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Vega Jane #4
The Stars Below
THIS. MEANS. WAR. The explosive conclusion to David Baldacci's instant #1 worldwide bestselling and award-winning fantasy series. From the beginning, the fight was coming. Vega Jane fought her way out of the village where she was born, crossed a wilderness filled with vicious creatures, and raised a ragtag army behind her. But each triumph earned through grit and pain only brought her closer to him.Necro. A sorcerer whose unspeakable evil is matched only by his magical power.Vega and Necro are on a collision course. The clash between his awesome power and her iron will is going to shake the stars down. Their fight will seal their fates . . . and determine the future of their world.The battle rages in The Stars Below , the furious conclusion to legendary storyteller David Baldacci's #1 global bestselling Vega Jane series.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
1605 people are currently reading
3773 people want to read
About the author
David Baldacci
224 books123k followersDavid Baldacci has been writing since childhood, when his mother gave him a lined notebook in which to write down his stories. (Much later, when David thanked her for being the spark that ignited his writing career, she revealed that she’d given him the notebook to keep him quiet, "because every mom needs a break now and then.”)
David published his first novel, Absolute Power, in 1996; the feature film adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 52 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and television. David has also published seven novels for younger readers. His books are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with over 200 million copies sold worldwide.
In addition to being a prolific writer, David is a devoted philanthropist, and his greatest efforts are dedicated to his family’s Wish You Well Foundation®. Established by David and his wife, Michelle, the Wish You Well Foundation supports family and adult literacy programs in the United States.
A lifelong Virginian, David is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Virginia School of Law.
David published his first novel, Absolute Power, in 1996; the feature film adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 52 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and television. David has also published seven novels for younger readers. His books are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with over 200 million copies sold worldwide.
In addition to being a prolific writer, David is a devoted philanthropist, and his greatest efforts are dedicated to his family’s Wish You Well Foundation®. Established by David and his wife, Michelle, the Wish You Well Foundation supports family and adult literacy programs in the United States.
A lifelong Virginian, David is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Virginia School of Law.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews
May 29, 2021
THIS SERIES IS SO UNDERATTED!!!!! READ IT NOW!!
Now, the The world's will the isn't the best, and it's obviously not the most amazing why series ever but it is a really good series and it filled me with a bunch of emotions and I just really really liked it and you should read it too. The characters are so amazing. It feels like a classic, but reads like YA. I could get lost in these book any day.
Now, the The world's will the isn't the best, and it's obviously not the most amazing why series ever but it is a really good series and it filled me with a bunch of emotions and I just really really liked it and you should read it too. The characters are so amazing. It feels like a classic, but reads like YA. I could get lost in these book any day.
March 22, 2019
That perfect moment when you start reading a series and find that the next book comes out in less than a month!
April 5, 2019
Conclusion of a tetralogy: don't start with this one and know that it's fantasy, not one of Baldacci's usual thrillers.
Vega Jane and her magical army is beating the evil Maladons, led by the powerful sorcerer Necro, but is so outnumbered that they cannot win the war. Vega marshals her resources, seeking advice from ghosts and goddesses, while searching for her long lost family. In a daring raid on the Maladon Castle, Vega discovers that their primary assassin is someone long thought dead, who has been re-programmed by Necro. After returning to rescue him and many others from her village who have been trapped and subjected to endless torture, Vega finds she has been played, leaving her own home base open to attack. A duel between Vega and Necro is the final battle.
Much of the book was slow, and there was too much Vega, at the expense of her stalwart friends: Delph, Harry Two, and Petra, who were marginalized. Lots of convenient magic at critical junctures, but the ending got me back up to three stars, from two.
Vega Jane and her magical army is beating the evil Maladons, led by the powerful sorcerer Necro, but is so outnumbered that they cannot win the war. Vega marshals her resources, seeking advice from ghosts and goddesses, while searching for her long lost family. In a daring raid on the Maladon Castle, Vega discovers that their primary assassin is someone long thought dead, who has been re-programmed by Necro. After returning to rescue him and many others from her village who have been trapped and subjected to endless torture, Vega finds she has been played, leaving her own home base open to attack. A duel between Vega and Necro is the final battle.
Much of the book was slow, and there was too much Vega, at the expense of her stalwart friends: Delph, Harry Two, and Petra, who were marginalized. Lots of convenient magic at critical junctures, but the ending got me back up to three stars, from two.
