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Farworld #4
Fire Keep
With no word from Kyja, the people of Farworld are beginning to face the possibility that she is truly dead, and the quest to save
Farworld and Earth has failed. In an effort to find a way to bring
Kyja back, Marcus must enter the most dangerous place possible
the realm of shadows.
Meanwhile, Kyja wakes up in a world of lost souls and memories.
With no idea who she is, she wanders Fire Keep, home to the
most quick tempered of the elementals. The other spirits around
her have given up hope. But Kyja is driven by a strong sense that
something is wrong and getting worse. A familiar voice warns her
that time is running out. To recover her memories, she must face
a literal trial by fire.
Can Marcus survive the realm of shadows to reach Kyja? Can
Kyja survive Fire Keep in time to regain her memory? Time is
running out for Kyja, Marcus, and their worlds and the Dark
Circle's real plan is only now beginning to be revealed.
Farworld and Earth has failed. In an effort to find a way to bring
Kyja back, Marcus must enter the most dangerous place possible
the realm of shadows.
Meanwhile, Kyja wakes up in a world of lost souls and memories.
With no idea who she is, she wanders Fire Keep, home to the
most quick tempered of the elementals. The other spirits around
her have given up hope. But Kyja is driven by a strong sense that
something is wrong and getting worse. A familiar voice warns her
that time is running out. To recover her memories, she must face
a literal trial by fire.
Can Marcus survive the realm of shadows to reach Kyja? Can
Kyja survive Fire Keep in time to regain her memory? Time is
running out for Kyja, Marcus, and their worlds and the Dark
Circle's real plan is only now beginning to be revealed.
323 pages, Hardcover
First published May 11, 2015
19 people are currently reading
1039 people want to read
About the author
J. Scott Savage
20 books535 followersJ Scott Savage is the author of 19 novels including the Mysteries of Cove series, the Farworld series, and the Case File 13 series, and the Lost Wonderland Diaries.
He has been writing books for over twenty years. His books have received various recognitions including Junior Library Selection, Starred reviews from PW and Kirkus, Amazon Book of the Month,
Barnes and Noble Select book, and several state award nominations.
He has visited over 2500 schools, dozens of writers conferences, and taught many writing classes. He has four children and seven grandchildren. He lives with his wife Jennifer in a windy valley of the Rocky Mountains.
He loves hearing from his readers at info@jscottsavage.com
He has been writing books for over twenty years. His books have received various recognitions including Junior Library Selection, Starred reviews from PW and Kirkus, Amazon Book of the Month,
Barnes and Noble Select book, and several state award nominations.
He has visited over 2500 schools, dozens of writers conferences, and taught many writing classes. He has four children and seven grandchildren. He lives with his wife Jennifer in a windy valley of the Rocky Mountains.
He loves hearing from his readers at info@jscottsavage.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
November 25, 2015
The last book of J. Scott Savage's Farworld series is a novel that has inspired many young readers into becoming authors, me as one of them. This series, that is very similar to Fablehaven, Leven Thumps, and Harry Potter, is a story about a link between two worlds, one with magic, and one without. You will find yourself falling through a tangle of adventures and journeys that have been set in the modern days. With lots of cliffhangers that just won't allow you to let go of this book, this book is packed with a lot magic and emotion.
Sometimes you have to do 'hard things' to make something right. A crippled boy and a girls with no magic have a choice to change their life by falling towards the Dark Circle or going on a impossible quest. While traveling with talking animals that tell jokes all day long, even you would find that there are "hard things" you would have to decide upon. They both must take a chance on who to trust, and who to stay away from. For all they know, is it all literal? A game? A learning experience? Or just . . . a laughing matter?
The Farworld series will literally glue to the hands hands and capture the heart of any reader. Nothing could match the creativity of what Savage has thought up. A great adventure full of mysteries, magic, and memories has created one of the best novels, and series of all time. I'd take that bet. Double or nothing.
R-3
8R
Sometimes you have to do 'hard things' to make something right. A crippled boy and a girls with no magic have a choice to change their life by falling towards the Dark Circle or going on a impossible quest. While traveling with talking animals that tell jokes all day long, even you would find that there are "hard things" you would have to decide upon. They both must take a chance on who to trust, and who to stay away from. For all they know, is it all literal? A game? A learning experience? Or just . . . a laughing matter?
The Farworld series will literally glue to the hands hands and capture the heart of any reader. Nothing could match the creativity of what Savage has thought up. A great adventure full of mysteries, magic, and memories has created one of the best novels, and series of all time. I'd take that bet. Double or nothing.
