Limitless

A Born Assassin #5

by Jacqueline Pawl

The war for a kingdom has just begun.

Battered and battle weary, after dismantling the ruthless Assassins’ Guild, Mercy and Tamriel triumphantly return to Sandori. It is well past time to free the slaves and bring justice to the elves. When their trusted general unexpectedly betrays them and usurps the throne, Mercy, Tamriel and their most loyal allies are forced to flee the capital with little more than the clothes on their backs.

Branded enemies of the crown and hunted across the country, Mercy and Tamriel must venture beyond the borders of Beltharos, if they are to have any chance of overthrowing the traitor and reclaiming the throne. Against impossible odds, they must find the strength to raise an army of their own…or lose the kingdom they love forever.

Genres: Fantasy

546 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2020

About the author

Jacqueline Pawl can be most often found reading, writing, or shopping for even more books to add to her ever-growing ‘to-read’ pile. (She swears, someday she’ll get a chance to read all of them.) MERCILESS is the first book in her Throne of Glass-esque fantasy series, complete with tough-as-nails assassins, snarky blacksmiths, a dreamy prince, and a mad king.

Reviews

[Judi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is going to be a tough review to write...without giving anything away, that is!

Wow, just wow. I can't believe we've reached the end of this series. This last book is so...mindblowing. So much happens since we left them all in Fearless.

They're back from the horrors of the Guild where Mercy was held captive, tortured to within an inch of her life, wanting only to go home and rule their kingdom. Bone-weary, exhausted in their bodies and hearts, they reach home only to find Tamriel's trusted general, Nicholas, has usurped the throne, murdering the council members that were loyal to Tamriel. Forced to flee the kingdom they love and go into hiding, they barely get away with their lives, and now must work to form an army to take back their kingdom. That is not an easy thing to do when all the people of your kingdom are terrified of the usurper. Needless to say, it's a harrowing journey, one that often leaves them disheartened, and fearful that they may never get the kingdom back.

What they have to do, where they have to go, and the things that happen to them are typical of Jackie's amazing imagination. You are going to get sucked in, so don't expect to come up for air until you've finished. There is no lull to go eat, or go out for a while, or even go potty! You have to keep reading. There's just no stopping point until the end. And what an end!

Now, because I refuse to give away anything with spoilers, I can't be specific, so all I can do is tell you that you won't be disappointed. In this 500+ page book, Jackie ties the entire story together into an intricate yet fascinating bow, and there's no doubt you will enjoy this gift. Mercy and Tamriel will tug your heartstrings, make you laugh, and keep you on the edge of your seats. Faye and Kaius will keep you in suspense, infuriate you, and bring you a love story for the ages, second only to Mercy and Tamriel's. Mercy's family will bring to the fore the importance of family, the support they offer you, the need of that love, and the devastation of its loss. Losing her parents shook Mercy to her core in Fearless. That loss brings a sadness to the whole family that colors their time together on the road back home. And it hovers over them throughout Limitless. There is strife, danger, treachery, manipulation, fear, love, devotion, and of course, suspense; everything you could possibly want in epic fantasy. Jackie delivers it all with such outstanding prose that you can't help but be floored by how young she is, to have written something so complex, so elaborate a tale as the A Born Assassin series. She truly is a prodigy, and I simply can't say it enough. This series is a must-read, for all ages.

As a matter of fact, I'm going to go so far as to say this series is going to find it's way someday into the annuls of the likes of Frank Herbert, Raymond E. Feist, Anne McCaffrey, Melanie Rawn and Mercedes Lackey. It is definitely of classic masters quality, and I can only hope that someday that actually happens. This amazing mind put together a series that is so dynamic, so exciting, and so engaging that I can't imagine anyone reading it and not loving it as much as I do.

Ok, yes, I've managed to use nearly every adjective available to describe this series (and this author!) and this final addition to that series, but you'll just have to bear with me. When I fangirl, I go all the way! And I am seriously a true fan of Jacqueline Pawl and her uncanny ability to create a fantasy that takes us away so completely that coming back down to earth is a shock to the system.

Excellently done, Jackie Pawl! So Very Excellently Done Indeed! You have outdone yourself with this one!

[Rasha Siwonest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommend it: for anyone who loves fantasy with assassins, fae, humans, plot twists and so much more!

I was given a free ARC by the amazing author for an honest review.
The only reason why I rated this with 4 stars is because I am on the last third of the book.
I know how annoying the spoilers can be so I'll try to be as mysterious as possible.

Mercy has come such a long way since we first met her in Merciless. She is one interesting character for sure. I love how everything peaked through out the series to come to this moment of the final book where everything is unfolding and tying together.
Mercy and Tamriel are such a lovely couple. They have been through hell, and still would go through one to protect their loved ones and get back their country.
I'm really enjoying their final journey. It is interesting to see the progress they've achieved after what they have experienced in the previous books.
The plot twists are well timed, the writing is good and the author's imagination is one to be praised.
When the story began with Merciless, it was about an assassin finding herself and building in all that she needs to become the great character in Limitless.
It is hard to believe that this is what we come to in Limitless, the plot, the story, the characters... just everything came around just fine.

I can safely say that I am more than pleased so far. It would be a shame for anyone to miss this series, Jacqueline is an awesome person and it shows from her writing.
If anyone is reading this review, I hope you give this series a chance. It is worth it!

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great way to end this series!! I loved every word, every page of it, I just couldn’t stop reading. It’s really well written, with twists and turns and you just have to know what will happen next. I already loved this characters, but I fell even more in love with them in this book, because you get to explore more sides of them and go deeper in their relationships.
Having the perspectives of both Faye and Percival was so great, allowing us to explore their perspectives, their lives and finding hope on the midst of chaos!!
Mercy and Tameriel have come such a long way, and I think the way that their relation has evolved is not only just beautiful, but inspiring and true, their love is not just some fleeting thing, is a really powerful being, strong and hopeful, inspiring not just their friends and kingdom, but anyone who reads this books. The way that they stick to each other, through hell and back, the way that they find strength in each other to face all the adversities, is the thing from which great stories and great history are made off. I feel so proud of them!
Amazing! Amazing! Amazing!
After reading this I feel beyond inspired and hopeful.

[LooseBoots · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sorry, short and sweet.

As I’ve said all along , this is such an awesome fantasy adventure series, it’s beyond description.

You need to read this book, this series.
It’s so intense and exciting. I was so captivated with it that often I’d loose track of the time.

I’ll miss it so much.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disappointment compared to the first four books.

While the first four books had problems, they were still a good read. I could forget errors in plot, writing style and the like easily.

This book is not as polished. There are a great many logic flaws, plot flaws, and more. There were chapters that were a mess; they added nothing, detracted from the story, and were unbelievable. This book was longer than the others. Deleting some of the chapters would have made the book better.

I almost gave up on reading this book several times. If I hadn't invested the time in the other books, this would have been discarded. And I hate leaving a book unread. When I start skimming or speed reading a book read for pleasure, it is an indication of major issues issues. When I can do this and miss nothing, in fact, still groan with plot and logic flaws...well, it is bad.

Still, I did finish it.

I will still read the next book released in this world with an open mind.

[ErinTurnsPages · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think I have the words to explain just how much I loved not only this book, but the series as a whole. And I have absolutely no idea how many times I cried reading this. I had almost zero cares for Percival up until this book, like Mercy I thought he would stay submissive throughout the series. I was pleasantly surprised and grew to like his additions to the story. The one scene (aside from the end) that stuck out to me was the transition from chapter 35 to 36. We end this intense and sad scene with Percival and in my head I could see it fading out then the switch to carriages rolling through a garden at dawn, I could see the lighting, I could see outside the carriage window as the wheels rolled, I could hear the clatter of hoofbeats on cobble or pebble. It was glorious. I am so excited to see what Jacqueline has in store for us next.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Annelise Wilp · Rating 4 out of 5]

CONTAINS SPOILERS

A nice and well-paced conclusion to a highly enjoyable series. This final book was much easier to get through than previous books.

