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Chrysathamere Trilogy #3
Children of Jade
Rufyllys Vergana, the usurper, has stolen the throne from his adopted brother, Prince Ilruyn, plunging the empire of Navessea into civil war. The very first casualty of that war: Karthtag-Kal Sandaros, Marilia’s father. With the help of Ben Espeleos, Prince of Svartennos, Marilia has sworn to bring the usurper and the rest of her father’s killers to justice…including her own traitorous brother, Annuweth, now serving as the usurper’s right hand.
Annuweth has sworn an oath of his own—to protect his wife and their unborn child from the forces who mean to destroy them. To guard Rufyllys Vergana’s reign against its enemies—even if one of those enemies is his own sister.
Navessea’s bloody civil war comes to a head in the third and final chapter of the Chrysathamere Trilogy. No one is safe, and no one will be the same. A story of love, loss and redemption, Children of Jade blends the ferocious twists of Game of Thrones at its best with a Last of Us-style saga of bitter revenge.
Annuweth has sworn an oath of his own—to protect his wife and their unborn child from the forces who mean to destroy them. To guard Rufyllys Vergana’s reign against its enemies—even if one of those enemies is his own sister.
Navessea’s bloody civil war comes to a head in the third and final chapter of the Chrysathamere Trilogy. No one is safe, and no one will be the same. A story of love, loss and redemption, Children of Jade blends the ferocious twists of Game of Thrones at its best with a Last of Us-style saga of bitter revenge.
- GenresFantasy
667 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2021
3 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Morgan Cole
4 books105 followersAfter being bombarded with one too many school motivational posters, I decided to “shoot for the moon” by pursuing a risky double-major in creative writing and history on the assumption that the worst-case scenario would be landing among the stars. I instead landed in long-term unemployment—and unpaid internships, let’s not forget the unpaid internships—in small-town Ohio.
Eventually, I began making more financially sound life choices and now work as an attorney in the public sector while continuing to write on the side.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 25, 2021
The finale to the Chrysathamere Trilogy! I really loved the previous two books and I was looking forward to the end of this trilogy. The characters and the worldbuilding was great as usual. The war, action and political intrigue were realistic and thrilling to read. The middle part was a bit slow compared to the rest but it was still a joy to read it. Apart from Marilia and Annuweth, I liked every other character described in the trilogy; especially Petrea received all my sympathy in this final part. The author really did a great job in creating believable, sympathetic characters and the whole human conflict of Marilia and Annuweth were so believable. I just wished that the middle part would have been shorter because it felt a bit repetitive with Marilia being captured several times and so on.
Nevertheless, if you are into YA fantasy with good action and realistic political schemes, you will love this trilogy.
**I received a free copy of this book via BookSirens for leaving an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.**
Nevertheless, if you are into YA fantasy with good action and realistic political schemes, you will love this trilogy.
**I received a free copy of this book via BookSirens for leaving an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.**
September 25, 2021
Woah... all that loss, and the triumphs... the battles. My favourite part of all? Marilia, Camilline and the little Empress Claria being one another’s family. 🥺
This was an epic trilogy.
This was an epic trilogy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2021
Wow. Just... Wow. While this series started off with humble beginnings, it ended in an epic sweeping saga of war, love, loss, and the circular nature of all things. You don't expect Tolkien-level battles combined with modern New Adult characters who are this compelling or believable. While it's a slow read, it's one I had to know the ending of.
In this closing part of the Chrysathamere trilogy, twins Marilia and Annuweth are caught on opposing sides in a war for the very heart of Navessea. Bound by the code of duty and honour instilled in them by Karthag-Kal, there can be no turning away from the battles yet to come. Betrayals are around every corner, assassins stalk the shadows, an old enemy awaits... And yet the Fates seem to have decided long ago that the balance of power hinges on what happens when these two siblings meet again on the field of battle for what surely must be the last time.
The beginning takes no prisoners, opening not long after we left off with a move that will have you blind-sided. Marilia's half of the story is one of shocks (coupled with some small amount of repetition ), while Annuweth's is a slower, more character-centric one. While she discovers her own faults through physical trauma, he's trapped by his own mental anguish. Scenes range between quiet moments and massive, complex battles that aren't over in the blink of an eye. While I found the pace of these quite slow and difficult, I appreciate that these were meant to be written on an epic and realistic scale - and I'm just a reader who gets a little war-weary about action sequences after a while, so take that with a pinch of salt.
Expect twists of both kinds: those you know are coming and watch through metaphorical fingers as you try to read and cover your eyes at the same time, and those twists that surprise the eyebrows off your face and well into forehead territory. Being quite a slow paced book I wouldn't say things ever were super tense, but there's this low simmer of the plot building to its inevitable conclusion.
Though to be fair, I was kept guessing about what exactly was inevitable about it right until the moment it happened. The storytelling can be brutal as characters fall in blood and treachery. No one is safe in this somewhat more sanitary GoT-esque world.
Characters you thought you knew surprise you (POVs of Petrea and The Graver were enlightening, and I loved how they explained the character's actions and story arcs). Events you were sure would happen turn out wildly different. And the ending, in this reader's humble opinion, suited this pattern down to a T.
The writing is similar to book 2: more coarse and New Adult-y language (though not fully modernised - just a few "yeah"s that seemed a bit odd to me). There are a few nasty moments of gore, brief and conceptually creepy rather than excessively described. My one complaint in this one was... Ellipses. Both the dialogue and the narration seemed to indicate either constant interruptions or characters musing vaguely and forgetting what they were saying part way through, which to me didn't always suit the character/situation and really affected the flow of reading. Once I'd noticed it early on, I just couldn't unsee how many dot-dot-dots there were.
It's an enjoyable (if that's the right world for a story so full of pain and peril) military fantasy for those who like to think, and don't want the same old YA-ish cliches trotted out again. Full of quirks, twists, and major levels of creative plotting, it's a suitably epic, slow-burn of a conclusion to Marilia and Annuweth's story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
In this closing part of the Chrysathamere trilogy, twins Marilia and Annuweth are caught on opposing sides in a war for the very heart of Navessea. Bound by the code of duty and honour instilled in them by Karthag-Kal, there can be no turning away from the battles yet to come. Betrayals are around every corner, assassins stalk the shadows, an old enemy awaits... And yet the Fates seem to have decided long ago that the balance of power hinges on what happens when these two siblings meet again on the field of battle for what surely must be the last time.
The beginning takes no prisoners, opening not long after we left off with a move that will have you blind-sided. Marilia's half of the story is one of shocks (coupled with some small amount of repetition ), while Annuweth's is a slower, more character-centric one. While she discovers her own faults through physical trauma, he's trapped by his own mental anguish. Scenes range between quiet moments and massive, complex battles that aren't over in the blink of an eye. While I found the pace of these quite slow and difficult, I appreciate that these were meant to be written on an epic and realistic scale - and I'm just a reader who gets a little war-weary about action sequences after a while, so take that with a pinch of salt.
Expect twists of both kinds: those you know are coming and watch through metaphorical fingers as you try to read and cover your eyes at the same time, and those twists that surprise the eyebrows off your face and well into forehead territory. Being quite a slow paced book I wouldn't say things ever were super tense, but there's this low simmer of the plot building to its inevitable conclusion.
Though to be fair, I was kept guessing about what exactly was inevitable about it right until the moment it happened. The storytelling can be brutal as characters fall in blood and treachery. No one is safe in this somewhat more sanitary GoT-esque world.
Characters you thought you knew surprise you (POVs of Petrea and The Graver were enlightening, and I loved how they explained the character's actions and story arcs). Events you were sure would happen turn out wildly different. And the ending, in this reader's humble opinion, suited this pattern down to a T.
The writing is similar to book 2: more coarse and New Adult-y language (though not fully modernised - just a few "yeah"s that seemed a bit odd to me). There are a few nasty moments of gore, brief and conceptually creepy rather than excessively described. My one complaint in this one was... Ellipses. Both the dialogue and the narration seemed to indicate either constant interruptions or characters musing vaguely and forgetting what they were saying part way through, which to me didn't always suit the character/situation and really affected the flow of reading. Once I'd noticed it early on, I just couldn't unsee how many dot-dot-dots there were.
It's an enjoyable (if that's the right world for a story so full of pain and peril) military fantasy for those who like to think, and don't want the same old YA-ish cliches trotted out again. Full of quirks, twists, and major levels of creative plotting, it's a suitably epic, slow-burn of a conclusion to Marilia and Annuweth's story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 1, 2024
(4.5)
What a thrilling conclusion! This book starts on 100 from page one. I can honestly say I wasn't expecting this installment to be as brutal as it was. We lost so many characters and my anxiety was through the roof with the way Marilia and Annuweth kept at each other's necks. This was gory, action packed, and left me at the edge of my seat until the last page.
I loved seeing the mental turmoil all the battle and torture put on our characters and how they each had to come to terms with consequences of their actions and decisions.
There was a slight lull in the middle of the book for me, but other than that, I thought this was fantastic.
Highly recommend this whole series if you're a fan of battle heavy fantasies.
What a thrilling conclusion! This book starts on 100 from page one. I can honestly say I wasn't expecting this installment to be as brutal as it was. We lost so many characters and my anxiety was through the roof with the way Marilia and Annuweth kept at each other's necks. This was gory, action packed, and left me at the edge of my seat until the last page.
I loved seeing the mental turmoil all the battle and torture put on our characters and how they each had to come to terms with consequences of their actions and decisions.
There was a slight lull in the middle of the book for me, but other than that, I thought this was fantastic.
Highly recommend this whole series if you're a fan of battle heavy fantasies.
June 17, 2021
In Children of Jade, the final book in the Chrysathamere Trilogy, we are put through a gamut of emotions, from depression to anger to terror to the exhilaration of battle. This part of the story covers both Marilia and her brother Annuweth as they fight – first each other, and then together against the invading Tyracians. They also fight the man they call the Graver – the man who killed their father – several times. Though he keeps coming back again and again (he has no qualms about either running away or cheating), they manage to kill him at last.
At the end of the previous book, Empire of Jackals, things were looking hopeful for Marilia and the Svartennans. It appeared that some of the governors of the other provinces were finally ready to join their cause to make Ben Espeleos emperor in place of the usurper, Rufyllys, since Ben’s wife, Catarina, was actually the oldest daughter of the previous emperor, Moroweth Vergana. But when they go to meet with one of these governors, the meeting suddenly turns into an execution, and Ben and Catarina are killed along with several of their retainers. Marilia is taken prisoner, saved for later execution. And the army of Svartennos is forced to withdraw for the time being. Marilia vows to kill everyone responsible, but it doesn’t look as if she will live long enough to do so.
In the meantime, so much has happened in Navessea. The empress Clariline, Petrea’s friend and Rufyllys’ wife, has contracted the same wasting disease from which Petrea and Rufyllys’ mother died. When nothing they try seems to cure her, or even slow her decline, she ultimately commits suicide by telling Rufyllys what she thinks of him. After that, he loses everything – his mind, the support of his followers, and finally his life.
The tale of how Marilia escapes, is recaptured, is set free again by the invading Tyracians, fights a major battle against Annuweth and Rufyllys, and winds up a prisoner yet again, is too complicated to cover in even a longish review. But in the end, she and Annuweth wind up reunited against the Tyracians. But by then, it looks as if the entire empire will be lost.
Petrea, meanwhile, has been stepped on by a horse, and as she is recovering, she begins to rethink her life, admitting to at least some of the things she has done wrong. And she resolves to attempt to improve the situation in her own unique way.
There is once again the serious consideration of the price paid for war, even as war rages throughout the empire of Navessea again and again. Even when the war finally ends, it is a struggle to put the empire back together again after so many have died.
At the end of the previous book, Empire of Jackals, things were looking hopeful for Marilia and the Svartennans. It appeared that some of the governors of the other provinces were finally ready to join their cause to make Ben Espeleos emperor in place of the usurper, Rufyllys, since Ben’s wife, Catarina, was actually the oldest daughter of the previous emperor, Moroweth Vergana. But when they go to meet with one of these governors, the meeting suddenly turns into an execution, and Ben and Catarina are killed along with several of their retainers. Marilia is taken prisoner, saved for later execution. And the army of Svartennos is forced to withdraw for the time being. Marilia vows to kill everyone responsible, but it doesn’t look as if she will live long enough to do so.
In the meantime, so much has happened in Navessea. The empress Clariline, Petrea’s friend and Rufyllys’ wife, has contracted the same wasting disease from which Petrea and Rufyllys’ mother died. When nothing they try seems to cure her, or even slow her decline, she ultimately commits suicide by telling Rufyllys what she thinks of him. After that, he loses everything – his mind, the support of his followers, and finally his life.
The tale of how Marilia escapes, is recaptured, is set free again by the invading Tyracians, fights a major battle against Annuweth and Rufyllys, and winds up a prisoner yet again, is too complicated to cover in even a longish review. But in the end, she and Annuweth wind up reunited against the Tyracians. But by then, it looks as if the entire empire will be lost.
Petrea, meanwhile, has been stepped on by a horse, and as she is recovering, she begins to rethink her life, admitting to at least some of the things she has done wrong. And she resolves to attempt to improve the situation in her own unique way.
There is once again the serious consideration of the price paid for war, even as war rages throughout the empire of Navessea again and again. Even when the war finally ends, it is a struggle to put the empire back together again after so many have died.
March 4, 2021
*I received this as an ARC copy for a fair and honest review
TW: rape and sexual assault, gore, graphic violence, torture, self harm, suicide
Just like the second book in the series, this one had a "The Story So Far" section in the beginning. I LOVED that! It's a huge world with so many characters, and there's so much that happens in each book that the refresher was definitely helpful. Plus as someone who's terrible at remembering names, it was very helpful to have a cheatsheet handy.
I think that if you liked the previous books, you'll love this one too. This one felt even more battle-heavy than the previous books. It felt like we barely had any time to breathe, but it felt excited and intense rather than exhausting. I love the way the author writes battle scenes, and they've just gotten better and better. The perfect mix of big-picture action, strategy, and little details that bring the entire picture together. And since we learned in the second book that no one is safe, and the author is willing to kill off beloved characters in sudden or shocking ways, the battles had me on the edge of my seat!
I'll admit that there were a few things that were a little too convenient or inconvenient, and some things felt a little predictable, but there were even more things that I didn't see coming. So many things took a completely different turn than I expected, or swerved right when I thought I knew what was coming. And like I said before, the author proved they're willing to kill off anyone, and especially by the final battle I felt like all bets were off and anything could happen.
I was so invested in this conclusion, and it held my attention the whole way through. This was an incredible way to end a phenomenal series, and I highly recommend this series!
TW: rape and sexual assault, gore, graphic violence, torture, self harm, suicide
Just like the second book in the series, this one had a "The Story So Far" section in the beginning. I LOVED that! It's a huge world with so many characters, and there's so much that happens in each book that the refresher was definitely helpful. Plus as someone who's terrible at remembering names, it was very helpful to have a cheatsheet handy.
I think that if you liked the previous books, you'll love this one too. This one felt even more battle-heavy than the previous books. It felt like we barely had any time to breathe, but it felt excited and intense rather than exhausting. I love the way the author writes battle scenes, and they've just gotten better and better. The perfect mix of big-picture action, strategy, and little details that bring the entire picture together. And since we learned in the second book that no one is safe, and the author is willing to kill off beloved characters in sudden or shocking ways, the battles had me on the edge of my seat!
