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Birth of Saints #3
Steadfast
The final novel in Michelle Hauck's Birth of Saints trilogy, Steadfast follows Grudging and Faithful in telling the fateful story of Claire and Ramiro and their battle against a god that hungers for blood.
When the Northerners invaded, the ciudades-estado knew they faced a powerful army. But what they didn’t expect was the deadly magic that was also brought to the desert: the white-robed priests with their lethal Diviners, and the evil god, Dal. Cities have burned, armies have been decimated, and entire populaces have been sacrificed in the Sun God’s name, and it looks as if nothing can prevent the devastation.
But there are still those with hope.
Claire, a Woman of the Song, has already brought considerable magic of her own to fight the Children of Dal, and Ramiro, a soldier who has forsaken his vows to Colina Hermosa’s cavalry in order to stand by her side, has killed and bled for their cause. Separated after the last battle, they move forward with the hope that the saints will hear their prayers, their families will be saved, and that they’ll see each other once more.
A stirring conclusion to the Birth of Saints series, Ramiro and Claire’s journey finds completion in a battle between evil and love.
When the Northerners invaded, the ciudades-estado knew they faced a powerful army. But what they didn’t expect was the deadly magic that was also brought to the desert: the white-robed priests with their lethal Diviners, and the evil god, Dal. Cities have burned, armies have been decimated, and entire populaces have been sacrificed in the Sun God’s name, and it looks as if nothing can prevent the devastation.
But there are still those with hope.
Claire, a Woman of the Song, has already brought considerable magic of her own to fight the Children of Dal, and Ramiro, a soldier who has forsaken his vows to Colina Hermosa’s cavalry in order to stand by her side, has killed and bled for their cause. Separated after the last battle, they move forward with the hope that the saints will hear their prayers, their families will be saved, and that they’ll see each other once more.
A stirring conclusion to the Birth of Saints series, Ramiro and Claire’s journey finds completion in a battle between evil and love.
- GenresFantasy
565 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 5, 2017
3 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 10, 2017
I received an e-arc of this book via Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review as part of the blog tour organised by Rockstar Book Tours. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
Ooops, she did it again... Michelle Hauck managed to wow me once again with this stunning conclusion to her Birth of Saints trilogy! I am so in love with this series, I'm more than a little sorry that it is over... Might be just the right time to schedule a back-to-back reread!
Picking up right where Faithful left off, Steadfast takes us on an emotional rollercoaster, as the stakes for our characters grow ever higher. After having witnessed entire cities burned to the ground and armies destroyed, they are now faced with a threat bigger than ever before: the potential annihilation of humankind itself. Desperate to find a way to stop Dal, the Northerners' Sun God, before he succeeds in satisfying his blood thirst, our heroes are forced to separate and rally together new and unlikely allies to their cause.
Steadfast has all the elements of the first two books that I adored, and keeps adding more! The world building continues to be spot on, and the complexities of these many societies, with their individual customs and beliefs, continue to be explored in great detail. In a masterful touch, this time round we get a glimpse into Northerner society, too. I loved the introduction of Santabe's point of view and the scenes with the Northerner commander Rasdid. We now get a glimpse into this foreign society, and as Teresa and Ramiro figure out, it proves to be much more complicated than it would appear. Personally, I wouldn't mind getting to know them a little bit better still, so perhaps there could be room for a new spin-off series at some point? Just throwing it out there... it is nearly Christmas after all (wink, wink)...
[image]
This series started out really well, and right up to the end it did not disappoint! The characters kept growing and developing incessantly, each of them desperately fighting his or her own battle to understand their own identity and make sure it would not be lost in the wider war for survival. Michelle Hauck somehow managed to masterfully weave together a fantasy world, great action scenes and ethical dilemmas: just how far should one go in order to ensure their own survival? And what about other people's? These and other questions keep swirling around in all the main characters' minds... and our own. Issues of social justice and contrasting world-views are also present once more, expanding on what was introduced in the first two books, and showing how the destruction of the old world order can be the starting point for something new to be built.
At times funny, at times heartbreaking, Steadfast is the perfect conclusion to a stunning trilogy. There is never a dull moment, and each and every scene and character are absolutely key to the story's development. A book I could not put down, and one I wished could never end, it will draw you in and keep you wondering up until the end: has the age of saints returned? And it will show you just how powerful love, faith and hope can prove, even in the most desperate of times.
For this and more reviews, visit Book for Thought.
Ooops, she did it again... Michelle Hauck managed to wow me once again with this stunning conclusion to her Birth of Saints trilogy! I am so in love with this series, I'm more than a little sorry that it is over... Might be just the right time to schedule a back-to-back reread!
Picking up right where Faithful left off, Steadfast takes us on an emotional rollercoaster, as the stakes for our characters grow ever higher. After having witnessed entire cities burned to the ground and armies destroyed, they are now faced with a threat bigger than ever before: the potential annihilation of humankind itself. Desperate to find a way to stop Dal, the Northerners' Sun God, before he succeeds in satisfying his blood thirst, our heroes are forced to separate and rally together new and unlikely allies to their cause.
Steadfast has all the elements of the first two books that I adored, and keeps adding more! The world building continues to be spot on, and the complexities of these many societies, with their individual customs and beliefs, continue to be explored in great detail. In a masterful touch, this time round we get a glimpse into Northerner society, too. I loved the introduction of Santabe's point of view and the scenes with the Northerner commander Rasdid. We now get a glimpse into this foreign society, and as Teresa and Ramiro figure out, it proves to be much more complicated than it would appear. Personally, I wouldn't mind getting to know them a little bit better still, so perhaps there could be room for a new spin-off series at some point? Just throwing it out there... it is nearly Christmas after all (wink, wink)...
[image]
This series started out really well, and right up to the end it did not disappoint! The characters kept growing and developing incessantly, each of them desperately fighting his or her own battle to understand their own identity and make sure it would not be lost in the wider war for survival. Michelle Hauck somehow managed to masterfully weave together a fantasy world, great action scenes and ethical dilemmas: just how far should one go in order to ensure their own survival? And what about other people's? These and other questions keep swirling around in all the main characters' minds... and our own. Issues of social justice and contrasting world-views are also present once more, expanding on what was introduced in the first two books, and showing how the destruction of the old world order can be the starting point for something new to be built.
At times funny, at times heartbreaking, Steadfast is the perfect conclusion to a stunning trilogy. There is never a dull moment, and each and every scene and character are absolutely key to the story's development. A book I could not put down, and one I wished could never end, it will draw you in and keep you wondering up until the end: has the age of saints returned? And it will show you just how powerful love, faith and hope can prove, even in the most desperate of times.
For this and more reviews, visit Book for Thought.
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March 8, 2018STEADFAST in the third and final book in the BIRTH OF SAINTS trilogy and brings the story from GRUDGING (book 1) and FAITHFUL (book 2) to a surprising yet satisfying close.
As the first two books, STEADFAST is told through several points of view, as the protagonists try to find a way to fight the evil god of their northern enemies: Claire, slowly growing into her magic, Ramiro, the soldier from the desert city destroyed by the northern enemy, scholar Teresa, the friar Father Telo, and Ramiro's father Julian, the destroyed city's mayor. New is the point of view of the northern priestess Santabe, a character who already appeared in the previous books.
From the city-states in the desert to the home of the Women of the Song in the swamp, the evil god follows them everywhere, killing without distinction.
To defy a god, you need a miracle...but do miracles still happen?
Make sure to read the books in order to enjoy a great fantasy story.
As the first two books, STEADFAST is told through several points of view, as the protagonists try to find a way to fight the evil god of their northern enemies: Claire, slowly growing into her magic, Ramiro, the soldier from the desert city destroyed by the northern enemy, scholar Teresa, the friar Father Telo, and Ramiro's father Julian, the destroyed city's mayor. New is the point of view of the northern priestess Santabe, a character who already appeared in the previous books.
From the city-states in the desert to the home of the Women of the Song in the swamp, the evil god follows them everywhere, killing without distinction.
To defy a god, you need a miracle...but do miracles still happen?
Make sure to read the books in order to enjoy a great fantasy story.
February 12, 2018
Steadfast is the third and final volume of Michelle Hauck’s Birth Of Saints fantasy series, following Grudging and Faithful.
Where the earlier books were about bringing the main characters Ramiro and Claire together, in Steadfast they spend most of their time apart from one another. Part of me wishes they’d been together for more of the story, but the payoff at the ending wouldn’t have been the same if they had.
Priests and religion had significant parts to play in the earlier parts of this series, but spirituality and mysticism are major themes in this final volume. After reading this book, it is abundantly clear why Hauck chose Birth Of Saints for the name of her trilogy.
I rated Steadfast at five stars (as I did the first two volumes as well). It made me a little sad to have the series end, because I had come to enjoy the characters so much and would like to see them have more adventures together.
Where the earlier books were about bringing the main characters Ramiro and Claire together, in Steadfast they spend most of their time apart from one another. Part of me wishes they’d been together for more of the story, but the payoff at the ending wouldn’t have been the same if they had.
Priests and religion had significant parts to play in the earlier parts of this series, but spirituality and mysticism are major themes in this final volume. After reading this book, it is abundantly clear why Hauck chose Birth Of Saints for the name of her trilogy.
I rated Steadfast at five stars (as I did the first two volumes as well). It made me a little sad to have the series end, because I had come to enjoy the characters so much and would like to see them have more adventures together.
August 15, 2018
I really enjoyed the final installment of this series, particularly seeing the villain's backstory. After the second book, i wasn't sure where the story was headed, but Hauck pulled everything together to create
a thought-provoking ending.
The unique and complex worldbuilding created a truly immersive experience. I could almost feel the desert wind. Looking forward to this author's next series!
a thought-provoking ending.
The unique and complex worldbuilding created a truly immersive experience. I could almost feel the desert wind. Looking forward to this author's next series!
December 19, 2017
I gave the first book 3 stars (I liked it). The author slowly built an interesting world, introduced two young protagonists who are attracted to each other but don't want to be, and included lots of supporting characters with their own interesting points of view.
I gave the second book 4 stars (I loved it). Conflict increased on every level and everyone involved discovered they would have new and unexpected roles to play in the coming showdown. Tension built and I expected to be just as caught up in third installment.
Sadly, I give this book 2 stars (it was ok). It was too long and slow. At this point, we know the returning characters very well and don't need to have their uncertainties and motivations explained in such detail over and over again. It really slowed down the action and drained away the tension the author was trying to build.
And finally, at the very end, Claire had such a vague idea of what she wanted to do going forward. I hated that and wondered why. It seemed that, all of a sudden, Claire went back to being almost the same person she was at the beginning of the story without having grown at all. Her ending was unbelievable given everything she learned about herself and others across three books. She deserved more.
I gave the second book 4 stars (I loved it). Conflict increased on every level and everyone involved discovered they would have new and unexpected roles to play in the coming showdown. Tension built and I expected to be just as caught up in third installment.
Sadly, I give this book 2 stars (it was ok). It was too long and slow. At this point, we know the returning characters very well and don't need to have their uncertainties and motivations explained in such detail over and over again. It really slowed down the action and drained away the tension the author was trying to build.
And finally, at the very end, Claire had such a vague idea of what she wanted to do going forward. I hated that and wondered why. It seemed that, all of a sudden, Claire went back to being almost the same person she was at the beginning of the story without having grown at all. Her ending was unbelievable given everything she learned about herself and others across three books. She deserved more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews