Inherit the Flame

Scorched Continent #3

by Megan E. O'Keefe

After Detan retrieves the renowned engineer Nouli from the clutches of the empire, he returns his aunt’s city to find it under siege by Thratia’s army. With Nouli’s help, they turn back the tide – ­until imperial forces show up, prepared to hammer Thratia’s army against the anvil of the city’s walls. Worse yet, the imperial advance is aided by an elite force of deviant magic users.
 
His aunt is forced to forge an uneasy alliance with Thratia to keep the city from falling back under imperial control – but Detan’s wary. While Thratia and his aunt bring their forces to bear against the imperial threat, Detan puts his own plans into motion, scheming to ensure that when the final blow is dealt, Thratia and her army find themselves on the other side of the city’s walls.

File Under: Fantasy

Genres: Fantasy, Steampunk, High Fantasy, Adventure, Audiobook, Science Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

Audiobook

First published April 4, 2017

About the author

Megan E. O'Keefe was raised amongst journalists, and as soon as she was able joined them by crafting a newsletter which chronicled the daily adventures of the local cat population. She lives in the Bay Area of California, and spends her free time tinkering with anything she can get her hands on.

Her fantasy debut, Steal the Sky, won the Gemmell Morningstar Award and her space opera debut, Velocity Weapon was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award.

Reviews

[Althea Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed both "Steal the Sky" and "Break the Chains." "Inherit the Flame" did not disappoint, as it continues in the same vein as its predecessors with an action-filled, entertaining continuation of the story.

I appreciated Detan's growth into responsibility - and liked that it didn't come easily (or completely). Here, he's trying to be a double agent - and to gain control over is potentially-deadly abilities. His schemes end up with him arriving back at his homestead, Hond Steading, having to face his formidable aunt with the fact that he's engaged to be married to his worst enemy - and possibly the biggest threat to his homeland.

Of course, there's more than one threat. The oasis of peace and civilization that is Hond Steading looks more likely than not to be ripped apart between them.

Fans of the first two books will find all their favorite characters here. There'll be some moments of heartbreak as well as fun - but it's a must-read if you're following the story! If you aren't - yet - I highly recommend picking up 'Steal the Sky' and getting into it.

Many thanks to Angry Robot for the review copy.

[Beth Cato · Rating 4 out of 5]

O'Keefe deftly handles a broad cast of characters to bring her trilogy to an action-packed close. As the saying goes, you can never return home... but in Detan's case, he never planned to return, and certainly not betrothed to one of his worst enemies--with the other enemies also planning to attend the not-so-blessed day. It's a great twist on the trope of 'saving the bride,' as everyone scrambled to save Detan and save the city from multiple dangers--including Detan himself, as he struggles to contain his deadly power.

The one gripe I have is that I was disoriented at first about who was who--names are a weakness of mine--so I found myself wishing for more back story to help ground me again.

This is one of the best steampunk series out there. It has such a delicious, Firefly-esque adventure vibe with lovable rogues and a vivid setting.

[John McDermott · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable ending to what's been an entertaining trilogy. Good characters and great world building with some violence ; this is more of a caper/ adventure and a world away from my usual grimdark choice of fantasy. I'd recommend all Fantasy fans to give this trilogy a go.Megan O'Keefe shows great promise as a writer and I look forward to her next book : Velocity Weapon.
3.75 stars.

[Maja · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025
And just like that, reread is done. This is a mostly solid series, with some ups and down. Could have done with another round of editing. But it's lots of fun. Fast paced with lots of action. I wish there had been more books to really let stuff marinate, some stuff towards the end felt like it happened a little bit too fast, and because I want more.

Haven't read the author's sci-fi series and is unlikely to do so since be and sci-fi aren't best pals. But those as far more ratings than little series and honestly people should give this one a try.


2017
A very satisfying end to the trilogy!

[Linda Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

No. 3 in the Scorched Continent series, and I had to buy it because I could not wait for our library system to acquire it. Chapter 1 begins with Detan Honding strung up in a hood at the mercy of Aella and her spearhand Misol, bleeding body fluids into the dust, and still flipping his sarcastic jibe at the walls. Ripka, Tibs, New Chum and Honey are in Hond Steading, trying to sort out what the minions of Thratia are up to next. Pelkaia is alienating Coss and the rest of her deviant crew, who disagree with her about whether they are actually rescued or collected. The Empire is headed for the melee as well, perhaps at the behest of the Empress. Or not. The Dame is sorting how to keep hold of the independence of the Steading, or which oligarchic nightmare to let into the palace. I like the characters of Hond Steading: Lakon, Latia, Gatai especially. This book feels the way a revolution would manifest; there are no moments of what the hell to clamber over. Looking forward to what O'Keefe conjures next. I read this in one day, hardly touching the pages, so I donated the book to my library so more people can join the melee on the Scorched Continent.

[Jess Crafts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this book but at the same time sad because this is the last book in the scorched continent trilogy. There’s always a bit of anxiety for me when it comes to reading the last book in a series that I’ve absolutely loved. You are always hoping that it will do the series justice and end well. I’m sad that it is over but this is the ending that the series deserved.

The brilliant characters, witty banter and high stakes were all there and I am so glad this was up to the standard of the previous two books. All of the characters come back for one final adventure, everything in the series so far cumulates in one very big problem for Detan and the crew to solve.

I would say that there were certain parts that I don’t think were intertwined as well as they could have been and, especially at the start, I felt like Detan was a little bit TOO lost for me. But then I always like my characters to have an ace up their sleeve. It was still a very enjoyable read and I think anyone who likes reading heist/con-men books like The Gentleman Bastards or Six of Crows should give this series a read. It’s a bit lighter and more fun but still in the same vein with plenty of action, cleverness and heartbreaking moments.

[Viking Jam · Rating 2 out of 5]

https://koeur.wordpress.com/2017/04/0...

Publisher: Angry Robot

Publishing Date: April 2017

ISBN: 9780857664976

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 2.4/5

Publishers Description: After Detan retrieves the renowned engineer Nouli from the clutches of the empire, he returns his aunt’s city to find it under siege by Thratia’s army. With Nouli’s help, they turn back the tide – ­until imperial forces show up, prepared to hammer Thratia’s army against the anvil of the city’s walls. Worse yet, the imperial advance is aided by an elite force of deviant magic users.

Review: Detan is back, more confused than ever along with Ripka, Tibs and Honey. Once again their existence is threatened by Thratia and her weird torturous minions.

I am not really going to expound on the various nuances of reviewing, such as; story line, character development etc. It’s got all that. We know the players and the general rundown of the plot. Brevity is what is needed in this third installment of the Scorched Earth Series.

I really think this author is trying to find her voice as evidenced in each novel. In Steal The Sky, there were moments of pure writing brilliance that I was left awed by the talent. In part two, Break The Chains, I sensed a gradual declination of not talent but of creative direction in developing a continuing story line. In Inherit The Flame, there was a panicked fall from elegant writing into verbosity and stilted dialogue combined with a dismal story line. There is much too-ing and fro-ing within the confines of this world without the benefit of real tangible movement. This lack of movement trended in parallel with the planning of a ho-hum coup d’etat.

Overall, the writing was not simple and elegant (like the first novel) but rather trended towards the patterned and mundane. “shivers running down spines” and other clichéd phrases littered the pages. Towards the end you begin to see the brilliance re-emerge, but sadly it is too late. A real disappointment for such an aspiring talent.

[Groucho42 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting world developed but the conclusion of the trilogy (I hate trilogies) is fairly standard while leaving room for another set of books.

Detan captured and tortured/trained by bad guys Aella and Thratia while the rest of the team are in Honding Steading doing the usual, adventurous, things.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

*copy from Netgalley in exchange for a reivew*

Inherit the Flame is the third and final volume in Megan O’Keefe’s ‘Scorched Continent’ trilogy.
The first two books were a buccaneering adventure, with airships, magic banter, and even some personal growth. They were a lot of fun to read, so I came into this conclusive part of the trilogy hoping that it was going to pay off.

The centre of the text is Hond Steading, the home of the charming and at least modestly tormented Detan, one of the main cast of previous books. The Steading, built into the side of a dormant volcano, is the centre of power for the continent, now trapped in politics and geography between a resurgent Empire, and their rebellious commodore, a woman with an iron will, and an agenda of conquest. The Steading is a thriving place, and seems, in comparison to the frontier settlements and prisons we’ve seen previously, positively metropolitan. The populace are opinionated, and have an interest in the arts. There’s public meetings in a new civic forum, where anyone can speak should they desire. But there’s a sense of fragility here as well – the Steading is a soap bubble, waiting for one of those that covet it to risk the wrath of the other, and that time I fast approaching.

Still, there’s an elaborate palace, where Detan’s family has ruled for generations, and the population has a dynamism and an energy not seen to such effect elsewhere. There’s hints of the broader picture as well; the Empire is in an abruptly expansionist phase, and if nobody is entirely certain why, the hints of what is moving that larger body politic into warfare maintains the pressure which helps drive the narrative forward. In amongst all the politics and occasional stabbing, there’s also time to look at the sensitivity to the ‘sel’ substance which produces the magical effects that we’ve seen in the world – from thundering explosions to shapeshifting. Sel is something of a mystery, to both the world of the text and the reader, but it’s one whose depths will be plumbed here.

Most of the characters are fairly familiar from their previous outings. It was lovely to see Ripka, once head of law enforcement in another city, try to get used to being a civilian again. Then there’s Detan himself, whose efforts to avoid causing calamity have moved past fear into acceptance. His desperate and often despairing attempts to gain control of himself before he destroys anyone he loves are fraught and poignant. That they’re often masked by banter which can often raise a chuckle is a benefit – even as it reveals a character papering over their own mental cracks.
We do get a little more understanding of previous antagonists here as well. There’s the Commodore, sometimes known as Throatslitter, a woman who has spent the last two books as a force of nature, capturing cities and towns for a design of her own devising. But she has her own pains and motives, and in discovering what they are, there’s the chance to grow some sympathy, as she moves into a more morally grey area. But there’s other villains here, cold-eyed pragmatists and terrible zealots – and all of them make the blood run cold.

The plot – well, it hits a few different beats, often rather well. There’s the suspenseful journey that Ripka makes as she attempts to pin down and eliminate whatever scheme the Commodore is plotting to take over Hond Steading. There’s Detan’s struggles with his power, the responsibility which comes with it, and the need to put himself in the thrall of his enemies to learn control. But there’s also the overarching narrative of conflict and control, as the Steading tries to remain whole in the face of two irresistible forces. There’s some great chases, explosive, horrifyingly grand uses of magic and cracking dialogue too.

Is it worth reading? If you’re new to the Scorched, I’d say go back to the first book in the series and give it a go. If you’re already a fan though, this is a worthy conclusion to the series, though it may leave you wanting more.

[Alysa H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best of the trilogy. Looking back at my reviews of Steal the Sky and Break the Chains, I realize anew that I tend to be a bit hard on these books. But I consider it a form of tough love: I love this series, want it to be all that is can be, and have developed high expectations from Megan E. O'Keefe.

Inherit the Flame is a fine conclusion, wrapping up pretty much all of the threads introduced previously, and certainly giving a lot of character development (for the most part: Pelkaia is curiously underutilized). There are also new characters that fill out the already large cast in useful ways. Most of the book takes place in the independent Hond Steading, Detan's ancestral home, just as it is being oh-so-inevitably targeted for takeover by not one but two scary political forces. These forces each have their own complex motivations, and connections to our heroes/antiheroes. The fates of all the MCs hang in the balance, as well as the fates of each and every denizen of Hond Steading, and by extension the rest of the story-world.

I really enjoyed seeing how it all shakes down. I hope that O'Keefe returns to the world of the Scorched Continent, but also look forward to seeing what other new things she'll come up with next.

** I received a Review Copy of this book via NetGalley **

[Bridgett Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.
pretty good steampunk series. It has airships and magic. This is the 3rd book, you really need to read the first 2 books. Detan is back and even more lost than before. just grab this series if you like steampunk adventures.

[Netti · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fantasy, first published 2017


The third book in a trilogy is a daunting, exhilarating task to undertake, ...


Yes. Obviously.

Leider lässt die Qualität der vielversprechend begonnenen Serie "Scorched Continent" weiter nach. Wie schon im 2. Band, so stört den Lesefluss auch hier das ständige Hin- und Herspringen zwischen verschiedenen Orten und Personen in sehr kurzen Kapiteln. Die anfangs vielversprechende Gestaltung einer Fantasiewelt wurde seit dem ersten Buch nicht mehr weiter ausgebaut. OK, es gibt Selium. Aber ansonsten könnte es eine ziemlich beliebige feudalistische Gesellschaft des 17. Jahrhunderts sein.

Manches ist viel zu redundant. Wir wissen inzwischen, wie Detan Selium fühlt und welche Probleme er mit Aggressionskontrolle hat. Es müsste nicht JEDES MAL wieder in epischer Breite über mehrere Seiten ausgeführt werden, in welchem Körperteil er was fühlt und anspannt und unterdrückt undsoweiter undsoweiter. Wir wissen inzwischen, dass Detan nicht mit Waffen umgehen kann, wir müssen nicht mehr JEDES MAL mit der Nase drauf gestoßen werden, wenn er ein Obstmesserchen in die Hand nimmt. Ripka ist seit über einem Jahr nicht mehr Watch Captain... aber weiterhin "vermisst" sie bei jeder passenden und unpassenden Gelegenheit ihre Uniform:

She shivered in the night air, missing her watcher coat...

Ähm. Hallo? Gibt es keine zivilen Mäntel?
Endlose innere Monologe von Ripka, in denen sie rumheult, weil sie es so vermisst, Befehle zu erteilen, Zucht und Ordnung zu sichern, Leute rumzuscheuchen, als Autorität respektiert zu werden.
Endlose innere Monologe von Detan, in denen er hasserfüllt an die traumatischen medizinischen Experimente denkt, die mit ihm gemacht wurden. Was waren das für Experimente? Wir erfahren lediglich, dass er offenbar ziel- und planlos an allen erdenklichen Körperstellen mit Skalpellklingen geritzt wurde. Hm. Sehr wissenschaftlich. Hat Ms O'Keefe eine Ärzte-Phobie? Wenn sie eine ihrer Figuren zu einem Dr. Mengele stilisiert, sollte sie doch wenigstens marginalen medizinischen oder naturwissenschaftlichen Hintergrund einbringen. Ein bisschen Skalpellklingen- und Spritzenkanülengefunkel wird dem Horror nicht gerecht. Das klingt eher neurotisch.

Insgesamt gibt es viel zu wenig Handlung und viel zu viel Folter und hasserfüllte Wortgefechte, Demütigungen, Egomanie. Was ist nur mit den jungen Autoren los? Sind die alle auf dem Sado-Maso-Tripp???

Das Ende ist nicht nur schwer verdaulich und geradezu kindisch unglaubwürdig, es wirft auch (neben logischen) massive ethische Fragen auf.


Ausgerechnet Detan, der jedes Fehlverhalten mit seiner Traumatisierung durch medizinische Experimente entschuldigt, fummelt ungefragt im Gehirn anderer Menschen rum? Nicht ein oder zwei Menschen. Nicht zehn oder zwanzig. DIE GANZE VERDAMMTE BEVÖLKERUNG! Gehts noch? Dagegen verblasst geradezu die Frage, wie er von einem Tag auf den anderen die Abhängigkeit von seinen Injektionen überwinden und seine Aggressionen kontrollieren kann.


Fantasy-Autoren haben es gut: wenn sie sich in eine Ecke geschrieben haben, geben sie einfach einem ihrer Protagonisten eine mächtig wahnsinnige wahnsinnig mächtige neue Fähigkeit... und schon fluppt es wieder.

Nee. Nicht. Wirklich.


Megan E O’Keefe lives in the Bay Area of California and makes soap for a living...


There is a lot of dirt around California.
And a lot of human blubber.
Make more soap.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 3.0 of 5

I haven't been particularly enamored with the first two books in the 'Scorched Continent' series by Megan O'Keefe but I had already requested and received this third book in the series before I had gotten through the previous books or I likely wouldn't have put in the request. However, this volume rises up just enough to make it worth the read.

Lovable rogue Detan Honding has successfully retrieved Nouli from the clutches of the empire and now they return to his ancestral home. But the city is under siege by Thratia's army. Detan convinces Nouli to help stem the tide, but the empire is also on the march to strike against Detan's home and his aunt is forced to enter in to a temporary treaty with Thratia to defend the city. Detan, meanwhile works to find a way to fight alongside Thratia while ensuring that they are on the outside of the wall when the empire battle is finished.

O'Keefe appears to have toned Detan down a bit. That or I've grown used to him. He was much less obnoxious in his attitude - less smart-ass wise-cracking and more determined. He wasn't a comic-book character finally, but more the reluctant hero.

Ripka plays a strong role in this volume and I definitely enjoyed following her exploits much more than Detan's or Nouli's in this book.

The story moved well and the different sub-plots converged nicely to finish off this series nicely.

And yet I still never really cared too much. While I understand the importance of the city and why it is strategically important and Detan would want to defend it and others would want to take it over, nothing about this story caught my interest and so this just became a very average read - nothing that I can really recommend and nothing that I'd encourage people to avoid. There were some clever ideas here, with some nice world-building in the series, but it just wasn't put together well enough to be the choice above so many other books out there.

Looking for a good book? Inherit the Flame by Megan E. O'Keefe is the end of the 'Scorched Continent trilogy and ends the series nicely but it doesn't help the series stand out in a world full of epic fantasy books.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[AilsaOD · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an example of a great trilogy crashing and burning in the home stretch. I really enjoyed the first two books: the characters are fun, and the world is one of the best I've come across so I was extra disappointed when this book was just OK. There were some pacing issues in this book with the middle section of plotting and investigation stretching out for a loong time but I enjoyed most of the book regardless. Things only went downhill in the last fifty pages or so when it became apparent that there was just too much ground to cover to have a satisfying ending. There were a couple of gut-punch twists in the opening chapters and while some of the implications had me excited (and were actually played out quite well) I would argue that introducing all these extra elements in the last book just complicated things unnecessarily. I really enjoyed reading about Tibal secretly being Detan's cousin and the insight into Thratia's character is both great and very confusing (I respect her so much more now but I'm also very disappointed in her?) but if the time spent on that could have been used on giving the book a better ending I would given much of it up with no issues!

A big part of this book is the development of Detan's powers which was very interesting and his struggle between wanting to be able to control his abilities and having to put himself at Aella's mercy was one of the most interesting components but one again it's resolution left me cold - what on earth was the climax on about?

However! I did really enjoy Hond Steading as a setting and Dame Honding was pretty cool. This book isn't bad really, and I guess even the ending is OK but it feels messy and unsatisfying and Detan's whole character arc kind of faceplants.

Also whoever wrote the blurb of this book has done a really weird job - much of the events mentioned happen but not in the order suggested and for different reasons so rereading it after I finished I felt like I much have read an alternate version.

[Sara Hollingsworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an alright ending to the trilogy. There were things I loved like Detan's growth from the first book through this one. But other things bothered me. Mostly the plot pace. This had an elaborate and tricky plan like the previous books, but, well, it just all fell fairly flat. I felt like there was a lot that happened that was just filler. I had this weird feeling that nothing was happening even though a ton was happening, you know?

Overall, I was satisfied but I didn't love it like the previous two. Beyond my love for the characters, I didn't feel this book had the substance the other two had. There was a few questions answered and some threads tied that felt like a solid conclusion, but overall I felt like many of the pages were nothing more than characters thinking and rambling over stuff we already knew.

[Eran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than the previous books, not yet great for similar reasons, but a big improvement in terms of writing and having a more serious feel to it. That does, however, emphasises how cartoonish it was before. For example, when it describes Aransa as the land that broke Detan and had him come out the other side reformed etc. all very dramatic, whereas while it was happening in the previous books it felt so flippant and light and not at all transformative.
I did enjoy the way the plot continued and concluded.

[Miriam Kahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The third book in this adventure is as convoluted as the other two. There's torture, a conspiracy, some rescues, and political intrigue in the Hond Steading. The characters are difficult to differentiate as their names sound similar.

The audio performance is okay. Frangione's reading is very dramatic.

Look for a different review at AudioFile Magazine http://www.audiofilemagazine.com

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story seemed a bit slow at the start but that may be because I didn't read the first two books in the series (bad reader!). Soon the action picked up but I didn't quite believe the resolution scenario - poison in the drinks... really? Who wouldn't think of that?

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book continues on as the other's in the series has. It recovers from the ending of the last book the best it can, and over all i like the ending and saw it as fairly fitting. It wasn't the best nor exactly what i was hoping for, but i did enjoy it.

[Ju Transcendancing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worthile conclusion to this series, the worldbuilding really did lend something special to this series and I really enoyed the characters more and more throughout the story arc. Very glad I had the chance to review this.

* Book received for free in return for honest review.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feels like a second book, because all the characters are split up and wandering about aimlessly, victims of forces beyond their control, with no plan. I keep having to force my way through. There's none of the intricate plotting, & ending is flat.

[Mats Berglund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Satisfying conclusion to the story.

[Darin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once again, ruined by profanity. Great story, just unnecessary foul language.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

fantasy
a great conclusion to the Scorched Continent trilogy. Makes you want to read more about Ripka and Detan.

[Kirk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good series

[Mulberry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm starting to think re-reading some of the ones I did like was a bad idea. I just got very very bored.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally reviewed at Thoughts Stained With Ink:

Holy shit.

I don’t think I’m going to do this book review justice, because…wow. Talk about a way to end a trilogy.

I’m actually at a loss from words, here. To the point that, I’m not exactly sure what to even talk about, this book was that good. Should I mention that I read it in a span of, what, three days? Two days? That the plot took twists and turns that I absolutely did not see coming, yet were the epitome of brilliance? Should I discuss how utterly and completely satisfying the last, eh, I’d say 50 pages were? Especially that second to last chapter, I mean, damn.

Except for one very particular thing that absolutely shattered my heart.

You know what I’m talking about, O’Keefe.

You’re merciless.

It’s the kind of end of the series that, when you’re 50 pages from the end, you have no idea how everything’s going to get wrapped up, because there is still so much going on and there is no possible way it’s going to get wrapped up and all those threads tied with so little page space left. Yet you close the book and you’re content. You have (mostly, see above accusation for clarification) those warm, content butterflies fluttering in your stomach, completely satisfied with the ending.

Oh, you have questions, still. And you want to see more of this world, continue to be a part of the lives that you’d grown to adore so fondly. Yet, for this trilogy? You’re very content how things ended, especially considering it went down not at all like you expected (but, looking back, in exactly the way it needed to, for your desired ending to be possible at all).

It’s also the type of ending that, as soon as you finish the book, you may rush to check the author’s website (and maybe also her Twitter) to find out when the next book penned by her hand is meant to be published. You’ll be dismayed to realize that there is something in the works, but it’s probably not going to be in your hands anytime soon. Because you’re selfish and you want to escape into worlds told so beautifully, with charming, complex characters and complicated conflicts, as O’Keefe has with the entire Scorched Continent series.

It’s the type of ending that leaves you in a book hangover so the review you write isn’t as polished as it should be or praise the book or it’s author as much as they deserve–and O’Keefe and this series deserves the best of the best.

But, perhaps, experiencing that hangover from her stories, getting as invested in her characters as you did and being disappointed you have to wait for more; perhaps that praise speaks volumes for itself.

So go check out the Scorched Continent series for yourself.

Trust me, you’re going to love it.

Read on!

PS: To O’Keefe directly, here, if she reads this. These three words: “I promise it.” Holy shit, talk about the chills you caused from that. I mean, I’m getting them again just thinking about that scene. Whoa.

[Bethany T · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series was always best when Honding was with Tibal or Ripka. But this one has him spending the majority of his time (and culminates in a supposed romance) with Thratia. Yeah, to say I was peeved Honding and Ripka didn't have anything more than a friendship is putting it lightly. I don't usually pout over pairings, but I hated that this book made it a big deal that Honding was essentially celibate, but the one time he allows himself to have a physical relationship, it's with freaking Thratia. It was toxic. Enemies to f-ck-buddies can be fun. This wasn't though.

It also wastes Nouli, the engineer our heroic trio spent the entirety of Book 2 rescuing. Wtf?? He does NOTHING in this book.

I just couldn't vibe with this. The alleged scheme made little sense. Once-important characters disappeared into the background or stopped being relevant. Several romantic relationships came out of nowhere and were annoying (or just a ploy so their death scene would be emotional). I couldn't handle it.

Verdict
This final book let the series down. This could have been great, but it got bogged down by an overload of villains and ridiculousness. I stopped enjoying myself.

Others in series
Book 1: Steal the Sky ★★★★☆
Book 2: Break the Chains ★★★★☆

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the beginning of this book was a bit tiresome. It seemed that each of the characters we were following had adjusted their world view 180° from the previous two books and it took me a while to get behind the change ... in the end ... and what a glorious end ... everything was made right.

I highly recommend the series. Megan O’Keefe has earned a spot on my favourite authors list with this series of books.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

really dragged on for a while it felt, especially in deatons chapters. the ending felt rather hasty and a little bit slapdash. I think the 2nd book is probably the best of the series. 2nd > 1st > 3rd