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The Last Rune #3
The Dark Remains (Last Rune) by Mark Anthony
From a brilliant fantasy master comes a tale of astounding magic, unrelenting evil, and redemptive courage.Travis Wilder and Grace Beckett have returned to modern Earth to get medical help for Beltan, a knight from the otherworld of Eldh. But as Beltan lies unconscious in the ICU of a Denver hospital, a shadowy organization plots to kidnap him, and sinister forces of dark magic cross the boundary from Eldh in a murderous search for Travis and Grace.Meanwhile, in Eldh, a young baroness, her witch companion, and their mortal and immortal friends journey to a dying city, there to confront a nameless evil that has begun to annihilate the very gods.Somehow Travis and Grace must save Beltan and themselves, then make their way back to Eldh. For only there can they hope to defeat a demonic enemy that can shatter time, devour space, and turn existence into nothingness.
Paperback
First published February 27, 2001
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About the author
Mark Anthony
43 books190 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Mark Anthony learned to love both books and mountains during childhood summers spent in a Colorado ghost town.
Later he was trained as a paleoanthropologist but along the way grew interested in a different sort of human evolution—the symbolic progress reflected in myth and the literature of the fantastic. He undertook Beyond the Pale to explore the idea that reason and wonder need not exist in conflict.
Mark Anthony lives and writes in Colorado, where he is currently at work on his next writing project.
Also writes under Galen Beckett.
Mark Anthony learned to love both books and mountains during childhood summers spent in a Colorado ghost town.
Later he was trained as a paleoanthropologist but along the way grew interested in a different sort of human evolution—the symbolic progress reflected in myth and the literature of the fantastic. He undertook Beyond the Pale to explore the idea that reason and wonder need not exist in conflict.
Mark Anthony lives and writes in Colorado, where he is currently at work on his next writing project.
Also writes under Galen Beckett.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 26, 2017
Once again 3.5 stars. I was so sure that this was finally the first book in this series I could give 4 stars to without struggle but apparently that just wasn't my fate.
Don't get me wrong, I'm still enjoying and definitely continueing this series, but there is always this tiny voice in my head going: "Hm, I'd like this better if..." while reading.
For example, I'm getting the impression that at the start of every book of this series, the group is split into at least two parties where at least one is trying to get back to the other somehow. This will take them at least 100 pages, if not longer (far longer in this case). It's getting stale after a while.
This book is also basically two books.
One part is a fantasy plot, where it starts as a story about a Coven where some witches are starting a bigoted movement and ends with our group travelling to what is basically the City of Gods, to find out who is mysteriously killing minor Gods. And to enjoy the magic of indoor plumbing.
The other part is taking place in our world, where the rest of our group is on the run from a mysterious organization trying to kidnap them for being travellers from another world they want to exploit while getting help from another mysterious organization who just wants to study the other world.
And it takes -once again- ages for the two storylines to collide. There are also so many POV characters now, that it was bound to happen that the reader starts to not care for all of them but for the sake of the plot can't skip any. Luckily I still like most of the characters, so it only happened twice or so.
Speaking of 'liking most characters'. We got a few new ones and once again, I liked them. Except one. After not liking Lirith for half a book and her then becoming one of my favorite characters, I was all ready to give Vani a chance too, despite not liking her from the beginning... but it just didn't happen. My dislike just grew with every scene she popped up in. Plus, it REALLY doesn't help that she's apparently going to be part of a love triangle that I'm already hating. It's not even a spoiler cause it starts as soon as she shows up.
See, I think Travis and Beltan make sense. They travelled together quite some time and got to know each other. They got closer, talked about some personal stuff and saved each others' lives.
I also think that while I don't exactly like it, because there haven't really been any hints before and because I hate it when characters in a group neatly pair up in the end, Durge being in love with Aryn makes sort of sense, because he has known her for a while and we didn't get to see what's going on in his head till the second book.
Hell, I don't even really mind Vani thinking she has met her fated someone cause she was brought up to believe in things like that, but what I really hate is that
I already know that there will be much groaning while reading in my future just because of this forced triangle.
At least Lirith had the decency to fall-in-love-at-first-sight with someone who is pretty awesome. Still, take a breath lady. You should maybe know him longer than for a few hours before you angst about marriage.
Good thing that romance is still a pretty minor part of the story, otherwise I'd probably have to give up at this point. I'm really only interested if Grace will end up with someone, because of her past and her general reluctance. And if yes, then with whom (wish: King Boreas, / will probably happen because I can't have nice things (but wouldn't totally hate it either): Farr). Wouldn't mind her staying single and awesome either.
Speaking of, this book reveals who Grace actually is, how she ended up in the orphanage and exactly what happened there. If you've ever read a fantasy book, you've probably already guessed 90% of it correctly. There are really no surprises there. Didn't actually mind that, though. Some tropes are popular for a reason.
The only thing I did dislike about it was that -once again- Melia knew things she didn't tell the others. It's pretty annoying when characters find out stuff and she goes "Oh, but I already knew that my dear." At least give me a good reason beyond "Because the author didn't want the reader to know" for keeping silent!
Despite my ranting, I'm still excited for the rest of the series. I'm enjoying Eldh a lot, because the author clearly put a lot of thought into it, even if some of the God stuff is a bit confusing for me at times, cause what is real and what is superstition? Which religion is 'right'? Do they all have a drop of truth to them? How does magic play into it? Etc. etc.
Just try to give me a murder plot where I can't smell the evil dude from a mile away, okay?
Don't get me wrong, I'm still enjoying and definitely continueing this series, but there is always this tiny voice in my head going: "Hm, I'd like this better if..." while reading.
For example, I'm getting the impression that at the start of every book of this series, the group is split into at least two parties where at least one is trying to get back to the other somehow. This will take them at least 100 pages, if not longer (far longer in this case). It's getting stale after a while.
This book is also basically two books.
One part is a fantasy plot, where it starts as a story about a Coven where some witches are starting a bigoted movement and ends with our group travelling to what is basically the City of Gods, to find out who is mysteriously killing minor Gods. And to enjoy the magic of indoor plumbing.
The other part is taking place in our world, where the rest of our group is on the run from a mysterious organization trying to kidnap them for being travellers from another world they want to exploit while getting help from another mysterious organization who just wants to study the other world.
And it takes -once again- ages for the two storylines to collide. There are also so many POV characters now, that it was bound to happen that the reader starts to not care for all of them but for the sake of the plot can't skip any. Luckily I still like most of the characters, so it only happened twice or so.
Speaking of 'liking most characters'. We got a few new ones and once again, I liked them. Except one. After not liking Lirith for half a book and her then becoming one of my favorite characters, I was all ready to give Vani a chance too, despite not liking her from the beginning... but it just didn't happen. My dislike just grew with every scene she popped up in. Plus, it REALLY doesn't help that she's apparently going to be part of a love triangle that I'm already hating. It's not even a spoiler cause it starts as soon as she shows up.
See, I think Travis and Beltan make sense. They travelled together quite some time and got to know each other. They got closer, talked about some personal stuff and saved each others' lives.
I also think that while I don't exactly like it, because there haven't really been any hints before and because I hate it when characters in a group neatly pair up in the end, Durge being in love with Aryn makes sort of sense, because he has known her for a while and we didn't get to see what's going on in his head till the second book.
Hell, I don't even really mind Vani thinking she has met her fated someone cause she was brought up to believe in things like that, but what I really hate is that
I already know that there will be much groaning while reading in my future just because of this forced triangle.
At least Lirith had the decency to fall-in-love-at-first-sight with someone who is pretty awesome. Still, take a breath lady. You should maybe know him longer than for a few hours before you angst about marriage.
Good thing that romance is still a pretty minor part of the story, otherwise I'd probably have to give up at this point. I'm really only interested if Grace will end up with someone, because of her past and her general reluctance. And if yes, then with whom (wish: King Boreas, / will probably happen because I can't have nice things (but wouldn't totally hate it either): Farr). Wouldn't mind her staying single and awesome either.
Speaking of, this book reveals who Grace actually is, how she ended up in the orphanage and exactly what happened there. If you've ever read a fantasy book, you've probably already guessed 90% of it correctly. There are really no surprises there. Didn't actually mind that, though. Some tropes are popular for a reason.
The only thing I did dislike about it was that -once again- Melia knew things she didn't tell the others. It's pretty annoying when characters find out stuff and she goes "Oh, but I already knew that my dear." At least give me a good reason beyond "Because the author didn't want the reader to know" for keeping silent!
Despite my ranting, I'm still excited for the rest of the series. I'm enjoying Eldh a lot, because the author clearly put a lot of thought into it, even if some of the God stuff is a bit confusing for me at times, cause what is real and what is superstition? Which religion is 'right'? Do they all have a drop of truth to them? How does magic play into it? Etc. etc.
Just try to give me a murder plot where I can't smell the evil dude from a mile away, okay?
January 3, 2015
"It was amazing."
Well, it finally happened. This series finally hit its stride and I'm forced to rate it higher than it deserves.
Sometimes, I rate a book five stars because it's perfect. And sometimes, I rate a book five stars because I loved it to much to be anything but a five-star. This is one of those times. I finally start to see Galen Beckett I came to love clearly in the Mark Anthony here as his writing evolves and god I loved this book.
The more time spent on Earth was a great aspect of this, I loved it. I've always liked the Earth sections more than the Eldh sections and it was great seeing a full three hundred page arc there as opposed to just using it as a springboard into Eldh. And the Eldh stuff has finally moved on from the Eurocentric Dominions and headed to a more colourful and mediterranean setting in the city of Tarras, an analogue to medieval Rome. I love any fantasy that is not set in a medieval Europe-alike and so having these characters I'd come to love in a setting that piqued my interest much more was great.
I also loved how this book is super minority friendly. The series always was, with a gay man and a black woman in its main cast, but this book went way further into it, giving a major supporting role to Travis's married gay cowboy friends back in Colorado, adding in a black trans woman, a whole slew of middle-eastern characters in the Mournish, stressing how not-white Melia actually is, and the development of Travis and Beltan's relationship towards something quantifiably gay ...
Of course, then we get into the weakest point of the novel. I knew from the start that Vani was a thing and was going to appear and become a rival for Beltan for Travis's affections. I also know how it all ends but in interest of not spoiling future books in my review of this one, I won't go further than that. I actually sort of like the relationship between Travis and Vani at this point -- it's clearly not based on affection or even attraction, but on some abstract concept of 'fate' and Travis feeling as though he owes something to Vani for how she's devoted her life to her destiny of being with him. And that's interesting. However, I definitely feel like it's basically there to be an obstacle to put between Beltan and Travis actually getting together. I get that Will They, Won't They is really good tension -- it's working on me! -- but there comes a point where you just start stringing people along.
The general use of misunderstandings to create drama is a flaw in Anthony/Beckett's writing but I don't mind it. It makes the characters human -- if stupid. But humans are stupid. I'm enjoying the relationship being Lirith and Sareth a lot, as they're two of my favourite characters and I love their chemistry.
This book ends on a huge cliffhanger and I'm really excited to see what happens next. I'm now half done the Last Rune books, and honestly, I'm loving them.
This book isn't at all perfect but I loved it and never wanted to put it down. That's five stars enough for me.
Well, it finally happened. This series finally hit its stride and I'm forced to rate it higher than it deserves.
Sometimes, I rate a book five stars because it's perfect. And sometimes, I rate a book five stars because I loved it to much to be anything but a five-star. This is one of those times. I finally start to see Galen Beckett I came to love clearly in the Mark Anthony here as his writing evolves and god I loved this book.
The more time spent on Earth was a great aspect of this, I loved it. I've always liked the Earth sections more than the Eldh sections and it was great seeing a full three hundred page arc there as opposed to just using it as a springboard into Eldh. And the Eldh stuff has finally moved on from the Eurocentric Dominions and headed to a more colourful and mediterranean setting in the city of Tarras, an analogue to medieval Rome. I love any fantasy that is not set in a medieval Europe-alike and so having these characters I'd come to love in a setting that piqued my interest much more was great.
I also loved how this book is super minority friendly. The series always was, with a gay man and a black woman in its main cast, but this book went way further into it, giving a major supporting role to Travis's married gay cowboy friends back in Colorado, adding in a black trans woman, a whole slew of middle-eastern characters in the Mournish, stressing how not-white Melia actually is, and the development of Travis and Beltan's relationship towards something quantifiably gay ...
Of course, then we get into the weakest point of the novel. I knew from the start that Vani was a thing and was going to appear and become a rival for Beltan for Travis's affections. I also know how it all ends but in interest of not spoiling future books in my review of this one, I won't go further than that. I actually sort of like the relationship between Travis and Vani at this point -- it's clearly not based on affection or even attraction, but on some abstract concept of 'fate' and Travis feeling as though he owes something to Vani for how she's devoted her life to her destiny of being with him. And that's interesting. However, I definitely feel like it's basically there to be an obstacle to put between Beltan and Travis actually getting together. I get that Will They, Won't They is really good tension -- it's working on me! -- but there comes a point where you just start stringing people along.
The general use of misunderstandings to create drama is a flaw in Anthony/Beckett's writing but I don't mind it. It makes the characters human -- if stupid. But humans are stupid. I'm enjoying the relationship being Lirith and Sareth a lot, as they're two of my favourite characters and I love their chemistry.
This book ends on a huge cliffhanger and I'm really excited to see what happens next. I'm now half done the Last Rune books, and honestly, I'm loving them.
This book isn't at all perfect but I loved it and never wanted to put it down. That's five stars enough for me.
January 19, 2011
2.5 stars. Re-reading this one made me realize that it was my least favorite of the series. On a positive note, we are given a lot of background on the old gods, and several other story lines are followed. I was annoyed by the failure of Travis and Beltan to make their feelings known to each other. I loved this series but felt that this one was notnupnto the standard of the others. Fantasy lovers should not miss this series.
September 6, 2018
Just can't go on with the series. The characters do not connect after the first two books and 100 pages into this one. The pace is boring. A cautionary tale in that I bought the next two books in the series and will be letting them go. I have too many interesting books on deck to spend any more time with this one. But very hard to lay aside a book without finishing it.
November 27, 2017
I found that this book lived up to the expectations that the other two books gave me. When I received this book, I was told that it was slower than the other two. Though generally it was a bit slower, the action was more evenly spaced throughout the book than the two previous to this one. A few plot points felt as though they should have come a bit sooner, like when Travis, Grace, and Beltan return to Eldh, but the separation did add a few elements to the story that we wouldn't have experienced otherwise. A wonderful book. The end of The Dark Remains makes me very anxious to read the next one to find out what happens.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2019
Still going through my second reading of the series, and this is definitely the strongest volume so far. Though the first third was a bit slow, the middle was much stronger and the final third was absolutely gripping. The author expands his world-building in some interesting ways, showcasing different cultures with different magics, while also bringing science and magic together surprisingly effectively.
May 13, 2020
I was keen to continue the story but found this one a bit disjointed and subsequently was less anxious to continue reading particularly in the middle which seemed to drag.
March 17, 2015
After leaving Perridon Aryn, Lirith and Durge stay at the court of Queen Ivalaine at Ar-tolor. One boring afternoon Aryn persuades Lirith and Durge to visit the Mournish people – a kind of gypsies – who have just arrived with their wagons and an old hag tells them their fate with her cards. The next days a High Coven is held in Ar-tolor and witches from all dominions arrive to participate and discuss the next moves regarding the Runebreaker whom they fear immensely. At last all witches weave a Pattern to destroy the Runebreaker only Aryn, Lirith and some other witches resist and weave a new strand not to destroy but to observe and capture the Runebreaker.
Grace and Travis have gone back to Denver with Beltan for medical help after his severe injuries. Because they need help Grace contacts the Seekers. But soon enough they have Duratek at their heels again and this organization kidnaps the unconscious Beltan out the hospital and experiment with him in their lab. The motel where Grace and Travis hide is ambushed by monsters and a sorcerer but they are rescued at the last minute by the mysterious woman Vani. After they retrieve Beltan from Duratek they return to Eldh where they meet Melia, Falken, Aryn, Lirith and Durge who have travelled to Tarras to solve the mystery of the murdered god Ondo who isn´t the only victim – two more gods are killed.
They challenge the Sorcerers of Scirath who want to free a demon captured beneath the hill of Tarras. With the help of the Mournish people (Vani is one of them) and Travis Stone of Twilight Sinfathisar they destroy the demon but to escape the demon´s last destruction Travis, Lirith, Sareth and Durge have to open a gate and end up in Castle City about hundred years in the past…
Many new characters are introduced in this book and sometimes I was struggling not to loose track of all mentioned people, places and artefacts… you CAN overdo things! A special role Vani will play in the future of Travis what annoys me a little bit because Travis finally admitted to himself that he loves Beltan too. Everytime Beltan and Travis started to talk about their feelings somebody interrupted them – that was getting on my nerves after the third time.
We learn more about the old gods in this volume, Mark Anthony seems to have found his inspiration in nordic and egyptian mythology…and the clothes of the tarrasian soldiers reminded me suspicoiusly of legionnaires of ancient Rome. Travis character has improved along with his new body.. to my great relief. And we learn interesting things about Grace and her past.
One thing at last: why does the author always have to mention without cease Beltan´s thinning hair and Travis bald head? By now the readers will have realized both are more ugly than handsome…
Homepage of the author: http://www.thelastrune.com/
Grace and Travis have gone back to Denver with Beltan for medical help after his severe injuries. Because they need help Grace contacts the Seekers. But soon enough they have Duratek at their heels again and this organization kidnaps the unconscious Beltan out the hospital and experiment with him in their lab. The motel where Grace and Travis hide is ambushed by monsters and a sorcerer but they are rescued at the last minute by the mysterious woman Vani. After they retrieve Beltan from Duratek they return to Eldh where they meet Melia, Falken, Aryn, Lirith and Durge who have travelled to Tarras to solve the mystery of the murdered god Ondo who isn´t the only victim – two more gods are killed.
They challenge the Sorcerers of Scirath who want to free a demon captured beneath the hill of Tarras. With the help of the Mournish people (Vani is one of them) and Travis Stone of Twilight Sinfathisar they destroy the demon but to escape the demon´s last destruction Travis, Lirith, Sareth and Durge have to open a gate and end up in Castle City about hundred years in the past…
Many new characters are introduced in this book and sometimes I was struggling not to loose track of all mentioned people, places and artefacts… you CAN overdo things! A special role Vani will play in the future of Travis what annoys me a little bit because Travis finally admitted to himself that he loves Beltan too. Everytime Beltan and Travis started to talk about their feelings somebody interrupted them – that was getting on my nerves after the third time.
We learn more about the old gods in this volume, Mark Anthony seems to have found his inspiration in nordic and egyptian mythology…and the clothes of the tarrasian soldiers reminded me suspicoiusly of legionnaires of ancient Rome. Travis character has improved along with his new body.. to my great relief. And we learn interesting things about Grace and her past.
One thing at last: why does the author always have to mention without cease Beltan´s thinning hair and Travis bald head? By now the readers will have realized both are more ugly than handsome…
Homepage of the author: http://www.thelastrune.com/
September 30, 2014
The third book in the Last Rune picks up shortly after the end of the second. Travis and Grace have returned to Earth, to aid their friend Beltan with modern medicine. While he's recuperating and in a coma in the hospital, the shadow war between the secret society of the Seekers and the sinister Duratec corporation heats up as both want to learn more of other worlds. Meanwhile, back on the magical world of Eldh, their friends begin to uncover a mystery that seems to be tangling the very threads of magic and culminate in the death of a god.
Anthony does a great job in weaving a compelling mystery that spans two worlds, multiple societies and types of magic and science, and the dozen or so main character's backgrounds and histories. This time around, a lot of the action takes place on Earth, rather than merely introductory elements of the story, and it's fascinating to see a high tech corporation applying modern science to magical elements.
While new threats are revealed and new mysteries uncovered, Anthony does a deft job of answering more of the seeds he's planted throughout the series to date, and leaves the reader feeling a sense of accomplishment by having some of the older mysteries come to light, while peeling back the layers of the onion to reveal new wonders for future books to address.
The cliffhanger at the end of the book leading to book four is a particularly fun one, it ups the stakes without simply throwing a "bigger monster" in the protagonists' path (though it does a bit of that as well.)
Anthony does a great job in weaving a compelling mystery that spans two worlds, multiple societies and types of magic and science, and the dozen or so main character's backgrounds and histories. This time around, a lot of the action takes place on Earth, rather than merely introductory elements of the story, and it's fascinating to see a high tech corporation applying modern science to magical elements.
While new threats are revealed and new mysteries uncovered, Anthony does a deft job of answering more of the seeds he's planted throughout the series to date, and leaves the reader feeling a sense of accomplishment by having some of the older mysteries come to light, while peeling back the layers of the onion to reveal new wonders for future books to address.
The cliffhanger at the end of the book leading to book four is a particularly fun one, it ups the stakes without simply throwing a "bigger monster" in the protagonists' path (though it does a bit of that as well.)
January 8, 2015
Something I really enjoy about this series is the author's inclusion of people of color within the fantasy world. Far too often, everyone in fantasy worlds is white, but these books include people of color as sympathetic, high-ranking, or just plan interesting characters both on Earth and within Eldh. He also includes queer (and trans*!) characters, whose sexuality isn't the most important part of their plot. Yes please, more of this!
February 15, 2016
The first half of the book went by slowly, but as the story started to build I got more drawn in. The second half of the book is where the action is definitely at. As I'm reading through this series I keep finding myself amazed at the uniqueness of the story. I've never read a fantasy like this one that has so many different genres of fiction woven into one. Definitely the most unique fantasy I've ever read.
November 19, 2011
Плохо, что я начала читать со средины, не все было понятно, сюжет запутанный но интересный. Правда не всегда удачно стыкующийся и очень перегруженный событиями и калейдоскопом миров. Из-за этого тяжеловат в прочтении, но несомненно книга интересная.
October 20, 2013
The weakest of the three I've read so far, but still very good. I think I just didn't like the amount of time spend on Earth, and the characters all dwelling so much on their pasts took too much away from the plot of the book.
January 11, 2010
Why do I keep reading them????
June 13, 2011
The third book in this well written epic series.
Here's my review
http://croftfantasyreads.blogspot.com...
Here's my review
http://croftfantasyreads.blogspot.com...
June 16, 2012
Competent plot, too many viewpoints and new cast-members, and characterization suffered from way too much emphasis on Fate and Insta-Love. Overall quality: average.
October 13, 2012
This series continues to get better and better.
August 30, 2014
Liked this way better than the first two. Psyched that Sareth seems to actually be a continuing character. Hit that, Lirith. Hit that.
July 23, 2016
Book 3 of "The Last Rune". If you liked "The Keep of Fire" (and I presume "Beyond the Pale", the first book ), you'll like this.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews