The Wanderer's Mark

The Books of Imirillia #3

by Beth Brower

BASAAL SCREAMED, LIFTED HIS BLACK SWORD ABOVE HIS HEAD, AND RODE INTO THE TUMULT OF WAR.


With a daunting desert spread out before her, Eleanor still believes she can return home and aid her people in defending Aemogen from the Imirillian invasion. But she finds there are impossibilities and bitter fates she cannot control.

Now that Eleanor is beyond his reach, Basaal must confront the demons of his father’s conquest. With the Emperor Shaamil’s decision to personally ensure victory, Basaal is swept into the war he’d tried so desperately to prevent.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult, Romance, Ebooks, Science Fiction Fantasy, Romantasy

347 pages, Paperback

Published July 19, 2016

About the author

Like many of my siblings, I would sneak out of bed, slip into the hallway, and pull my favorite books from the book closet. I read my way through the bottom shelf, then the next shelf up, and the shelf above that, until I could climb to the very top shelf, stacked two layers deep and two layers high, and read the titles of the classics. My desire to create stories grew as I was learning to read them.

Subsequently, I spent my time scribbling in notebooks rather than listening to math lectures at school.

I graduated with a degree in literary studies, and have spent several years working on the novels that keep pounding on the doors of my mind, as none of my characters are very patient to wait their turn. I currently live in Orem, Utah, with my wonderful chemist husband, and books in every room of the house.

Reviews

[Janssen]

I couldn't read this book fast enough - her world building and characters are just A+++

[Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the whole series! But I want an epilogue that shows Baasal and Eleanor with 3 little girls!

Reread August 2025: I appreciated the depth of Eleanor and Basaal’s relationship so much more this time around. One of my favorite hardearned love stories of all times.

[Christine Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so sad to be done with this series.
Yes, it has been an emotional rollercoaster but I read it slow and savored every word.
I don’t know how Beth Brower does it but she triggers every emotion. Beth somehow manages to make you fall in love with her characters so much that you actually begin to feel what they feel. The extremely slow-burn romance and the build up to a war has been extremely painful to the point I have been afraid of what the ending of this series might bring.
Thank you Beth for ALL of your books. I have loved and enjoyed everyone of them and will continue to read all that you write. The Emma Lion series is so delightful and I pray for a sequel to “The Q”.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4 and a half stars to be more accurate*

My goodness! This series was an emotional rollercoaster. Love, sacrifice, pain, death, triumph, defeat, you name it. This was so close to being a five star read for me, but the ending was just too brief and detached to be completely satisfactory. During almost every interaction between Eleanor and Basaal, there was an undercurrent of suppressed words and emotions. It felt like it would explode and finally break through at any moment. I kept waiting for it all to come to a head, hoping that these characters would finally get to speak to each other openly at some point, without pride and duty hanging over their heads. There were things they needed to say to each other, things I, as a reader, really wanted them to address. Her escape, their time apart, their shared losses, their separate and yet connected losses, their struggles, their future. The tension between them built and built, but to me it felt there was no emotional "pay-off" for lack of a better word. I SO wanted to see a bit of the same passion they fiercely showed for their people and their countries directed at each other. (That's not to say I didn't appreciate the subtler moments of love and affection we got, I really did.) I just wanted to see some of the necessary walls they had kept in place break down, if only long enough for one honest, no pulled punches conversation.
This trilogy was no carefree read. This was a gripping, angsty, and at moments, dark read. As poetic and symbolic as the ending we got was, I was left feeling dissatisfied with more questions than I like being left with. After so much pain and loss, I think all these characters deserved a fleshed out send-off. An epilogue, I think, would have made this otherwise amazing journey feel whole.

[Joelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh! And the prose goes on and on and on.

This was disappointing. So much happened and none of it was satisfying, but by the time I came to that conclusion I was committed and had to finish. It reminded me of how I felt reading Mockingjay. So many people die and it’s depressing.


Also the whole religious thing got a bit weird, not to mention Basaal’s dream. What was that?


Something else I take issue with: The romance was way too complicated to be enjoyable. Talk about a slow burn. Somebody practically cut the fuse. I was not happy. I understand their reasons, but I didn’t like it. The HEA wasn’t very happy. It felt tired more than anything.


