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Book of the Order #4
Geisterzeichen
Die Grenze zwischen der Welt der Lebenden und dem Reich der Toten wird immer durchlässiger, und die Magierin Sorcha Faris ist eine der Wenigen, die noch verhindern können, dass es zur Katastrophe kommt. Verfolgt von den Schatten ihrer Vergangenheit, soll sie den Angriff gegen die finsteren Horden anführen, die die Menschheit zu überrennen drohen. Doch dazu muss sich Sorcha eine Macht zunutze machen, die ihren eigenen Untergang bedeuten könnte.
420 pages, Klappenbroschur
First published July 30, 2013
28 people are currently reading
957 people want to read
About the author
Philippa Ballantine
70 books1,030 followersBorn and raised in Wellington, New Zealand, Philippa is a writer and podcaster of fantasy fiction.
Immersed in books from an early age, she moved onto to become a librarian. She'd been dreaming of being a writer since a teenager, but in the last ten years she's devoted herself to it.
She's the author of the Books of the Order series from Ace Books. Geist, Spectyr, Wrayth (2012) and Harbinger (2013).
Also, with Pyr books the Shifted World series, Hunter and Fox (2012) and Born and Made (2013)
Philippa is also the co-author of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series. Phoenix Rising and the Janus Affair (2012)
Philippa currently resides in Manassas, Virginia with her husband and co-writer Tee Morris, their daughter and a clowder of five cats who keep them all in line.
Awards
2011 Goodreads Short Listed for Best Science Fiction
2011 Airship Award winner for best written work (with Tee Morris)
2011 Sir Julius Vogel Award nominee for Best Novel- Adult
2010 Parsec Award finalist for Best Speculative Fiction Magazine or Anthology Podcast
2010 Sir Julius Vogel Award finalist for Best fan production
2009 Parsec Award finalist for Best Speculative Fiction Magazine or Anthology Podcast
2009 Sir Julius Vogel Award winner for Best fan production
2009 Sir Julius Vogel Award nominee for Best Novel- Adult
2007 Parsec Award finalist for Best Writing Podcast
2006 Sir Julius Vogel Award nominee for Best Novel
Immersed in books from an early age, she moved onto to become a librarian. She'd been dreaming of being a writer since a teenager, but in the last ten years she's devoted herself to it.
She's the author of the Books of the Order series from Ace Books. Geist, Spectyr, Wrayth (2012) and Harbinger (2013).
Also, with Pyr books the Shifted World series, Hunter and Fox (2012) and Born and Made (2013)
Philippa is also the co-author of the Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series. Phoenix Rising and the Janus Affair (2012)
Philippa currently resides in Manassas, Virginia with her husband and co-writer Tee Morris, their daughter and a clowder of five cats who keep them all in line.
Awards
2011 Goodreads Short Listed for Best Science Fiction
2011 Airship Award winner for best written work (with Tee Morris)
2011 Sir Julius Vogel Award nominee for Best Novel- Adult
2010 Parsec Award finalist for Best Speculative Fiction Magazine or Anthology Podcast
2010 Sir Julius Vogel Award finalist for Best fan production
2009 Parsec Award finalist for Best Speculative Fiction Magazine or Anthology Podcast
2009 Sir Julius Vogel Award winner for Best fan production
2009 Sir Julius Vogel Award nominee for Best Novel- Adult
2007 Parsec Award finalist for Best Writing Podcast
2006 Sir Julius Vogel Award nominee for Best Novel
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
pigs-fly-and-crayfish-whistle
February 2, 2019
June 16, 2014
A somewhat disappointing end to a series that I had previously been enjoying.
It's hard to put my finger on exactly what my problems with this book were. I just became more and more aware that I was puting off reading it and picking up other books instead - which is not a good sign. Still, you can't leave the final book in a series unfinished after having read the first three, so I finally made a concerted effort to read to the end.
Some other reviewers were dissatisfied with the ending and how it left some of the characters but I thought that this was actually handled quite well, with just enough prospect of 'happily ever after' balanced against a few loose ends which leave the door open for a follow-up series of books if the author ever wanted to go there.
It was, sadly, the first 90% of the book that felt lacking to me. There was no real character development - that having all been addressed in the earlier novels, perhaps? Somehow, the characters never really felt as though they were in peril; they didn't have to strive towards their goals; they just moved through a procession of scenes to arrive at the final battle, the outcome of which never felt like it was in any real doubt. A problem with many books that have a fantastical element is that of boundaries - you can always invent a bigger magic to trump whatever previously insurmountable magical force the heroes find themselves facing. And so it was here.
I feel bad for marking the book down, but I do expect better from this author.
It's hard to put my finger on exactly what my problems with this book were. I just became more and more aware that I was puting off reading it and picking up other books instead - which is not a good sign. Still, you can't leave the final book in a series unfinished after having read the first three, so I finally made a concerted effort to read to the end.
Some other reviewers were dissatisfied with the ending and how it left some of the characters but I thought that this was actually handled quite well, with just enough prospect of 'happily ever after' balanced against a few loose ends which leave the door open for a follow-up series of books if the author ever wanted to go there.
It was, sadly, the first 90% of the book that felt lacking to me. There was no real character development - that having all been addressed in the earlier novels, perhaps? Somehow, the characters never really felt as though they were in peril; they didn't have to strive towards their goals; they just moved through a procession of scenes to arrive at the final battle, the outcome of which never felt like it was in any real doubt. A problem with many books that have a fantastical element is that of boundaries - you can always invent a bigger magic to trump whatever previously insurmountable magical force the heroes find themselves facing. And so it was here.
I feel bad for marking the book down, but I do expect better from this author.
March 7, 2020
A disappointing end to a series that began with so much potential
This book was sadly exactly what I was expecting. I understand pyrric victory but taking a character who was once powerful and in control and brave and turning her into a sniveling victim for most of the book except the one scene in the village. Then at the end she is stripped of everything by the person who had once been closest to her. It just left a bad taste in my mouth.
On top of that this book was boggy, filled with continuity errors, and had many spelling and grammatical errors. I'm sure that writing a series and making it all come together is hard but it can be done better than this.
This book was sadly exactly what I was expecting. I understand pyrric victory but taking a character who was once powerful and in control and brave and turning her into a sniveling victim for most of the book except the one scene in the village. Then at the end she is stripped of everything by the person who had once been closest to her. It just left a bad taste in my mouth.
On top of that this book was boggy, filled with continuity errors, and had many spelling and grammatical errors. I'm sure that writing a series and making it all come together is hard but it can be done better than this.
September 2, 2018
I was debating on giving this a 3.5/5 but honestly, this book was partly to blame for a slump and I found it hard to finish.
This series started out strong and descended from there. Pity pity shame shame.
This series started out strong and descended from there. Pity pity shame shame.
October 1, 2020
Fun, fun climax to an exciting series kept this reader quickly turning page after page. Fast moving and adventure filled. Deacon Sorcha Faris, her partner Deacon Merrick Chambers, and Raed are fighting renegade deacons, an evil geist lord, and a mad emperor. This Book of the Order finale picks up after Wrayth, (#3) where the deacons credibility is shattered when Order of the Eye and Fist is literally destroyed.
Sorcha is leader of whatever is left and she must find a way to build a new order or lose to those seeking to entirely destroy the deacons who have kept forces from The Otherside from terrorizing the world. All this is difficult because the gauntlets that gave them magical powers were destroyed. However, an old man draws runes on their bodies which give the deacons back their powers enabling them to fight their way through the battles they must suvive. Fortunately there are some geistlords livomg upon the human realm that do not want to see the creatures from the Otherside break through to destroy their world and work with the three heroes.
All in all I enjoyed this series and could easily pick it up again and reread the entire four novels. Yes, I liked itbut I would recommend that anyone wanting to read it begin with #1 and go right through it.
Sorcha is leader of whatever is left and she must find a way to build a new order or lose to those seeking to entirely destroy the deacons who have kept forces from The Otherside from terrorizing the world. All this is difficult because the gauntlets that gave them magical powers were destroyed. However, an old man draws runes on their bodies which give the deacons back their powers enabling them to fight their way through the battles they must suvive. Fortunately there are some geistlords livomg upon the human realm that do not want to see the creatures from the Otherside break through to destroy their world and work with the three heroes.
All in all I enjoyed this series and could easily pick it up again and reread the entire four novels. Yes, I liked itbut I would recommend that anyone wanting to read it begin with #1 and go right through it.
August 21, 2016
We see the world as it's falling apart around our characters. Things are not looking good, and they may not all live to see what happens to the world when the Otherside crosses over. Maybe they don't want to see it. But they all will do everything in their power to stop it from happening. There are even a few geistlords that live upon the human realm and don't want the Otherside to cross, as they have to many enemies there. You know one of these geistlords as the Rossin. The Rossin has his own set of plans that do parallel what the Deacons and Raed want, not to let the geists cross.
****FULL REVIEW****
When an attack hits the northern citadel they're staying, Sorcha and Merrick see the lines upon lines of souls of the dead, geists and geistlords, waiting to cross and wreck havoc and death upon the world. Sorcha and Merrick will face what they truly are, learning their powers and limits, as they race with Raed Rossin to save the world from the breach happening again. There is one man working all the powers he can to bring the geists and more to this world for him to rule.
I have waited long enough to read this one. It's bitter sweet as I love this world and characters, and this is the last book. *sigh*
We see the world as it's falling apart around our characters. Things are not looking good, and they may not all live to see what happens to the world when the Otherside crosses over. Maybe they don't want to see it. But they all will do everything in their power to stop it from happening. There are even a few geistlords that live upon the human realm and don't want the Otherside to cross, as they have to many enemies there. You know one of these geistlords as the Rossin. The Rossin has his own set of plans that do parallel what the Deacons and Raed want, not to let the geists cross.
We see Sorcha face her other half. She finally remembers her childhood, that was blocked from her. But we see her have to work with who and what she is. She's special and can help or destroy all. Merrick, ah yes. We've known he was unique and powerful in his own way. And here we learn why, combined with what we see with him in the previous books. As I love both of these characters for what makes them special, I also love Raed. He never asks for to much. He does not want to rule, and remains of that mind. He would like to be freed of the Rossin, but not at the cost of the world, and sail the sea. The Rossin has his own plans and wants to be free too. I enjoy seeing these characters pass through different phases in their life and coming to peace with where they end. The events that leave them where they are, makes it easier for us and them to accept the peace.
Now that I'm finished I'm thinking back on the ending. I am starting to think the ending is longer than I originally thought it was. I think it started the final battle when Sorcha and Raed, individually, fought the last man between opening the breach letting all the geists and deadly powers into the human realm. But when we get to the grand finale, I felt it happened to fast. Even reading it felt like there were things skipped over in those flash moments that ended it all. That was a little bummer for me. But what lifted the ending was seeing how the characters plan to go on with their lives. There is an ending, a peace in a way. However, there is always that small spark that is left that leaves a small opening for the world and characters as they could be visited again by the author.
I don't want to say to much more as this is the concluding book of the series and I want you to enjoy it in your adventure with the characters and their big conclusion to attempt to save the world.
****FULL REVIEW****
When an attack hits the northern citadel they're staying, Sorcha and Merrick see the lines upon lines of souls of the dead, geists and geistlords, waiting to cross and wreck havoc and death upon the world. Sorcha and Merrick will face what they truly are, learning their powers and limits, as they race with Raed Rossin to save the world from the breach happening again. There is one man working all the powers he can to bring the geists and more to this world for him to rule.
I have waited long enough to read this one. It's bitter sweet as I love this world and characters, and this is the last book. *sigh*
We see the world as it's falling apart around our characters. Things are not looking good, and they may not all live to see what happens to the world when the Otherside crosses over. Maybe they don't want to see it. But they all will do everything in their power to stop it from happening. There are even a few geistlords that live upon the human realm and don't want the Otherside to cross, as they have to many enemies there. You know one of these geistlords as the Rossin. The Rossin has his own set of plans that do parallel what the Deacons and Raed want, not to let the geists cross.
We see Sorcha face her other half. She finally remembers her childhood, that was blocked from her. But we see her have to work with who and what she is. She's special and can help or destroy all. Merrick, ah yes. We've known he was unique and powerful in his own way. And here we learn why, combined with what we see with him in the previous books. As I love both of these characters for what makes them special, I also love Raed. He never asks for to much. He does not want to rule, and remains of that mind. He would like to be freed of the Rossin, but not at the cost of the world, and sail the sea. The Rossin has his own plans and wants to be free too. I enjoy seeing these characters pass through different phases in their life and coming to peace with where they end. The events that leave them where they are, makes it easier for us and them to accept the peace.
Now that I'm finished I'm thinking back on the ending. I am starting to think the ending is longer than I originally thought it was. I think it started the final battle when Sorcha and Raed, individually, fought the last man between opening the breach letting all the geists and deadly powers into the human realm. But when we get to the grand finale, I felt it happened to fast. Even reading it felt like there were things skipped over in those flash moments that ended it all. That was a little bummer for me. But what lifted the ending was seeing how the characters plan to go on with their lives. There is an ending, a peace in a way. However, there is always that small spark that is left that leaves a small opening for the world and characters as they could be visited again by the author.
I don't want to say to much more as this is the concluding book of the series and I want you to enjoy it in your adventure with the characters and their big conclusion to attempt to save the world.
January 17, 2015
Strangely, this was the most dissatisfying of the Order books.
Ms Ballantine gave us more of the same in this, the 4th in the main Order books, and a semi-satisfying conclusion. I think that the biggest problem of this installment is that it is the last installment - and endings are always hard to do right.
Our ever favorite characters: Sorcha, Merrick, Raed and the Rossin are back and in top form. I really loved the challenge raised by the ending of the last book - the Rossin trying to escape - made me almost think that it was the Rossin that was going to be the big-bad of this book. But that was only a lovingly planted red herring! All of our characters were up to their familiar escapades as we followed them in the battle for the Empire against the evil geists. It was like being wrapped up in a warm blanket, having all these familiar personalities facing and overcoming challenges as they have done in previous books.
But the let down was the villain. Yes, he was powerful, and yes he was smart. But the plot he had spun, along with his motivations just didn't ring true. He felt too much like a gloating evil caricature, and quite unlike the other enemies we had seen in the previous books. I never really felt I could understand or empathize with him. Because of that, the ending felt very overdone and unbelievable. The big confrontation was very sudden, and all our characters had been moved around like chess pieces, and not truly of their own will. This really pulled a lot of the power away from what should have been the climax of the whole series.
But other than the last 1/4, the book was filled with excitement and hard choices for all the characters I'd come to know and love over this series. I think Ms Ballantine excels at writing personal stories, with the added flair of the fantastical. But the attempt to push the story into the mould of an epic fantasy did it some disservice.
That being said, I think I will look for some other stories by this author, and see how well she does there.
Ms Ballantine gave us more of the same in this, the 4th in the main Order books, and a semi-satisfying conclusion. I think that the biggest problem of this installment is that it is the last installment - and endings are always hard to do right.
Our ever favorite characters: Sorcha, Merrick, Raed and the Rossin are back and in top form. I really loved the challenge raised by the ending of the last book - the Rossin trying to escape - made me almost think that it was the Rossin that was going to be the big-bad of this book. But that was only a lovingly planted red herring! All of our characters were up to their familiar escapades as we followed them in the battle for the Empire against the evil geists. It was like being wrapped up in a warm blanket, having all these familiar personalities facing and overcoming challenges as they have done in previous books.
But the let down was the villain. Yes, he was powerful, and yes he was smart. But the plot he had spun, along with his motivations just didn't ring true. He felt too much like a gloating evil caricature, and quite unlike the other enemies we had seen in the previous books. I never really felt I could understand or empathize with him. Because of that, the ending felt very overdone and unbelievable. The big confrontation was very sudden, and all our characters had been moved around like chess pieces, and not truly of their own will. This really pulled a lot of the power away from what should have been the climax of the whole series.
But other than the last 1/4, the book was filled with excitement and hard choices for all the characters I'd come to know and love over this series. I think Ms Ballantine excels at writing personal stories, with the added flair of the fantastical. But the attempt to push the story into the mould of an epic fantasy did it some disservice.
That being said, I think I will look for some other stories by this author, and see how well she does there.
January 3, 2015
"It was okay."
I can sum up all the problems with this series in one sentance: it's just not long enough. Building a world this huge, this deep, this layered, with this much history, not to mention a story with twists and turns and reveals and a massive mythos... it just CANNOT BE DONE in 1200 total pages.
These books could have been some of the best I've read, but they're just too packed. There's barely any time for characters to bond, information and concepts are introduced AS they're happening, and it's all just kind of a mess. The major twists that this book brings illicit a reaction less like "ohhh!" and more like "lol, what? ok."
Also I just... didn't really love the ending itself. Avoiding spoilers, but it definitely bothered me having to see the climax centered around Sorcha being rescued. rescued and the age old "woman's powers are TOO STRONG FOR WOMAN TO CONTROL, MAN HELP WOMAN" trope rears its ugly head.
So. Idk. Yeah.
Great world, great characters, great story, all told in about half the pages it needed overall.
I can sum up all the problems with this series in one sentance: it's just not long enough. Building a world this huge, this deep, this layered, with this much history, not to mention a story with twists and turns and reveals and a massive mythos... it just CANNOT BE DONE in 1200 total pages.
These books could have been some of the best I've read, but they're just too packed. There's barely any time for characters to bond, information and concepts are introduced AS they're happening, and it's all just kind of a mess. The major twists that this book brings illicit a reaction less like "ohhh!" and more like "lol, what? ok."
Also I just... didn't really love the ending itself. Avoiding spoilers, but it definitely bothered me having to see the climax centered around Sorcha being rescued. rescued and the age old "woman's powers are TOO STRONG FOR WOMAN TO CONTROL, MAN HELP WOMAN" trope rears its ugly head.
So. Idk. Yeah.
Great world, great characters, great story, all told in about half the pages it needed overall.
Read
December 22, 2023I loved marathoning this series! it felt kind of rushed at times, but it's so action-packed that you don't even care! ;)
July 9, 2018
A fast-paced, exciting finish to an excellent series. Sorcha, her partner, Merrick, and Raed are united in fighting against renegade deacons, an evil geist lord, and a mad emperor. It is imperative that they remain together, but other forces tear them apart. One must sacrifice everything to save the world.
January 8, 2014
I’m never sure how to review late books in a series. You’ve presumably already read the other three if you clicked past the spoiler warning, so I don’t need to go back and do any background. But maybe you haven’t, and jumping right in is just going to confuse you.
In any event, I really can’t review a book like this without spending at least a little time talking about the magic system. The primary conceit of this world and the series is that there is a spirit world called The Otherside. Various spirits of the dead end up there, but it also appears to have its own natives. Pretty much everything over there is unpleasant and going to mess you up if it gets properly into the physical world. To deal with them, the Deacons use a rune-based magic system that I find pretty cool. Each rune has one single purpose, and generally each type of spirit is dealt with in a fairly similar manner, but you can see at least a little innovation in rune use in the more tense moments.
I think the aspect I like the most about the system is that it is both simple, as each rune has a single function that is comprehensible and consistent, and also has some depth to it, as what Deacons can do with a given run depends on their strength and training. It is very tempting when designing a magic system (and I’ve tried on more than one occasion) to try and lock it down in extremely strict rules, which can get boring, or try to make it too broad, which just leaves the temptation for ‘a wizard did it’ plot hole fill-ins. Philippa Ballantine does a great job here of striking that balance between rules and freedom.
Another thing I enjoy about this book and this series is the portrayal of Deacon Faris herself. I’ve read a lot of books with a ‘strong female protagonist’ who nevertheless seems to crumble into uselessness at the first sign of trouble until her big burly man comes and saves her. While Sorcha does have a big burly man hanging about, and she does occasionally have her moments of weakness and despair, they are all perfectly reasonable times to be weak and desperate, and anybody would feel that way. But rather than wait for rescue, she just pulls herself together, and gets things done. At least half the time, her man is the one who needs saving in the first place to put her in this situation. It is refreshing to see a character who is allowed to be human and to feel emotions and express them, without that automatically defining them as a ‘weak’ character.
One thing that did bug me a little in this book is the big reveal of Deacon Merrick Chambers’ super ultimate power. So with this system of magic, the Sensitives (of which Deacon Chambers is one) have seven ‘Runes of Sight’ of which the final, Ticat, is ‘for the final moment.’ A huge deal is made of this across several books. What exactly Ticat does is kept a highly guarded secret among the Sensitives, and a few times in Merrick’s inner monologue he makes reference to the fact that he might need to use this rune, and what a serious business it is. Well, he does go ahead and use the rune Ticat in this book, and yeah, it was important, it was significant, but it was a pretty big let-down after all the build up.
I’m not sure what exactly I was expecting, or what would have made it sufficiently serious, but this is something authors need to watch out for. Every time something like this is presented, it creates a negative possibility space. And that space needs to be filled back up for the story to be satisfying. If you undersell it, or neglect it entirely, the reader is left feeling disappointed. I’m reminded of Marvin The Martian’s ‘Where’s the Kaboom? There was supposed to be an Earth-shattering kaboom!’
That’s not to say it ruined the book or anything. I still thoroughly enjoyed the read, and the resolution of a story I’ve been having fun with through three previous books. If you’ve read and enjoyed the previous Book of the Order novels (Geist, Spectyr and Wrayth) you’ll enjoy Harbinger. If you’re looking for more interesting magic systems with solid female characters, you should also check out Gail Z. Martin’s Chronicles of the Necromancer (Beginning with The Summoner), and Rowena Cory Daniells’ The Outcast Chronicles (Beginning with Besieged).
In any event, I really can’t review a book like this without spending at least a little time talking about the magic system. The primary conceit of this world and the series is that there is a spirit world called The Otherside. Various spirits of the dead end up there, but it also appears to have its own natives. Pretty much everything over there is unpleasant and going to mess you up if it gets properly into the physical world. To deal with them, the Deacons use a rune-based magic system that I find pretty cool. Each rune has one single purpose, and generally each type of spirit is dealt with in a fairly similar manner, but you can see at least a little innovation in rune use in the more tense moments.
I think the aspect I like the most about the system is that it is both simple, as each rune has a single function that is comprehensible and consistent, and also has some depth to it, as what Deacons can do with a given run depends on their strength and training. It is very tempting when designing a magic system (and I’ve tried on more than one occasion) to try and lock it down in extremely strict rules, which can get boring, or try to make it too broad, which just leaves the temptation for ‘a wizard did it’ plot hole fill-ins. Philippa Ballantine does a great job here of striking that balance between rules and freedom.
Another thing I enjoy about this book and this series is the portrayal of Deacon Faris herself. I’ve read a lot of books with a ‘strong female protagonist’ who nevertheless seems to crumble into uselessness at the first sign of trouble until her big burly man comes and saves her. While Sorcha does have a big burly man hanging about, and she does occasionally have her moments of weakness and despair, they are all perfectly reasonable times to be weak and desperate, and anybody would feel that way. But rather than wait for rescue, she just pulls herself together, and gets things done. At least half the time, her man is the one who needs saving in the first place to put her in this situation. It is refreshing to see a character who is allowed to be human and to feel emotions and express them, without that automatically defining them as a ‘weak’ character.
One thing that did bug me a little in this book is the big reveal of Deacon Merrick Chambers’ super ultimate power. So with this system of magic, the Sensitives (of which Deacon Chambers is one) have seven ‘Runes of Sight’ of which the final, Ticat, is ‘for the final moment.’ A huge deal is made of this across several books. What exactly Ticat does is kept a highly guarded secret among the Sensitives, and a few times in Merrick’s inner monologue he makes reference to the fact that he might need to use this rune, and what a serious business it is. Well, he does go ahead and use the rune Ticat in this book, and yeah, it was important, it was significant, but it was a pretty big let-down after all the build up.
I’m not sure what exactly I was expecting, or what would have made it sufficiently serious, but this is something authors need to watch out for. Every time something like this is presented, it creates a negative possibility space. And that space needs to be filled back up for the story to be satisfying. If you undersell it, or neglect it entirely, the reader is left feeling disappointed. I’m reminded of Marvin The Martian’s ‘Where’s the Kaboom? There was supposed to be an Earth-shattering kaboom!’
That’s not to say it ruined the book or anything. I still thoroughly enjoyed the read, and the resolution of a story I’ve been having fun with through three previous books. If you’ve read and enjoyed the previous Book of the Order novels (Geist, Spectyr and Wrayth) you’ll enjoy Harbinger. If you’re looking for more interesting magic systems with solid female characters, you should also check out Gail Z. Martin’s Chronicles of the Necromancer (Beginning with The Summoner), and Rowena Cory Daniells’ The Outcast Chronicles (Beginning with Besieged).
November 1, 2016
Well, here we finally are. Harbinger is unfortunately the final installment in the awesome steampunk urban fantasy Books of the Order series. While I'll be sad that this awesome and unique series is coming to an end, it did leave on a spectacular high note. While I generally shy away from urban fantasy, I loved this series for a number of reasons:
• Awesome cover artwork by Magic: the Gathering artist Jason Chan
• Doesn't take place in a modern day setting
• Great use of steampunk
• Unique magic system on part with Mistborn and Lightbringer series
• No annoying teenage characters
• No forced romance
• Geists are cooler than generic demons/vampires/etc
With all that out of the way, let's talk about the book itself. Ever since the events in Spectyr, Mother Abbey has been destroyed and The Order of the Eye and Fist is pretty much dissolved. This leaves Sorcha and Merrick as little more than rogues who are still struggling to keep order and peace by fighting off whatever remaining geists are in this world. With their gauntlets destroyed, Deacons now have runes carved into their very skin, probably something akin to the shadowhunters in The Mortal Instruments series. The villain in this novel is a man named Derodak, the very first Deacon who now thinks he can control geists and use their power to his own ends.
The story is quite compelling, but the villain seemed rather underwhelming. I felt like I didn't know enough about his background or motivations. Perhaps he was present in the other books (he was certainly supposed to be behind the major catastrophes in them), but it's been so long since I've read Wrayth that my memory is quite fuzzy. I do know that Derodak comes nowhere close to the creepiness that was The Wrayth, a villain who managed to send chills down my spine when I read about it.
I do think Kaleva (or Kal for short) was a much more compelling villain, although he doesn't do much besides act crazy in two different scenes. However, it's quite clear that he's reached the brink of insanity and will do anything to achieve his goals including dropping a whole ton of geists onto a town because his wife cheated on him with someone from that town. He made an awesome villain, but his villainy was short-lived compared to Derodak.
My other main problem with the book was the ending. It felt like there was a lot of build-up and great fight scenes, but the way that it ended just felt lacking. Since I don't want to give away any spoilers, I'll just say that I don't really understand how the characters managed to accomplish what they did at the end.
The main characters are just as well-developed as ever here. Sorcha finally gets a few flashbacks into her past, revealing a bit more about her history and childhood. Unfortunately, the flashbacks don't really seem to add that much to the story. On the other hand, Merrick got a huge chance to shine during this book. While he's always been reliable as Sorcha's sidekick, the last few chapters turn him from an average sidekick to a full-blown badass. He does all sorts of things that are sure to stun the reader.
Overall, Harbinger is a solid finale to the series and I'm sad that this will be the end of it. Seeing as most series are trilogies, I'm unsure why Philippa Ballantine decided to make it a quadrilogy rather than a regular trilogy like most authors opt for, but this is a worthy ending. The story does cover a lot of previous events that all tie into Harbinger one way or another. The book does a good tone of making it a spectacular finale and gives the reader a dramatic sense of "This is really it" throughout the novel.
• Awesome cover artwork by Magic: the Gathering artist Jason Chan
• Doesn't take place in a modern day setting
• Great use of steampunk
• Unique magic system on part with Mistborn and Lightbringer series
• No annoying teenage characters
• No forced romance
• Geists are cooler than generic demons/vampires/etc
With all that out of the way, let's talk about the book itself. Ever since the events in Spectyr, Mother Abbey has been destroyed and The Order of the Eye and Fist is pretty much dissolved. This leaves Sorcha and Merrick as little more than rogues who are still struggling to keep order and peace by fighting off whatever remaining geists are in this world. With their gauntlets destroyed, Deacons now have runes carved into their very skin, probably something akin to the shadowhunters in The Mortal Instruments series. The villain in this novel is a man named Derodak, the very first Deacon who now thinks he can control geists and use their power to his own ends.
The story is quite compelling, but the villain seemed rather underwhelming. I felt like I didn't know enough about his background or motivations. Perhaps he was present in the other books (he was certainly supposed to be behind the major catastrophes in them), but it's been so long since I've read Wrayth that my memory is quite fuzzy. I do know that Derodak comes nowhere close to the creepiness that was The Wrayth, a villain who managed to send chills down my spine when I read about it.
I do think Kaleva (or Kal for short) was a much more compelling villain, although he doesn't do much besides act crazy in two different scenes. However, it's quite clear that he's reached the brink of insanity and will do anything to achieve his goals including dropping a whole ton of geists onto a town because his wife cheated on him with someone from that town. He made an awesome villain, but his villainy was short-lived compared to Derodak.
My other main problem with the book was the ending. It felt like there was a lot of build-up and great fight scenes, but the way that it ended just felt lacking. Since I don't want to give away any spoilers, I'll just say that I don't really understand how the characters managed to accomplish what they did at the end.
The main characters are just as well-developed as ever here. Sorcha finally gets a few flashbacks into her past, revealing a bit more about her history and childhood. Unfortunately, the flashbacks don't really seem to add that much to the story. On the other hand, Merrick got a huge chance to shine during this book. While he's always been reliable as Sorcha's sidekick, the last few chapters turn him from an average sidekick to a full-blown badass. He does all sorts of things that are sure to stun the reader.
Overall, Harbinger is a solid finale to the series and I'm sad that this will be the end of it. Seeing as most series are trilogies, I'm unsure why Philippa Ballantine decided to make it a quadrilogy rather than a regular trilogy like most authors opt for, but this is a worthy ending. The story does cover a lot of previous events that all tie into Harbinger one way or another. The book does a good tone of making it a spectacular finale and gives the reader a dramatic sense of "This is really it" throughout the novel.
August 10, 2013
4.5 stars: Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
Review originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy provided by publisher.
Harbinger is the fourth and final installment of the marvelous Books of the Order series by Philippa Ballantine. Although one could probably get away reading it solo, I do not recommend it. Ms. Ballantine has created an immensely rich fantasy world with stories that build from book to book, and it is best read from beginning to end. Harbinger truly is the climatic culmination of every moment and event from the previous three books - and a fantastic one at that!
The story opens not long after the dramatic conclusion of Wrayth, with the Order of the Eye and the Fist is ruins, the broken Emperor of Arkaym, Kaleva, set on revenge, and our favorite heroes (Sorcha, Merrick and Raed - along with the Rossin) on the run, recovering from the destruction brought about by Derodak. With so much of the world in disarray, the barrier between Arkaym and the Otherside grows incredibly thin, bringing all sorts of terror down of the citizens of the Empire. The trio work to start a new order and defeat Derodak before he breaks the barrier completely, letting through every geist, spirit and other nasty into the world of the living.
Once again, Ms. Ballantine has developed a unique story that gels into the overall story arc from the Books of the Order. She shares all of the secrets, answers many of the questions, and gives finality to a story that has spanned four books. What makes this such a wonderful fantasy is the author’s ability to spin a fantastical tale that is smart and enjoyable. The details are sublime, and the continuing mythology is engrossing.
The thing I love most about these books, which holds true in Harbinger, are the relationships and dynamics between the main characters. What started out as rigid and rough has transformed over time into a beautiful yet necessary symbiosis. Unfortunately for the characters, as the world draws to an end, their bonds are stretched and strained under the weight of individual growth as each comes into his/her own powers. Watching each deal with the changes and loss of the closeness of the bonds was heart-wrenching. Each must makes choices necessary for the good of the people, giving the story added suspense and drama.
Overall a wonderful story and fantastic ending to this complex and engrossing series. I have come to enjoy the trio along with the Rossin, and what occurs during Harbinger is a perfect ending for this series. Prophetic in nature and grandiose in scale, Harbinger takes the group we’ve come to care about and puts them through the ultimate tests in a battle for Arkaym. The story was completely riveting - much along the scale as the earlier three books. On its own merits, it is a worthy tale full of excitement and action. However, as the crowning jewel of an epic tale, it is extremely successful.
Each of the characters evolve into more - into what is needed to survive, yet it’s organic and not contrived. The ending battle was epic, but not overdone. The goodbyes were sad, but I was left with hope for the future. The Books of the Order series is a must read for fans of fantasy.
Review originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
Review copy provided by publisher.
Harbinger is the fourth and final installment of the marvelous Books of the Order series by Philippa Ballantine. Although one could probably get away reading it solo, I do not recommend it. Ms. Ballantine has created an immensely rich fantasy world with stories that build from book to book, and it is best read from beginning to end. Harbinger truly is the climatic culmination of every moment and event from the previous three books - and a fantastic one at that!
The story opens not long after the dramatic conclusion of Wrayth, with the Order of the Eye and the Fist is ruins, the broken Emperor of Arkaym, Kaleva, set on revenge, and our favorite heroes (Sorcha, Merrick and Raed - along with the Rossin) on the run, recovering from the destruction brought about by Derodak. With so much of the world in disarray, the barrier between Arkaym and the Otherside grows incredibly thin, bringing all sorts of terror down of the citizens of the Empire. The trio work to start a new order and defeat Derodak before he breaks the barrier completely, letting through every geist, spirit and other nasty into the world of the living.
Once again, Ms. Ballantine has developed a unique story that gels into the overall story arc from the Books of the Order. She shares all of the secrets, answers many of the questions, and gives finality to a story that has spanned four books. What makes this such a wonderful fantasy is the author’s ability to spin a fantastical tale that is smart and enjoyable. The details are sublime, and the continuing mythology is engrossing.
The thing I love most about these books, which holds true in Harbinger, are the relationships and dynamics between the main characters. What started out as rigid and rough has transformed over time into a beautiful yet necessary symbiosis. Unfortunately for the characters, as the world draws to an end, their bonds are stretched and strained under the weight of individual growth as each comes into his/her own powers. Watching each deal with the changes and loss of the closeness of the bonds was heart-wrenching. Each must makes choices necessary for the good of the people, giving the story added suspense and drama.
Overall a wonderful story and fantastic ending to this complex and engrossing series. I have come to enjoy the trio along with the Rossin, and what occurs during Harbinger is a perfect ending for this series. Prophetic in nature and grandiose in scale, Harbinger takes the group we’ve come to care about and puts them through the ultimate tests in a battle for Arkaym. The story was completely riveting - much along the scale as the earlier three books. On its own merits, it is a worthy tale full of excitement and action. However, as the crowning jewel of an epic tale, it is extremely successful.
Each of the characters evolve into more - into what is needed to survive, yet it’s organic and not contrived. The ending battle was epic, but not overdone. The goodbyes were sad, but I was left with hope for the future. The Books of the Order series is a must read for fans of fantasy.
Read
August 15, 2021
April 19, 2022
Vote: 4,00
Class: L-B1 (FP) (*)
(Fourth and last book of the Book of the Order Series)
And finally in this last book the story becomes breathtaking, the characters grow to epic proportions, and all this series becomes great.
I've liking the previous books but let's say they need, in my opinion, some editing; on the contrary, this book is just perfect.
The world (3,50) is a mixture of steampunk and fantasy, with an interesting magical system. I liked the Deacons Order idea and the way their powers work.
The characters (4,25) are great, Merrich, Sorcha and Read in particular, with a rich personal history and some psychological depth; they grow more and more interesting till the end.
The story (4,00) is very good: well paced and captivating. The ending is great. (There is too much romance for my liking but then, my liking is... no romance at all!)
The writing (3,75) is very good.
I'll recommend this series, even if, with some editing, it could be even better. And I'm going to find some other books by Philippa Ballantine for my future reading.
(*) There is one or two sex scenes too much detailed for a young reader and some opinable (and not at all necessary!) views about homosexuality
Class: L-B1 (FP) (*)
(Fourth and last book of the Book of the Order Series)
And finally in this last book the story becomes breathtaking, the characters grow to epic proportions, and all this series becomes great.
I've liking the previous books but let's say they need, in my opinion, some editing; on the contrary, this book is just perfect.
The world (3,50) is a mixture of steampunk and fantasy, with an interesting magical system. I liked the Deacons Order idea and the way their powers work.
The characters (4,25) are great, Merrich, Sorcha and Read in particular, with a rich personal history and some psychological depth; they grow more and more interesting till the end.
The story (4,00) is very good: well paced and captivating. The ending is great. (There is too much romance for my liking but then, my liking is... no romance at all!)
The writing (3,75) is very good.
I'll recommend this series, even if, with some editing, it could be even better. And I'm going to find some other books by Philippa Ballantine for my future reading.
(*) There is one or two sex scenes too much detailed for a young reader and some opinable (and not at all necessary!) views about homosexuality
August 11, 2016
This book is categorized as “steampunk” and I read it from start to finish but I have no idea what makes it “steampunk”. Also the author is from New Zealand so it’s a perfect match for the category. Maybe because I don’t know steampunk. I guess I was expecting Queen Victoria on a train!
The good is that the book is quick reading and action-packed. Also it is number four in a series (I read this one because it was the one I could find in my library). but there is sufficient back-story to make it comprehensible.
The book feels hurried, as if she were trying to wrap up so many plot-lines that the exposition is sometimes. It’s a little bit too science-fictiony for my tastes. There were a lot of scenes where people felt their stomachs “dropping away” and it was literal! The wicked spirits threaten the innocent…and I won’t spoil the ending.
The good is that the book is quick reading and action-packed. Also it is number four in a series (I read this one because it was the one I could find in my library). but there is sufficient back-story to make it comprehensible.
The book feels hurried, as if she were trying to wrap up so many plot-lines that the exposition is sometimes. It’s a little bit too science-fictiony for my tastes. There were a lot of scenes where people felt their stomachs “dropping away” and it was literal! The wicked spirits threaten the innocent…and I won’t spoil the ending.
January 20, 2022
3.4 ☆☆☆
Urgh I’m having the hardest time rating this...I definitely liked it a lot more than Wrayth but like..there was so much wasted potential. It would have needed to be a lot longer to make the ending as impactful as it should have been. Tbh the ending was the best part of the book, but how we got there was just..meh. Most of the characters were just moved around by circumstance without agency of their own. And it’s just kinda sad when you feel like one of the secondary characters has more meaningful scenes than the entire main trio together. Also idk lots of ideas and plans that didn’t go anywhere in particular.
Oh well.
I still think the worldbuilding is fantastic.
Urgh I’m having the hardest time rating this...I definitely liked it a lot more than Wrayth but like..there was so much wasted potential. It would have needed to be a lot longer to make the ending as impactful as it should have been. Tbh the ending was the best part of the book, but how we got there was just..meh. Most of the characters were just moved around by circumstance without agency of their own. And it’s just kinda sad when you feel like one of the secondary characters has more meaningful scenes than the entire main trio together. Also idk lots of ideas and plans that didn’t go anywhere in particular.
Oh well.
I still think the worldbuilding is fantastic.
November 10, 2013
As the final book of the Order, Harbinger had a lot to live up to. Ballantine successfully held tension through the story, while giving us tragic figures to morn, heroic figures to cheer, and incredible depth to the characters we've come to cherish through this series. She also left enough wiggle-room at the end for a fifth book to the series, as there are a couple of questions raised at the end of the book as well as some left-over unanswered questions from the series. I am thoroughly satisfied with the end as is, but I do hope Ms. Ballantine will be prompted to visit the series once more in novel form. Five stars.
August 15, 2013
Great ending, tying up loose ends without straining credibility (too much!) I liked the small message of hope at the ending since . I would love to read a novella set in the future updating us on the characters and the fallout from Harbinger's events.
May 19, 2014
And the Burrito of Sadness continues with Harbinger, the final Book of the Order.
I wish series did not have to come to an end, but I am always glad when authors are able to gracefully end a series. Harbinger is not a graceful end, but a violent, twisty, satisfying conclusion. I need to find time to read this fascinating series again.
I wish series did not have to come to an end, but I am always glad when authors are able to gracefully end a series. Harbinger is not a graceful end, but a violent, twisty, satisfying conclusion. I need to find time to read this fascinating series again.
November 25, 2013
Just finished reading and cried. I truly hope there is one more story with Sorcha and Merrick in it. The action was good and kept you wondering if Sorcha would be the Harbinger of Good or the downfall of all humans. The last page made me hope for more and now I can't wait for next book by this author to come out.
February 21, 2014
Satisfying end to a great series.
June 12, 2014
Definitely wanted more after reading all of the books of the Order!
January 7, 2016
A good read.. But disappointed at the ending.. I won't find out what happens between zofiya and merrick
January 26, 2016
Well at least for now this seems to be the final book in the series, which is sad. I have really come to love the characters in this series.
June 1, 2016
3.5. Good enough conclusion to the series.
Read
August 21, 2019A decent end to the series, but a little difficult to read with all the errors. Was there no editor? Practically every page had grammar errors (especially comma splices), misspellings, and/or typos. There were continuity errors and places where it was evident that edits had been made but surrounding text was not adjusted. Some scenes were also afflicted with a lack of clarity, where the author’s vision was not adequately transcribed to the page. This is where beta readers can alert the author that what is in her head did not make it onto the page. Overall, it was a good first draft but could have been great with some time invested in reworking and editing.
June 22, 2017
The Order of the Eye and Fist is broken almost beyond repair. The Native Order lead by First Arch Abbott is trying to control all of the geistlords. Can our heroes stop this madman? Will it break what's left of The Order of the Eye and Fist? Your answers await you in Harbinger.
I'm sad to see this series end. Yet is answered all the questions I had through out the whole series. The characters were top notch and believable. I'm excited to see if there is a future for this series until then Happy Reading!
I'm sad to see this series end. Yet is answered all the questions I had through out the whole series. The characters were top notch and believable. I'm excited to see if there is a future for this series until then Happy Reading!
March 15, 2019
The saga ended pretty much as it had to. I don't know, I felt as if some of the momenta of the first two books got lost during Books 3 and 4. And now that the Zofiya is not regent but Empress, does she get married and does she still continue her affair with Merrick? And what about Merrick's half brother? And what is Raed going to do now? Fish? And Sorcha as a fish-wife? I don't think so. It would be nice to anticipate an epilogue (or epitaph - hah!) or short story to "wrap up all the threads." Ultimately, for the here and now, our MCs get to sail into the sunset.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2017
While I enjoyed the entire series very much I felt like this was the weakest book of the series. It takes almost half of the book for the story to really take off and I felt like the book concluded a little too conveniently. Also there are some loose ends in the plot that are never addressed and are just left open. But I thought that the last couple paragraphs saved the book from being three and a half to a four star book.
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