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Sword of Change #3
By Patricia Bray - Devlin's Justice (Sword of Change, Book 3) (Reissue) (2004-04-14) [Mass Market Paperback]
To save his people, he may have to destroy the one thing that protects them . . . his own magic.
Devlin of Duncaer has retrieved the Sword of Light—the legendary weapon of the Chosen One. But while Devlin was fulfilling his sacred quest, dark forces have swarmed the royal court. To defend his country’s borders, the ambitious Jorskain king, Olafur, strikes a demon’s bargain with an ancient adversary. Now, with the Sword of Light in enemy hands, and betrayed by those he loyally served, Devlin is imprisoned, tortured, and rumored dead.
While Devlin’s adopted countrymen mourn his loss, Jorsk comes under full-scale attack. Battling for his life, Devlin must escape his captors and amass his own ragtag army. But the ruthless invaders threatening to overrun Devlin and his allies are only the first wave of attack. And this time Devlin may have to sacrifice everything to save his people from a battle that will make Armageddon itself look like a mere dress rehearsal. . . .
Devlin of Duncaer has retrieved the Sword of Light—the legendary weapon of the Chosen One. But while Devlin was fulfilling his sacred quest, dark forces have swarmed the royal court. To defend his country’s borders, the ambitious Jorskain king, Olafur, strikes a demon’s bargain with an ancient adversary. Now, with the Sword of Light in enemy hands, and betrayed by those he loyally served, Devlin is imprisoned, tortured, and rumored dead.
While Devlin’s adopted countrymen mourn his loss, Jorsk comes under full-scale attack. Battling for his life, Devlin must escape his captors and amass his own ragtag army. But the ruthless invaders threatening to overrun Devlin and his allies are only the first wave of attack. And this time Devlin may have to sacrifice everything to save his people from a battle that will make Armageddon itself look like a mere dress rehearsal. . . .
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
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143 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Bray
32 books68 followersPatricia Bray is the author of a dozen novels, including Devlin’s Luck, which won the 2003 Compton Crook Award for the best first novel in the field of science fiction or fantasy. A multi-genre author whose career spans both epic fantasy and Regency romance, her books have been translated into Russian, German, Portuguese and Hebrew. Patricia Bray has also spent time on the editorial side of the business, as the co-editor of After Hours: Tales from the Ur-Bar (DAW, March 2011), The Modern Fae’s Guide to Surviving Humanity (DAW, March 2012), and Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs Aliens (ZNB, June 2014).
Patricia lives in a New England college town, where she combines her writing with a full-time career as a Systems Analyst, ensuring that she is never more than a few feet away from a keyboard.
Patricia lives in a New England college town, where she combines her writing with a full-time career as a Systems Analyst, ensuring that she is never more than a few feet away from a keyboard.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
August 30, 2012
What a wonderful series - I highly recommend it. Devlin is here, of course, but something that really struck me is how we actually get to see more of his companions in the opening chapters than we ever had before. More inside their heads, and their lives and while of course not all get the full treatment, it ws good to see her stretching herself more with every book. My only complaint would be that the most significant climactic scene happened far before the end, and yet, it was done in a way that really cannot be criticized. The ending was solid (usually the weakest part and can make or break a series - see The Seventh Gate and Journey Into the Void for two different ways a same author did both a good and poor ending) and wrapped up the trilogy - yet left a fully fleshed out world ready for more. There are 2 lands we know rather well, 1 we barely know, and more that are mentioned with nothing more than a name. All can serve as backdrops for future books. As I've said before, I look forward to reading her future books, and am thrilled to have found a new author to read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2022
Rating is 3.5 to 3.75. As I said before, this an underrated, underappreciated series.
The final volume of the Sword of Change volume is here, and it brings to light some long-hidden things, in ways that are sometimes satisfying, and occasionally less so.
Now as I think on it, I'm not completely clear why the trilogy is called "Sword of Change", as the legendary weapon of the Chosen Ones is called the "Sword of Light". Hmm. Mayhap it refers to the changes Devlin causes in the Kingdom of Jorsk, or in his own life. Or both. Oh dear, we seemed to have inadvertently stumbled into some vaguely pretentious literary criticism.