I would just like to say that Ammar was my favorite character. He was the only one that made me smile, even if it was only in my mind, and he made himself quite useful in the end. Only he should have acted sooner and saved everyone a whole heap of grief.

[swinters404 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I am gonna need days to emotionally process finishing this trilogy. It’s been a while since I’ve been so deeply invested in characters that I can’t think of anything else, but reading this series made me feel like a little kid wanting to read under the covers of my bed.

[Kirsta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m actually a little disappointed in the relationship/romance of this trilogy. I think it deserved better in this book.

[Ally Daugherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started book one of this series because I forgot my book I was ACTUALLY supposed to be reading when I had a little free time and since its available through kindle unlimited and I have loved reading her Emma series I started this. Well, once I started this one I could NOT put the series down. I haven't picked up my other book despite it being another great book that I had been anticipating for over a year before its release but Beth just has a MAGIC in her writing. She makes you love her characters and lose sleep over knowing how things will work out for them. I curse her for making this three separate books but I am so so glad I came upon the series after it was completely finished. These were the perfect books to save me from my book hangover while I wait for the next Emma M Lion book. They could not be more different from those books in genre but the writing is just as musical and poetic. I don't know how she does it. I am convinced she has made some sort of unworldly deal to come up with these stories. This series will be one I come back to again and again and I just have to say I am so glad I was alive to read it!
Ok so what is it about now that I have gushed about it? Just start reading it. You won't regret it!! Well you may regret it for the few days it takes you to read all three since you won't be sleeping or doing anything else the whole time.

[Alisha]

Gripping conclusion to a trilogy? Check. Characters you care about? Check. Pretty epic world-building? Check. This is a powerful tale. But in this final book, there’s a lot of death, and some of it’s described in distressingly vivid ways. I didn’t quite expect that degree of ferocity… I miss the more idyllic wanderings of the first book. Anyway, I can’t give this installment an exact star rating, because my thoughts about it are complicated. Make of that what you will, especially if you’re coming to these from the sweet whimsicality of Emma M. Lion!

[Christa Petzold · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series kept me on the edge of my seat and I read as fast as I could! It was pure fun.

This book, however, was the most frustrating in the series. The main characters did not exhibit the growth I was expecting from them at this point in the narrative, and it felt a bit like the reader was being played with instead of witnessing a compelling romance. I'm glad the ending was good, but i would have liked to see the protagonists genuinely team up by this point and lean into each other instead of away. It became almost unbelievable how difficult they made life for each other.

Still... A fun and gripping trilogy!

[Emily Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Could not and would not put this book down. The TENSION and the STRUGGLE. So good. There were times I hated the characters, mainly because they were so realistic. I felt like this is one of the most realistic relationships I’ve read. Ugh I can’t put it into words. It doesn’t do it justice.

I will say, this book deals heavily with grief and death. While the ending is perfect (albeit a little short for me), it’s a raw and realistic ending. In other words, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this book a few days ago and still can’t decide what to make of the ending. I think it has grown on me, but I was initially left wanting a little more. Part of my disappointment was because the main characters are hardly together in this book. But the series was such a fun one. There aren’t a lot of series that I’d bother to reread. But this might be one!

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a well developed story charged with conflict, heartache, loyalty & triumph. The characters were developed beautifully and pulled me into the discord that appeared to have no good resolution. After the labor of fighting for and against each other the ending felt abrupt. I was left craving more healing and closure after the long journey three books took us on.

[Krisette Spangler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The conclusion of the trilogy did not follow any plot lines that I could have dreamed up myself. The novel was a maze of twists and turns from the very beginning. It was a brilliant conclusion to the series.

[Myla · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 I liked it, I liked it all so why did it take me so long to finish? Something was just not compelling me to come back and I can only say it was drawn out…I think instead of a trilogy it should have be duology…could have kept a little bit of a better pace.

[Jenn "Awww Yeaaahhh" · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

[Julie Bird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect ending to a great story!! I couldn't imagine how these circumstances could reconcile with anything like a happy ending. But the author's very clever plot twists brought it all together in a most satisfying way. Not without sorrow and realism though, which just made it that much sweeter.
With some books I tend to move through quickly because of a lot of redundancy, but with this author, I didn't want to miss a word. I loved the seven scrolls and all the wisdom!

Well done! Write more books please!

[Trina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I savored this book because I knew I wouldn’t want it to end. And I was right. I didn’t want it to end. It was the brutal culminating story and it did not disappoint. My heart is aching and my tears have come and gone. I would read the series again in a heartbeat… once my heart has been shored up once again.

Beth- you blow me away with your stories. They are achingly beautiful and so real and raw. Thank you.

[Debbie Means · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this whole trilogy, as evidenced by how quickly I read all three books. I just couldn't put them down. Thanks Bethany, for not making me wait 3 years to read this entire tale.

This was such a great story. The characters were so full of integrity, loyalty and love and were willing to sacrifice there own happiness to do what was right for others.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cry-fest, but such a powerful story! I was sad to see so many beloved characters die, but I think that added to the impact of the story. My one major disappointment was not having the narrative include Basaal being reunited with Sharin.

[Hannah Degn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Big Book of Mormon war chapters energy — extremely bleak and sad.

[Suzette Kunz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without giving spoilers, this book digs deep into the conflict between love, duty, and honor. On top of that, there's a major battle. I was so invested in all of the characters by the end, I didn't want it to end.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished the last page of the book and I don’t have a coherent thought. My heart has been rended! I literally feel like I’ve just personally experienced every feeling that Eleanor and Basaal have gone though and I’m a mess. Wow! Wanderer’s Mark is an emotional roller-coaster ride, and I might add…not for the faint of heart.

Beth Brower writes amazingly complex feelings and imbues her characters with such depth, that you are simply compelled to be drawn into their lives. Wanderer’s Mark will leave you breathless at the emotions it wrenches from you.

The beauty of the higher ideals of sacrifice, honor, hope, love, and responsibility are threaded throughout the entire trilogy. This final book explores the consequences of holding fast and committing to what you believe to be right despite the possibility of loss. I loved that for Basaal, this is not only a physical journey but a spiritual one as well, and especially the fact that his God is an active force in his life. I liked the idea, that it is vital at some point in our lives to actively choose our own path, because failing to do so will eventually foster confusion, uncertainty, guilt, and doubt.

Eleanor and Basaal are two passionate yet very different people who are tethered together by love and yet separated by their own ideals. This story deals with an impossible situation for both of them as the Imirillian empire marches to war against Aemogen. How can either of them lead their people without hurting those they love. This was a very well thought out narrative with intelligent writing, thought provoking sentiments, great pacing, and memorable characters whom you won’t soon forget. The timeless wisdom of the seven scrolls adds insight to each chapter and the dreams and visions add a touch of magical realism to this heart wrenching and moving story. I’m sure I will be thinking about this book for a while yet and I’m hopeful that Beth will take pity on this hopeless romantic and write an epilogue for all her devoted followers.

You have a new fan Beth and I will happily read whatever you write!

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Uggggg this ended up being so disappointing. I was really very hopeful during book 2 of the series that a beautiful deep and fulfilling relationship would develop between the main characters but it was just ‘too little and too late’ for me. It could have been such a great love story but there was very little passion or expression of love between them… at all. It was not believable and just fell flat for me!

[Amy Jensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the emotional turmoil of the second book, this takes the reader for even more of an emotional roller coaster. It is a fabulous push and pull that keeps the reader going wanting desperately to know what will happen to all the characters we've come to know. I couldn't put it down and loved it. It's a wonderful end to the trilogy.

[Jillian Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5. I didn’t love the back and forth of Eleanor and Basaal’s relationship after having such a good understanding of one another in the second book. It was fairly exhausting to read and made for an underwhelming ending of the book. As far as the plot goes it was really good and a satisfying end. Was also not a a fan of the fact that every likable side character died by the end.

[Lundy Willes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this series but I just wanted more from the conclusion. The ending felt slightly rushed? The first two books were just so good and this fell a little flat to me. But still good because I love the way Beth writes!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this series! It has been one week since I finished this book and I'm still suffering from a book hangover!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such perfection in a book. I need to read it again and I rarely feel that way about a book. I loved he first two in this series and I loved this one even more.

[Janalee B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was slow. I didn't like it as much as the other two.