In the wake of Quade’s public failure, Accord becomes the lone safe haven in all of Trinitas. Ko-Jin, in his new capacity as general, works together with the royal siblings to safeguard and fortify the capital. But the citizens are afraid, and tensions between the Cosanta and the Chiona run high. Still, no one wishes to leave the refuge of those city walls.
No one save for Bray, who is determined to find Yarrow above all else. But the man she eventually tracks down does not know her—he does not know himself. Meanwhile, Arlow is drawn deeper into the fold of the Pauper’s Men, Peer is thrust into an unwanted leadership role, and Vendra plots revenge.
All the while, Quade Asher marshals his armies. War is coming. But long before his military forces arrive, he will make his enemies suffer for the humiliation of his defeat. He will sow fear, break spirits, and leave them bleeding. Quade will test the strength of those who oppose him: how much loss and suffering can they bear, and still fight on?
March McCarron is the author of The Marked Series. She writes character driven fantasy and science fiction stories. She grew up outside of Philadelphia, but has relocated several times, including a three year stint as an English teacher in South Korea. In addition to writing, March is an avid traveler, a student of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and a sore loser at Scrabble. She believes strongly in the continued value of the Oxford comma. Her other interests include photography, talking about herself in the third person, and coffee as black as her villain’s soul. You can learn more at her website, www.marchmccarron.com.
Overall I did enjoy this book but it took a long time to get through. The book was just so long, and it was very, very hard to keep track of all the characters. It seemed to be missing some of the fun from the previous books. Most of the characters just weren't that strong. Bray and Yarrow are not front and center here, but rather take a back seat to most of the novel. Ko-Jin is the brave, dutiful general but he fell somewhat flat. I did find some good stuff here though, like Arlow's great personality and Quade's complete evil. The book has a great deal of suspension and darkness though which is a bit depressing. I'm curious to see how the final book turns out.
I wish this series had more fans because it is SO GOOD. The characters really get to you and the mythology of the magic system is so good. There is also above-average representation and I especially dig the Korean influence. This volume was a tough read so get ready for All The Feels, but although some of the stuff was definitely shocking it didn't feel gratuitous or unearned. Can't wait for the conclusion!
McCarron did not disappoint. There came a point in the book when I was so overcome with emotion: desperately wanting to add what happened next, yet not wanting my experience with this book to come to an end. I can't wait for the next book!
There are so many things happening in this book that may have you wondering if any of the characters even dare have the tiniest bit of hope. The author wasn’t lying by stating that this book is dark, and some of the things that occurred left me emotionally distraught yet completely unable to put the book down.
With all that said, I hope the wait for book four is as short as can be, because I am not a patient person and I am emotionally attached to many of the characters now!
I love all the books in this series and perhaps this one is my favourite? The day I saw this had been released I read it non-stop through the day and night, something I haven't done since the Deathly Hallows came out. Some really dark topics discussed here but the horror is handled really well, it avoids the hyperbole or gut-wrenching revulsion that authors often resort to snag their readers. My only complaint? After reading through the night I still didn't know what happened to Yarrow! Glad the final volume is out now to settle that score. :-)
I really enjoy the Marked series but this one had me less gripped than the first two. There's always one book in a series that has less impact than the others tho, no matter which series you read, and this is worth reading for the continuity of the tale. I'd always known Yarrow's fate right from his first sacrifice but the ending was a surprise and I'm very much looking forward to reading what happens next. Hopefully the next instalment won't take quite so long... ;)
This book was good because the characters in the story have such strong emotions that you become a part of it. However as the third book in the series it wasn't great. It is clearly building up for the last book and the war but not much ever seems to effect Quade.
Therefore as a book the good guys can't always have to make horrible sacrifices one after another. Hence only three stars for this book because the plot was lacking excitement and intrigue.
Really loved the first two books and stayed up late reading them. This third book was enjoyable but the storyline did not grab my attention as much as the first two. However definitely worth reading.
write a single intelligent thing about this book. My emotions are too engaged, and I am feeling... overwrought. The story told in this book did that. March McCarron did it.
Can't wait for the fourth book! March McCarron writes very well for this genre. I would imagine her style may not work as well for some other genres but works well for the fantasy type of book. Keep it up March!
This whole series is amazing. I was almost at tears a few times during this read. The moment we met yarrow in the first book I knew what would happen but the read to get there was amazing.
So this is turning into a great find. Third book in (and I have already started on the last one of the series) and I am still impressed. While technically this one had a few weak moments (the focus moves away from Bray and Yarrow and on to other characters), I am still impressed by the author's impressive ability to flesh out relatable/believable complex characters that give us better glimpses to the rest of the world.
This book is amazingly complex. Parts of it make me think of Game of Thrones, though I confess I only read the first one, mixed with Heroes or X-Men. I enjoyed even this third book though it was definitely more emotional tough than the previous two.