the trip across the Edgelands, Rook cut himself free of the group to chase after a friend, only to witness a Great Storm unleash a bolt of Stormphrax lighting into the woods....and then to be hit by a Sepia Storm as it spun its way out to the edge. If not for a clearing of the mist, he would never have been spotted, nor would he have been rescued from going over the edge with the storm. But luck was on his side, and the very friend he had gone after caught him and carried him back to the Deepwoods to the people who could take care of him. The storm's effects left Rook with little memory of who he was or what had happened before he was caught up in it. Only with the help of his Banderbear friends is he able to make it to the Free Glades at all. And there he is found by the Oak Elves of Lullabee Island, who take him away to see if they can help heal him.
Trapped underground awaiting his Reckoning, Xanth worries after Rook. With Rook's memory gone and Magda shot down over the Eastern Roost, there will be no one to speak for him, and he will surely be condemned. Memories of his time as a Librarian Knight haunt him, as they were the happiest of his life, and yet a lie.
In the outer Glades, plans are stirring to attack and enslave the Free Glades, in order to keep the foundries running and stop the disease which is growing among the Goblins, whose nations are sorely taxed by supplying slaves to the Foundry Glade in ever-increasing numbers.
This is probably the most action-packed book of the series yet, with all its battles and the simultaneous storylines of Rook and Xanth and their qwests to discover who they truly are. The older books and the newer also get more firmly tied together in this installment, giving closure and opening new horizons at the same time.
August 16, 2024
I don't remember much of this book from when I was young, but there's so much more to offer in this installment than I expected! The direction Rook's story takes is fascinating, what with the Freeglades and the progression of civilization farther into the deepwoods, and the discovery of the paternal line that every book has a piece of. As exciting as it is to get back to arguably my favorite book in the series, the Winter Knights, this makes me just as excited to get to the Immortals later on.
November 27, 2017
Still my favourite book of the whole series. So much tragedy and loss, yet also about the importance of family. I loved it when I was 14 and I still love it now over 10 years later. It still makes me cry...
March 22, 2021
4.5 stars.
It's really hard to keep reviewing these books when I like all of them for very similar reasons. I don't want to sound like a broken record, but at the same time this series is so good that I don't want to gloss over all the things I enjoyed. But I'll do my best.
Things I liked
- The usual. I think I'll always appreciate the art in these books, as well as the extensive world building. The world of the Edge Chronicles is really truly unique, and I can't even come up with an adequate comparison.
- The references to the previous books. Again, I feel like I mentioned this in previous reviews but I do especially like the connections that were made in this book. It was kind of nice to know what happened to Maris, and some of the other characters which brings me to my next point.
- The ending was perfect. While the reveal about Rook's ancestry wasn't all that surprising to me it still felt like a good way to wrap up the end of this trilogy.
- Xanth's storyline. I really do love a good redemption arc. I wouldn't go as far as to say this one was perfect, since there were a few things that just didn't really add up for me. It's still a great story line though.
Things I didn't like
- I said this about Vox, but the pacing felt a little off to me in this book as well. There's certain things that felt a little rushed. Rook's training with the Freeglade Lancers felt like it happened over the course of a few days. I don't think that was the case, but it felt like that because there was so little time devoted to it. The final battle only spanned a single chapter, which didn't really feel like enough.
- There was a lot of coincidences and deus ex machina in this book and I didn't love it. That's just one of those things that I don't really like in any book because it's not realistic and especially in a final battle scene it just makes things feel a little underwhelming
- As much and all as I loved Xanth's redemption arc it kind of felt like it went from 0 to 100 really quickly. Like as soon as he has his Reckoning it felt like everyone just forgot about his past and decided to like him. He really went from being the most hated person in the story to being Varis Lodd's flight marshal in a really short amount of time.
It's really hard to keep reviewing these books when I like all of them for very similar reasons. I don't want to sound like a broken record, but at the same time this series is so good that I don't want to gloss over all the things I enjoyed. But I'll do my best.
Things I liked
- The usual. I think I'll always appreciate the art in these books, as well as the extensive world building. The world of the Edge Chronicles is really truly unique, and I can't even come up with an adequate comparison.
