Republic

The Emperor's Edge #8

by Lindsay Buroker

After the notorious outlaws Amaranthe and Sicarius helped overthrow the corrupt faction controlling the empire and brought in a great war hero to lead the nation to prosperity, they finally earned their pardons--and some time off. A tropical vacation cruising around in a private submarine? Perfect. But their trip is interrupted by a summons from the new president: they're needed back at home. Trouble unlike anything they've ever dealt with threatens to destroy the capital city and throw the fledgling republic into chaos.

The follow-up to The Emperor's Edge series, Republic takes place a few months after the events of Forged in Blood I & II. It is a complete 210,000-word novel.

Genres: Fantasy, Steampunk, Romance, Adventure, Magic, Fiction, Urban Fantasy

574 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 19, 2014

About the author

I'm a full-time indie fantasy and science fiction author. When I'm not writing, I'm ferrying my dogs to hiking trails for adventures.

Reviews

[✘✘ Sarah ✘✘ (former Nefarious Breeder of Murderous Crustaceans) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 4.5 stars.

➽ And the moral of this reread is: things going boom + sardonic eyebrows + things being set on fire + topless canoeing, naked cooking and shirtless scampering (I sense a recurring theme there) + things being utterly, thoroughly and most irremediably destroyed courtesy of Amaranthe & friends (unusual that 😎) + handsome pugilists + non-stop action + slightly evil, murderous plants + HAHAHAHAHAHAHA + Sicarius' inner sheep (well-hidden, that one) + characterization so good even the nefarious flora has a complex, ever-developing, endearing personality + snail slime (never leave home without it) + acceptable organizational paradigms + Emperor Grigothferduvk the Crusty + “last-minute fun, hijinks, and saboteur trappings” = I could rererererereread installments in this series forever and ever and ever and stuff, and never get bored and stuff. Now let's dance and stuff.



👋 To be continued and stuff.

• Book 1: The Emperor’s Edge ★★★★
• Book 2: Dark Currents ★★★★
• Book 3: Deadly Games ★★★★
• Book 4: Conspiracy ★★★★
• Book 5: Blood and Betrayal ★★★★
• Book 5.5: Beneath the Surface ★★★★
• Book 6: Forged in Blood I ★★★★
• Book 7: Forged in Blood II ★★★★★
• Book 9: Diplomats and Fugitives ★★★★



[April 2014]

Wow. Wow. Wow. A sequel to what was supposed to be the last installment in the Emperor’s Edge series!! I couldn’t believe it when I found out that Lindsay Buroker had written Republic; when I thought that Forged in Blood II would be the very last time we read about Amaranthe and her dysfunctional gang of outlaws!

Needless to say, I had very high expectations for Republic. The Emperor’s Edge has become one of my favourite series ever and I love Buroker’s writing, especially in terms of characterization. In Forged in Blood II, she tied up all the loose ends nicely as the series came to its supposed conclusion. Still, there was still lots of room for plot and character development, with the ending of the Empire and the introduction of new characters in the last instalments of the series.

Well, Lindsay Buroker certainly outdid herself with Republic! This could have been very tricky, what with the length of the book and multiple plots & POVs, but Buroker handled it all to perfection.

So Republic is really a gigantic, intoxicating cocktail with some very exciting ingredients: action, humor (lots of it), great dialogues (love them!), explosions (submarines getting blown up!), man-eating plants, an evil cult, headless corpses, Maldynado & Evrial living together (imagine that!), Sespian & Maldynado bonding, Mahliki having a crush on Sespian, Maldynado playing match-maker, Amaranthe & Sicarius talking about having children (a mini Sicarius?! Boy have we come a long way since the first instalment!), Maldynado wearing only a soup pot in front of Evrial’s father & brother, people being poisoned, people being locked in cider tanks, a Nurian assassin who is nearly as deadly as Sicarius (but not quite), a child to be adopted, Sespian actually calling Sicarius his father for the first time…. There are so many things! Republic really felt like a roller coaster ride!

What I love about Buroker is that she always manages to surprise me. Whatever I think is going to happen next never does. I first thought the Nurian assassin’s child was actually Sicarius’ daughter. When it turned out she wasn’t I then thought Amaranthe & Sicarius would have to adopt her… Wrong again! She really kept me guessing with this one!

It was great to have new characters developed in Republic, especially Tikaya and Mahliki (strong female characters, I love it!). We also get to see more of Rias Starcrest and Deret Mancrest (needless to say, Sicarius isn’t ecstatic about Amaranthe spending time with the latter…). I did miss Books (it was nice to have several characters mention him throughout Republic) but I didn’t miss Askyr. I’ve never cared for him much as a character so I didn’t mind him being “away” in this instalment. I did like the introduction of Dak as a new character. More room for development in future instalments!

I really really hope that there will be many more books in this series. I’ve grown completely addicted to Amaranthe & the rest of the gang and I am definitely not ready to let them go just yet! There are many more situations to be explored, characters to be developed and things to get blown up so I am quite confident Lindsay Buroker won’t be able to resist writing yet another instalment in this fantastic series!

[Choko · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** 4.75 ***

This series has been a delight! I wouldn't have thought that after the first book, which was a bit hit-and-miss, that it will turn into a favorite as we went on. However, Ms. Buroker took her time and gave all the characters debt and personality, making us the readers, care and once that happens, and the writing only gets better, while the adventures only get funner, well, we all have a winner! And after the main arc finished in the previous book, I was hoping we could get more of our favorite gang! As the author said herself, thus we have the Republic. Amaranthe, Sicarius, Maldynado, Sespian, Tikaya, and her daughter Mahliki are all point-of-view characters, giving us a taste of all good things at once. The only problem I had - I missed them spending more time as a group, but I was happy with everything we could get. Plus, I realize, they all have to find a way to live their own lives... Eventually... Hopefully they still come back together as often as possible.

"..."Amaranthe grimaced. That hm had been a rating, a dubious rating, of her performance. “We’ve been on vacation, remember? And how much exercise can one get in a tiny submarine? Aside from certain bedroom activities, which I thought were actually quite vigorous and challenging in a cardiovascular way, surely as good for training as jogging around the lake.”..."

While the new Republic is trying to take roots, a different entity has been rooting inside the harbor of the capitol city. A giant, carnivorous, and possibly sentient plant is making a very good try at taking over the city and the surrounding wet and dry arias. Nothing seems to be deterring it from its invasive nature, including all the explosives and ammunitions the army can provide. President Starcrest and his wife recall Amaranthe and Sicarius from their tropical vacation with the idea to use the submarine to attack it at the root, but even that seems hopeless. On top of that, Maldynado is having some relationship problems... I wanted to hug him through most of the book and promise him that everything will be OK, because he is perfect the way he is!!!! You guys have to read it to get more of the story, this is just a tease:):):)

"..." Maldynado does have a purse. Maldynado propped a fist on his hip. “I do not. That’s a man bag. Full of manly things.” Last I saw, it had cedar candles and perfumes in it. “Cologne, not perfume. Goodness, Bas, don’t your yurt-dwelling people have any sense of the fineries of civilization? And cedar... is a masculine scent.”..."

Yes! He is PERFECT!!! 🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤💗

"..."“Sheepish?” Mahliki asked. “Sicarius? I have a hard time associating that word with him.” “His sheep is buried deep down. You have to hunt for it.” “I’d be afraid to try.”..."

OK. Sicarius is PERFECT too! Assassin perfect!😈🐱‍👤🤺

Another wonderful fantasy adventure by Lindsay Buroker! I can't seem to be able to get enough of them! Looking foreword to reading everything she has ever written😎😍

[Katie.g · Rating 3 out of 5]

Flicking through the reviews of Republic, I now feel quite mean by giving it only three stars. 9% of people who rated this book agree with me so I'm definitely in the minority here. Oh boy!

Let me first explain. Three stars is not a bad rating. It means that I liked and enjoyed the novel. The reason I did not rate this higher was because it did not wow me the way I was hoping it to.

Yes, the conversations were enjoyable and witty. The characters were well-written and I enjoyed reading about their last adventure together. I say this now, but perhaps I'll be proven wrong again. I thought that Forged in Blood II would be the last we ever saw of Amaranthe and Sicarius but happily, I was proven wrong about that. I certainly wasn't going to complain when Buroker gave us the opportunity to read more of Amaranthe, Sicarius, Maldynado, Basilard, Sespian and all the other great characters in this novel either!

So why the three stars?

Well there were a few things that I didn't enjoy quite as much as I'd hoped. Firstly, there were far too many points of views. I felt like perhaps Buroker wanted to give everyone their last say before she closed the curtain for the final time but personally, I'd have been happier if she'd been more selective with the view points. Just to give you an idea we had; Amaranthe, Sicarius, Maldynado, Sespian, Mahliki, Rias, Tikaya and I think Basilard's viewpoint cropped up at one point too. Most people seem to love this book however, so perhaps it worked but not for me.

I liked how Republic explored the repercussions of the events in Forged in Blood II. Books was not forgotten and it was interesting to see how things had changed now that Rias is president. Sespian struggles to find his place in society now that he is no longer Emperor. Maldynado, Amaranthe and Sicarius consider getting respectable jobs but it's not as easy as they'd first presumed. What I wasn't so keen on was the appearance of the large aquatic plant which appeared in the lake and was the source of all the problems. I don't know why, but I got a little tired of all the problems with the plant after a while and just wanted them to get rid of it already.

Thankfully there were other parts of the story to focus on too but at times I felt there was a little too much action. But I guess it wouldn't be a Lindsay Buroker book without lots of action!

I feel like I'm selling Republic short in this review. It was an enjoyable read and I loved seeing the characters again. It almost made me want to read the entire series again. I plan on doing this at some point in the future when nostalgia hits. If you enjoyed the previous books in the series then it is well worth the effort to read Republic. It fills in the gaps at the end of the series and no doubt, you'll find yourself sniggering into your hand at some of the things Maldynado says.

Thank you, Lindsay Buroker, for giving us a final chance to enjoy your wonderful cast of characters!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

How many times do we wish there was still more when a series ends...we sit with a book hangover, hoping for a glimpse of the characters we've come to love. Well that is exactly what Lindsay Buroker did with Republic and I have say, I was thrilled! Buroker proves this fabulous continuation to what happens after Forged in Blood I & II. I was amazed with the character growth and the changes that are taking place. We are not only given a continuation of the story but also further plot possibilities of more to come.

It is no secret, I'm a Buroker fan. I was captivated from page 1 till till the end. I highly recommend you jump into this fresh, funny, exciting world of Amaranthe Lokdon and her friends.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, I have such an unhealthy obsession with Amaranthe, Sicarius, and the rest of the gang. Lindsay Buroker has created this wonderful world filled with amazing characters, and each book just gets better and better.

Starting off not too long after the upheaval of events in the previous book, the gang is trying to figure out how they fit into this new Republic, all while trying to thwart the latest nefarious threat.

Deviating from the style of the other books, this story is told in 6 POVs: Amranthe, Sicarius ( there can never be too many Sicarius POVs), Maldynado,Sespian, Tikaya, and Mahliki. I was afraid that having so many points of view would be confusing and distracting from the story, especially since all the characters spend a lot of time with each other, but the author made it work seamlessly into the overall story line.

The overall plot was fast paced and filled with lots of action. There were a few underlying romantic subplots, but it helped more the story along, rather than hinder it with unnecessary details.

The only aspect I didn't get was the whole assassin and the child story. I'm still unclear as to why Sespian was chosen of all people. With all the forshadowing with Sicarius and Amaranthe wanting to have children and Amaranthe's issue PLUS Sicarius's whole explanation of the children of the slain being given to the enemy to be taken care of made it seem like THEY were going to take the child. I know Sespian has a big support team but I don't see how the mother thought a 20 yr old poor university student was the best option.


I'm also hoping that with Askytr's absence from this story, means that the next story will take definitely take place on the Kyatt Islands

Overall, I'm extremely pleased with this followup and I am looking forward for more from Lindsay!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Republic is like meeting up with dear old friends after a while; you don't realize how much you've missed them until you see them again. I've always liked reaching the end of a series rather than having them continue interminably, but the The Emperor's Edge series is the one exception where I'm so glad that the author surprised us all with a continuation/transition book set after the end of the series proper in Forged in Blood II. It was an absolute joy to follow Amaranthe, Sicarius and the rest of the gang on yet another adventure in Republic, which both brings further closure to their character arcs in The Emperor's Edge and sends them off in new directions for the future.

After the establishment of the republic, it stands to reason that political intrigue drives the conflict in this book. What is unexpected, however, is that the major threat at hand is... an alien plant. A sentient, man-eating alien plant that is overwhelming the city of Stumps, still recovering from the aftermath of Forge's activities. It's a credit to Lindsay Buroker that not only does she succeed in making something so unbelievable believable, but she also conveys a very real sense of threat and sustained tension. The trademark elements that long-time readers know and love are still present: the well-timed humour, action in abundance and enough explosions to make Amaranthe rub her hands together in glee. (Or maybe chagrin.) What makes this such a good read, however, is that there is just as much of the new as there is of the tried and true; the transition from imperial rule is only one of the many changes that shake up the lives of the characters and transform the Turgonia that we've come to know.

But by far the most significant departure in Republic is the use six POVs - yes, SIX. Four of these were POV characters in the Emperor's Edge and Encrypted series (Amaranthe, Sicarius, Maldynado, Tikaya), with the addition of two new voices (Sespian, Mahliki). My first reaction to more than 2-3 POVs in a book would normally be to throw in the towel, considering how badly they usually turn out, but here... it actually works. The author's greatest talent is arguably in the writing of likeable characters that jump off the pages and it shows here. Each of the six voices are distinct and the story flows effortlessly between their viewpoints, giving the reader a complete picture of all the action taking place. I never once had to wonder whose POV I was reading.

The only downside to the introduction of the Encrypted characters, the wide scale of the action and multiple POVs was that I felt the decrease in time with Amaranthe and Sicarius rather keenly. I also missed the cohesion of the Emperor's Edge team working together with Amaranthe as the leader - I never realized how much of a presence she had in keeping everyone driving forward towards the same goal until now. It also meant less of the witty banter that Amaranthe was always at the center of; Tikaya, Mahliki and Sespian are less inclined to similar bursts of humour. And of course, the shifts in focus also resulted in somewhat fewer romantic moments between Amaranthe and Sicarius than I was hoping for; romance in this series had always been light, but my greedy self nevertheless wanted more. What we did get was very sweet, to be fair.

That said, we get great character development for all involved despite each having to share pages with so many other others, and none more so than Amaranthe and Sicarius. These two are definitely Buroker's finest characters, and here they're taken to their pinnacle of growth. Their final transformations, so to speak. That's not to say that they don't have plenty more maturing to do - they do - but in Republic it's a joy to see the culmination of all they had learnt and experienced over the course of the series. Perhaps the most beautifully evocative moment is when Sicarius takes the final step in the journey towards reawakening his humanity (cliché as that might sound, it's true) that he had unknowingly begun the minute he met Amaranthe: He realizes that he has become "a person who hesitates" - he can no longer switch off doubt over the morality of his actions. And Amaranthe has literally become the voice of his conscience; more than once, he notes to himself that Amaranthe would know what to do - she would know what is the right thing to do. It's sweet and incredibly touching in its understated way. More so than any outwardly romantic scenes, I love these rare moments of quiet introspection and appreciation of Amaranthe by Sicarius; he's so eminently practical and inexpressive usually that it makes one treasure these moments all the more.

Those who liked his "assassinly" side will be equally pleased that this doesn't mean Sicarius is suddenly filled with humanitarian thoughts - this discovery of the split second of hesitation is what separates him from the emotionless killing machine of old, but in the face of necessity or threat to the growing circle of people he cares for, Sicarius remains refreshingly practical. Thank God, because I do so hate it when characters do an unbelievable 360 turn; if you've been raised as an assassin from childhood, it's hardly going to be realistic if you suddenly get squeamish. And Amaranthe never judges or preaches (in fact, she's equally realistic - you can't go soppy at moments when someone's trying to kill you, after all), reminding me once again why she's my favourite female fictional character ever.

I liked hearing from the irrepressible Maldynado (I adore him) and Sespian (whom I've wanted POV chapters for since the series proper) as well; in the changing political environment of Turgonia, everyone's forced to find their new direction and some find it more difficult than most. Poor Maldynado - the nightmare of finding employment? It's largely hilarious, but also quite sad. Catching up with Basilard and Rias Starcrest was also fun. I was less interested in Tikaya and Mahliki, but the introduction of Dak Starcrest made up for it - I loved his dry sense of humour and apparent dourness that masked complexity yet unexplored. I can't wait to see more of him in the Nurian novels.

On a final note, Lindsay Buroker clearly had potential new readers in mind when she wrote this book; you don't have to read The Emperor's Edge or Encrypted in order to enjoy this, since it stands alone as its own story and lays the ground for potential future spin-offs. But if you don't read the series, you'll certainly be missing out! There are inevitably established in-jokes (such as Maldynado's statue, heh) and character growth arcs that would only be apparent if you read the whole series. As for old fans of The Emperor's Edge, I don't just recommend this - this is required reading. After all, why would you pass up on the opportunity for more Amaranthe and Sicarius?

[TJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh… loved the characters (of course!) But a huge man-eating plant just isn’t my cuppa.

[Lynxie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh boy! Back into the Emperor's Edge world with Amaranthe and Sicarius. I love these guys. I truly do.

I didn't think I could get enough of them, but the length of this book did start to drag a little, especially with all the hoo-haa about the plant. It seemed a bit excessive.

I loved the story and most of the little plot twists and turns, especially some of the more personal hurdles the characters had to overcome in this one. It was a bit of a nice change from all the blowing up and madness that usually follows Amaranthe and the crew.

I also love the cross over between Lindsay's Forgotten Ages series and I'm looking forward to the final book in the series.

This might not be one of the best in the series, but it's still enjoyable and amusing as well as entertaining and engaging for the most part.

One thing I noticed:

69% - "All (delete all, add Are) you all right?"

[Férial · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure how many stars this book deserves but I sooooo enjoyed myself. Since I had decided long ago that I would rate books according to the enjoyment they brought me, well, 5 stars it is.

I thought the 6 different POVs would be distrubing and would slow the general action somehow. It did not. I would have prefered to be inside Rias's head instead of Mahliki's though. Next time maybe ?

Yes. I hear there's a next book. A Basilard one (woot woot)

I'll always be happy to read anything about Amaranthe and her friends. They're my friends now and there's so much about them and their world that can be told yet.

[Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Topless apple cider baths, megalomaniacal vegetation, and accidental electrocution of (fortunately) not one's love apples, are among many risque and/or downright idiotic harrowing adventures this rag tag group embarks upon.

“Your stick is more impressive than mine, my lady.” “Not something a man should ever say to a woman.

This installment also clearly differentiates a purse from a man bag. A man bag is full of manly things. Including perfume and cedar candles.

While I still love this book, the length of it was a downside for me, and it took me a long time to actually finish it. But it is still phenomenal.

[Hazelbue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adored this story. The strongest in the entire series.
Here we come back and each member of the crew gets their own POV (minus Akyster who is out in the Kayat islands learning magic). In addition Malikhi, starcrest’s daughter, gets a POV (and a wonderful well deserved romance with sespian). Starcrest wife also gets a POV (and this was probably the most boring, also I hate on others hating on Sicarius who is my favorite so boo).
I loved being in the story again and catching up with our favorite crew. And of course my favorite parts revolved around Amaranthe and Sicarius (somehow Lindsday managed to make them even more cute and deepen my adoration of this couple). I loved the humor and wittiness that is always found in Lindsay’s books and the plot in this story was one of the more interesting ones.
A easy 5 stars. I would consider this book in a way an extended epilogue of the previous series, such a wonderful gift from the author. Thank you.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given that the series had been neatly tied up in book 7 I was a little concerned that this one might not live up to expectations (which let's face were pretty high) but it did. It was as amusing and entertaining as ever. I did miss Books but I liked the introduction of Dak. There were 6 viewpoints in this book and while I actually enjoyed each one I found it was too many. I think a maximum of four would work best.Six viewpoints meant we were flipping around too much. As soon as something interesting happened to one set of characters we flipped to someone else, then instead of back to find out what was happening, it was on to yet another character's viewpoint. I imagine that who those 4 should be would differ from person to person but I would have chosen - Amaranthe, Sicarius, Sespian and either Mahliki or Tikaya. For future books I would really love a peek inside the head of Rias.

[Mariella Villalobos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these characters so much it was genuinely heartbreaking to come to the end of the previous book. Reading Republic was satisfying, amusing, and so much fun I kept wishing for it not to end. It's wonderful to get to see more of Amaranthe and Sicarius together as a couple, and Buroker finds interesting new challenges grown from the reasonable aftermath of the previous story arc without it feeling unlikely, or for any characters' personalities and reactions to feel remotely forced or out-of-character. Getting to spend time with the Starcrests (all of them; I grew an odd fondness for Dak, despite his prickly nature and a sense of humour drier than the Atacama...or maybe because of it?) was a treat. Sespian and Mahliki are adorable.

Who would ever think a series of eight books might not feel like enough?

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

And I'm still on the Lindsay Buroker roll... I can't seem to get enough of Amaranthe and Sicarius. Not yet anyway, and luckily I have one more book to read!

The seventh book kind of gave us a finale and I cannot actually decide whether this book was necessary or not BUT I can tell you that I enjoyed the story very much and even stayed up till 2.30 AM in order to find out how Amaranthe and Sicarius finally manage to get out of their tricky situation (again).

If interested, you can find the rest of my thoughts on my book blog HERE.

[Atomicblue · Rating 3 out of 5]

The awkwardness of adjusting to a new regime (and finding a job!) was realistic, but not super fun to read. I loved all the Amaranthe and Sicarius bits, especially the opening chapter, but all the other POV's dragged. I also really missed the team dynamics of the first 7 books. Everyone just seemed really isolated in this story.

[Mei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply great conclusion of the series!
I really hope Ms. Buroker will continue with a spin-off with other characters!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

You'd have thought Amaranthe and Sicarius would get a little down time after overthrowing a corrupt empire and helping install a new republic in its place. And, yes, they did get *some* down time, but weirdness and assassination attempts don't take vacation and soon they're on their way back to the capital to help in the way they help best.

Okay, that might have been a slight exaggeration. Rias needs his submarine back to investigate a certain invasive plant that's menacing the nearby lake and Amaranthe and Sicarius just happen to be in the right place at the right time to lend a helping hand on a few other endeavors.

I genuinely love watching Sicarius trying to figure out how to be more regular and less assassin-y. Especially when it comes to Amaranthe. His early training messed up his social radar and he has to learn when it's appropriate to be affectionate and when his intimidating scowl should be put in play. Amaranthe is a good sport about it, though, and she's ALWAYS happy to point out when a touch or joke would help lighten the mood. (Not that Sicarius is often lighthearted, but, well, you probably get the point.)

The gang is a little scattered, but they all come together and lend their particular brand of helpfulness (some are admittedly more helpful than others) to the situation. A little levity, a lot of danger, and uprisings of both plant and human nature keep them ALL on their toes.

MAN, I like these guys and their can-do attitude toward thwarting the bad guys.

-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's everything I've come to love from this series! So happy Buroker ended up adding to the series. Because while the last one did end decently well, I love reading about these characters so much! I enjoyed how all the side characters got more screen time and we got to peek into their motivations a bit more. I hope more comes from the next one but I get that even good things must come to an end. Just so happy Buroker is so prolific because so far, I'm really digging her work!

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well admittedly (even by the author) it was a long story. On the other hand, the adventure was quite cohesive and I didn't notice anything superfluous, so apparently it just took a long time to tell. The characters continued on there usual antics and a few new introductions came along, as well as some coming back into the plot. Yet all those antics combined seamlessly into a engrossing flight of imagination.

[Frances · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, a little disclosure, Lindsay is one of my favorite authors because she is a very nice person and a person who is easy to get to know in social media.

Now, Republic was the book I didn't expect. After *mini spoiler alert* one of the major characters passed away in another book, I was concerned what just what would happen now that everything was as it should be. Or was it?

We see the return of all of the characters in the world that we know. Everyone who is everyone is in Turgonia, and the stuff that happens is, needless to say, unusual.

*start the real spoilery stuff, but not so much that you won't want to read the book*

No surprise, Rias Starcrest is now the President of Turgonia. What happens after that is surprising. His wife, Tikaya, is not happy living in Turgonia (now if you moved from Hawaii to Detroit, you would honestly feel the same way). Her oldest daughter is living there, the two younger siblings are living in the Kyatt Islands, finishing their schooling. Amaranth and Sicarius are ending their vacation because they got a call from the President asking them to return his submarine. Maldynado and Yara are living together (and that leads to its own issues).

Now, the story was fast paced and my own, single, solitary complaint is that the story jumped a little too much and for a little too long. Seriously, leave me hanging for a while, why don't you?

But to compliment Lindsay's writing, I have to say that she writes each character distinctively, there is no question who is talking too much, who is cleaning, who is sneaking, who is a bit bumbling and yet lovable, who is strong and silent, who is so strong they can survive nearly anything (including poison that is deadly), who everyone misses.... In general, what I am saying is that no matter what, if the author must jump from one character's perspective to another, don't leave me any room to get confused. Lindsay does that very well.

I hope, beyond all, this is not the last time we see these characters. I'm really getting curious about Basilard and really getting curious about what is going to happen with Sespian, Mahliki and the new addition (who had little speaking parts in this book but nothing major).

[Lili · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I did after reading the previous books (except the Encrypted series).

The opening of the book could have used a sensitivity reader. I really didn't enjoy it, especially the physical description of the other characters but not the main characters. I knew from past books but it really needed to be called out more given the context.

Also in the opening, we learn that Amaranthe and Sicarius can't be together at all because...pirates stole their birth control? I had a lot of questions about their relationship after reading that, most of them not great. I liked their relationship in all the previous books even though there was so much emphasis on the other characters being kind of disgusted by it (and there was more of that in this book). It's fine if you don't want to describe sex, but the implication here about two really creative characters kind of threw me off for the rest of the book.

This book is just too long and complicated. There were too many POVs and a lot of repetitive information that could have been tightened. I wasn't really into the plant thing and it definitely dragged a bit.

I really missed the team dynamic of the previous books. It seemed like everyone was operating alone and that didn't really do it for me.

Overall, it wasn't that bad, but after reading the previous books my standards were a little higher for what I expected.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Something" happens, at last!! Can't say what, but readers of the series will know what I mean.... I have thoroughly enjoyed this series - I admit to a crush on the strong, silent blond and his attempts to become "human"! The previous books of this series have quite rightly earned 5 stars without reservation, but this last of the series (so far?) left me a little disappointed.

I had hoped Maldynado would mature into a man to rival even Sicarious. Amaranthe has been drawn as a bit more of a desperate personality. I was also disappointed to find my hero had become a bit of a joke, propping up walls in shadows whilst wiggling his eyebrows at frequent intervals. I had hoped he would have been allowed to grow into "normality" with a bit more of a kindly evolution and perhaps demonstrate his innate bravery in doing so.

Having said that, I can't recommend this series enough. The characters, on the whole, are written very well. The humour is quick and I did giggle out loud at times. The plots are fast and original. The growing romantic relationship between Amaranthe and Sicarius is handled delicately and kindly and in a way that is believable, considering the circumstances!

If you haven't read this author's works, please do! She is a sharp, witty and clever story teller and I will definitely read the rest of her work with interest and great enjoyment.

[Navdha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fell in love all over again with this series. If I ever thought that I was satisfied with 7 books on Amaranthe-Sicarius and the group, I was soo wrong. I can never get enough of them. There were a lot of POVs in this one and granted that Buroker wanted to focus more on other team members, I felt a little..impatient with the focus shifting from one character to another at least twice a chapter. Other than that, no complaints at all. I missed Books' grumbling and Akstyr's sneering but all in all, there were too many things happening to mind their absence. Maldynado was as hilarious as ever and watching him and Basilard teasing each other made me want to hug them so tight! Amaranthe and Sicarius were perfect. I'm not sure how I feel about the addition of a kid in Sespian's life but I'm happy for him. We get to see more of Rias and Tikaya and I'm really tempted to read the Encrypted series now.

To wrap it up, this book didn't disappoint and now I'm in a Sicarius-Amaranthe haze. Again.

[Lidia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually rating 3.5 stars
The Emperor's Edge - Trailer
Amaranthe & Sicarius

Wow this was a huge book! When I saw this last volume with all my favorite characters I knew I will end up reading it. Despite my love for this enjoyable and funny characters , I have to say the book was too long. So long that I found myself skip a few pages but in the end it was an enjoyable read. I loved that it was a multi POV and that Sespian was included (he is my favorite after Maldynado and Amaranthe) and that he had the happy ending that he deserved. I still state that volume 7 part two was the most good in the series but now if I think about it all volumes have something special regardless the pacing :)

[Jemima Pett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The oddest thing about this book is that it doesn’t seem anywhere near as long as the blurb indicates. It reads well, it’s an exciting plot, and I loved it. We greet old friends in new roles, or coming to terms with new roles, at any rate. Some are just looking for a new job, with ideas way above their station (or at least their talent).

There is an extremely interesting and novel danger in the water of the lake, and it is attacking the city. How can the fledging republic tackle it? By changing attitudes for starters, and a lot of this book is enhanced by the problems well-known characters are having adapting to the new reality, yet still tackling stuff they used not to be able to admit to.

I love the way Lindsay Buroker put this story together. It is brilliantly told, well fitted to the whole Emperor’s Edge world, and with great continuity. A fitting end to the saga...

[Ornella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn't realized how much I missed Sicarious and Amaranthe till I started reading again. It was great to see the whole team again + some new characters and I'm just so damn glad Ms. Buroker is going to keep writing about them :D

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't think this story contributed much to the Emperor's Edge series which I really liked. The author admits that this was written in response to the fans who wanted more of Amaranthe's gang and the Starcrest family. Just stick to the series IMHO.

[Nivi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay so to preface this is one of my favorite series of ALL time. I've reread each of the previous seven books and side stories like 2-5 times, but never read the last book until now. And I really wanted to like it but honestly, I was kind of disappointed.

The last book (Forged in Blood II, the 7th installment) was supposed to be the last in the series, and I felt it tied everything together really nicely at the end. Now, I usually hate when authors announce new installments to a supposedly completed series--let it rest!--but I love these characters SO much that I could feel nothing but excitement. And yes, if she ever announced a book #9, I would still feel the very same excitement despite my enjoyment of this book, but anyway.

Lindsay Buroker is a master at writing characters, and she continues to demonstrate that in this last book of the series. Despite the book having so many POVs, each of the characters' voices were all so clearly distinct. I also felt so much warmth and nostalgia at the subtle development of these characters and realizing how far they've come since their first introductions--all of them. Though I really wish one character in particular (my favorite) had made it for this book, I'm glad his death wasn't brushed over or easily forgotten.

Now for the parts I didn't like. Other than her phenomenal characters, Lindsay is also known for writing books packed with thrilling, non-stop action. And she delivered on that account, too, which I would usually enjoy. But to be honest...it was too much action this time.

I know, I know. It's an action series, and this is pretty much the formula of every installment in Emperor's Edge--action scene after action scene with few interludes. But the main antagonists of this arc weren't really that compelling, and the whole problem with the plant was annoying and I wanted it to be over already. I wanted to focus more on the characters, their interactions and relationships, their futures, etc. We got plenty of that, but most of the spotlight was taken by the action and I feel like that wasn't a great thing for a book that was supposed to tie up loose ends and bring a conclusion to these characters.

I also didn't like the part where Sespian has to adopt the Nurian assassin's child . It was random and kind of absurd. It also doesn't make sense for his character at all.

On top of everything, while I enjoyed Rias/Tikaya/Mahliki and the new crew--they're all amazingly well written--we got introduced to them pretty recently and I wasn't invested in those characters at all. I was peeved at having to read that many Tikaya and Mahliki POVs when I really just wanted to stay with the POVs of Amaranthe, Sicarius, and Maldynado. As I mentioned before, Lindsay handles multiple characters and the shifting perspectives really well, but that doesn't mean I particularly liked all of those perspectives.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good! I mean, really, all the books in this series are around the same level. Although with Sicarius and Amaranthe together and solid and happy, I felt less of an urge to rush through the book like I did all the previous ones because I could just enjoy them being together.

I did have some complaints. This book did feel a bit long. I mean, it was almost twice as long as any of the previous books in the series, and tbh I think a lot could have been cut. I really didn't need Tikaya's perspective. I liked her as a character, but I just didn't feel like her POV added a huge amount. Maldynado's was interesting at first because I was interested in the idea of the whole team leaving him and him trying to figure out his place and what he wanted to do, but then I just got annoyed by the stuff with Yara. I've never loved them together, though I haven't been opposed to them, but I did find it obnoxious that he was so opposed to moving with her for her career, and she was the one who had to figure out a solution so she could get a promotion and remain there. Like, I wouldn't have minded that being the end result if he had even offered to go with her? Like, if when she first showed up, he had been like, "I've decided to go with you," and then she could reveal the promotion so they could stay there. That would've been fine! I just wanted him to be willing to put her needs before his own and… he wasn't.

Those were my main complaints — the rest was good. I always love Amaranthe and Sicarius and how their relationship works, and how he opens up to her, and how she can read him like no one else can. I love how everyone else at this point is like, okay with their relationship, but still finds it very weird/confusing, and is like, "Are you SURE you want to consider having kids with him?" Although actually, I'm not sure how I feel about them possibly having kids. I'm not against it, but it's just so hard to imagine Sicarius as a dad (I mean, yes, he already is, but that was under very different circumstances). But they were still fun, and I'll never get tired of their dynamic.

Surprisingly I think I was most into the Mahliki/Sepsian stuff. I really enjoyed her as a character, and the two of them were seriously adorable. Plus, it's nice to have Sespian finally completely over Amaranthe and moved on from all that.

There's one book left in this series, but I think I'm going to take a break and leave that for some time in the future. Most of the storylines I care about have been resolved satisfactorily, so I figure I can just leave it as a nice treat for the future.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this, I truly did. However, this really is a book intended for dedicated fans of the series. It has flaws that weren’t present in the primary Emperor’s Edge books. I think that if I didn’t love these characters so much, I might have hated this one.

First of all, like the plant that dominates the story, this book has so many tendrils branching out in so many directions, it is difficult to get a handle on all of them. It made it a much more difficult read than the other books. I would be ok with that if they all came together in a way that felt necessary and important to the ending. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

As much as I love these characters, they felt off here. Not themselves, so to speak. Some might say, “they’ve changed, that’s character growth,” but this felt more like character decline than growth. After seven books, several characters felt back to book one. Having not read the Encrypted series (I plan to) I can’t say for certain, but even the Starcrests felt immature for the seasoned, respected leaders they are supposed to be. It’s almost as if everyone’s character reverted back to book one except Sespian and Sicarius. But Sespian’s storyline probably annoyed me more than anyone’s, and the ending for him made zero sense. Trying not to spoil anything, but the introduction of Mu Lin (not sure I got the name right) seems a very strange and unnecessary choice when you aren’t continuing the story. In fact, everything about the assassin felt superfluous except that the author wanted Sicarius to be challenged.

When I reviewed Forged In Blood II, I said that I appreciated an ending where everything was clearly over, but that all the personal lives were not tied up in a neat little bow. I knew going in that tying that bow would be part of the point of this “addendum” to the series. Maybe that makes it unfair that I was annoyed that the author did just that, but I am.

I’m clearly not that annoyed, because I’ll read Diplomats next, then probably work through the other two series in this world. Mostly, I admit, where Warrior Mage is concerned, because I’m desperate for a glimpse at what’s happening to the one character NOT in this return, Akstyr.