Rather swiftly moving on, this concluding adventure puts Devlin of Duncaer squarely in the sights of his many enemies, and we finally get to see who they are. The powerful mind-sorcerer who bedeviled our hero in the previous two volumes stands revealed, and we finally see (and deal with) just who precisely seeks to invade the Kingdom of Jorsk (hint: they're both related, as though you couldn't see that coming). And since we deal with that invasion, you get to see Devlin bring some Duncaer-style blood feuding and brush-war tactics to bear against his enemies. Reckoning after reckoning piles up, as Devlin crashes into both the above conflicts, the power of the Geas spell that compels his service, and the betrayers who have haunted his steps since he became the Chosen One only two years before.
The book's strengths, as always, are its command of its characters, who are well-drawn, and its unique, low-fantasy setting. Things get even grittier here as the people of Jorsk bring the fight to their invaders. Don't spend a lot of time waiting for Eagles from Valinor, is all I'm saying.
The weakness here is the pacing, which was a big asset in the previous books. The story being told here is hampered by moving so quickly, despite expanding the cast of viewpoint characters. It doesn't derail the narrative, but things move very quickly, and sometimes we jump a little more abruptly from point to point than you might expect. In particular, the above-mentioned war against the invaders and the moral toll the narrator makes clear is being weighed against our heroes isn't really given enough time as it needs to stretch. What's done is effective, make no mistake, but I don't think there's enough of it to let the grit sink into the reader the way the author wanted. In addition, the long-awaited confrontation between Devlin and the forces of the Jorskian court who have worked against him probably needs a bit more setup. Finally, there's some events and concepts as the book draws to a close that will come so quickly that if you blink, you may miss the setup. There is a long sequence at the beginning of the book where Devlin is captured, and that might have been a place to trim a bit and free up some space for expanding on other ideas.
All in all, it's still a (wait for it) good read, based on the strength of the characters, and the resolution of conflict that's been carefully seeded since the first volume. The issues aren't enough to prevent it from being a good book. I just think the previous two were stronger.
Recommended. More fantasy fans should read this series.
The final volume of the Sword of Change volume is here, and it brings to light some long-hidden things, in ways that are sometimes satisfying, and occasionally less so.
Now as I think on it, I'm not completely clear why the trilogy is called "Sword of Change", as the legendary weapon of the Chosen Ones is called the "Sword of Light". Hmm. Mayhap it refers to the changes Devlin causes in the Kingdom of Jorsk, or in his own life. Or both. Oh dear, we seemed to have inadvertently stumbled into some vaguely pretentious literary criticism.
Rather swiftly moving on, this concluding adventure puts Devlin of Duncaer squarely in the sights of his many enemies, and we finally get to see who they are. The powerful mind-sorcerer who bedeviled our hero in the previous two volumes stands revealed, and we finally see (and deal with) just who precisely seeks to invade the Kingdom of Jorsk (hint: they're both related, as though you couldn't see that coming). And since we deal with that invasion, you get to see Devlin bring some Duncaer-style blood feuding and brush-war tactics to bear against his enemies. Reckoning after reckoning piles up, as Devlin crashes into both the above conflicts, the power of the Geas spell that compels his service, and the betrayers who have haunted his steps since he became the Chosen One only two years before.
The book's strengths, as always, are its command of its characters, who are well-drawn, and its unique, low-fantasy setting. Things get even grittier here as the people of Jorsk bring the fight to their invaders. Don't spend a lot of time waiting for Eagles from Valinor, is all I'm saying.
The weakness here is the pacing, which was a big asset in the previous books. The story being told here is hampered by moving so quickly, despite expanding the cast of viewpoint characters. It doesn't derail the narrative, but things move very quickly, and sometimes we jump a little more abruptly from point to point than you might expect. In particular, the above-mentioned war against the invaders and the moral toll the narrator makes clear is being weighed against our heroes isn't really given enough time as it needs to stretch. What's done is effective, make no mistake, but I don't think there's enough of it to let the grit sink into the reader the way the author wanted. In addition, the long-awaited confrontation between Devlin and the forces of the Jorskian court who have worked against him probably needs a bit more setup. Finally, there's some events and concepts as the book draws to a close that will come so quickly that if you blink, you may miss the setup. There is a long sequence at the beginning of the book where Devlin is captured, and that might have been a place to trim a bit and free up some space for expanding on other ideas.
All in all, it's still a (wait for it) good read, based on the strength of the characters, and the resolution of conflict that's been carefully seeded since the first volume. The issues aren't enough to prevent it from being a good book. I just think the previous two were stronger.
Recommended. More fantasy fans should read this series.
January 8, 2010
Patricia Bray, Devlin's Justice(Bantam Spectra, 2004)
Bray gives us the final book in her Sword of Change trilogy, and right up until the final few chapters, I was all set to proclaim this the best of the bunch, as well as one of the best books I'd read this year. That plan got aborted pretty quick, and I'll explain why in a few minutes, but the problems with the end of the book should not in any way keep you from reading this fine little trilogy.
After the events of the last book, Devlin, Stephen, and their band of merry men are on their way back to Kingsholm with the Sword of Light, just as they're supposed to be. They get intercepted about halfway there by an honor guard who are sent to get them back to the city posthaste; it seems a long-awaited treaty has been signed, and as Captain of the Army, Devlin is needed to go over troop dispositions and the like. All well and good, save that Devlin gets to the city and disappears. His old friend Drakken is on the case, but with things in the city as on edge as they have been since Devlin left on the Sword of Light quest, she can't be as on the case as she'd like to be. Things get worse when evidence turns up pointing to Devlin's death, which leads to many of his former supporters in the King's council disappearing, being exiled, or having to be seen to turn coat in order to remain in the king's favor. But Stephen remains unconvinced Devlin is dead, and he comes up with some evidence as well. No one knows what to believe, but Devlin, in his absence, is making his presence felt in Kingsholm even more than he did when he was around...
All well and good, and the first three-quarters of the book go along swimmingly. Bray throws us a curve ball we don't normally see in fantasy lit, and the becomes almost more of a swords-and-sorcery mystery novel than a traditional fantasy. And that's awesome. But then comes the final third of the book. I can't really explain why without going into spoilers, but things start feeling forced, and then rushed. Then come the final two chapters, and “rushed” becomes the understatement of the year; the end of the book feels almost bitten off, like the half-worm you find in your favorite apple.
Still, overly rushed ending aside, the Sword of Change trilogy is a very good one, and has never gotten anywhere near the acclaim and exposure it deserves. If you're a fantasy fan looking for something to do while (still) waiting for the next George Martin or Steven Erikson novel to drop, these quick, fun reads fill the bill nicely. Recommended. *** ½
Bray gives us the final book in her Sword of Change trilogy, and right up until the final few chapters, I was all set to proclaim this the best of the bunch, as well as one of the best books I'd read this year. That plan got aborted pretty quick, and I'll explain why in a few minutes, but the problems with the end of the book should not in any way keep you from reading this fine little trilogy.
After the events of the last book, Devlin, Stephen, and their band of merry men are on their way back to Kingsholm with the Sword of Light, just as they're supposed to be. They get intercepted about halfway there by an honor guard who are sent to get them back to the city posthaste; it seems a long-awaited treaty has been signed, and as Captain of the Army, Devlin is needed to go over troop dispositions and the like. All well and good, save that Devlin gets to the city and disappears. His old friend Drakken is on the case, but with things in the city as on edge as they have been since Devlin left on the Sword of Light quest, she can't be as on the case as she'd like to be. Things get worse when evidence turns up pointing to Devlin's death, which leads to many of his former supporters in the King's council disappearing, being exiled, or having to be seen to turn coat in order to remain in the king's favor. But Stephen remains unconvinced Devlin is dead, and he comes up with some evidence as well. No one knows what to believe, but Devlin, in his absence, is making his presence felt in Kingsholm even more than he did when he was around...
All well and good, and the first three-quarters of the book go along swimmingly. Bray throws us a curve ball we don't normally see in fantasy lit, and the becomes almost more of a swords-and-sorcery mystery novel than a traditional fantasy. And that's awesome. But then comes the final third of the book. I can't really explain why without going into spoilers, but things start feeling forced, and then rushed. Then come the final two chapters, and “rushed” becomes the understatement of the year; the end of the book feels almost bitten off, like the half-worm you find in your favorite apple.
Still, overly rushed ending aside, the Sword of Change trilogy is a very good one, and has never gotten anywhere near the acclaim and exposure it deserves. If you're a fantasy fan looking for something to do while (still) waiting for the next George Martin or Steven Erikson novel to drop, these quick, fun reads fill the bill nicely. Recommended. *** ½
April 8, 2014
The most satisfying conclusion to a trilogy or series I have read in a long time. The book as a whole is well written, and the series is one of the very rare sword-and-sorcery type books that I truly enjoy. There is enough depth and connection to the characters to truly engage me, but the story is fast moving and never quite does the expected.
In the first book, Devlin became Chosen One of Jorsk because the position paid enough gold he could be sure his brother's wife and children would be able to live well after the death of their father. Once he sends the money off, he just hoped the job would kill him quickly (like it had all of his predecessors. Instead he survived, and found a new reason to live. As Devlin's Justice begins, he is returning to Jorsk with a long-lost artifact and walks into a betrayal beyond his imagination.
The first half to the book follows to storylines, Devlin's friends and allies, as they try to find out what happened to him, and Devlin's as he tries to escape the trap he finds himself in. Eventually the two story lines come together, and of course (sword-and-sorcery style) good triumphs over evil
It is rare that I put down that a book completely satisfied. Neither clamoring for more nor disappointed in some aspect. Patricia Bray manages a realistic ending that avoids being saccharine and is totally in keeping with the characters she introduced us to throughout the series. The story is clearly over, but the world will go on.
Very much looking forward to picking up more of Patricia Bray's work.
In the first book, Devlin became Chosen One of Jorsk because the position paid enough gold he could be sure his brother's wife and children would be able to live well after the death of their father. Once he sends the money off, he just hoped the job would kill him quickly (like it had all of his predecessors. Instead he survived, and found a new reason to live. As Devlin's Justice begins, he is returning to Jorsk with a long-lost artifact and walks into a betrayal beyond his imagination.
The first half to the book follows to storylines, Devlin's friends and allies, as they try to find out what happened to him, and Devlin's as he tries to escape the trap he finds himself in. Eventually the two story lines come together, and of course (sword-and-sorcery style) good triumphs over evil
It is rare that I put down that a book completely satisfied. Neither clamoring for more nor disappointed in some aspect. Patricia Bray manages a realistic ending that avoids being saccharine and is totally in keeping with the characters she introduced us to throughout the series. The story is clearly over, but the world will go on.
Very much looking forward to picking up more of Patricia Bray's work.
September 18, 2014
Very good!
June 20, 2017
This the third book of the Sword of Change trilogy. Devlin gets back from his quest from the second book and is promptly betrayed and given over to enemies. He and many others have to rebel against the king in order to save the kingdom. This was a darker story that seemed to focus on torture as well as all the terrible things that come with war. There were no big battles between soldiers here but instead more along the lines of guerrilla warfare involving the peasants. The kind of ruthless warfare where the "good guys" start doing all these awful things such that they aren't much better than the "bad guys". I started losing interest in most of the characters and overall it just was not very enjoyable to me.
September 2, 2017
Can't say i liked this book at all. I just wanted to know how it ends so I did finish it with lots of skimming over the torture which lasted more than half the book. Where the Devlin did the same as the villain. It really is not what I like. This was too dark at gritty for my tastes. The first was good the second okay and last just painful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2018
A superb conclusion to this captivating series.
The complex sequence of events is very cleverly written, without the special-effect pitfalls that could so easily have ruined the story. Some events were unexpected, with an unforeseen dose of tragedy (it's not possible to fight a war without experiencing personal loss), and the series ends in a most satisfying way.
The complex sequence of events is very cleverly written, without the special-effect pitfalls that could so easily have ruined the story. Some events were unexpected, with an unforeseen dose of tragedy (it's not possible to fight a war without experiencing personal loss), and the series ends in a most satisfying way.
October 23, 2018
Devlin having located the Sword of Light, returns to the capital only to be betrayed by the king. When Devlin returns awakens he finds himself a prisoner of the dark mind mage who has twice tried to kill him.
August 9, 2017
I would have liked just a bit more epilogue...maybe someday the author will return to this world. (Probably not, but I guess i can hope).
January 31, 2023
I liked it. It was okay.
January 31, 2023
I liked this book. It was okay. Found at Artifact Books in Encinitas, Ca. Read Hard.
August 5, 2018
All in all, I thought Devlin was a bit of a butthorn.
May 26, 2020
As an end piece to the series this was everything I expected it to be. Bray's style is sparse and concise and her novels move forward because they are well served by her voice. This is all basic medieval fantasy, knights and swords and socerers type fantasy. Certainly not exceptional but definitely perfectly acceptable.
December 21, 2014
Devlin of Duncaer is relieved to finally be on his way home, towing the Sword of Light that cost so much trouble to retrieve from his homeland. He isn't expecting a hero's welcome. Still, the reception surprises him. Jorsk has not been idle while he was gone for the winter, and a series of political missteps has sunk the whole country deep into trouble. And the one man who had a chance to salvage it finds himself with his hands tied.
Finally, the games are over and war erupts. Loyalties fracture, lines are drawn, and blood spills. There is a clear right and wrong---but no clear way or clean way to get back to freedom. The politics get messy, the war gets messier, and people are forced to actions they never would've dreamed of scant months earlier. While the betrayal is not entirely surprising, the consequences get very interesting.
I enjoyed the depth of the book and its unflinching look at the kinds of decisions that have to be made in a war, particularly one running without the approval of the monarch. Devlin has to descend to being a monster in order to demonstrate long-term kindness to the people of Jorsk. The content is more graphic than either of the previous two books, but it doesn't veer into the gratuitous.
It would greatly help to read Devlin's Luck and Devlin's Honor before reading this one. Situations get a brief explanation, but characters generally don't. Some torture scenes are depicted at a medium level of detail.
Overall this is a strong cap on the series. The loose ends generally tie up, though I would've liked a little more at the end to know what happened after Devlin's five years were completed. Perhaps that will be the subject of another series, another time. I rate this book Recommended.
Finally, the games are over and war erupts. Loyalties fracture, lines are drawn, and blood spills. There is a clear right and wrong---but no clear way or clean way to get back to freedom. The politics get messy, the war gets messier, and people are forced to actions they never would've dreamed of scant months earlier. While the betrayal is not entirely surprising, the consequences get very interesting.
I enjoyed the depth of the book and its unflinching look at the kinds of decisions that have to be made in a war, particularly one running without the approval of the monarch. Devlin has to descend to being a monster in order to demonstrate long-term kindness to the people of Jorsk. The content is more graphic than either of the previous two books, but it doesn't veer into the gratuitous.
It would greatly help to read Devlin's Luck and Devlin's Honor before reading this one. Situations get a brief explanation, but characters generally don't. Some torture scenes are depicted at a medium level of detail.
Overall this is a strong cap on the series. The loose ends generally tie up, though I would've liked a little more at the end to know what happened after Devlin's five years were completed. Perhaps that will be the subject of another series, another time. I rate this book Recommended.
September 20, 2017
The final book in the Sword of Change trilogy, Devlin’s Justice sees Devlin return to the kingdom he swore to protect only to be betrayed. Rather than being welcomed by his adoptive home, Devlin is handed over to Jorsk’s new allies, to be delivered to the mind-sorcerer that plagued him in the previous books.
The disappearance of Devlin mere chapters into the book actually made the book a much more interesting read. I might be a bit biased–I am very fond of Stephen and this gave him more of a role to play. Not quite as large a role as the Guard Captain or Didrik seemed to play, but it was enjoyable nonetheless and showed what a strong belief he has in Devlin.
The disappearance of Devlin mere chapters into the book actually made the book a much more interesting read. I might be a bit biased–I am very fond of Stephen and this gave him more of a role to play. Not quite as large a role as the Guard Captain or Didrik seemed to play, but it was enjoyable nonetheless and showed what a strong belief he has in Devlin.
May 11, 2011
I find this series difficult to classify. On the one hand, it's your basic fluff fantasy. The worldbuilding is straight out of Tough Guide to Fantasyland, the characters are either Good or Evil (or occasionally just Cowardly, I guess), the plot is a straightforward quest to save the realm.
On the other hand . . . the main character may be Good, but he's not exactly Nice. The combination of a gritty main character with a black-and-white, coloring book outline sort of world clashes. Sometimes it clashes a lot.
I might read some of Bray's later stuff, because there are flashes of interesting things here, even if the backdrop is so bland. Maybe she kept improving. But it's not high priority in the queue.
On the other hand . . . the main character may be Good, but he's not exactly Nice. The combination of a gritty main character with a black-and-white, coloring book outline sort of world clashes. Sometimes it clashes a lot.
I might read some of Bray's later stuff, because there are flashes of interesting things here, even if the backdrop is so bland. Maybe she kept improving. But it's not high priority in the queue.
April 19, 2022
Vote: 3,50
Class: L-A3 (FP)
(third and final book of the Trilogy)
I wasn't expecting much from this Trilogy (I read some not enthusiastic reviews) but after all it was a surprising good saga: certainly not an unforgettable epic fantasy saga but an enjoyable reading all the same, maybe sometimes not very original but well told and with good characters.
The world (3,25) is a classic fantasy world (medieval setting). Not very original but quite well described and believable.
The characters (3,75) are great ones and they grow more and more as the story goes on. Convincing and true to themselves.
The story (3,50) too is not really original; however it's well told and intriguing: the ending is somewhat of an anticlimax but not bad in itself.
The writing style (3,50) is plain and good, without unnecessary boring descriptions of places or thoughts. Ever to the point.
I've quite enjoyed this saga and I'll recommend it as a reading between readings. Not really great but very good.