- The references to the previous books. Again, I feel like I mentioned this in previous reviews but I do especially like the connections that were made in this book. It was kind of nice to know what happened to Maris, and some of the other characters which brings me to my next point.
- The ending was perfect. While the reveal about Rook's ancestry wasn't all that surprising to me it still felt like a good way to wrap up the end of this trilogy.
- Xanth's storyline. I really do love a good redemption arc. I wouldn't go as far as to say this one was perfect, since there were a few things that just didn't really add up for me. It's still a great story line though.
Things I didn't like
- I said this about Vox, but the pacing felt a little off to me in this book as well. There's certain things that felt a little rushed. Rook's training with the Freeglade Lancers felt like it happened over the course of a few days. I don't think that was the case, but it felt like that because there was so little time devoted to it. The final battle only spanned a single chapter, which didn't really feel like enough.
- There was a lot of coincidences and deus ex machina in this book and I didn't love it. That's just one of those things that I don't really like in any book because it's not realistic and especially in a final battle scene it just makes things feel a little underwhelming
- As much and all as I loved Xanth's redemption arc it kind of felt like it went from 0 to 100 really quickly. Like as soon as he has his Reckoning it felt like everyone just forgot about his past and decided to like him. He really went from being the most hated person in the story to being Varis Lodd's flight marshal in a really short amount of time.
April 20, 2025
Reading my favourite childhood series in my 30's has been a wild experience to say the least. Not only do these books stand up next to just about any of the hundreds of "adult" fantasy series I have since read in terms of world building and pure imagination, but I am consistently amazed at just how unflinchingly brutal they are. The series has never shied away from all of the horrible ways you can die in this complex world that Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell have created, but in this one alone we have: beheadings, dismemberment and impalings, characters being disembowled or having their beating hearts ripped out and eaten, characters being boiled alive (multiple times) etc etc etc...
My point here is, aside from the dialog and style of writing, there is very little truly Young Adult about these books when it comes to themes and content, or rather these are books that trust young adults to be able to face some hard truths. Some of these truths being slavery, the horrors of war and the experience of refugees, the hard costs of industrialization, and the ways the masses can be manipulated and ultimately used by the greedy and evil few who will happily throw us all into the meat grinder if it means expanding their grasp on land/wealth/power.
On a side note, though absolutely related, I was pleased to see how much Chris Riddell has used his art these last few years to speak out on real life atrocities happening in our world, including the ongoing genocide in Gaza. It is clear that these books were always about more than just some fantasy world, but were trying to instil a true sense of justice in children from a young age and think they had a huge impact on who I am today.
My point here is, aside from the dialog and style of writing, there is very little truly Young Adult about these books when it comes to themes and content, or rather these are books that trust young adults to be able to face some hard truths. Some of these truths being slavery, the horrors of war and the experience of refugees, the hard costs of industrialization, and the ways the masses can be manipulated and ultimately used by the greedy and evil few who will happily throw us all into the meat grinder if it means expanding their grasp on land/wealth/power.
On a side note, though absolutely related, I was pleased to see how much Chris Riddell has used his art these last few years to speak out on real life atrocities happening in our world, including the ongoing genocide in Gaza. It is clear that these books were always about more than just some fantasy world, but were trying to instil a true sense of justice in children from a young age and think they had a huge impact on who I am today.
February 9, 2021
Freeglader tries to be a lot of things, and it doesn't quite have the space to do all of them effectively. It wants to be a war story, a utopia, and a story about coming to terms with the past and moving forward.
The utopia and war story actually mesh reasonably well. While we saw some of it in Last of the Sky Pirates, a lot more space is dedicated in Freeglader to exploring the paradise of the Free Glades, where all races live in harmony (notably having the only non-evil shryke I can recall in the series), work is done freely and no money is needed, learning is respected and open, and those scarred by war and slavery can experience healing. It's a marked contrast to the industrial hellscapes, slave markets, and savage wildernesses of the series up to this point.
March 7, 2023
I don't know hat it is about these books, but they strike a chord in me. Gorgeous illustrations, lovely worldbuilding, constant growth and shifting of characters, simplicity and complexity at once within an easily consumable book.
Freeglader carriers on where its precursor left off, somehow picking up directly after the contents of the previous book without making it feel like you needed to read it. The reader is brought up to speed by general statements, the characters and conflict are introduced, go. There's not a hint of fat on this story, trimmed and lean, but it's filled to bursting with colorful characters and setpieces and cultures.
Something I liked in particular was the development of the main character's rival who served as a stand-in while the mc suffered from memory loss, something that seems to happen on occasion with the main characters in these books. I also appreciated the strong hints of anti-intellectualism presented over the series that really rear their heads in the previous book and this one.
Just read it. I'm going to keep leaving reviews until you do.
Freeglader carriers on where its precursor left off, somehow picking up directly after the contents of the previous book without making it feel like you needed to read it. The reader is brought up to speed by general statements, the characters and conflict are introduced, go. There's not a hint of fat on this story, trimmed and lean, but it's filled to bursting with colorful characters and setpieces and cultures.
Something I liked in particular was the development of the main character's rival who served as a stand-in while the mc suffered from memory loss, something that seems to happen on occasion with the main characters in these books. I also appreciated the strong hints of anti-intellectualism presented over the series that really rear their heads in the previous book and this one.
Just read it. I'm going to keep leaving reviews until you do.
June 6, 2020
Hoewel ik weer genoten heb van het leven op het Klif, was dit niet het beste deel dat ik gelezen heb. Roek maakt weer van alles mee en dat is leuk en spannend, maar het personage van Xant was voor mij te veel op de voorgrond en dat werd me soms wat langdradig. Het einde voelde voor mij net wat afgeraffeld, ook al was het een verrassend eind. Misschien had ik gewoon te veel verwacht van het echte einde van deze serie en daardoor viel het slot van het verhaal me tegen.
'Ver voorbij het diepe woud' en 'De laatste luchtpiraat' blijven mijn favoriet uit deze gruwelijke kinderserie vol met mooie afbeeldingen van de rare wezens die er op het Klif wonen. Wat mij betreft is de hele serie een dikke aanrader, niet dat je daar iets aan hebt, want de boeken zijn erg moeilijk aan te komen.
'Ver voorbij het diepe woud' en 'De laatste luchtpiraat' blijven mijn favoriet uit deze gruwelijke kinderserie vol met mooie afbeeldingen van de rare wezens die er op het Klif wonen. Wat mij betreft is de hele serie een dikke aanrader, niet dat je daar iets aan hebt, want de boeken zijn erg moeilijk aan te komen.
June 21, 2021
The final story of the Rook Barkwater trilogy was another meandering tale that appeared to go nowhere for a lot of the story. There were some early hints of an underlying plot that didn't resurface until the big battle near the end. Still, the characters were great, the world was fun to be in and the illustrations complemented the story nicely.
Not as strong as the Twig sequence but not a bad follow-up either.
Not as strong as the Twig sequence but not a bad follow-up either.
October 3, 2022
The stunning conclusion to Rook's story, ushering a new age on the Edge. It was so gripping that I couldn't put it down; I read it all in one go! Everything that has come before really has come full-circle. I can't wait to see what adventure comes next for the inhabitants of the Edge and Quint's descendants.
April 13, 2018
Another great read from this series, although probably not my favourite. I'm always amazed at the minute details of this fantasy world that are slipped into the text and also into the illustrations. I love these books as much for the illustrations as for the effortless text.
December 12, 2024
The journey to freedom continues. Lots of struggles and sacrifices in this book. Histories unfold and questions about the past are answered. This book felt darker than the previous Rook stories.
Still a good read.
Still a good read.
January 24, 2025
A fairly satisfying conclusion to Rook's story! Didn't end up how I thought it would! The ending did feel a little bit sudden too. Came with a short story featuring Xanth's son Rufus which was a lovely addition and felt like a nice epilogue!
March 11, 2018
Such an epic adventure, or should I say a fair number of adventures. So much happens in this young man's life!
July 19, 2018
Not as exciting as other installments, but Xanth is bae.
July 27, 2021
As the Edgelands move on these books become more and more intricate.
I love it!!
I love it!!
May 28, 2022
4.5 stars- these books are more emotional than childrens' books should be allowed to be
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