While I always enjoy romance, at times it felt forced throughout this book (i.e. Faye and Percival’s romantic interests). However, Mercy and Tamriel’s love story was beautifully developed and got the happy ending they deserved.

One thing that I was not happy with was Cassia’s sudden death. I felt it was cruel and unnecessary, as Mercy has already suffered the loss of her sister Liselle and her parents. I know that a main character had to die in the battle, but I felt it should’ve been someone else (cough cough Calum).

I will probably end up rereading the series in the future as I was completely charmed by Mercy’s character, and want to watch her and Tamriel fall in love all over again.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the previous four books in the series, I went into this book with high expectations. My expectations were not only met, but exceeded. This is an incredible conclusion to the series. It is tense, fast paced and engaging, a book you will not want to put down. I just loved reading from Percival’s point of view, seeing how strong of a character he became, and the conflict he himself had to fight. Definitely a must read for lovers of YA fantasy - you won’t regret it!

*note After reading this book, I wanted to write and post this review to share my honest experiences toward the story.

[corriganann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was everything I had hoped the last book would be! I laughed, I sprung a leak in my eyes, I swooned, I raged, and whatever other emotion you can think of, I probably had it. Was this a normal YA romantasy? Yes. Was it also unique in its own way? Also yes. The found family, the character growth, the scheming, the politics, all of it was perfect. I am so glad I stumbled upon Merciless at a resell shop and got to experience this series.

[Ashlee Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible read! Highly recommend to everyone!

Jacqueline is an incredible story teller who really entraps her readers within the words of her books.

The 5th book in the A Born Assassin series follows Tamriel and Mercy as they fight to claim back Tamriel's crown.

With treason, war, new and old enemies, this book has everything you could want in a fantasy novel.

Definitely a 5 star read!

[freya · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

i can’t believe it’s all over 🥲🥲. this series has been lots of fun (except for the tiny bit of heartbreak that seems to occur every book) and i have loved seeing mercy and tamriel’s story finally get the ending it deserved. all the characters were so interesting and it was fun to get to know them as the story progressed. i’m gonna miss this series 😌.

[Meschel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic

When I started reading the series I never realized it was YA. It’s such a well written story covering politics and other adversity to finally reaching a HEA. I look forward to reading more about Mercy, Tam and The rest of their friends and family.

[Emily Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is hands down one of the best series I've read in a long time.

[Beba Andric · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fitting ending to a superb series! After that cliffhanger at the end of book 4, I could get to book 5 fast enough! Betrayed by the very person who swore to help, Tamriel and Mercy are in a mad scramble to flee, to escape from Nicholas and the soldiers he turned against Tamriel. With no more allies, Tamriel has to venture into enemy territory, to try secure aid from his biggest foe. But court politics rears it's ugly head and as Tamriel tries to navigate through, I'm delighted at how his character has grown. All the challenges, all the betrayal, all the headache that he and Mercy face, they face as one together with their friends. The friendships and bonds are simply sublime, the support and loyalty they both have, bring a warm feeling through my entire body. I love the how Jaqueline gives one a chance to come off the adrenaline high, pacing the battles, the drama and tempering them with heartening normal life scenes. The world she builds is remarkable. I love the depth and scope of this tale and the characters, from the very beginning, to the very end, so rich and diverse. Their joy, their loses and their pain resonates throughout, so very believable. And a turn around Klaus makes! Totally awesome! I love this side of him, especially with Faye. The final battle was so thrilling I could barely catch my breath. Each character has grown with each book to my utter delight and new characters introduced were just as delightful. It's such an intricate story, yet easy flowing, full of amazing twists and so well spun, that by the end, I felt just as delighted by their success as did the characters. This is a series not to be missed