I'll admit that there were a few things that were a little too convenient or inconvenient, and some things felt a little predictable, but there were even more things that I didn't see coming. So many things took a completely different turn than I expected, or swerved right when I thought I knew what was coming. And like I said before, the author proved they're willing to kill off anyone, and especially by the final battle I felt like all bets were off and anything could happen.
I was so invested in this conclusion, and it held my attention the whole way through. This was an incredible way to end a phenomenal series, and I highly recommend this series!
April 30, 2021
The truth about honor—there are men who drive the plough, and there are beasts that pull it. And honor is the yoke those beasts wear around their neck.
Overall, a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, if a bit too much angst and torture. I also feel like Cole is a big fan of Petrea, who is easily one of my least favorite characters. There was a lot of justifying her actions etc, and it rang false.
”I don’t hate you,” he said in a choked voice. The things she’d done, maybe. The fruits of their love. The ashes they’d left behind. But not her.”
This quote in particular made me roll my eyes. At the end of the day, we are the sum of our actions; we cannot separate ourselves from the world and live in some spirit plane unaffected by reality.
There are some good questions about morality, just wars, and the long term psychological effects of conflict that the book poses. I appreciated that the story kicked off in a way I totally didn’t see and ended differently than I expected, but it was all a bit too heavy handed on the grimness.
”But that’s just it, your majesty. Men taking the easy choice without searching their spirits for guidance...men standing with their friends instead of their gods...I’ve come to realize since then...” He gave a sad smile. “That’s just what evil is.”
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Overall, a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, if a bit too much angst and torture. I also feel like Cole is a big fan of Petrea, who is easily one of my least favorite characters. There was a lot of justifying her actions etc, and it rang false.
”I don’t hate you,” he said in a choked voice. The things she’d done, maybe. The fruits of their love. The ashes they’d left behind. But not her.”
This quote in particular made me roll my eyes. At the end of the day, we are the sum of our actions; we cannot separate ourselves from the world and live in some spirit plane unaffected by reality.
There are some good questions about morality, just wars, and the long term psychological effects of conflict that the book poses. I appreciated that the story kicked off in a way I totally didn’t see and ended differently than I expected, but it was all a bit too heavy handed on the grimness.
”But that’s just it, your majesty. Men taking the easy choice without searching their spirits for guidance...men standing with their friends instead of their gods...I’ve come to realize since then...” He gave a sad smile. “That’s just what evil is.”
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 20, 2021
My thanks to the Author publishers and BookSirens for providing me with a Kindle version of this book to read and honestly review.
This is the third and sadly final part of this excellent trilogy, and while there are numerous references to the previous books, it could still be read as a standalone story, however please take my advice and read all three, because each book is better than the previous one. Atmospheric clever descriptive engaging and imaginative with a vast array of superb characters. The action and there is plenty of it is terrific though at times brutal. A tale of betrayal honour and love with a feel of ancient Japan and Rome with some good old Anglo Saxon for good measure.
Warning : Slight spoiler alert.
This is the final book in the trilogy but our heroine survives surely to good a character never to ride again.
Secondly slightly disappointed with the way the constant totally evil baddie of the series met his end, not what I expected at all.
Absolutely brilliant and totally recommended.
This is the third and sadly final part of this excellent trilogy, and while there are numerous references to the previous books, it could still be read as a standalone story, however please take my advice and read all three, because each book is better than the previous one. Atmospheric clever descriptive engaging and imaginative with a vast array of superb characters. The action and there is plenty of it is terrific though at times brutal. A tale of betrayal honour and love with a feel of ancient Japan and Rome with some good old Anglo Saxon for good measure.
Warning : Slight spoiler alert.
This is the final book in the trilogy but our heroine survives surely to good a character never to ride again.
Secondly slightly disappointed with the way the constant totally evil baddie of the series met his end, not what I expected at all.
Absolutely brilliant and totally recommended.
May 23, 2021
The Chrysathamere Trilogy starts out strong:
- Nuanced, compelling characters
- Tense, visceral action scenes
- A rich vibrant world and civilization to explore
By the climax in Children of Jade, we've watched the characters transform — reshaped by their own fears, losses, and choices they can't take back.
It seems like it's impossible to pull together all the threads that Morgan Cole has opened up over the course of the preceding two novels — the relationships that have been broken, the wounds that have been opened.
And yet somehow, Children of Jade manages to bring all the relationships, character arcs and plot lines together in one rollercoaster climax that had me unable to set the book down.
THIS TRILOGY IS A MUST-READ.
If you're a fan of epic fantasy, this series is guaranteed to earn a prized spot on your bookshelf.
- Nuanced, compelling characters
- Tense, visceral action scenes
- A rich vibrant world and civilization to explore
By the climax in Children of Jade, we've watched the characters transform — reshaped by their own fears, losses, and choices they can't take back.
It seems like it's impossible to pull together all the threads that Morgan Cole has opened up over the course of the preceding two novels — the relationships that have been broken, the wounds that have been opened.
And yet somehow, Children of Jade manages to bring all the relationships, character arcs and plot lines together in one rollercoaster climax that had me unable to set the book down.
THIS TRILOGY IS A MUST-READ.
If you're a fan of epic fantasy, this series is guaranteed to earn a prized spot on your bookshelf.
June 9, 2023
The best but also the darkest of the trilogy. My only complaint is that I wanted more.
I wanted more time to be given to the characters' development and relationships. I wanted more time to explore the characters, factions, and cultures of this world. More time for the story to evolve.
Ideally, I would expand the last quarter of this book into a fourth book. I would also make a much more extensive epilogue to show the aftermath of the events on the characters and worlds, since the epilogue we got leaves most things very open and uncertain. I would also move the beginning of this book to the ending of the previous one, for dramatic effect.
I think the darkness is handled quite well. Though at times it feels gratuitous and more than a little repetitive.
None of this detracts from an otherwise excellent trilogy of novels. Highly recommended.
I wanted more time to be given to the characters' development and relationships. I wanted more time to explore the characters, factions, and cultures of this world. More time for the story to evolve.
Ideally, I would expand the last quarter of this book into a fourth book. I would also make a much more extensive epilogue to show the aftermath of the events on the characters and worlds, since the epilogue we got leaves most things very open and uncertain. I would also move the beginning of this book to the ending of the previous one, for dramatic effect.
I think the darkness is handled quite well. Though at times it feels gratuitous and more than a little repetitive.
None of this detracts from an otherwise excellent trilogy of novels. Highly recommended.
May 8, 2021
What an end to a fantastic story. The battles are brutal and the trauma to the main characters is real. Battle PTSD is debilitating. Annuweth continues his self revelation of the wrong he's done and it's heartbreaking. Marilia's battle experiences and the losses are traumatizing and it's Camilline who speaks her through to some healing. The battle scenes are brutal and there are losses that make me cry in disbelief. Well written, no words wasted and scene descriptions are so real. It was a good ending to the story of twins born to a painted lady and ending up being the saviors of their nation. Well done. Couldn't put it down and savored each scene and its intrigues.
February 10, 2022
A very satisfying saga.
The deep details within the story as well the strong different personalities made it difficult to put this book down. I have read all the books in this series and would recommend them for anyone looking for an addictive read.
The deep details within the story as well the strong different personalities made it difficult to put this book down. I have read all the books in this series and would recommend them for anyone looking for an addictive read.
April 25, 2025
The end of a good Trilogy. Good action throughout with plenty of cliffhangers. Loved the female protagonist. A hero unlike any other hero with plenty of bravery mixed with human frailty. Loved Marilia.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews