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Piercing the Veil #3
Impossible
Who is the true child of the prophecy?
The Shadow Lord has the Philosopher's Stone, and therefore an army of invincible penumbra. He also possesses the fragments of Excalibur, the legendary sword prophesied to be the instrument of either his own destruction, or that of the Child of the Prophecy. The sword, he knows,requires blood to be reforged... and he knows exactly whose blood he wants.
Meanwhile, the Watchers are desperate to steal back the fragments of Excalibur and find out how to reforge them before the Shadow Lord does. Isdemus places Peter and Lily in Carlion's sister cities for safe-keeping until the war begins. But Peter and Lily have an idea that might enable the Watchers to steal back the fragments, in spite of the Shadow Lord's invincible army. Their plan requires them to travel halfway across the world, to an island largely believed to exist only in Greek mythology. Along the way, however, the Shadow Lord uses a pawn to convince Peter and Lily that they are powerless. Without their gifts of the Ancient Tongue, will either one of them stand a chance?
In this gripping conclusion of the Piercing the Veil trilogy, the Watchers and the Shadow Lord both amass their ranks, the battle begins, and the true identity of the Child of the Prophecy is revealed--to the shock of all.
The Shadow Lord has the Philosopher's Stone, and therefore an army of invincible penumbra. He also possesses the fragments of Excalibur, the legendary sword prophesied to be the instrument of either his own destruction, or that of the Child of the Prophecy. The sword, he knows,requires blood to be reforged... and he knows exactly whose blood he wants.
Meanwhile, the Watchers are desperate to steal back the fragments of Excalibur and find out how to reforge them before the Shadow Lord does. Isdemus places Peter and Lily in Carlion's sister cities for safe-keeping until the war begins. But Peter and Lily have an idea that might enable the Watchers to steal back the fragments, in spite of the Shadow Lord's invincible army. Their plan requires them to travel halfway across the world, to an island largely believed to exist only in Greek mythology. Along the way, however, the Shadow Lord uses a pawn to convince Peter and Lily that they are powerless. Without their gifts of the Ancient Tongue, will either one of them stand a chance?
In this gripping conclusion of the Piercing the Veil trilogy, the Watchers and the Shadow Lord both amass their ranks, the battle begins, and the true identity of the Child of the Prophecy is revealed--to the shock of all.
- GenresFantasy
490 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2014
28 people are currently reading
286 people want to read
About the author
C.A. Gray
29 books512 followersC.A. Gray is the author of three YA Amazon bestselling trilogies: PIERCING THE VEIL (magic and quantum physics meet Arthurian legends), THE LIBERTY BOX (dystopian metaphysics and mind control technology), and UNCANNY VALLEY (dystopian coming-of-age with neuroscience and super intelligent A.I). She starts with some scientific concept that she’s interested in learning more about herself, and then creates lots of epic chaos and high-stakes action to go along with it. Her stories are free of gratuitous violence, language, and sexual content, and she abhors depressing endings… but they’re not all kittens and rainbows either! She also listens to and reviews audiobooks on her website, here on Goodreads, on Instagram, and on her podcast, Clean Audiobook Reviews, where she also occasionally interviews other authors.
By day, C.A. Gray practices naturopathic medicine, podcasts, and writes medical non-fiction under her maiden name (Dr. Lauren Deville). She lives in Tucson, AZ with her husband Frank, and together they maintain an occasionally contentious film review blog (under her real name: Lauren Baden. Three names. Yes.) She’s kind of the queen of multitasking—so in her spare time, she creates whatever meals or crafts she found most recently on Pinterest, drinks lots of coffee (Aeropress btw) and occasional wine (reds—and she saves the corks for craft projects), works out (while listening to audiobooks), and studies the Bible—about half of the podcasts on Christian Natural Health are scripture meditations.
She does sleep, too. Promise.
Join her newsletter for best-of-the-month reads, freebies and giveaway information, as well as new releases! http://eepurl.com/F3rof
By day, C.A. Gray practices naturopathic medicine, podcasts, and writes medical non-fiction under her maiden name (Dr. Lauren Deville). She lives in Tucson, AZ with her husband Frank, and together they maintain an occasionally contentious film review blog (under her real name: Lauren Baden. Three names. Yes.) She’s kind of the queen of multitasking—so in her spare time, she creates whatever meals or crafts she found most recently on Pinterest, drinks lots of coffee (Aeropress btw) and occasional wine (reds—and she saves the corks for craft projects), works out (while listening to audiobooks), and studies the Bible—about half of the podcasts on Christian Natural Health are scripture meditations.
She does sleep, too. Promise.
Join her newsletter for best-of-the-month reads, freebies and giveaway information, as well as new releases! http://eepurl.com/F3rof
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 27, 2015
This is the final installment in the Piercing the Veil trilogy.
We still aren't sure if Peter or Lily is the Child of the Prophecy. Isdemus tries to protect them both but they still wanted to help and find the fragments of the Excalibur. Later, Peter and Lily thought the Ancient Tongue stopped working for the both of them, but then how would they defeat the Shadow Lord.
I read this book on Goodreads. I absolutely enjoyed this one! It reminded me of Harry Potter so much at times. Although there were times when I almost predicted some things about certain characters, I still really loved reading it.
We still aren't sure if Peter or Lily is the Child of the Prophecy. Isdemus tries to protect them both but they still wanted to help and find the fragments of the Excalibur. Later, Peter and Lily thought the Ancient Tongue stopped working for the both of them, but then how would they defeat the Shadow Lord.
I read this book on Goodreads. I absolutely enjoyed this one! It reminded me of Harry Potter so much at times. Although there were times when I almost predicted some things about certain characters, I still really loved reading it.