R-3
8R
June 2, 2015
I have loved this series for a long time. One reason being is that the main character, Marcus, is disabled. I absolutely love that even with his struggles with being crippled he is able to overcome them and be a hero. This book is beautifully moving! An epic ending to a truly awesome series. I loved how Savage was able to pull everything together and leave me not only satisfied with the ending but feeling as though I was saying goodbye to a friend. This book will have you staying up at night waiting to see how the heck Marcus and Kyja are going to survive. It is filled with intrigue, action, and hope. I can’t wait until I can read this one again.
Read
January 27, 2025This series was incredible! Highly recommend.
December 14, 2015
Not what I was hoping for (but good enough)
I have struggled and debated over this review. My initial reaction was that I was satisfied with the (albeit somewhat strange) ending. It wasn't AT. ALL. what I expected, and in many ways that's a good thing. But here's the deal: the book felt rushed. Not that you felt rushed as a reader, but the pace is entirely off from the other books. I am quite sure this is due to the fact that Savage's publisher made him combine two books (Fire Keep and Shadow Keep) into one book. This decision on their end is very disappointing. There are a lot of questions I had from the reading of the Farworld books -- including this one -- that I believe were not answered because of the combination of the novels.
In the end, I think some things would have remained the same (like the actual ending) and in that I am satisfied but not thrilled. But these books (after the rocky start to book 1) have been incredible, and I hate to see some ends left untied. There are things I absolutely love about the book, but with the rushed nature of the work, the unanswered questions, and the acceptable (but not stellar) ending the work falls flat compared to the previous books.
Now, I am happy enough with the book that I do plan on adding the series to our personal library, it's just that this book does not meet the level of what I have come to expect from the FarWorld series. I still definitely recommend the series, though, and, as a part of the series, this final episode.
I have struggled and debated over this review. My initial reaction was that I was satisfied with the (albeit somewhat strange) ending. It wasn't AT. ALL. what I expected, and in many ways that's a good thing. But here's the deal: the book felt rushed. Not that you felt rushed as a reader, but the pace is entirely off from the other books. I am quite sure this is due to the fact that Savage's publisher made him combine two books (Fire Keep and Shadow Keep) into one book. This decision on their end is very disappointing. There are a lot of questions I had from the reading of the Farworld books -- including this one -- that I believe were not answered because of the combination of the novels.
In the end, I think some things would have remained the same (like the actual ending) and in that I am satisfied but not thrilled. But these books (after the rocky start to book 1) have been incredible, and I hate to see some ends left untied. There are things I absolutely love about the book, but with the rushed nature of the work, the unanswered questions, and the acceptable (but not stellar) ending the work falls flat compared to the previous books.
Now, I am happy enough with the book that I do plan on adding the series to our personal library, it's just that this book does not meet the level of what I have come to expect from the FarWorld series. I still definitely recommend the series, though, and, as a part of the series, this final episode.
April 8, 2016
To relieve my guilt, I will start by saying that I feel bad, because as soon as this book came out, I did not read it right away. Since I loved the characters, and the story, it hurt me that I wasn't doing whatever I could to read it. Anyway, I. FLIPPING. LOVED. THIS. BOOK. I'm completely serious. This book is perfection. Sure, there were a few typos. It also felt different, since I read it on a Kindle. But this book was perfect, from start to finish.
First off, you have a great intro. Then you have Marcus. He's in his cell, just like I would be doing if I was in his position. Then stuff happens, and Marcus realizes his mistake. And it takes off from there. We see the beauty, the shortcomings, the hardship. Then the ending. It was beautiful, and perfect, and ever so cool. To sum up - THIS BOOK IS PERFECT, READ THE SERIES, THEN REVEL IN HOW AMAZING THEY ALL ARE.
First off, you have a great intro. Then you have Marcus. He's in his cell, just like I would be doing if I was in his position. Then stuff happens, and Marcus realizes his mistake. And it takes off from there. We see the beauty, the shortcomings, the hardship. Then the ending. It was beautiful, and perfect, and ever so cool. To sum up - THIS BOOK IS PERFECT, READ THE SERIES, THEN REVEL IN HOW AMAZING THEY ALL ARE.
November 8, 2015
Definitely a satisfying ending to the series. I didn't actually expect how everything wrapped up, so that was pretty cool. I love when middle grade books surprise me. Air Keep was the best in my opinion though. Mr. Z is still my favorite character for sure even if I cannot pronounce his actual name. There were just a couple of things that were off for me in terms of errors and being heavy-handed with life lessons, but overall, very good. I'll be getting to his new book soon seeing as my brother just got it yesterday.
December 27, 2018
The continuity errors continue, this time with an enormous amount of typos. This installment was an improvement from the one before, but the number of times one of the protagonists said he needed to throw up was about equal to the number of times I shook my head at an illogical conclusion made by the book. Overall, this series was an interesting concept that I wish had been fleshed out a little bit more.
February 10, 2017
My two big issues with this book...
1. It was in desperate need of an editor
2. The ending was a cop out
It seemed like the author was sick of the series, so he just threw something out there.
1. It was in desperate need of an editor
2. The ending was a cop out
It seemed like the author was sick of the series, so he just threw something out there.
September 19, 2016
pretty good, except for the beginning where Kyja calls herself Turnip
June 23, 2019
Wow. I loved this series so much when I was in elementary school. I remember reading the first one or two as a class but I never finished it because the last two books hadn’t come out yet. Reading it now was like taking a little trip back into my early childhood. I loved the story and the concept of two kids who can travel back and forth between boring old Earth and this beautiful world called Farworld. I love how Marcus and Kyja both have these weaknesses that they absolutely hate and loathe about themselves but that they come to accept. It gives me hope for my own weaknesses. I really loved how when people died in the books, it actually matters. I don’t know about you but to me it feels like whenever a battle or war happens, it’s not often mentioned about the loss of fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters as opposed to just losing people. So it’s refreshing to me when Marcus and Kyja are torn up over the loss of so many good people. And let’s be honest, I’ve always loved the idea of having magic. Can you imagine how cool it would be? How much more convenient life would be? But alas, the only magic I’ll be able to experience is the magic that I read about in books like these ones.
At the end, I was so profoundly sad. Not because of the ending itself but simply because the story was over. That’s the worst part of books. Coming to love and care for the characters and the story and the worlds within, and then having to leave them behind, trusting that they will manage to take care of themselves while you are gone.
At the end, I was so profoundly sad. Not because of the ending itself but simply because the story was over. That’s the worst part of books. Coming to love and care for the characters and the story and the worlds within, and then having to leave them behind, trusting that they will manage to take care of themselves while you are gone.
June 15, 2017
3.5 Stars
I think I've just grown out of the target audience for these books, though I did want to finish the series. My main complaint was how hand-wavey a lot of it was. So many decisions were made because the characters just felt right or wrong about it, rather than having a logical impetus. Other questions like how/why did Magma appear where he did? What happened to the rest of the Pyrinths? Why didn't the elementals just stop the opposing force's magic during the last battle?
I thought the 'tests' they went through in the fire keep were pretty contrived. The whole thing with getting the Summoner to help them open the gate was contrived and fairly baseless; just a figment to shoehorn that last shred of conflict in at the end. I still don't know how legit the prophecy was. The way the dark army was defeated seemed kind of cheap (and luckily it didn't kill the Summoner). The way they recapped all the moral lessons they had learned both at the end and throughout felt cheesy.
But. I was never outright bored reading this book, which is a good quality. I don't think it was as cool as the first two, but it was a decent end to the series. Like I said, I think I'm just no longer in the target demographic to have really enjoyed this book.
I think I've just grown out of the target audience for these books, though I did want to finish the series. My main complaint was how hand-wavey a lot of it was. So many decisions were made because the characters just felt right or wrong about it, rather than having a logical impetus. Other questions like how/why did Magma appear where he did? What happened to the rest of the Pyrinths? Why didn't the elementals just stop the opposing force's magic during the last battle?
I thought the 'tests' they went through in the fire keep were pretty contrived. The whole thing with getting the Summoner to help them open the gate was contrived and fairly baseless; just a figment to shoehorn that last shred of conflict in at the end. I still don't know how legit the prophecy was. The way the dark army was defeated seemed kind of cheap (and luckily it didn't kill the Summoner). The way they recapped all the moral lessons they had learned both at the end and throughout felt cheesy.
But. I was never outright bored reading this book, which is a good quality. I don't think it was as cool as the first two, but it was a decent end to the series. Like I said, I think I'm just no longer in the target demographic to have really enjoyed this book.
June 27, 2017
I know at one point, Savage had a fifth book in mind entitled Shadow Keep. Since his publishers weren't willing to pick up the fourth book in the series, he self-published this fourth book and tied up the plot for the series.
