I must say, this is a good ending to The Rover trilogy and I enjoyed it very much. It was more engaging than The Destruction of the Books, holding much more of the adventure that I missed from the first book.
We finally get to learn more about Craugh, his history, and the part he had to play in how the world came to be as it is. I found it very interesting the connection he had with the main antagonist of the story, as well, though we don't learn of this until the last chapter.
The bulk of the story follows Juhg and his companions as they journey to rescue the Grandmagister and complete the task Wick has charged his apprentice - one that will determine the fate of the world and all that high fantasy awesomeness.
With a mix of humor and drama, we get to follow along as the characters, namely Juhg, struggle with the responsibility, doubt, and fears that arise as they go deeper into their adventure. After learning some disturbing news, he feels his relationship with one of his friends is compromised, and we get to watch him wrestle with that, the fear and the hurt and the loneliness, for a good chunk in the middle of the story. But it isn't until we lose things that we realize just how precious they are.
After living in darkness since the Cataclysm, rumors of the Vault of All Known Knowledge and Greydawn Moors have finally spread to the mainland after its destruction, this is something we learn toward the end, and after all the effort everyone put in to keep this a secret until now, the companions seem a little too okay with confirming the rumors when asked. And then, all quite suddenly, Juhg is talking to and teaching the instantaneously ammassing races about their histories, raising an allied army just like that, which faithfully follows him to the lair of Kempus where the climactic battle takes place.
Warts or no, the ending was good, very Return of the King-esque. Whatever complaints I've had, it was still a good story and I was still sad to read the ending, comely thought it was. A story centered on the importance of books and learning, the role knowing history has in forming the future, and the danger of ignorance, was refreshing for a change and a concept that we should all appreciate.