Class: L-A3 (FP)
(third and final book of the Trilogy)
I wasn't expecting much from this Trilogy (I read some not enthusiastic reviews) but after all it was a surprising good saga: certainly not an unforgettable epic fantasy saga but an enjoyable reading all the same, maybe sometimes not very original but well told and with good characters.
The world (3,25) is a classic fantasy world (medieval setting). Not very original but quite well described and believable.
The characters (3,75) are great ones and they grow more and more as the story goes on. Convincing and true to themselves.
The story (3,50) too is not really original; however it's well told and intriguing: the ending is somewhat of an anticlimax but not bad in itself.
The writing style (3,50) is plain and good, without unnecessary boring descriptions of places or thoughts. Ever to the point.
I've quite enjoyed this saga and I'll recommend it as a reading between readings. Not really great but very good.
August 3, 2016
Devlin is a tortured soul. He wants to die, so he becomes his country's Chosen One because it pays a fortune (which he can send to his brother's widow) and it's certainly deadly.
Sounds exciting, but don't bother putting on your blood pressure cuff, because it wasn't.
Devlin's sure he's going to die during the initiation ceremony (actually, it was me who nearly died of boredom), but, unfortunately, he doesn't. And so we accompany him on his journeys which read more like a book report than an adventure. Descriptions are dull, people are dull (though a few had so much potential), fights are dull, monsters are dull.
And the language is dull. For example, Devlin doesn't see things, he beholds them. He doesn't talk to people, he has speech with them. He doesn't put on clothes, he dons garments. And he doesn't go to bed, he seeks his quarters. Here is part of the most exciting scene... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
Sounds exciting, but don't bother putting on your blood pressure cuff, because it wasn't.
Devlin's sure he's going to die during the initiation ceremony (actually, it was me who nearly died of boredom), but, unfortunately, he doesn't. And so we accompany him on his journeys which read more like a book report than an adventure. Descriptions are dull, people are dull (though a few had so much potential), fights are dull, monsters are dull.
And the language is dull. For example, Devlin doesn't see things, he beholds them. He doesn't talk to people, he has speech with them. He doesn't put on clothes, he dons garments. And he doesn't go to bed, he seeks his quarters. Here is part of the most exciting scene... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
February 1, 2024
While I have reread this series many times, I was temped to put the series back on the shelf with book 3 unread. Upon reading the start, I remember that I didn't like this book as much. I started to feel like I should have just reread book 1 and stopped there. It isn't a horrible book. It is just that after rereading over the years, I was having a terrible time getting into the beginning of the book and it is the weakest book in the series. On the whole, I would recommend anyone who never read the series to give the entire series a once over and make up their own minds. But it isn't the strongest in the series.
October 2, 2014
3rd book in the series. I am admittedly a huge fan of Devlin of Duncaer. And Devlin's battle with the mind-sorcerer is especially gripping. Unfortunately, the focus shifts away from Devlin about midway through the book. The large-scale battle to save Jorsk from an invading army takes center stage and the story seems to lose much of its tension. Still, a satisfactory conclusion to the Sword of Change series.
August 15, 2021
August 2021: I kind of can’t believe I only read these books once before, 12 years ago. I had chunks of the ending nearly memorized. This just stuck with me and I really love it.
Original review, March 2009: Kept me hooked all the way through. I was reading it surreptitiously under my desk well after my lunch break was over. A good ending to a good trilogy.
Original review, March 2009: Kept me hooked all the way through. I was reading it surreptitiously under my desk well after my lunch break was over. A good ending to a good trilogy.
December 12, 2009
As an end to a series one senses that somewhere mid way through the book the author decided she had enough already and stopped. Things to get us to the conclusion were rushed and glossed over where we did not have that earlier on.
Disappointing
Disappointing
April 10, 2015
Devlin has been kidnapped and no one knows so it up to him to rescue himself and find his way back to his friends. What a hard road he must go before he returns to the capital. Great storyline and adventure.
June 27, 2008
really great trilogy, about a man who starts with nothing and slowly saves not just himself, but the world around him
Read
September 21, 2009So far so good. In the end he made all the right choices.
Read
May 2, 2013Fantastic story. Added to the story line of the two previous books. It's nice to see that the character development continued in book 3. I believe this could in fact be the best of the series.
January 13, 2014
This story certainly doesn't take a typical route. Some surprise character expiration kept it fresh, though occasionally a bit disjointed.
July 20, 2014
As a part of series it's fine, but alone it seems lacking. Long review will come.
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