I mention that because I can tell that the fifth book only kind of made it into the fourth book. It seems like it's missing something, like a whole plot line was fast-tracked into this book because it had to be there but it couldn't have its own book. It was a fascinating plot line too, so I'm a bit disappointed it only made an appearance in this fourth and final book.
But that said, I still loved this book. It was really good. I was glad Savage took it upon himself to finish the series because this is one of the best series I've read and I would have been pretty disappointed to not have it concluded. I think people will be satisfied with the ending.
But like me, you might wish that Shadow Keep plot line had been given more than just a a few chapters and a glance at the end of the book.
I mention that because I can tell that the fifth book only kind of made it into the fourth book. It seems like it's missing something, like a whole plot line was fast-tracked into this book because it had to be there but it couldn't have its own book. It was a fascinating plot line too, so I'm a bit disappointed it only made an appearance in this fourth and final book.
But that said, I still loved this book. It was really good. I was glad Savage took it upon himself to finish the series because this is one of the best series I've read and I would have been pretty disappointed to not have it concluded. I think people will be satisfied with the ending.
But like me, you might wish that Shadow Keep plot line had been given more than just a a few chapters and a glance at the end of the book.
May 14, 2022
Graysen (age 9): 10 million/5 stars
I think Fire Keep is a wonderful book! (After you've read all the other books in the series) I think that the beginning of Fire Keep is really interesting and all through the rest of the book, that interest starts to grow higher. Even when things get sad, other things that happen that make those sad things not seem as sad as they are. I think J Scott Savage did a wonderful job at writing this book and I'd recommend this and all of his other books to anybody!
Lizzy (age 8): 10 million/5 stars
Rif Raff is my very favorite character... I love him so much! I like Kyja. I was worried about Terra Ne Staric. I hate the Trathkin S'Bae and the Dark Circle. And Rif Raff is hilarious! And I love Master Therapass! And Marcus!
Asher (age 6)
I think Fire Keep is a wonderful book! (After you've read all the other books in the series) I think that the beginning of Fire Keep is really interesting and all through the rest of the book, that interest starts to grow higher. Even when things get sad, other things that happen that make those sad things not seem as sad as they are. I think J Scott Savage did a wonderful job at writing this book and I'd recommend this and all of his other books to anybody!
Lizzy (age 8): 10 million/5 stars
Rif Raff is my very favorite character... I love him so much! I like Kyja. I was worried about Terra Ne Staric. I hate the Trathkin S'Bae and the Dark Circle. And Rif Raff is hilarious! And I love Master Therapass! And Marcus!
Asher (age 6)
August 14, 2017
This series was fairly interesting, with a pretty good story and worldbuilding. There were a couple of things that bothered me about it, though. First, I had a hard time really connecting with the characters, particularly the male protagonist, Marcus. I realize he is a teenager that has been raised in various foster homes and bullied all his life. But that doesn't make me what to hang out with some who generally acts like a petulant child and never changes. The other concern I had was that it was just a hair too preachy. The sermons were generic enough, like working together and not judging people harshly, but they were just over the edge. Overall, good, but not excellent.
February 27, 2025
The great thing about waiting ten years to re-read a series is that I could not remember one thing about any of it, and it was like reading it for the first time! This series kept me entertained and coming back for more, and I did like the world building and the adventure. I liked the magic system, and the theme of the four different elements. I'll be honest, there was not a ton of chemistry between Marcus and Kyja but I guess that's not really what these books are focusing on;) Am I left absolutely raving? Not really, but I'd give it another re-read in ten years;) I think that if I were 12 still I'd give them all five stars.
January 29, 2022
The Far world books started off a little confusing for me and I had to read them a few times over but once I got to the end of book two something clicked and I got invested in it just as i have with Savage's other writing. The books became a bagel turner and by the second book I was sitting at the edge of my chair. In the third book Fire Keeper so much happens that I was not expecting and made me want to keep reading the book. I loved the way this series ended and found it interesting how all the characters ended up connecting one way or another.
December 8, 2023
The Dark Circle is wreaking havoc across Farworld, but with Kyja trapped in Fire Keep without her memories, and Marcus unsure who to trust as a web of secrets entangles him and Riph Raph, the fate of both their worlds teeters on destruction - and time may have already run out for them all. Savage brings this imaginative adventure to its enjoyable finale, a tad rushed yet addictively compelling in its characters and worldbuilding throughout. Can Marcus and Kyja find the strength to make the right sacrifices, or has their hunt for the Elementals drawn them to their limits?
May 13, 2024
Great ending to a series. Pulled in elements from all 4 books (no pun intended), and loved the surprise at the end. Also spurred on some great conversations with my kid.
One thing I appreciate about Savage's writing is his element of surprise. "No single land elemental exists," "If you go further you can't reunite Kyra with her body," all true statements, but not at all what we expect them to mean. I really enjoyed this series!
One thing I appreciate about Savage's writing is his element of surprise. "No single land elemental exists," "If you go further you can't reunite Kyra with her body," all true statements, but not at all what we expect them to mean. I really enjoyed this series!
July 3, 2018
This book took a long time for me to get through. However, it did grab my attention in the past two weeks and I was able to read over half of the book in a week. (This series is one that should be read start to finish without any breaks.)
February 22, 2021
A very satisfying ending, even though I disagree with one point. But I really enjoyed reading this series; Riffraff will always be my favorite character.
I'm quickly becoming a fan of J. Scott Savage's writings.
I'm quickly becoming a fan of J. Scott Savage's writings.
August 31, 2025
Not bad, perhaps the best of the series so far. Riph Raph was less annoying that usual which was a relief, there were plenty of twists to turn the story the ways that one wouldn't think. Not a bad read for young adults.
August 19, 2018
It was a fitting end to the series. I still like Riph Raph and am sorry to see the story end.
May 28, 2019
It’s been a while since I read the first 3 in this series, but for some reason I missed that this last book had come out. Loved finishing the series. I really enjoyed it.
June 12, 2019
Decent story. Good charters. A bit predictable, but worth reading, especially for young readers.
April 8, 2020
By far the best of the series, even with all the typos. 🤣
January 28, 2021
THE PLOT TWISTS! THE EMOTIONS! THE REVEALS!
Probably one of the best wrap-ups to a series I've ever read.
Probably one of the best wrap-ups to a series I've ever read.
September 3, 2025
Such a great ending to this series!
June 7, 2017
Written for keverbloom.edublogs.org and teenauthorbootcamp.com/messhall
The final book of J. Scott Savage’s Farworld series did not end how I expected! I loved how well Savage wrapped up the series in this book, bringing everything around to a close. The ending was a bit anticlimactic, but there was so much character development. The messages were pushed even more and this book really focused on finding hope and motivation in tough times, which is such an important thing to be teaching kids entering junior high (we all know how that was). Overall, I loved the series and thought the ending was a good way to leave. I’d recommend the series to any elementary/junior high students looking for a fantasy fix.
The final book of J. Scott Savage’s Farworld series did not end how I expected! I loved how well Savage wrapped up the series in this book, bringing everything around to a close. The ending was a bit anticlimactic, but there was so much character development. The messages were pushed even more and this book really focused on finding hope and motivation in tough times, which is such an important thing to be teaching kids entering junior high (we all know how that was). Overall, I loved the series and thought the ending was a good way to leave. I’d recommend the series to any elementary/junior high students looking for a fantasy fix.
October 16, 2016
A boy and girl struggle to save their worlds from the Dark Circle's sinister plots. The author J. Scott Savage takes you on a thrilling adventure through mystical lands full of fantastic creatures. While reading this book I found that it had multiple themes, but one that I liked and have chosen to share comes from this quote, “A man is with lips and gums, nose and ears, fingers and thumbs. It’s not what he’s given that makes his sums, but where he goes and what he becomes.” This means it does not matter what hand you have been dealt it only matters what you choose to do with it.
Now, the tone changed a lot in this book, as it does in most books, but there's quite a tone of seriousness throughout the majority of the book. In the following quote is an example of this serious tone:
“Graehl stepped away. 'I’ve done everything you asked. Brought the boy. Told you his secrets. I betrayed everyone exactly the way you told me to.'
'Yes, you did,' the master said, his voice icy. 'But I’m afraid I have little use for traitors.' He flicked his wrist, and the razor-sharp blade flew across the room, where it implanted itself in Graehl’s chest.
Marcus gasped. Though Graehl had betrayed him, he didn’t want him to die.”
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, adventure, and magic.
Now, the tone changed a lot in this book, as it does in most books, but there's quite a tone of seriousness throughout the majority of the book. In the following quote is an example of this serious tone:
“Graehl stepped away. 'I’ve done everything you asked. Brought the boy. Told you his secrets. I betrayed everyone exactly the way you told me to.'
'Yes, you did,' the master said, his voice icy. 'But I’m afraid I have little use for traitors.' He flicked his wrist, and the razor-sharp blade flew across the room, where it implanted itself in Graehl’s chest.
Marcus gasped. Though Graehl had betrayed him, he didn’t want him to die.”
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy, adventure, and magic.
January 23, 2016
I have looked forward to this book for a long time. Beginning the series when I was in fifth grade, it was, and remains, my favorite book series. However, I was honestly disappointed with the last book. I would say that 98% of the book is good, almost as good as the other three books, which I adore, but the 2%, which was, in my opinion, the most important part, were sub par.
This 2% consisted of the very beginning of the book and the very end. I remember when I first started reading it, I felt a deep sinking feeling, as I thought that the entire book was going to remain at this level. As I continued reading, however, I discovered that I was able to reconnect with the characters I loved and felt mostly satisfied with the writing.
However, as I finished the book, I found myself feeling very frustrated with the ending. As stated by other reviews of this book I have read, it felt rushed. I'm sure this was because the author was forced to combine the final two books of his series into one, but I do not think this a reasonable excuse for how the book ended. There were far too many unanswered questions. Also, I did not like the ending itself.
One of the main areas in which I found my discomfort was the part where (spoiler) Kyja was resurected. Although I can understand why the author chose to have her smack Marcus on the head instead of kissing him, I feel that the way the author phrased the passage, specifically the use of ellipses, broke an unwritten rule between the author and the readers, in a similar way to when an actor interacts with the audience in play. I found this section of the novel unnerving and quite unsatisfying. I simply did not feel it was necessary to focus on this part of the plot in such an intense way.
Another area in which I found my dissatisfaction was in the villains of the story. Few characters have been able to capture my interest as much as the organization of villains did in this series, and they were, for many years, what I considered to be the rulers of all infamy. However, as the fourth and final book drew to a close, I was disappointed with how easily they were done in, especially because it was without any assistance from the hero or heroine.
I also found the rest of the book after that point to be less than satisfactory. The rest of the ending, the whole (spoiler) part about the two worlds combining, was, although very unexpected, not as profound as I had hoped for, and it felt extremely rushed. Although I'll admit I am not sure how I would have liked the book to end, I did not like the way I thought it was going to, nor the way it actually did.
Although I thought that this book was overall, good, I think that if I were to recommend this series to anyone, which I have many times, I would tell them to not read the final book, but to let their imagination create a far more satisfying and triumphant ending than the one that occurred in this novel. I believe that the author could have written a far better book, seeing as the first three in the series were so fantastic, but I wish that I could have read that book, and not this one, that was, simply put, dramatically disappointing.
This 2% consisted of the very beginning of the book and the very end. I remember when I first started reading it, I felt a deep sinking feeling, as I thought that the entire book was going to remain at this level. As I continued reading, however, I discovered that I was able to reconnect with the characters I loved and felt mostly satisfied with the writing.
However, as I finished the book, I found myself feeling very frustrated with the ending. As stated by other reviews of this book I have read, it felt rushed. I'm sure this was because the author was forced to combine the final two books of his series into one, but I do not think this a reasonable excuse for how the book ended. There were far too many unanswered questions. Also, I did not like the ending itself.
One of the main areas in which I found my discomfort was the part where (spoiler) Kyja was resurected. Although I can understand why the author chose to have her smack Marcus on the head instead of kissing him, I feel that the way the author phrased the passage, specifically the use of ellipses, broke an unwritten rule between the author and the readers, in a similar way to when an actor interacts with the audience in play. I found this section of the novel unnerving and quite unsatisfying. I simply did not feel it was necessary to focus on this part of the plot in such an intense way.
Another area in which I found my dissatisfaction was in the villains of the story. Few characters have been able to capture my interest as much as the organization of villains did in this series, and they were, for many years, what I considered to be the rulers of all infamy. However, as the fourth and final book drew to a close, I was disappointed with how easily they were done in, especially because it was without any assistance from the hero or heroine.
I also found the rest of the book after that point to be less than satisfactory. The rest of the ending, the whole (spoiler) part about the two worlds combining, was, although very unexpected, not as profound as I had hoped for, and it felt extremely rushed. Although I'll admit I am not sure how I would have liked the book to end, I did not like the way I thought it was going to, nor the way it actually did.
Although I thought that this book was overall, good, I think that if I were to recommend this series to anyone, which I have many times, I would tell them to not read the final book, but to let their imagination create a far more satisfying and triumphant ending than the one that occurred in this novel. I believe that the author could have written a far better book, seeing as the first three in the series were so fantastic, but I wish that I could have read that book, and not this one, that was, simply put, dramatically disappointing.
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