April 17, 2019
This was okay. I liked the first two books in this series better than the last two. This was less than the third. This was was mostly fighting and death. There was too much of both. Several people were found, though, which was nice. I was disappointed that two of those people were killed off. There is a happy ending for the main character and most of the survivors.
November 16, 2025
With thanks to a Little Free Library in my development, I took a chance on reading a book outside my usual fare. Mostly, I was persuaded by author, David Baldacci. His thrillers are very well written and character driven, which is my favorite modus operandi for a novel. Happily, THE STARS BELOW follows suit.
This book is the fourth and final volume in the Vega Jane series. It’s categorized as YA fantasy and recommended by the publisher for 9-13 year olds. That might be a bit young, if your readers are sensitive. The amount of death and violence is moderate to high altho’ not gratuitous or graphic.
Vega Jane is the leader of the bedraggled group fighting for their lives against the Maladons. Thanks to Baldacci for including a glossary of terms that identifies both commonly used words, phrases and critters. There are LOTS of characters and STUFF in this 450 page adventure! Her group has heart, soul and love for family, both natural and chosen,
that’s truly inspiring.
At the head of the Maladons is an evil sorcerer named Necro. His behavior, past and present, is despicable; truly a very BAD guy. I don’t want to spoil the story so imagine your worst with an evil magic wand and twisted mind an$ you might be halfway there. Eeewww…
An epic battle of good vs. evil is at the heart of this story. Vega and her crew is significantly outnumbered but determined to succeed to reunite and restore their families and way of life. Necro has one goal in mind - self supremacy. David Baldacci brings all his thriller writing skills to the fantasy realm and crafts an exciting adventure that’s good for most of the family. With just a bit of adult editing, this series could be great family reading and discussion material📚
This book is the fourth and final volume in the Vega Jane series. It’s categorized as YA fantasy and recommended by the publisher for 9-13 year olds. That might be a bit young, if your readers are sensitive. The amount of death and violence is moderate to high altho’ not gratuitous or graphic.
Vega Jane is the leader of the bedraggled group fighting for their lives against the Maladons. Thanks to Baldacci for including a glossary of terms that identifies both commonly used words, phrases and critters. There are LOTS of characters and STUFF in this 450 page adventure! Her group has heart, soul and love for family, both natural and chosen,
that’s truly inspiring.
At the head of the Maladons is an evil sorcerer named Necro. His behavior, past and present, is despicable; truly a very BAD guy. I don’t want to spoil the story so imagine your worst with an evil magic wand and twisted mind an$ you might be halfway there. Eeewww…
An epic battle of good vs. evil is at the heart of this story. Vega and her crew is significantly outnumbered but determined to succeed to reunite and restore their families and way of life. Necro has one goal in mind - self supremacy. David Baldacci brings all his thriller writing skills to the fantasy realm and crafts an exciting adventure that’s good for most of the family. With just a bit of adult editing, this series could be great family reading and discussion material📚
January 3, 2020
Eh, it's alright.
The plot seemed a bit messy, the magic a bit too convienient at times, the side characters a bit glossed over. A few of the reveals were nice, but most of them didn't have the emotional impact they were supposed to, at least on me. On the other hand, the action flowed and moved nicely.
What really bugged me was how the book hinted at some things that if explored, could've been such an amazing plotline. (SPOILERS FROM HERE ON) It's hinted that John doesn't have stable emotional connection to his family, and he openly says that he can read the minds of monsters. I was expecting for him to turn to the Maladon side as a twist or at the very least, use this monster mind-reading ability in the final battle, but no, he's just another magical side character to add numbers.
Vega also annoyed me a little. It's first person, so you'd expect deeper emotional connection to the character, but she seemed a little too perfect. She's practically infallible in her magic, all her conflict with other characters are seemingly resolved in the first half of the book, and it seemed as if she doesn't really care? Petra 'dies', and she doesn't mourn, she doesn't cry, she just goes on bantering with Delph in the next chapter, barely mentioning her. I don't know, she just seemed so much more real and humanly flawed in the first two books.
It's not a terrible book in any way, but its predecessors were a lot stronger. Solid finish to the whole series plot-wise, but other than a few solid action scenes, it doesn't add much to what we've already seen.
The plot seemed a bit messy, the magic a bit too convienient at times, the side characters a bit glossed over. A few of the reveals were nice, but most of them didn't have the emotional impact they were supposed to, at least on me. On the other hand, the action flowed and moved nicely.
What really bugged me was how the book hinted at some things that if explored, could've been such an amazing plotline. (SPOILERS FROM HERE ON) It's hinted that John doesn't have stable emotional connection to his family, and he openly says that he can read the minds of monsters. I was expecting for him to turn to the Maladon side as a twist or at the very least, use this monster mind-reading ability in the final battle, but no, he's just another magical side character to add numbers.
Vega also annoyed me a little. It's first person, so you'd expect deeper emotional connection to the character, but she seemed a little too perfect. She's practically infallible in her magic, all her conflict with other characters are seemingly resolved in the first half of the book, and it seemed as if she doesn't really care? Petra 'dies', and she doesn't mourn, she doesn't cry, she just goes on bantering with Delph in the next chapter, barely mentioning her. I don't know, she just seemed so much more real and humanly flawed in the first two books.
It's not a terrible book in any way, but its predecessors were a lot stronger. Solid finish to the whole series plot-wise, but other than a few solid action scenes, it doesn't add much to what we've already seen.
October 28, 2019
Vega Jane and friends are back in a brand new adventure. The war is on to fight the Sorceror Necro and his accursed Maledon forces. Can Vega and the others stop them from destroying their world before it is too late? Read on and find out for yourself.
This was an amazing finale to the Vega Jane trilogy. If you like stories of magic and more, be sure to check out the whole Vega Jane trilogy at your local library and wherever books are sold.
This was an amazing finale to the Vega Jane trilogy. If you like stories of magic and more, be sure to check out the whole Vega Jane trilogy at your local library and wherever books are sold.
June 27, 2020
There were some things I didn't mind in this book, but I really feel like the 3rd and 4th book could have been combined and edited down to one book of the same length without losing anything. It was also another story where the MC is perfect at everything and she manages to do a whole lot of things that she probably shouldn't have been able to do. I don't think this was all bad, but it definitely could have been better.
March 26, 2019
This read like a bad Harry Potter fanfic. What could have been a much more interesting concept starting with The Finisher, turned into a generic wand wavy magic series, where the main character was all powerful, and had a magic chain that gives her the ability to fly and super strength, a ring that can make her and all of her companions invisible, as well as a rock that can heal all wounds. To top it off the big bad created horcruxes - sorry, split his sole - to make it harder to kill him. Ugh.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2021
It’s okay. A little hard to follow at times. Basic timeless tale of sacrifice and love.
March 7, 2019
You could call this Vega Jane's greatest hits. In the final installment of David Baldacci's fantasy series, he takes Vega Jane and some of her friends back on a memory tour of some of the places and individuals they encountered in the first three books.
I needed that. I forgot so much of what had transpired in this story of good "wugs" pitted in a life-or-death battle with the evil "Maladons." I don't know how he expects anyone to keep track of all of the creatures and weird words devised for this series.
Anyway, if you've read the previous three books, you can imagine exactly what this book is like. If you haven't read the first three books, you might want to do that before trying to read this one. Trust me, if you don't, you won't have a clue what's happening.
I needed that. I forgot so much of what had transpired in this story of good "wugs" pitted in a life-or-death battle with the evil "Maladons." I don't know how he expects anyone to keep track of all of the creatures and weird words devised for this series.
Anyway, if you've read the previous three books, you can imagine exactly what this book is like. If you haven't read the first three books, you might want to do that before trying to read this one. Trust me, if you don't, you won't have a clue what's happening.
March 7, 2019
Amazing dreamworld
This fantasy world can only come from the mind of a creative genius. Baldacci paints a picture so curious and creative and then leads the reader on an adventure not unlike Tolkein. It's fun and exciting.
This fantasy world can only come from the mind of a creative genius. Baldacci paints a picture so curious and creative and then leads the reader on an adventure not unlike Tolkein. It's fun and exciting.
March 8, 2021
SERIES REVIEW”. I’ve always enjoyed Baldacci’s books but this series totally misses the mark.... I finished the series, but only to find out the end of the story... I was so excited when I started book one- more than halfway through I though I was totally hooked and in love with this young adult series, but Earlu into the second book, long before the series end, began to wonder if this was REALLY written for young adults... (unnecessary swearing). Mostly enjoying “The Finisher” book one, I started “The Keeper”. And this is where the book became almost painful to finish...
....... too melodramatic and too many cliches .... gratuitous use of “hell” and “damn” ... Especially unnecessary when it’s a world and society that has different species, different names for items, different measurements of time ( “light” for day, sliver for a minute ?, and year was something else... maybe sessions? ) Why didn’t he take the opportunity to make up unique expletives when this is obviously written for youth.... Instead of a 14 year old saying “go to hell” all the time, he could have created his own unique world of langue expressions that fit to backstory much better and avoided swear word and the too frequent use of 😥 a British expression of “bloody hell” ... I could go on and on, but this is one series you can skip... first time I’ve given a negative review to Baldacci... But he missed the boat. In this series, kids discovered they had magic.... they use a wand, a ring that could make them invisible, had a healing stone that could heal cuts, broken bones, bruises, etc... And Vega Jane, the protagonist, actually treated her best friend who would eventually become her great “love ” very disrespectfully. She was too often the only one “smart” enough to see
The danger or to make things happen. Other talented characters weren’t often enough used as the powerful or intuitive friend they could have been. This felt like Baldacci was trying to jump on the Harry Potter magic train but didn’t spend the time to fully develop his world. What could and should have been a fun and exciting series was filled with scenes that became formulaic, expressions trite, and gratuitous swearing...It was almost as though someone else wrote it and he put his name on it to help it sell... (before he read it and realized it was it was a lazy attempt!)
....... too melodramatic and too many cliches .... gratuitous use of “hell” and “damn” ... Especially unnecessary when it’s a world and society that has different species, different names for items, different measurements of time ( “light” for day, sliver for a minute ?, and year was something else... maybe sessions? ) Why didn’t he take the opportunity to make up unique expletives when this is obviously written for youth.... Instead of a 14 year old saying “go to hell” all the time, he could have created his own unique world of langue expressions that fit to backstory much better and avoided swear word and the too frequent use of 😥 a British expression of “bloody hell” ... I could go on and on, but this is one series you can skip... first time I’ve given a negative review to Baldacci... But he missed the boat. In this series, kids discovered they had magic.... they use a wand, a ring that could make them invisible, had a healing stone that could heal cuts, broken bones, bruises, etc... And Vega Jane, the protagonist, actually treated her best friend who would eventually become her great “love ” very disrespectfully. She was too often the only one “smart” enough to see
The danger or to make things happen. Other talented characters weren’t often enough used as the powerful or intuitive friend they could have been. This felt like Baldacci was trying to jump on the Harry Potter magic train but didn’t spend the time to fully develop his world. What could and should have been a fun and exciting series was filled with scenes that became formulaic, expressions trite, and gratuitous swearing...It was almost as though someone else wrote it and he put his name on it to help it sell... (before he read it and realized it was it was a lazy attempt!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2021
This was not the best story of the series but that's alot to ask for. This was as realistic as he could I think. I can't say it was all that great but Vega was awesome. Better than Harry Potter. So with that being said Petra was loose n Jon was still evil. I wondered why the other magical characters didn't go to Eon more than once. Also how did Virgil keep making Harry's as well as pass through the Quoge it was good enough glad I finished it
July 10, 2024
Not great, but an entertaining series about a precocious young warrior, Vega Jane, with magical powers up against an oppressive evil force much greater in numbers. And she is trying to save her dying father and her emotionally disconnected brother.
April 1, 2019
Strictly for fans of fantasy fiction. This book took too long to come after the first three. Many incidents referred to in this book were lost to memory.
May 26, 2019
As the final book in the Vega Jane series, Baldacci masterfully ends the saga in an entertaining fully satisfying fashion.
January 30, 2022
Fantastic ending to this series, which for me did not at first appeal until the third and fourth books.
November 11, 2024
If you like fansty books this is a great series
February 27, 2025
I love youth fiction. This was a great series and I listened to the Audio book which I always think is wonderful as the reader was British!
I would recommend as a fun and engaging read!
I would recommend as a fun and engaging read!
December 30, 2024
Beauty's ending to the Vega Jane saga.
March 6, 2019
Super book series hatsoff again @davidbaldacciauthor you done a great job.
As I finished the series, i was wondering how i started, as a matter of fact am very selective about which books I have to read, and I will only read them when all the books in that series are released, but first time you're book
The finisher (vega jane 1) changed it all, it was a great book and a real pageturner, and I fall in love with vega and delph, it didn't make sense up to first 70 pages but after that I never look back, i finished the book and got hold of The keeper (vega jane 2) as soon as possible, and I finished the book it took hardly 3 days to me and I love every scene and every dialogue in the book, well to say frankly I felt some what irritated during the throne and ekos part of the book, but, after that it never failed to impress me. The third one and the very complex one
The width of the world (vega jane book 4), it not only strengthen the bond between main trio, i also felt like a part in that book, i really love it. and I waited for 2 years for the 4th book
The stars below (vega jane book 4 and the final one) it took me a week to complete it, i fought over a fight with me to finish it off or not, because like vega i know it is the final book i have to live in it completely, i really love the book, it's worth wait. Thank you David baldacci for a wonderful series.
As I finished the series, i was wondering how i started, as a matter of fact am very selective about which books I have to read, and I will only read them when all the books in that series are released, but first time you're book
The finisher (vega jane 1) changed it all, it was a great book and a real pageturner, and I fall in love with vega and delph, it didn't make sense up to first 70 pages but after that I never look back, i finished the book and got hold of The keeper (vega jane 2) as soon as possible, and I finished the book it took hardly 3 days to me and I love every scene and every dialogue in the book, well to say frankly I felt some what irritated during the throne and ekos part of the book, but, after that it never failed to impress me. The third one and the very complex one
The width of the world (vega jane book 4), it not only strengthen the bond between main trio, i also felt like a part in that book, i really love it. and I waited for 2 years for the 4th book
The stars below (vega jane book 4 and the final one) it took me a week to complete it, i fought over a fight with me to finish it off or not, because like vega i know it is the final book i have to live in it completely, i really love the book, it's worth wait. Thank you David baldacci for a wonderful series.
June 6, 2019
I really feel as if this had the potential to be so much better. However, as I got further into the book, I couldn’t help but think how much it was like Harry Potter. Especially the ending. That’s when I became disappointed in the series. I love fantasy books and I know they often feed off one another, but the similarities between the two series was just too much. Given that, I will probably recommend this series to one of my tutoring clients as she is just starting to enjoy reading and has been enjoying Harry Potter!!
July 22, 2023
I was SUPER excited for the last book in the Vega Jane series, and The Stars Below did not disappoint. I absolutely loved the twists in the plot and how the characters we learnt about in the 3rd book were much more fleshed out! The ending packed such a massive punch and I was so happy with how all the loose ends were tied up. This is definitely a series I will re-read. Thankyou David Baldacci for an incredible ending and an unforgettable series!
August 23, 2021
It is not very often I end a series with a smile, but in this case I did. I thought the last book was such a beautiful and encapsulating end to a series that I loved from the very first pages. There were some unexpected twists and turns, and I couldn’t put it down. Well done, but I am sad it is over!!!
November 9, 2019
I love Baldacci, but this series isn't his strongest. It's a pretty imaginative story; however, there are so many similarities between it and Harry Potter that it becomes bothersome. I didn't hate it, but it wasn't my favorite.
January 1, 2021
This is a great ending to the series.
August 8, 2019
“The odds are against us, Delph.” Surprisingly, he gave me a silly grin.
“What?” I said.
“Vega Jane, when haven’t the odds been against us?”
I had to smile. I mean I really smiled. And then I laughed. Like I hadn’t in, I don’t know, forever.
In The Stars Below, Vega finds herself in just as much danger as ever. She has been busy battling Maladons, trying to decrease their numbers, and determining what their next step should be to defeat Necro once and for all. Unfortunately, many of the people Vega has trained up for battle have died and their odds look bleak. There are surprises around every turn, a cast of characters - alive and… not alive - reveal details about the past that help make sense of the present, and the courage displayed by the characters make the fourth book a thrilling read.
This book doesn’t quite earn 5 stars because:
~ There were a few missed opportunities for me. I wanted a few things to happen and predicted they would, but the author left me hanging. For instance,
~ The characters jump to conclusions way too quickly. They don’t consider any other options. At one point, Delph questions why they believe something, asking “Based on what precisely?” and Vega responds with, “It’s the only explanation.” But that felt like a cop out.
~ The final page of the book was too...romantic-comedy-ish? for me. After such a suspenseful book, the ending felt silly and off topic. . A messier ending would have been more authentic to the book for me.
Vega shows real courage in this book. She never falters in her quest to rid the world of evil and never stops to question why this burden has fallen on her shoulders. There are also several interesting themes and messages in this book including girl power, the strength of friendship, the importance of learning from history, and the responsibility of having power. One lesson that stood out from the end of the book was “that when a people grow complacent and less than vigilant, evil can quickly take root and come to dominate.” The Stars Below is more than a young adult fantasy book.
This book moves so fast, with lots of little - but important - scenes taking place. I couldn’t predict what would happen next. Each conversation lead to another mission. So in all, this book was fun and wildly adventurous.
May 1, 2020
The fourth and final installment of the Vega Jane series. A good conclusion.
"Keep raising your hand and keep asking, Vega. That is the only way you will ever get answers."
"Leisurely thinking through all possibilities is a pastime best left for when you’re not fighting for your life."
"'But you didn’t take those horrid things away from him. They were in his room. In your house.' 'Because I knew that merely taking them away would do no good. You can’t make someone be good, Vega. Just as you can’t make someone evil.'"
"I let out a long, painful breath. I had gone from mighty sorceress to scared little girl faster than I ever thought possible. If that was not a lesson in humility, I didn’t know what was. But at least I was alive."
"'That makes you special?' she said coldly, indicating his wand. 'A mere possession cannot really make one special, Petra. It’s how you live your life that does it.'"
"I had felt very low at many times in my life. But never once had I considered ending my life. There had been too many times when someone else was trying to do that for me, I suppose, to ever contemplate doing it myself."
"'You fight not for yourself, Vega. You fight not for personal glory, as others of our kind undoubtedly did.' She paused and when she next spoke, her voice rose higher. 'You fight for us all. And that is why you lead us, Vega. Because you have taken our pain, our suffering, our loss . . . as your own. Peace. Hope. Freedom.'"
"It was an evil, vile creation, and it also made me repulsed to think that it was our kind that had brought it to life. In order to protect a few, they had built a trap that had ended up killing far more creatures, and most if not all of them innocent."
"We are magical, Vega. That gives us certain rights.' 'No, that gives us immense responsibilities, like never using our power to hurt innocent people or creatures. And that includes making them do your bidding.'"
"There should never be enough "going on" that we forget about the needs of others. That, essentially, is the essence of goodness."
"Well, Vega, I reckon if we fall, there are others here who can take up the mantle. I’m not saying you’re not special, a lot more than me actually. But leaders aren’t so much born as made, I believe. They rise to the occasion. Daphne was like that. She had her opinions. And she stood up for others. But she wasn’t the only one in the world. And neither are you or me."
"It is actually quite beautiful now that one doesn’t have to worry about being eaten by a beast!"
"For all those who come, it stands as a critical lesson that when a people grow complacent and less than vigilant, evil can quickly take root and come to dominate."
"Keep raising your hand and keep asking, Vega. That is the only way you will ever get answers."
"Leisurely thinking through all possibilities is a pastime best left for when you’re not fighting for your life."
"'But you didn’t take those horrid things away from him. They were in his room. In your house.' 'Because I knew that merely taking them away would do no good. You can’t make someone be good, Vega. Just as you can’t make someone evil.'"
"I let out a long, painful breath. I had gone from mighty sorceress to scared little girl faster than I ever thought possible. If that was not a lesson in humility, I didn’t know what was. But at least I was alive."
"'That makes you special?' she said coldly, indicating his wand. 'A mere possession cannot really make one special, Petra. It’s how you live your life that does it.'"
"I had felt very low at many times in my life. But never once had I considered ending my life. There had been too many times when someone else was trying to do that for me, I suppose, to ever contemplate doing it myself."
"'You fight not for yourself, Vega. You fight not for personal glory, as others of our kind undoubtedly did.' She paused and when she next spoke, her voice rose higher. 'You fight for us all. And that is why you lead us, Vega. Because you have taken our pain, our suffering, our loss . . . as your own. Peace. Hope. Freedom.'"
"It was an evil, vile creation, and it also made me repulsed to think that it was our kind that had brought it to life. In order to protect a few, they had built a trap that had ended up killing far more creatures, and most if not all of them innocent."
"We are magical, Vega. That gives us certain rights.' 'No, that gives us immense responsibilities, like never using our power to hurt innocent people or creatures. And that includes making them do your bidding.'"
"There should never be enough "going on" that we forget about the needs of others. That, essentially, is the essence of goodness."
"Well, Vega, I reckon if we fall, there are others here who can take up the mantle. I’m not saying you’re not special, a lot more than me actually. But leaders aren’t so much born as made, I believe. They rise to the occasion. Daphne was like that. She had her opinions. And she stood up for others. But she wasn’t the only one in the world. And neither are you or me."
"It is actually quite beautiful now that one doesn’t have to worry about being eaten by a beast!"
"For all those who come, it stands as a critical lesson that when a people grow complacent and less than vigilant, evil can quickly take root and come to dominate."
December 18, 2024
David Baldacci writes an action-packed conclusion that unfortunately skips over some key plot points and character developments.
This was a bit of a disappointing conclusion, especially after the third book. There were various plot holes. For example, in the first chapter, a woman named Rebecca is part of a scouting group. In chapter four, this woman has been dead for six months, when it’s only been three days since chapter one. Later in the book, Domitar dies in battle, and yet he seemingly resurrects for the next one. There was also a notable moment in the middle of the book where Vega blocked the jabbit’s ability to smell, but it makes me wonder why she’s never used that spell before. She seemed to forget it existed later. However, the biggest plot hole was the actual conclusion. I have no idea how Vega won—oh wait, pure luck! At times, she seemed the most powerful sorceress on earth and then the next day, she could barely cast a spell. Her level never seemed consistent in this book, and I find it hard to believe that she actually defeated Necro. More importantly, if not for the duel, then I don’t know how they would’ve won the war. More and more characters kept dying, to the point that I wondered if they’d actually lose. The conclusion’s timeline is incredibly realistic, but after all that time and all the deaths, their victory wasn’t.
I feel like the characters took a back seat for plot, and some of the characters had inexplicable development. The returned Wugs were way nicer than before, and even Petra seemed to be calmer. Delph and Petra barely had any scenes because Vega was focusing so much on her family. Yet even after agonizing over her parents’ and brother’s whereabouts, Vega was most upset over her dog, not her father or anyone else that died. Last but not least, the epilogue felt out of character for both Vega and Delph. Because I knew the characters well already, none of the character oversights were fatal to the plot, but they did dampen my enjoyment of the book when I evitable noticed something out-of-place.
That said, contrary to what my paragraphs above would lead you to believe, I did enjoy this book. It’s funny and fast-paced. I overall enjoyed the series and would—and have—read it again.
This was a bit of a disappointing conclusion, especially after the third book. There were various plot holes. For example, in the first chapter, a woman named Rebecca is part of a scouting group. In chapter four, this woman has been dead for six months, when it’s only been three days since chapter one. Later in the book, Domitar dies in battle, and yet he seemingly resurrects for the next one. There was also a notable moment in the middle of the book where Vega blocked the jabbit’s ability to smell, but it makes me wonder why she’s never used that spell before. She seemed to forget it existed later. However, the biggest plot hole was the actual conclusion. I have no idea how Vega won—oh wait, pure luck! At times, she seemed the most powerful sorceress on earth and then the next day, she could barely cast a spell. Her level never seemed consistent in this book, and I find it hard to believe that she actually defeated Necro. More importantly, if not for the duel, then I don’t know how they would’ve won the war. More and more characters kept dying, to the point that I wondered if they’d actually lose. The conclusion’s timeline is incredibly realistic, but after all that time and all the deaths, their victory wasn’t.
I feel like the characters took a back seat for plot, and some of the characters had inexplicable development. The returned Wugs were way nicer than before, and even Petra seemed to be calmer. Delph and Petra barely had any scenes because Vega was focusing so much on her family. Yet even after agonizing over her parents’ and brother’s whereabouts, Vega was most upset over her dog, not her father or anyone else that died. Last but not least, the epilogue felt out of character for both Vega and Delph. Because I knew the characters well already, none of the character oversights were fatal to the plot, but they did dampen my enjoyment of the book when I evitable noticed something out-of-place.
That said, contrary to what my paragraphs above would lead you to believe, I did enjoy this book. It’s funny and fast-paced. I overall enjoyed the series and would—and have—read it again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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