October 5, 2015
The final battle is drawing near and doubts are creeping into the hearts and minds of Peter, Lily and their allies as their powers are beginning to flicker like a light bulb on its last filament. Will they lose their powers just when they needed them most? Things seem to be falling apart at the worst time, the Shadow Lord has control over legions of powerful Penumbra with the Philosopher’s Stone in his possession. He also has control of Peter’s twin brother’s body, so to kill The Shadow Lord is to kill an undeserving innocent. Add to that, no one is sure who the Child of Prophecy is or who will win the battle between good and evil. Whatever the outcome, it cannot come without pain, too much pain.
The clock is ticking and the Watchers need to retrieve the fragments of Excalibur from the Dark Lord or all is lost. Is it too late for Peter and Lily, as well as the rest of the world? Will King Arthur’s legend become a tale lost to infamy? The always in control Isdemus requires full compliance to lead his army, but, seriously, Lily and full compliance in the same sentence? PULEEZE. Both dimensions are crossed to end this battle of winner take all, as the penumbra become stronger over their human minions, in spite of the many who have learned to see with their minds and hearts and to recognize the evil sitting on everyone’s shoulder. Not everyone will survive this time, and it may take the wisdom of an old man and the innocence of a young child to lead the Watchers to battle, but will it be enough? Secrets are kept, the unimaginable is revealed and time has run out, someone will die, the time has come.Now is not the time for doubt.
C.A. Gray has done it! She has brought the conclusion to her series home with a flourish! Impossible just may be the best of the series, driven by determination, strategy and loyalties, and even the budding of young romance. What a wrap! All of the tension and intrigue of each volume magnified times ten! From the wonderfully created characters to the dialogue that fit so well, her world actually breathes with each turn of the page as heroes rise, heroes fall and heroes reveal themselves with as much grit as the original King Arthur and his Knights.
I received this ARC edition as part of C. A. Gray's IMPOSSIBLE Book Tour stopping at Tome Tender October 16, 2014.
Series: Piercing the Veil - Book 3
Publication Date: October 15, 2014
Publisher: Wanderlust Publishing
Genre: YA Fantasy/Adventure
Age Level: 7 - 18 | Grade Level: 5 - 12
Print Length: 303 pages
Available from: Amazon
The clock is ticking and the Watchers need to retrieve the fragments of Excalibur from the Dark Lord or all is lost. Is it too late for Peter and Lily, as well as the rest of the world? Will King Arthur’s legend become a tale lost to infamy? The always in control Isdemus requires full compliance to lead his army, but, seriously, Lily and full compliance in the same sentence? PULEEZE. Both dimensions are crossed to end this battle of winner take all, as the penumbra become stronger over their human minions, in spite of the many who have learned to see with their minds and hearts and to recognize the evil sitting on everyone’s shoulder. Not everyone will survive this time, and it may take the wisdom of an old man and the innocence of a young child to lead the Watchers to battle, but will it be enough? Secrets are kept, the unimaginable is revealed and time has run out, someone will die, the time has come.Now is not the time for doubt.
C.A. Gray has done it! She has brought the conclusion to her series home with a flourish! Impossible just may be the best of the series, driven by determination, strategy and loyalties, and even the budding of young romance. What a wrap! All of the tension and intrigue of each volume magnified times ten! From the wonderfully created characters to the dialogue that fit so well, her world actually breathes with each turn of the page as heroes rise, heroes fall and heroes reveal themselves with as much grit as the original King Arthur and his Knights.
I received this ARC edition as part of C. A. Gray's IMPOSSIBLE Book Tour stopping at Tome Tender October 16, 2014.
Series: Piercing the Veil - Book 3
Publication Date: October 15, 2014
Publisher: Wanderlust Publishing
Genre: YA Fantasy/Adventure
Age Level: 7 - 18 | Grade Level: 5 - 12
Print Length: 303 pages
Available from: Amazon
October 9, 2014
What a fantastic way to end a trilogy! This is exactly how I felt when I read the 7th book of Harry Potter. And if you're a fan of J.K. Rowling's series, then you should definitely try this one, too! Who says physics can't be mixed with high fantasy? C.A. Gray is one hell of a writer to pull it off!
Impossible is the third and final book of the Piercing the Veil Trilogy. In this book, Peter Stewart, along with the rest of the Watchers and Nimbi, faces the Shadow Lord for the final battle that spanned 1500 years. With the Shadow Lord successfully creating his invincible army, there seems to be no chance of achieving victory by their small group. But even a butterfly's flutter can create a tornado somewhere in the world. Peter's Dad thinks there may still be hope for them. And everyone hopes so...
When I read the first book, the author awed me with her storytelling and I told myself that I would definitely follow this series. I only like a handful of YA stories but Piercing the Veil Trilogy is definitely one of my favorite ones. I've never read of a retelling of the Arthurian legend as different and as awesome as this.
Character-wise, although I really, really love this series, Peter and Lily irritated me towards the middle part of the book, particularly Lily. I didn't like her character in the second book because I thought she was petty. But here in the third book she frustrated me with her stupidity and pettiness. Not to mention pride. Both Peter and Lily are so hard-headed and stubborn in this book that I wanted to shake some sense on them when they decide to do things on their own. It's a good thing they always redeem themselves in the book. If the author wanted the readers to feel frustrated with Pete and Lily and then forgive them afterwards, she certainly did a really great job. Aside from the two, there were some noteworthy characters in the book, as well. Brock, the bully from the first book, was so awesome in Impossible. His character made a 180º turn from the first book that in my opinion he's a lot more likable than Peter in this book. My other favorite is Eustace! You have to read the book to know why Eustace is soo awesome here. Such a cheeky kid!
Story-wise, I got nothing bad to say about Impossible. It has everything I was looking for in a fantasy story like this. This book has PAGE-TURNER written all over it from the first page. It has a fantastic storyline, cool fight scenes, and an EXCITING CONCLUSION. I could never ask for a better ending. There were also some moments that made my eyes moist. This is a story where good battles evil so character casualties are expected. It has a bit of romance in it too but it's not the main focus of the story so it wasn't elaborated, and I'm damn glad it wasn't explored further because I was actually shipping for a Brock-Lily tandem.
I am DEFINITELY RECOMMENDING Piercing the Veil Trilogy to Young Adults and Adults alike. It's a MUST-READ to all YA Fantasy and Arthurian legend fans.
Impossible is the third and final book of the Piercing the Veil Trilogy. In this book, Peter Stewart, along with the rest of the Watchers and Nimbi, faces the Shadow Lord for the final battle that spanned 1500 years. With the Shadow Lord successfully creating his invincible army, there seems to be no chance of achieving victory by their small group. But even a butterfly's flutter can create a tornado somewhere in the world. Peter's Dad thinks there may still be hope for them. And everyone hopes so...
When I read the first book, the author awed me with her storytelling and I told myself that I would definitely follow this series. I only like a handful of YA stories but Piercing the Veil Trilogy is definitely one of my favorite ones. I've never read of a retelling of the Arthurian legend as different and as awesome as this.
Character-wise, although I really, really love this series, Peter and Lily irritated me towards the middle part of the book, particularly Lily. I didn't like her character in the second book because I thought she was petty. But here in the third book she frustrated me with her stupidity and pettiness. Not to mention pride. Both Peter and Lily are so hard-headed and stubborn in this book that I wanted to shake some sense on them when they decide to do things on their own. It's a good thing they always redeem themselves in the book. If the author wanted the readers to feel frustrated with Pete and Lily and then forgive them afterwards, she certainly did a really great job. Aside from the two, there were some noteworthy characters in the book, as well. Brock, the bully from the first book, was so awesome in Impossible. His character made a 180º turn from the first book that in my opinion he's a lot more likable than Peter in this book. My other favorite is Eustace! You have to read the book to know why Eustace is soo awesome here. Such a cheeky kid!
Story-wise, I got nothing bad to say about Impossible. It has everything I was looking for in a fantasy story like this. This book has PAGE-TURNER written all over it from the first page. It has a fantastic storyline, cool fight scenes, and an EXCITING CONCLUSION. I could never ask for a better ending. There were also some moments that made my eyes moist. This is a story where good battles evil so character casualties are expected. It has a bit of romance in it too but it's not the main focus of the story so it wasn't elaborated, and I'm damn glad it wasn't explored further because I was actually shipping for a Brock-Lily tandem.
I am DEFINITELY RECOMMENDING Piercing the Veil Trilogy to Young Adults and Adults alike. It's a MUST-READ to all YA Fantasy and Arthurian legend fans.
July 6, 2016
Best book in the series!
The story moves along at such at great pace. However, at about the halfway mark is when it became a page turner for me. It was so fast paced and so exciting, I just couldn't put it down. I found myself rushing through only to have to go back to reread a paragraph slower because I was rushing so much I was afraid I would miss something.
This was a fabulous conclusion to a great trilogy. Fantastic plot, awesome characters and surprise twists from Eustace and Isdemus - overall, great story!
I received an ARC from the author (after practically begging for it) in exchange for an honest review.
The story moves along at such at great pace. However, at about the halfway mark is when it became a page turner for me. It was so fast paced and so exciting, I just couldn't put it down. I found myself rushing through only to have to go back to reread a paragraph slower because I was rushing so much I was afraid I would miss something.
This was a fabulous conclusion to a great trilogy. Fantastic plot, awesome characters and surprise twists from Eustace and Isdemus - overall, great story!
I received an ARC from the author (after practically begging for it) in exchange for an honest review.
November 3, 2014
Blog Tour Review on Royal Social Media: http://www.royalsocialmedia.com/book-...
HOLY WOW! This is the first time I’ve been thanked in the acknowledgments of a book. SO. Flipping. COOL!!!! Here’s my happy dance:
I should probably preface this by telling you a bit of my background with the author. I discovered her via NetGalley back in June. I was a bit skeptical because she had put the book up for auto-approval and unfortunately more often than not, the books in that category tend to be lacking. But I was SO glad I ended up giving her book a shot because I was BEYOND pleasantly surprised.
I thoroughly enjoyed INTANGIBLE and made sure to post my reviews on NetGalley, my blog, and social media–like good book reviewers do… ;) Much to my surprise, Ms. Gray emailed me just a few days after to personally thank me for the review and to offer me the next ARC in her series for review. I jumped at the opportunity to read her next book (obvi).
Since she was such fun and I noticed she was quite active on social media, I asked if she had been looking to work with anyone on ramping up her presence. We grabbed a call shortly thereafter and immediately hit it off. We’ve been working together on projects here and there ever since. I must say she is an absolute JOY to work with, as well as being an amazingly talented individual. ALL of that being said, you should understand this in no way affects my reviews. I can be a tough critic when push comes to shove. Read on… :)
If I could only pick one word to describe the “Piercing the Veil” trilogy it would be EPIC! C.A. Gray knocked it out of the park with IMPOSSIBLE, the final installment of her action-packed trilogy! I desperately wanted to draw the book out and savor it, yet at the same time I couldn’t WAIT to find out how it ended. I devoured it as quickly as time would allow.
I said it before, and it bears repeating: Ms. Gray has a serious gift for storytelling. The intricacies and fun details woven in from the beginning of Book 1 came shining through in astounding ways. I LOVED the way each book built upon the previous one and nothing felt predictable. There were definite influences from other great stories (Harry Potter being the most obvious), but it didn’t detract from the story. It only made me admire her work more, because C.A. Gray holds her own next to J.K. Rowling! You go, girl!
It’s been a while since I’ve finished a series and felt fully satisfied. I laughed, I cried, I cheered. The “Piercing the Veil” trilogy is good old-fashioned fun to the very end. This series is NOT to be missed!
I also said this in my previous reviews (so much to repeat–alas, I MUST), but there is NO excuse not to buy the books. You can get the entire thing for under $5. Go. GO NOW!
Read my Review for Intangible (Book 1) | Read my Review for Invincible (Book 2)
HOLY WOW! This is the first time I’ve been thanked in the acknowledgments of a book. SO. Flipping. COOL!!!! Here’s my happy dance:
I should probably preface this by telling you a bit of my background with the author. I discovered her via NetGalley back in June. I was a bit skeptical because she had put the book up for auto-approval and unfortunately more often than not, the books in that category tend to be lacking. But I was SO glad I ended up giving her book a shot because I was BEYOND pleasantly surprised.
I thoroughly enjoyed INTANGIBLE and made sure to post my reviews on NetGalley, my blog, and social media–like good book reviewers do… ;) Much to my surprise, Ms. Gray emailed me just a few days after to personally thank me for the review and to offer me the next ARC in her series for review. I jumped at the opportunity to read her next book (obvi).
Since she was such fun and I noticed she was quite active on social media, I asked if she had been looking to work with anyone on ramping up her presence. We grabbed a call shortly thereafter and immediately hit it off. We’ve been working together on projects here and there ever since. I must say she is an absolute JOY to work with, as well as being an amazingly talented individual. ALL of that being said, you should understand this in no way affects my reviews. I can be a tough critic when push comes to shove. Read on… :)
If I could only pick one word to describe the “Piercing the Veil” trilogy it would be EPIC! C.A. Gray knocked it out of the park with IMPOSSIBLE, the final installment of her action-packed trilogy! I desperately wanted to draw the book out and savor it, yet at the same time I couldn’t WAIT to find out how it ended. I devoured it as quickly as time would allow.
I said it before, and it bears repeating: Ms. Gray has a serious gift for storytelling. The intricacies and fun details woven in from the beginning of Book 1 came shining through in astounding ways. I LOVED the way each book built upon the previous one and nothing felt predictable. There were definite influences from other great stories (Harry Potter being the most obvious), but it didn’t detract from the story. It only made me admire her work more, because C.A. Gray holds her own next to J.K. Rowling! You go, girl!
It’s been a while since I’ve finished a series and felt fully satisfied. I laughed, I cried, I cheered. The “Piercing the Veil” trilogy is good old-fashioned fun to the very end. This series is NOT to be missed!
I also said this in my previous reviews (so much to repeat–alas, I MUST), but there is NO excuse not to buy the books. You can get the entire thing for under $5. Go. GO NOW!
Read my Review for Intangible (Book 1) | Read my Review for Invincible (Book 2)
October 15, 2014
Adventurous story with an entertaining mix of history and magic!
I thoroughly loved this series from the first page of the first book! Peter’s reliance on physics was entertaining and believable, and Lily’s search for a place she fit in was endearing. The story was well written and well developed and I never found myself feeling either bored or rushed. This series was so captivating that I read it in three days.
Impossible is the third and final book in the “Piercing The Veil” series, and it concludes the story triumphantly. The Shadow Lord finally has the means to destroy Peter and his allies right as Peter loses his ability to fight back. The story is suspenseful and it ended with a twist I didn’t see coming.
In reviewing a story, I am always watchful for the quality of character development. That being said, one of my favorite parts of this story was the relationship between Peter and Lily. Their inability to understand each other was very realistic and perfectly fitting for their ages. Plus, their budding romance never once felt forced. The secondary characters were also well designed, with their own problems and emotions that added depth to the book without detracting from Peter and Lily. Some characters I loved and some I hated, as it should be.
My biggest complaint about Impossible was Peter and Lily’s performance during the final confrontation with The Shadow Lord. I hoped to see a more spectacular use of their powers and I was left a little disappointed. I also felt it should have been more difficult to retrieve the magical items from the Island of the Blessed. Neither of these were big enough to detract from the overall story, however, which I absolutely enjoyed!
Overall, C.A. Gray created an amazing world that was fully thought-out and filled with adventure. I greatly enjoyed reading this series and I wish there was more coming!
-Lindsay Hiller, from The Kindle Book Review
Author of bestselling Young Adult novel Reaper
“The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book for an independent, fair, and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.”
I thoroughly loved this series from the first page of the first book! Peter’s reliance on physics was entertaining and believable, and Lily’s search for a place she fit in was endearing. The story was well written and well developed and I never found myself feeling either bored or rushed. This series was so captivating that I read it in three days.
Impossible is the third and final book in the “Piercing The Veil” series, and it concludes the story triumphantly. The Shadow Lord finally has the means to destroy Peter and his allies right as Peter loses his ability to fight back. The story is suspenseful and it ended with a twist I didn’t see coming.
In reviewing a story, I am always watchful for the quality of character development. That being said, one of my favorite parts of this story was the relationship between Peter and Lily. Their inability to understand each other was very realistic and perfectly fitting for their ages. Plus, their budding romance never once felt forced. The secondary characters were also well designed, with their own problems and emotions that added depth to the book without detracting from Peter and Lily. Some characters I loved and some I hated, as it should be.
My biggest complaint about Impossible was Peter and Lily’s performance during the final confrontation with The Shadow Lord. I hoped to see a more spectacular use of their powers and I was left a little disappointed. I also felt it should have been more difficult to retrieve the magical items from the Island of the Blessed. Neither of these were big enough to detract from the overall story, however, which I absolutely enjoyed!
Overall, C.A. Gray created an amazing world that was fully thought-out and filled with adventure. I greatly enjoyed reading this series and I wish there was more coming!
-Lindsay Hiller, from The Kindle Book Review
Author of bestselling Young Adult novel Reaper
“The Kindle Book Review received a free copy of this book for an independent, fair, and honest review. We are not associated with the author or Amazon.”
October 13, 2014
http://youngadultbookmadness.wordpres...
Impossible is a breathtaking, stunning conclusion to the Piercing the Veil trilogy. Soaked in suspense, violence, and epic battle scenes, the culmination is chaotic, gritty, and full of hope.
For more of this review check it out on YA Book Madness.
Impossible is a breathtaking, stunning conclusion to the Piercing the Veil trilogy. Soaked in suspense, violence, and epic battle scenes, the culmination is chaotic, gritty, and full of hope.
For more of this review check it out on YA Book Madness.
January 25, 2015
I loved this series! Book #3 was a fantastic wrap-up to the trilogy and I felt that everything was explained well and resolved, and all the story lines came together wonderfully. It kept you on the edge of your seat with anticipation and there were a few surprises thrown in. I'd definitely recommend the series!
January 24, 2015
Good trilogy. Compelling story with good writing. Kept me interested--finished all three books in a week. I would recommend this series to those who like fantasy and adventure stories.
October 8, 2020
Impossible by C.A, Gray is the third and final installment in the Piercing the Veil series. Gray has a degree is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor who, in her spare time, teaches college level chemistry, sings, takes part in theater, and writes. The Piercing the Veil series is listed as Young Adult, but it is a great series regardless of the reader’s age.
<<< SPOILERS This is the third novel in the series, and try as I might to keep plot elements from the first two novels out of this review, it is a difficult task. To the readers who have read the first two books, there are no spoilers below. To others, read the previous books in the series first. They are well worth the read.>>>
Intangible starts the series, sets the stage, introduces the characters, and introduces the story. Invincible explains the story and provides a very exciting, action filled run up to the concluding novel. Impossible brings the conclusion of the story. This novel is more strategy based than action packed. Peter and Lily are still the center of the story. After the setbacks in Invincible. Carlion must develop a new plan to defeat the Shadow Lord and his army of penumbra. Here the story crosses both realities. Isdemus, the leader at Carlion completes a plan to keep Peter and Lily safe. But, as the teenagers have demonstrated before, they do have a youthful problem with authority. Their pushing the limits and doing what they believe is right instead of what they are told has caused problems before.
Isdemus plans, separates, and secretly hides the two teens to keep them safe. Clarion’s brains focus on defeating the Shadow Lord and recovering the pieces of Excalibur. Lily’s rebellious nature brings her in contact with an unaligned penumbra, which starts a separate adventure that brings another mythology to the story.
The characters continue to act in the manner expected and developed throughout the story. There is growth in the young characters and an awkward budding relationship. New characters add an interesting twist to the story and add depth to the entire mythos. There are lessons to be learned too, especially about sowing the seeds of doubt and believing in oneself even when one is not sure of the outcome.
The story flows smoothly seamlessly blending into the second novel. The plot continues on a well defined course, although not always going where the reader expects. Impossible is an extraordinary finish to the series. There is closure, and most if not all questions the reader had through the series are answered. Peircing the Veil is a finely crafted adventure fantasy that fits perfectly into a trilogy. Each book presents a definite beginning and end point with Impossible bringing fulfilment to the series. An outstanding series for all ages.
<<< SPOILERS This is the third novel in the series, and try as I might to keep plot elements from the first two novels out of this review, it is a difficult task. To the readers who have read the first two books, there are no spoilers below. To others, read the previous books in the series first. They are well worth the read.>>>
Intangible starts the series, sets the stage, introduces the characters, and introduces the story. Invincible explains the story and provides a very exciting, action filled run up to the concluding novel. Impossible brings the conclusion of the story. This novel is more strategy based than action packed. Peter and Lily are still the center of the story. After the setbacks in Invincible. Carlion must develop a new plan to defeat the Shadow Lord and his army of penumbra. Here the story crosses both realities. Isdemus, the leader at Carlion completes a plan to keep Peter and Lily safe. But, as the teenagers have demonstrated before, they do have a youthful problem with authority. Their pushing the limits and doing what they believe is right instead of what they are told has caused problems before.
Isdemus plans, separates, and secretly hides the two teens to keep them safe. Clarion’s brains focus on defeating the Shadow Lord and recovering the pieces of Excalibur. Lily’s rebellious nature brings her in contact with an unaligned penumbra, which starts a separate adventure that brings another mythology to the story.
The characters continue to act in the manner expected and developed throughout the story. There is growth in the young characters and an awkward budding relationship. New characters add an interesting twist to the story and add depth to the entire mythos. There are lessons to be learned too, especially about sowing the seeds of doubt and believing in oneself even when one is not sure of the outcome.
The story flows smoothly seamlessly blending into the second novel. The plot continues on a well defined course, although not always going where the reader expects. Impossible is an extraordinary finish to the series. There is closure, and most if not all questions the reader had through the series are answered. Peircing the Veil is a finely crafted adventure fantasy that fits perfectly into a trilogy. Each book presents a definite beginning and end point with Impossible bringing fulfilment to the series. An outstanding series for all ages.
March 10, 2015
I finished Impossible by C.A. Gray a few weekends ago. I had to wait and let things sink in before writing this review. You might think that that's a bad sign, but it definitely is not. I just had to sort out a few things in my head before I could put pen to paper. Impossible was a fitting conclusion to a wonderfully magical series that fits right in with the likes of Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling) and The Flamels (Michael Scott). And finding a way to bring the series to a close without screwing it up felt like it was going to be impossible task for the author. I am so happy to be wrong!
This is the conclusion of the story that goes something like this: there are paranormal creatures called penumbra. They are out and about in the world controlling most humans. It will take a descendant of King Arthur to put a stop to them and the biggest baddest one of all, the Shadow King, wants to rule them and the world (of course!). The descendant of king Arthur is also the subject of a prophecy. And the prophecy is vague enough that we don't know exactly who the prophecy applies to. We have a few candidates, two of which happen to be teenagers who find themselves faced with trying to save the world, because they believe anyway that they have abilities that no one else has and so the fate of the world rests with them. They head off into the adventure despite the fact that doing so is definitively against the wishes of all of the important and relevant adults. I don't believe it to be a huge spoiler to say the world is saved, so I'll tell you the world is saved. But how, and exactly who the prophecy refers to (etc.), you have to go to the spoiler page to learn more. Or, really, better yet don't check out my page check out the book! While I update and add pages because that's what I do, I don't think you should rob yourself of the joy that comes from reading all three installments in this wonderful series.
There were twists and turns and action and magic and all sorts of wonderful things littered throughout the pages of Impossible. From beginning to end the story was well paced, action-packed and most of all, had integrity. The author clearly did her research on the Arthur story and legends. She set the characters on a course and nothing got in the way. A discerning reader could predict some of what happened in the end, but that didn't take away from the fact that the plot was on a trajectory from the beginning. And it was such a relief to see the author not try to squeeze out an ending that wouldn't have really fit the rest of the story or the characters just to save someone or stretch the story out.
Despite the fact that this was the culmination of the trilogy the reader continues to see characters develop. That's not very common in my experience. What I am used to seeing is all plot and no character development by the time you get to the final installment. It seems so often it's a foregone conclusion that you have learned all there is to each character by the time you get to the end of the story. But here, we are presented with the wonder that is continued character growth. It's also a nice change to get new characters that play a pivotal role in the plot of the story in the last installment of the series. Typically, at this point we often see that the only new characters are disposable. While Angela may have been someone who could have looked like a number of different things, her character was certainly necessary to get Lily from Arizona to Peter and to move the plot forward towards its end.
The magic continues to be everywhere. The action is exciting and it all culminates in a thrilling and surprising conclusion. It was wonderful to see the author not shy away from the way it felt like it had to end. And while there are still some questions and some grey areas, they are ones that I can live with. In fact, I am guessing that having these debatable points will only add to the enjoyment I will have when I reread these. Much like the few series where I reread each and every installment (some annually) and I do it to discover new things about the story and characters I love so much I bet there are hidden gems that I will discover, little tidbits, tiny surprises and other things that were easily overlooked the first time, when I reread these. Because it's not a matter of if I reread them but when.
The one criticism I have of this installment surrounds Lily. I know she is there in part to motivate Peter, and she was written to be a little bit weird when we first met her because of her difficult past. But in this book she just got downright annoying. She was super hard to stomach and I went from thinking she could be pretty awesome to loathing her. She seemed selfish, spoiled, whiny, and most of all obnoxious. That's the kind of character she ended up - to me anyway. I like the ending the way things worked out with the child of the prophecy (first boiler click here) it ended the way I felt it was really most appropriate given the overall trajectory of the story. But I admit there's a tiny bit of me that wished Lily had been the one to see her demise and not the person who did. She really was just that annoying to me. She whined and complained and schemed to get her own way, without ever thinking things through or realizing any single risk and she really didn't seem to care about anybody but herself and her own feelings. And, despite the attempt to make it seem like she had feelings for Peter I just don't think she did after reading her behavior. Not to mention she was so naive. It really took away from the intelligence I thought she had in the first two books. hearing nails squeaking on a chalkboard might have been more pleasant than reading some of her parts. So do you get the feeling that I felt that Lily was a little hard to take? However, issues with Lily aside, it was a truly wonderful book.
And what seems like an impossible task, that is finding a way to end the story without making me as the reader feel like things of been morphed and twisted and way too ugly of a way to get to an end result that I would be okay with, the author here did it. The impossible was finding the right ending, and an ending that felt true to the first parts of the story and the characters, but the author did it. I was impressed and loved the series.
Now will just have to see what else this author can give us!
This is the conclusion of the story that goes something like this: there are paranormal creatures called penumbra. They are out and about in the world controlling most humans. It will take a descendant of King Arthur to put a stop to them and the biggest baddest one of all, the Shadow King, wants to rule them and the world (of course!). The descendant of king Arthur is also the subject of a prophecy. And the prophecy is vague enough that we don't know exactly who the prophecy applies to. We have a few candidates, two of which happen to be teenagers who find themselves faced with trying to save the world, because they believe anyway that they have abilities that no one else has and so the fate of the world rests with them. They head off into the adventure despite the fact that doing so is definitively against the wishes of all of the important and relevant adults. I don't believe it to be a huge spoiler to say the world is saved, so I'll tell you the world is saved. But how, and exactly who the prophecy refers to (etc.), you have to go to the spoiler page to learn more. Or, really, better yet don't check out my page check out the book! While I update and add pages because that's what I do, I don't think you should rob yourself of the joy that comes from reading all three installments in this wonderful series.
There were twists and turns and action and magic and all sorts of wonderful things littered throughout the pages of Impossible. From beginning to end the story was well paced, action-packed and most of all, had integrity. The author clearly did her research on the Arthur story and legends. She set the characters on a course and nothing got in the way. A discerning reader could predict some of what happened in the end, but that didn't take away from the fact that the plot was on a trajectory from the beginning. And it was such a relief to see the author not try to squeeze out an ending that wouldn't have really fit the rest of the story or the characters just to save someone or stretch the story out.
Despite the fact that this was the culmination of the trilogy the reader continues to see characters develop. That's not very common in my experience. What I am used to seeing is all plot and no character development by the time you get to the final installment. It seems so often it's a foregone conclusion that you have learned all there is to each character by the time you get to the end of the story. But here, we are presented with the wonder that is continued character growth. It's also a nice change to get new characters that play a pivotal role in the plot of the story in the last installment of the series. Typically, at this point we often see that the only new characters are disposable. While Angela may have been someone who could have looked like a number of different things, her character was certainly necessary to get Lily from Arizona to Peter and to move the plot forward towards its end.
The magic continues to be everywhere. The action is exciting and it all culminates in a thrilling and surprising conclusion. It was wonderful to see the author not shy away from the way it felt like it had to end. And while there are still some questions and some grey areas, they are ones that I can live with. In fact, I am guessing that having these debatable points will only add to the enjoyment I will have when I reread these. Much like the few series where I reread each and every installment (some annually) and I do it to discover new things about the story and characters I love so much I bet there are hidden gems that I will discover, little tidbits, tiny surprises and other things that were easily overlooked the first time, when I reread these. Because it's not a matter of if I reread them but when.
The one criticism I have of this installment surrounds Lily. I know she is there in part to motivate Peter, and she was written to be a little bit weird when we first met her because of her difficult past. But in this book she just got downright annoying. She was super hard to stomach and I went from thinking she could be pretty awesome to loathing her. She seemed selfish, spoiled, whiny, and most of all obnoxious. That's the kind of character she ended up - to me anyway. I like the ending the way things worked out with the child of the prophecy (first boiler click here) it ended the way I felt it was really most appropriate given the overall trajectory of the story. But I admit there's a tiny bit of me that wished Lily had been the one to see her demise and not the person who did. She really was just that annoying to me. She whined and complained and schemed to get her own way, without ever thinking things through or realizing any single risk and she really didn't seem to care about anybody but herself and her own feelings. And, despite the attempt to make it seem like she had feelings for Peter I just don't think she did after reading her behavior. Not to mention she was so naive. It really took away from the intelligence I thought she had in the first two books. hearing nails squeaking on a chalkboard might have been more pleasant than reading some of her parts. So do you get the feeling that I felt that Lily was a little hard to take? However, issues with Lily aside, it was a truly wonderful book.
And what seems like an impossible task, that is finding a way to end the story without making me as the reader feel like things of been morphed and twisted and way too ugly of a way to get to an end result that I would be okay with, the author here did it. The impossible was finding the right ending, and an ending that felt true to the first parts of the story and the characters, but the author did it. I was impressed and loved the series.
Now will just have to see what else this author can give us!
June 23, 2018
Can't Say Enough Good Things About This Book
The entire series is riveting. I love that it's wholesome as well as exciting. This book is more about the creatures and the adventures than the science. The story flows so well that I almost read it in one sitting. The science part is interesting; the characters develop beautifully; the battles are thrilling; and the people are very believable. I love her writing style. The world building is excellent and the conclusion is satisfying. So glad I read this series!
The entire series is riveting. I love that it's wholesome as well as exciting. This book is more about the creatures and the adventures than the science. The story flows so well that I almost read it in one sitting. The science part is interesting; the characters develop beautifully; the battles are thrilling; and the people are very believable. I love her writing style. The world building is excellent and the conclusion is satisfying. So glad I read this series!
August 1, 2020
Best narration of the three
Brilliant story, great character growth, frustrating twists that glue you to the story and make you want to want to yell at the same time. Best narration of the three but still not amazing by any stretch... character differences are minimal but definitely better than previous narrators of this series.
Super clean (minus some blood and battles) in terms of language or mature content.
Highly recommend the entire series!
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Brilliant story, great character growth, frustrating twists that glue you to the story and make you want to want to yell at the same time. Best narration of the three but still not amazing by any stretch... character differences are minimal but definitely better than previous narrators of this series.
Super clean (minus some blood and battles) in terms of language or mature content.
Highly recommend the entire series!
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
December 30, 2018
Great ending
I’m sad the series is over. Finally, we get all of our questions answered about the prophecy! It’s nice to have an author actually explain all my questions rather than when they forget questions they have brought up but never answered. I love all these characters and how the series wrapped up. Definitely a must read especially if you read the first two!
I’m sad the series is over. Finally, we get all of our questions answered about the prophecy! It’s nice to have an author actually explain all my questions rather than when they forget questions they have brought up but never answered. I love all these characters and how the series wrapped up. Definitely a must read especially if you read the first two!
January 6, 2019
Thoroughly entertaining
I would recommend this series to fans of Harry Potter or any Rick Riordan books. I enjoyed the pairing of Arthurian legends along with mythology. I certainly did not see the ending coming as it did and that is refreshing since so many books today are predictable.
I would recommend this series to fans of Harry Potter or any Rick Riordan books. I enjoyed the pairing of Arthurian legends along with mythology. I certainly did not see the ending coming as it did and that is refreshing since so many books today are predictable.
January 27, 2019
Fast-paced
A most enjoyable read. Quite a page turner. The plot thickens at every turn with elaborate visions - some imagined, but most true to form. Ms. Gray is a talented artist.
A most enjoyable read. Quite a page turner. The plot thickens at every turn with elaborate visions - some imagined, but most true to form. Ms. Gray is a talented artist.
September 2, 2020
Science and magic
This is a book about the King Arthur's story but it has all this talk of photons and other science things that make the magic work. The character are real and the action non stop.
This is a book about the King Arthur's story but it has all this talk of photons and other science things that make the magic work. The character are real and the action non stop.
August 28, 2021
It is a fitting end to a fantastic trilogy.
The evil is banished, the good has won...
But of course not without some profound losses...
Great series!!!!
The evil is banished, the good has won...
But of course not without some profound losses...
Great series!!!!
October 24, 2014
Impossible picks up where Invincible left off and quickly gets right back to the action. I started reading this as soon as I finished the second book, and it was a really smooth transition. This is one of those series that almost feels like one really long book - I wanted to read to the very end of the series without stopping. It's a definite page-turner, and I found myself on the edge of my seat several times.
One remarkable thing about C. A. Gray's writing style is that it is so easy to fall into her world. I was held spellbound right from the very beginning of the series, and that remained true all the way to the end. She has quickly become one of my favorite authors, and I can't wait to read more of her work in the future. Her grasp of Arthurian legend, science, physics, biology, and myth is obvious, and she clearly knows what she's writing about. I feel like I learned a few things along the way, and that's always a bonus.
I don't want to go into detail about what happens in the book as I don't want to risk spoiling it, but it is action-packed and I was kept wondering how it would work out all the way to the end. I laughed and shed a few tears, and my jaw may or may not have literally dropped during the final battle scene.
This was a very satisfying conclusion to an amazing series, and I'll miss these characters. Well-written and well-researched, Impossible is a gem.
One remarkable thing about C. A. Gray's writing style is that it is so easy to fall into her world. I was held spellbound right from the very beginning of the series, and that remained true all the way to the end. She has quickly become one of my favorite authors, and I can't wait to read more of her work in the future. Her grasp of Arthurian legend, science, physics, biology, and myth is obvious, and she clearly knows what she's writing about. I feel like I learned a few things along the way, and that's always a bonus.
I don't want to go into detail about what happens in the book as I don't want to risk spoiling it, but it is action-packed and I was kept wondering how it would work out all the way to the end. I laughed and shed a few tears, and my jaw may or may not have literally dropped during the final battle scene.
This was a very satisfying conclusion to an amazing series, and I'll miss these characters. Well-written and well-researched, Impossible is a gem.
November 16, 2014
Impossible Piercing the Veil Book 3 is an exhilarating quest in the search for the fragmented pieces of the mighty Excalibur.
As they try to come to terms with Sully's death, Lily and Peter learn that they will be leaving Carlion. The Watchers seek to protect them from the Shadow Lord, who now posses Kane's knowledge which could prove deadly for those suspected of being The Child of the Prophecy. Each will be sent to separate sister cities and their destinations will be kept secret for their own protection. However, Peter and Lily know they must find one another and continue the search for Excalibur if there is any hope of defeating the Shadow Lord.
Impossible is the final story in the Piercing the Veil Trilogy and it does not disappoint. The excitement that has been building over the last two books continues and the mystery behind the Child of the Prophecy is revealed. I like that the author keeps some secrets of her own and the surprising twist makes the story all that more thrilling. Impossible is well organized and created with such imagination readers can't help becoming engrossed.
It's an excellent series for middle grade and young adult readers and I highly recommend picking up the entire trilogy.
As they try to come to terms with Sully's death, Lily and Peter learn that they will be leaving Carlion. The Watchers seek to protect them from the Shadow Lord, who now posses Kane's knowledge which could prove deadly for those suspected of being The Child of the Prophecy. Each will be sent to separate sister cities and their destinations will be kept secret for their own protection. However, Peter and Lily know they must find one another and continue the search for Excalibur if there is any hope of defeating the Shadow Lord.
Impossible is the final story in the Piercing the Veil Trilogy and it does not disappoint. The excitement that has been building over the last two books continues and the mystery behind the Child of the Prophecy is revealed. I like that the author keeps some secrets of her own and the surprising twist makes the story all that more thrilling. Impossible is well organized and created with such imagination readers can't help becoming engrossed.
It's an excellent series for middle grade and young adult readers and I highly recommend picking up the entire trilogy.
June 11, 2015
This is the third book in the Piercing Veil series and I started reading Impossible with my pre-love of the first two novels Intangible and Invincible. So my expectations were set as I dived in to Impossible. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the stubborn love between Peter and Lily, it was so natural and flowed easily from the characters. I really enjoy C.A.’s ability to create the world of the Piercing Veil and the history she expertly weaves into the adventure. Frankly I’m a huge history nerd so this series feeds my inner geek.
C.A. Gray poetically combines Arthurian history, science and fantasy into an epic adventure on every page. Impossible is addicting and keeps your mind reeling with questions and excitement as Peter and Lily fight the Shadow Lord.
I would recommend this series to YA and history-fantasy lovers. It is a fun read and an amazing adventure.
C.A. Gray poetically combines Arthurian history, science and fantasy into an epic adventure on every page. Impossible is addicting and keeps your mind reeling with questions and excitement as Peter and Lily fight the Shadow Lord.
I would recommend this series to YA and history-fantasy lovers. It is a fun read and an amazing adventure.
August 13, 2016
Fascinating and compelling work of fantasy
I'll start by mentioning what I believe could have made a great fantasy even more so. 1. A brief primer on pronunciation 2. As the protagonists were youngsters and by nature, less prone to the adult problem with accepting what is clearly there before them. (Ala Eustace) a bit less adult style denial and waffling, would allow for more detail and plot development. Aside from that, a truly well written and entertaining story. I am a fan of anything Arthurian and or Celtic, you have quite beautifully combined these in a new and compelling fashion. Keep on, keeping on! Now I have to go find your first two books!
I'll start by mentioning what I believe could have made a great fantasy even more so. 1. A brief primer on pronunciation 2. As the protagonists were youngsters and by nature, less prone to the adult problem with accepting what is clearly there before them. (Ala Eustace) a bit less adult style denial and waffling, would allow for more detail and plot development. Aside from that, a truly well written and entertaining story. I am a fan of anything Arthurian and or Celtic, you have quite beautifully combined these in a new and compelling fashion. Keep on, keeping on! Now I have to go find your first two books!
February 12, 2015
I really did enjoy this series, a nice twist on the Arthurian legends, adding a magic and science together! Though I will admit, I really grew to hate Lily. While she did push Peter to accept his destiny, to accept and embrace his role and his connection to the magic, she was annoying. She didn't listen to others, she was reckless, and she was really whiney. It took all I could to get through her parts...
May 4, 2015
Book 3, Impossible, is the final battle between good and evil. Excalibur, magic and so much more all combine together. There are innocents and the fate of everyone is unknown. This is by far my favorite of the three. The end was a great twist and I loved how the author used faith with the ancient tongue. The end also leaves room for another book in the future, The job of "a savior" is never done. I am giving this book a 5/5. I was given a copy to review, however all opinions are my own.
November 25, 2014
This was a great fantasy. I really enjoy the characters I loved it because it was different then your normal camlot novels. It had a lot of interesting twist and turns I loved it. I won this book on Goodreads Thank you
October 26, 2014
Good read
I enjoyed the entire trilogy. It would be appropriate for young adults and older, May be a little bloody for the under 12 year old readers .
I enjoyed the entire trilogy. It would be appropriate for young adults and older, May be a little bloody for the under 12 year old readers .
July 22, 2015
There are many aspects to this trilogy that are way too like Harry Potter, but I still rather enjoyed it. I will definitely pass this on to my youngsters to read and enjoy themselves!
March 4, 2016
Is a great book to read
March 11, 2015
My review can be found on www.readinglark.blogspot.com on March 12, 2015
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