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The Song of Kamaria #3
At the Threshold of the Universe
The epic conclusion to the Song of Kamaria trilogy.
ALL SONGS END.
War ravages Kamaria as an old enemy resurfaces from the depths of the ocean. Offering no support in the coming battles, the Auk’nai isolate themselves in their tightly guarded Nest. Outgunned and outmatched, humanity once again trembles on the edge of obliteration.
The Castus family is torn apart. Denton fights on the front lines, hoping to free Cade from a nightmarish foe. Meanwhile, Eliana and Nella set out on a path that will change everything they understand about the Sirens. The Song will end, but who will remain to hear its final verse?
ALL SONGS END.
War ravages Kamaria as an old enemy resurfaces from the depths of the ocean. Offering no support in the coming battles, the Auk’nai isolate themselves in their tightly guarded Nest. Outgunned and outmatched, humanity once again trembles on the edge of obliteration.
The Castus family is torn apart. Denton fights on the front lines, hoping to free Cade from a nightmarish foe. Meanwhile, Eliana and Nella set out on a path that will change everything they understand about the Sirens. The Song will end, but who will remain to hear its final verse?
494 pages, Paperback
Published May 22, 2022
2 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
T.A. Bruno
5 books101 followersT. A. Bruno grew up in a suburb south of Chicago and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the film industry. Since then, he has brought stories to life for over a decade as a previsualization artist. At home, he is the proud father of two boys and a husband to a wonderful wife.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 17, 2022
Absolutely phenomenal ending to the trilogy. At the Threshold of the Universe is my fav of the trilogy. so much got answered. I understood characters and the why so much better - all fell into place.
the world still grew. action and battles are written greatly. character-work was perfectly done.
I so loved to be a part of Kamaria. And the world will stay with me.
".. when you show yourself to others, they may not like what they see. But if you keep yourself hidden - keep yourself small - you will never find the people who see the beauty in you. Beauty doesn't exist in darkness. "
hit me right in the heart.
Thank you T.A for such a wonderful world with wonderful people and other creatures.
the world still grew. action and battles are written greatly. character-work was perfectly done.
I so loved to be a part of Kamaria. And the world will stay with me.
".. when you show yourself to others, they may not like what they see. But if you keep yourself hidden - keep yourself small - you will never find the people who see the beauty in you. Beauty doesn't exist in darkness. "
hit me right in the heart.
Thank you T.A for such a wonderful world with wonderful people and other creatures.
September 7, 2024
Non stop action from start to end!
T.A. Bruno has done a fantastic job at building up the stakes and relationships in The Song of Kamaria to make for an explosive and impactful ending!
This will forever be a series I recommend to people looking to get into indie sci-fi!
T.A. Bruno has done a fantastic job at building up the stakes and relationships in The Song of Kamaria to make for an explosive and impactful ending!
This will forever be a series I recommend to people looking to get into indie sci-fi!
October 15, 2022
At the Threshold of the Universe is an epic swan song that hits all the right chords. It is a truly magnificent conclusion to the Song of Kamaria series.
You can read my full review here:
https://escapistbookcompany.com/2022/...
You can read my full review here:
https://escapistbookcompany.com/2022/...
June 21, 2022
I’m a huge fan of the series and it came to a whopping conclusion. Bruno not only wrapped up the storylines but created this amazingly intense backstory for the events leading up to the start of the first novel and eventual fall of the solar system. There is a proper balance of nostalgia and forward motion to tie everything together and bring The Song of Kamaria to an epic conclusion!
I didn’t think he would take it easy on the characters but was not ready for how perfectly devastating this book would be. The depth of suffering in the final battle for humanity … Was actually probably appropriate, I wouldn’t have loved the book if he had done anything less.
I liked how I pretty much spent the entire book chewing my nails for the characters. Extinction was a very plausible conclusion as things got bleaker and bleaker for the remaining humans – and I didn’t let my figurative breath out until it was over.
That said – you guys already know that these scenes play out like a movie. Everything is laid out for the imagination and the authors experience in cinema and visual storytelling is apparent as war rages between moments of quiet in Kamaria’s magical settings. It reads like scifi on a fantasy planet and it works here.
The backstory was my favorite part. Cade is able to learn the history of the Undriel through the eyes of the leader and generals and now we finally know how the machines began and why they pushed humanity out of the solar system. There are some curve balls to keep it interesting and at no point does he drop the general feeling and tone of the rest of the book.
Nella separately learns the history of the Sirens and I’ll admit that this part went a bit over my head with the timelines and tasks. It had its moments though and hey, now we know.
Many characters in the series are memorable in both life and death. In war some deaths are heroic and others are utterly pointless. I did like how that was reflected, as well as how the memories are carried forward. The section and chapter artwork is another extra touch that makes this feel like a classic scifi read.
Overall …. I mean this is one of my favorite independently published series out there and I think he did the conclusion full justice. It’s action packed, cinematic, in the feels, epic in scope, and you just want to shield the entire human race from any further harm. I think giving Talulo the last word of the Song and Cade the epilogue was a good touch too, we can’t forget how much the Auk’nai also lost.
100% no hesitation to recommend this series to anyone! Thank you again to Escapist Book Tours and the author for having me on the tour!
I didn’t think he would take it easy on the characters but was not ready for how perfectly devastating this book would be. The depth of suffering in the final battle for humanity … Was actually probably appropriate, I wouldn’t have loved the book if he had done anything less.
I liked how I pretty much spent the entire book chewing my nails for the characters. Extinction was a very plausible conclusion as things got bleaker and bleaker for the remaining humans – and I didn’t let my figurative breath out until it was over.
That said – you guys already know that these scenes play out like a movie. Everything is laid out for the imagination and the authors experience in cinema and visual storytelling is apparent as war rages between moments of quiet in Kamaria’s magical settings. It reads like scifi on a fantasy planet and it works here.
The backstory was my favorite part. Cade is able to learn the history of the Undriel through the eyes of the leader and generals and now we finally know how the machines began and why they pushed humanity out of the solar system. There are some curve balls to keep it interesting and at no point does he drop the general feeling and tone of the rest of the book.
Nella separately learns the history of the Sirens and I’ll admit that this part went a bit over my head with the timelines and tasks. It had its moments though and hey, now we know.
Many characters in the series are memorable in both life and death. In war some deaths are heroic and others are utterly pointless. I did like how that was reflected, as well as how the memories are carried forward. The section and chapter artwork is another extra touch that makes this feel like a classic scifi read.
Overall …. I mean this is one of my favorite independently published series out there and I think he did the conclusion full justice. It’s action packed, cinematic, in the feels, epic in scope, and you just want to shield the entire human race from any further harm. I think giving Talulo the last word of the Song and Cade the epilogue was a good touch too, we can’t forget how much the Auk’nai also lost.
100% no hesitation to recommend this series to anyone! Thank you again to Escapist Book Tours and the author for having me on the tour!
June 21, 2022
4.5 stars
The Song of Kamaria trilogy has been an absolute feast and joyride. I rarely find myself so invested in the characters and the world they inhabit that I am this eager to see how everything will be wrapped up. At The Threshold of The Universe, the third and final book outdid any and all the expectations I had somehow conceived in my mind. T.A. Bruno opted to write this novel strategically to connect all the dots from the trilogy and exit with a major bang. It manages to merge the central ideas and plotlines while delivering a fast-paced thrill ride that just doesn’t let up. It makes me want to read the whole story all over because many sections of the book had me think of things I remember from the other books and wonder if could have picked up on any hints before this novel. It ignited an immediate desire to revisit the previous stories just to recheck if I missed any hints.
All of the books in the trilogy have a very character-focused and family-oriented center to them. It is something that stood out to me from the beginning and I fell for the Castus family and their generational stories immediately. They are the kind of people you can hang out with in good times or call on in an emergency, even if you haven’t heard from them in ages, they will be there for you and each other. How you write of such amazing family ties and deliver outstanding sci-fi content, with harrowing scenes and an amazing story arc, still blows my mind. T.A. Bruno’s recipe for success, I believe, is the time he invested in the characters he created and giving each one of them enough time on the floor and making them important in some way, indispensable if you will.
At The Threshold of the Universe is a fast thrill ride and picks up where Denton and Eliana are looking for their missing children Nella and Castus. What we know so far is that the Auk’nai are still guarding the Daunoren egg after the brutal slaying in the last book. Nhymn, Sympha and Karx of the Voyalten become very important in this third novel and aid the humans in overcoming important Undirel figures. Initially, I was very concerned over the involvement and the connection these Voyalten had made with Nella and Castus, but in the great spin of things, they ended up being the least to worry about. The history that unfolds about the Undriel is perfectly plotted and wonderully twisted….AND, there is a villain in the story which makes everything better! Just like in the first book, I loved this turn of events. There are some really crazy and inventive things happening in this novel that blew my mind. T.A. Bruno advanced the technology and intrigue to a whole other level and I cannot share more or I’d spoil a really big component. Let’s just say, merge everybody, merge!
“She continued, “Tell me what sounds worse. Missing your son even though it kills you inside, or not missing him with a smile on your face?”
As usual, the entire Castus team will roll up their sleeves, split up, and do what needs to be done. There is some major havoc going on that threatens humanity and every Castus family member is fighting at a different point. Nella, a character I loved from the beginning because she has special needs, is just amazing in her role here…though you might need to get out your tissues, because her storyline has some tragic moments in them. Castus however takes the cake. He is just slammed with misfortune and has to endure immensely. What is happening to him floored me…and yet, I think every young boy dreams of stories like this in space. With a great spotlight on him in this book, I’m almost at an equal liking for his character as for that of his father Denton, for whom my heart fell in book one.
“I can tell you exactly what kind of anger fills these marines. I can write long papers about how pissed off every survivor feels, every daughter who lost her parents, every wife who lost their lover, every parent who lost their child. I’ve punched enough metal walls in my days to know what it feels like to want to inhale black holes and exhale supernovas. I know what apocalypse feels like inside your heart and how there will never be enough nukes to entirely destroy what makes you so fucking mad.”
In the entire trilogy, there is a blend of slower passages with fast-paced action. This last book however is explosive. The intrigue, politics, and action are mind-boggling and don’t let up much. Sci-fi lovers will enjoy this harrowing race to take down the enemy… and what can I say about the ending?! It ebbs perfectly into the EVERYTHING for me. Very well done!
As with the story, a great deal of investment went into the entire package of the trilogy. There are maps, adorned chapter headings and amazing art throughout. The bookbinding and covers are simply superb. There is nothing that wasn’t well planned or poorly executed about the trilogy. As you can imagine, I loved the setting with the different ecosystems, fauna, and creatures. The play of different species with human interaction was wonderfully imagined and interspersed throughout. Every faction had its own set of governing laws, from the splendor to the imperfect. These different systems were well fleshed out and combined in different ways to keep the character on their toes.
I would enjoy this trilogy as a Netflix show or something like that. It has great supernatural elements in it as well as an amazing cast to root for. I cannot praise it enough. So, if you are a fan of sci-fi shows that are currently playing on HBO or Netflix, then you want to get your hands on this trilogy. I don’t mind if you thank me later. You are welcome ;)
Loved this book and trilogy!
I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. All opinions are my own. Thank you!
More of my reviews here:
Through Novel Time & Distance
The Fantasy Hive
The Song of Kamaria trilogy has been an absolute feast and joyride. I rarely find myself so invested in the characters and the world they inhabit that I am this eager to see how everything will be wrapped up. At The Threshold of The Universe, the third and final book outdid any and all the expectations I had somehow conceived in my mind. T.A. Bruno opted to write this novel strategically to connect all the dots from the trilogy and exit with a major bang. It manages to merge the central ideas and plotlines while delivering a fast-paced thrill ride that just doesn’t let up. It makes me want to read the whole story all over because many sections of the book had me think of things I remember from the other books and wonder if could have picked up on any hints before this novel. It ignited an immediate desire to revisit the previous stories just to recheck if I missed any hints.
All of the books in the trilogy have a very character-focused and family-oriented center to them. It is something that stood out to me from the beginning and I fell for the Castus family and their generational stories immediately. They are the kind of people you can hang out with in good times or call on in an emergency, even if you haven’t heard from them in ages, they will be there for you and each other. How you write of such amazing family ties and deliver outstanding sci-fi content, with harrowing scenes and an amazing story arc, still blows my mind. T.A. Bruno’s recipe for success, I believe, is the time he invested in the characters he created and giving each one of them enough time on the floor and making them important in some way, indispensable if you will.
At The Threshold of the Universe is a fast thrill ride and picks up where Denton and Eliana are looking for their missing children Nella and Castus. What we know so far is that the Auk’nai are still guarding the Daunoren egg after the brutal slaying in the last book. Nhymn, Sympha and Karx of the Voyalten become very important in this third novel and aid the humans in overcoming important Undirel figures. Initially, I was very concerned over the involvement and the connection these Voyalten had made with Nella and Castus, but in the great spin of things, they ended up being the least to worry about. The history that unfolds about the Undriel is perfectly plotted and wonderully twisted….AND, there is a villain in the story which makes everything better! Just like in the first book, I loved this turn of events. There are some really crazy and inventive things happening in this novel that blew my mind. T.A. Bruno advanced the technology and intrigue to a whole other level and I cannot share more or I’d spoil a really big component. Let’s just say, merge everybody, merge!
“She continued, “Tell me what sounds worse. Missing your son even though it kills you inside, or not missing him with a smile on your face?”
As usual, the entire Castus team will roll up their sleeves, split up, and do what needs to be done. There is some major havoc going on that threatens humanity and every Castus family member is fighting at a different point. Nella, a character I loved from the beginning because she has special needs, is just amazing in her role here…though you might need to get out your tissues, because her storyline has some tragic moments in them. Castus however takes the cake. He is just slammed with misfortune and has to endure immensely. What is happening to him floored me…and yet, I think every young boy dreams of stories like this in space. With a great spotlight on him in this book, I’m almost at an equal liking for his character as for that of his father Denton, for whom my heart fell in book one.
“I can tell you exactly what kind of anger fills these marines. I can write long papers about how pissed off every survivor feels, every daughter who lost her parents, every wife who lost their lover, every parent who lost their child. I’ve punched enough metal walls in my days to know what it feels like to want to inhale black holes and exhale supernovas. I know what apocalypse feels like inside your heart and how there will never be enough nukes to entirely destroy what makes you so fucking mad.”
In the entire trilogy, there is a blend of slower passages with fast-paced action. This last book however is explosive. The intrigue, politics, and action are mind-boggling and don’t let up much. Sci-fi lovers will enjoy this harrowing race to take down the enemy… and what can I say about the ending?! It ebbs perfectly into the EVERYTHING for me. Very well done!
As with the story, a great deal of investment went into the entire package of the trilogy. There are maps, adorned chapter headings and amazing art throughout. The bookbinding and covers are simply superb. There is nothing that wasn’t well planned or poorly executed about the trilogy. As you can imagine, I loved the setting with the different ecosystems, fauna, and creatures. The play of different species with human interaction was wonderfully imagined and interspersed throughout. Every faction had its own set of governing laws, from the splendor to the imperfect. These different systems were well fleshed out and combined in different ways to keep the character on their toes.
I would enjoy this trilogy as a Netflix show or something like that. It has great supernatural elements in it as well as an amazing cast to root for. I cannot praise it enough. So, if you are a fan of sci-fi shows that are currently playing on HBO or Netflix, then you want to get your hands on this trilogy. I don’t mind if you thank me later. You are welcome ;)
Loved this book and trilogy!
I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. All opinions are my own. Thank you!
More of my reviews here:
Through Novel Time & Distance
The Fantasy Hive
August 23, 2022
It's hard to articulate how much I loved this trilogy. Threshold is just the icing on the cake! Great action, characters, and world-building can be found in Kamaria.
To say that Bruno sticks the landing would be an understatement. The stakes achieved in this final entry hit hard and keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
The callbacks and mysteries solved all flow together and make sense. I am utterly satisfied and elated with how rewarding I found this book.
To say that Bruno sticks the landing would be an understatement. The stakes achieved in this final entry hit hard and keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
The callbacks and mysteries solved all flow together and make sense. I am utterly satisfied and elated with how rewarding I found this book.
August 2, 2022
I have no words for this than gud.
Jk
What an exceptional conclusion to this amazing self pub sci-fi series.
The character work is second to none and I absolutely did not want it to end. T.A.Bruno really steps up his game in making you feel all the emotions. The pacing was fast from the start, had a bit of a lull but at the 70% mark you're at the edge of your seat.
It's as satisfying as getting 7 chicken nuggets when you ordered 6
5/5
Jk
What an exceptional conclusion to this amazing self pub sci-fi series.
The character work is second to none and I absolutely did not want it to end. T.A.Bruno really steps up his game in making you feel all the emotions. The pacing was fast from the start, had a bit of a lull but at the 70% mark you're at the edge of your seat.
It's as satisfying as getting 7 chicken nuggets when you ordered 6
5/5
June 11, 2024
The pain!
(Review coming soon)
(Review coming soon)
July 10, 2022
It’s always a little bittersweet when you reach the end of a series, as on the one hand you’ve been waiting for this point. Waiting to see how everything is resolved and find the answers to questions that had been left unanswered in previous books. But, on the hand reaching that point means that it is over (although I was super excited to read that the author might do more in this universe!!). That’s very much the case here, especially as The Song of Kamaria is one of the first sci-fi series that I ever started reviewing and following on the blog, and it will always hold a special place in my heart because of that. It’s also a series that has continually gone from strength to strength, especially with the characters and worldbuilding, and At the Threshold of the Universe really does highlight that.
So here we are… the last book in The Song of Kamaria.
And what a way to bring that trilogy to a close.
Firstly, as always there are bonus points for the maps at the beginning and the fact that there is a ‘story so far section’ at the beginning. Also, this is a beautiful book with section and chapter illustrations, and, I have to say that the cover for this one is my favourite for the entire series – I just love the colours. I will admit I was a bit surprised by the change in palette, but having read it, I think the cover is perfect for this final book.
As I’ve said this series has gone from strength to strength, so I went into this one with high expectations and I was not disappointed. Bruno has always cleverly given us answers along the way, while always giving us more mysteries and questions to solve, and there were a lot of threads, both in terms of characters, as well as the wider setting to be tied up in this final book. Bruno has done a stunning job of wrapping up all those storylines in a way that both hurt (because this book pushes the characters we’ve come to know and love to the breaking point and beyond) and was so, so satisfying. But, At the Threshold is not just a book of tying off those threads, and as with the previous books, it pushes the boundaries of what we know about Kamaria and in this case beyond Kamaria – and I think that was probably one of my favourite aspects of this book.
At the Threshold of the Universe was a book that had me on the edge of my seat, holding my breath and praying that things would work out for the characters. The stakes were very real, and Bruno really captures that danger, and lays it out with such visual storytelling that you are swept up completely in the action. There was a bleakness to this one that was more prevalent than in the other, with the feeling of a pressing crescendo, and yet even with that feeling, and the press of war and looming threat, this was still very much a character focused story.
Cade and Nella had stolen the show for me in the second book and continued to do so here – especially with the role they both played in the unfolding backstory that was such a strong component of this book. I think it was fitting that these two characters who always had such a strong bond between one another, and the wider family, were also the ones to open up the history of the Undriel and Sirens in this book, and I didn’t think it was possible for Bruno to make me love them more, but he succeeded. Denton was another character that really stood out for me in this one, and it was wonderful to see how his and Eliana’s story played out – and I think their ending was one of the ones that made me smile the most.
With such a large cast of characters it would be easy for some to fall by the wayside, but Bruno has a talent for creating memorable characters across all the parties involved in this story. It didn’t matter which side of the conflict they were on or had been on, or the role they had played in unfolding events, I found myself invested in their stories. Maybe it was the sense of peril that prevailed through this book, and the fact that death and injury, and loss was not just a threat but something we saw unfold on the page, colouring the characters and their interactions and the dynamics. It was like watching a complex jigsaw puzzle coming together to create a beautiful, multi-layered image, with many surprises and emotional punches along the way.
All to bring Kamaria together.
Harmony and balance have always been a theme in this series, but At the Threshold of the Universe took that both further and deeper. The Song of Kamaria has always been about different perspectives and peoples colliding or coming together and trying to find a way forward. But how do you do that when there is grief and anger and myriad other emotions and experiences in the way? It felt very much like this book was questioning that, and the idea of forgiveness and moving forward, and whether you must have one to have the other.
“But I do not forgive you,” she added. “I understand why you did what you did. I am also grateful it didn’t result in my daughter’s death. If it had, we would not be speaking at all now. You’d be in great danger, in fact.”
I love that there wasn’t a single answer to those questions, that each character, or people had their own approaches to it, and that forgiveness wasn’t universal or even strictly necessary. If everything was forgiven or forgotten, then past events and interactions would have no meaning, and At the Threshold of the Universe embraces that brilliantly and creates a much more powerful exploration of harmony and balance as a result, because it has to be worked for and while there may be understanding and agreement, the weight of what had happened before was still there, just as it should be. And especially in a book that has given us such a powerful and intense backstory for the events that had kicked off this series, and for the situation the characters were in.
‘’
Also, holy hell that epilogue!! (I am not going to delve into that age old debate), but this epilogue was just such a fantastic capstone to both the book and series. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I saw how long the time skip had been, and I certainly wasn’t anticipating what the epilogue was – and yet having read it, I honestly can’t think of a better way to bring the story to a close. It was perfect from a character point of view and going back to those themes of harmony and balance and coming together, and I loved that it was a fantastic ending but with enough inbuilt ambiguity that your imagination can run wild with what lies beyond the threshold. And I loved that both the main ending and the epilogue had a wonderful feeling of closure and potential, albeit in different ways and it felt incredibly fitting that between them they represented so many of the parties present in Kamaria.
‘He carried them all with him.’
At the Threshold of the Universe is a brilliant conclusion to this series, and more than does justice to the story and world that had brought us this far. It was a book that kept me on my toes and caught me by surprise more than once, and I still haven’t been able to stop thinking about the ending and epilogue. Honestly, there were so many points I want to talk about – but because there were so many exciting curveballs, I wouldn’t want to spoil anything, all I can say is go and read At the Threshold of the Universe!! (And the series…preferably in order). It’s been an absolute pleasure following The Song of Kamaria from start to finish, and I am excited to see what Bruno will do next.
So here we are… the last book in The Song of Kamaria.
And what a way to bring that trilogy to a close.
Firstly, as always there are bonus points for the maps at the beginning and the fact that there is a ‘story so far section’ at the beginning. Also, this is a beautiful book with section and chapter illustrations, and, I have to say that the cover for this one is my favourite for the entire series – I just love the colours. I will admit I was a bit surprised by the change in palette, but having read it, I think the cover is perfect for this final book.
As I’ve said this series has gone from strength to strength, so I went into this one with high expectations and I was not disappointed. Bruno has always cleverly given us answers along the way, while always giving us more mysteries and questions to solve, and there were a lot of threads, both in terms of characters, as well as the wider setting to be tied up in this final book. Bruno has done a stunning job of wrapping up all those storylines in a way that both hurt (because this book pushes the characters we’ve come to know and love to the breaking point and beyond) and was so, so satisfying. But, At the Threshold is not just a book of tying off those threads, and as with the previous books, it pushes the boundaries of what we know about Kamaria and in this case beyond Kamaria – and I think that was probably one of my favourite aspects of this book.
At the Threshold of the Universe was a book that had me on the edge of my seat, holding my breath and praying that things would work out for the characters. The stakes were very real, and Bruno really captures that danger, and lays it out with such visual storytelling that you are swept up completely in the action. There was a bleakness to this one that was more prevalent than in the other, with the feeling of a pressing crescendo, and yet even with that feeling, and the press of war and looming threat, this was still very much a character focused story.
Cade and Nella had stolen the show for me in the second book and continued to do so here – especially with the role they both played in the unfolding backstory that was such a strong component of this book. I think it was fitting that these two characters who always had such a strong bond between one another, and the wider family, were also the ones to open up the history of the Undriel and Sirens in this book, and I didn’t think it was possible for Bruno to make me love them more, but he succeeded. Denton was another character that really stood out for me in this one, and it was wonderful to see how his and Eliana’s story played out – and I think their ending was one of the ones that made me smile the most.
With such a large cast of characters it would be easy for some to fall by the wayside, but Bruno has a talent for creating memorable characters across all the parties involved in this story. It didn’t matter which side of the conflict they were on or had been on, or the role they had played in unfolding events, I found myself invested in their stories. Maybe it was the sense of peril that prevailed through this book, and the fact that death and injury, and loss was not just a threat but something we saw unfold on the page, colouring the characters and their interactions and the dynamics. It was like watching a complex jigsaw puzzle coming together to create a beautiful, multi-layered image, with many surprises and emotional punches along the way.
All to bring Kamaria together.
Harmony and balance have always been a theme in this series, but At the Threshold of the Universe took that both further and deeper. The Song of Kamaria has always been about different perspectives and peoples colliding or coming together and trying to find a way forward. But how do you do that when there is grief and anger and myriad other emotions and experiences in the way? It felt very much like this book was questioning that, and the idea of forgiveness and moving forward, and whether you must have one to have the other.
“But I do not forgive you,” she added. “I understand why you did what you did. I am also grateful it didn’t result in my daughter’s death. If it had, we would not be speaking at all now. You’d be in great danger, in fact.”
I love that there wasn’t a single answer to those questions, that each character, or people had their own approaches to it, and that forgiveness wasn’t universal or even strictly necessary. If everything was forgiven or forgotten, then past events and interactions would have no meaning, and At the Threshold of the Universe embraces that brilliantly and creates a much more powerful exploration of harmony and balance as a result, because it has to be worked for and while there may be understanding and agreement, the weight of what had happened before was still there, just as it should be. And especially in a book that has given us such a powerful and intense backstory for the events that had kicked off this series, and for the situation the characters were in.
‘’
Also, holy hell that epilogue!! (I am not going to delve into that age old debate), but this epilogue was just such a fantastic capstone to both the book and series. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I saw how long the time skip had been, and I certainly wasn’t anticipating what the epilogue was – and yet having read it, I honestly can’t think of a better way to bring the story to a close. It was perfect from a character point of view and going back to those themes of harmony and balance and coming together, and I loved that it was a fantastic ending but with enough inbuilt ambiguity that your imagination can run wild with what lies beyond the threshold. And I loved that both the main ending and the epilogue had a wonderful feeling of closure and potential, albeit in different ways and it felt incredibly fitting that between them they represented so many of the parties present in Kamaria.
‘He carried them all with him.’
At the Threshold of the Universe is a brilliant conclusion to this series, and more than does justice to the story and world that had brought us this far. It was a book that kept me on my toes and caught me by surprise more than once, and I still haven’t been able to stop thinking about the ending and epilogue. Honestly, there were so many points I want to talk about – but because there were so many exciting curveballs, I wouldn’t want to spoil anything, all I can say is go and read At the Threshold of the Universe!! (And the series…preferably in order). It’s been an absolute pleasure following The Song of Kamaria from start to finish, and I am excited to see what Bruno will do next.
June 24, 2022
“All songs end, but new songs are just as beautiful “
Once again Bruno has brought on all the emotions, we got heartbreak, fear, anger, and buried among all of that we also got forgiveness, hope, and love. At the Threshold of the Universe is an action packed, captivating ending to a beautiful song.
At the Threshold of the Universe picks up literally where On the Winds of Quarsars ends, and it is relentless with the action. Bruno wastes no time throwing us back into the mayhem that the Castus family is currently going through. This family goes through so much in this book that one would start to think they would lose hope, but this family has proven time and time again that hope is something they refuse to let go of even when it seems all is lost.
‘His mind stirred with worry, horror, and loudest of all—-hope.‘
This story is relentless when it comes to action, if you want nonstop action this is for you. There never seemed to be a lull in the story, and it makes sense as this revolves around the Undriel, the machine absorbers from the Sol System who are literally wrecking havoc on Kamaria. After spending 2 books dealing with threats from Kamaria, seeing the Undreil in action was terrifying. I have always commented on how beautiful the creatures of Kamaria are but now I know how horrifying of a creature Bruno can also create. The Undreil are a nightmare brought to life. And the way Bruno allowed us explore and learn their creation was a mix of terrifying and absolutely heartbreaking, im looking at you Antoni, you found perfection baby!
Everything that I have been wanting to know about the Undreil was answered in this book and so much more that I did not want to know was also revealed. I found myself sitting at a crossroads for some of them. On one hand you want to hate them all but then Bruno decides to give you their backgrounds, and slowly you start to have mixed feelings about them. (Not all of them though Halaria I’m looking at you!!) Bruno also cunningly tied in parts from the first book that as it was unraveling I was slowly piecing it together and to many times in these backstories was I left in utter disbelief, sitting there on my bed completely shocked. I walked away with having a major hatred for a few specific Undriels.
The story revolves heavily around Cade and what he goes through after he has been handed over to the Enemy (this happens at the end of book 2). We learn all of the Undriel’s history through his chapters and Bruno employed a very interesting method that we have already been introduced to in book 1. I have to admit I was not expecting what happens to him, to have happened and I kept expecting some weird reversal miracle that would reverse what had happened to him but that doesn’t occur and to be honest I’m glad for that. When I think about it though, Cades story is without a doubt the most bittersweet, I won’t go into detail but it’s a different kind of tragic that makes me sad when thinking about it.
Nella, oh sweet beautiful Nella, she is also a main focus but not as heavily as her brother, Cade really does eat up a huge chunk of this book but Nella does get her moments. To see this quite, soft, nurturing woman go into battle with a fury charged by the love for her family was emotional to say the least. It was her chapters towards the end that really broke me and left me crying.
My heart hurt for Denton to many times as I was reading this story. This man has been through so much and continues to move forward, continues to hold on to his hope, continues to believe that everything will get better, and even when it seems he has finally given up that hope someone comes along and pulls him back. Denton has grown on me over the course of the trilogy and I love his relentlessness to not giving up, this man puts his whole heart and life on the line for those he loves, and that’s my favorite kind of guy. So to see him start to lose his hope, start to give up and feel the constant failures of his attempts piling on him to watch him continually beat himself up over everything that goes wrong and slowly wanting to succumb to his anger, to see the turmoil and pain he was in, it broke my heart. Bruno did an amazing job showing how constant failure leads to breaking one’s spirit, this isn’t a book where Denton’s first attempt is instant success, no this man tries and tries and tries and each time it doesn’t work. Bruno dug in on the realistic way of events never unfolding the way you want them to.
“Denton Castus was ready to fight. He was ready to bring down the vile mechanical creatures that had hurt his son. He tightened his fist and pretended to understand Oritz’s message. He just didn’t believe it.”
At the end of On the Winds of Quasars we learn of the rift that is forming between the Auk’nai and the humans. This rift continues into At the Threshold of the Universe, and I absolutely hated it, but I’m not angry with the Auk’nai and their actions, I understood where they where coming from, their anger and need to want to cut off contact with the humans made sense, they lost so much after the Humans came. Even the actions Talulo makes, I understood where he was coming from, but it broke my heart to see him and Eliana fight, to be angry with each other. I just love and adore the Auk’nai and I hated seeing how all the events where negatively effecting them.
‘Auk’nai have learned much about life since humans have arrived. Many tried to keep the old world unchanged–Mag’ro did, Talulo did.” He put a claw against his chest. “Talulo watched as the auk’nai were torn apart, rendered to nothing. In that nothing, Talulo noticed how strong the auk’nai are.”‘
I was taken by surprise when the Sirens were brought back into the story and we learn the true history of who they are and why and how they ended up on Kamaria. It’s interesting and I won’t lie a few details had me a bit confused at first (this also goes for the Undriel) so make sure your giving the history bits your full attention. But Bruno weaved them back into the tale perfectly and it allowed for all the books to really feel like a completely connected story.
One of the biggest aspects of the story that I truly ‘enjoyed’ was how Bruno didn’t hold back on the negative outcomes of war. He told us the Undriel where relentless and wiped out the Sol System and he showed us just how ruthless and true that really was. So many lives where lost in this, and while most of them where side characters some of them where side characters we have known for awhile but Bruno also has this way of making you feel for the newer ones and then snatches them from you. I mean he made feel all the emotions for Talfryn and I’m not going into detail about who he is but my heart was in pain over him. He showed the negative sides to war and how it scars the families involved. The Castus’s walk away from this carrying extremely heavy scars both physically and mentally.
I will say this is one of the few series where I will allow a last minute death revival to slide. I normally hate this trope since I feel it’s never done right but for me I feel Bruno executed it right and it fits within his stories lore, I don’t appreciate thinking I lost this character in such a tragic manner but I’m okay with the outcome.
Reading At the Threshold of the Universe will leave one both excited for the nonstop action but hurting by all the revelations and outcomes. You’ll find your self both hating and understanding some of the enemies, while also feeling the weight of failure from the hero’s side. It’s an amazing and absolutely bittersweet conclusion to a beautiful song.
Once again the illustrations by Jason Michael Hall are absolutely fantastic and it took everything in my soul to not look at them until I got to them in the book.
May 21, 2024
At the Threshold of the Universe by T.A. Bruno - Third book in The Song of Kamaria trilogy
Adventurous, challenging, dark, emotional,
hopeful, inspiring, mysterious, reflective, sad, and tense.
Medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5��Stars
Well, that was great. I'm reeling. I have SO many thoughts...that I'm going to write this...now, but I will be back to add bits and bobs onto/into it. Hope you don't mind.
Really loved the journey/arc of Cade, Zephyr, Nella, Jun, Denton and Eliana.
A few of the above characters...had traumatic events happen in their lives, but it didn't define their life...which I was worred that it would. They rose above the harm...done to them.
Loved the Auk'nai, especially Talulo. He's definitely NOT a dodo (IYKYK). The love that he has for his planet and people...really drives him, so you cannot fault him...for being protective.
The Voyalten were surprising in many ways. You think you have a grasp on them, then you don't, then you do, then you don't...etc. Loved how that ended.
The Undreil are truly scary, but how the events of the inception of the Undreil are basically Unreal. Sorry about the pun.
The framing of this beginning was so well played, and helped foster the story's tension...so it couldn't have been done better. Non-linear storytelling isn't easy, but when an author hits it...it is golden.
The idea of The Decider was interesting. I am so glad that they are who they are, though truly clouded in mystery and misinformation. So good.
In some aspects of this story, you get a view into the mindset of a Borg (like in Star Trek) and one who rebels. So, you see how they are supposed to be, and how one fights who they are, even though...they MAY not be accepted ANYWHERE else. Those decisions, to do the right thing, and possibly to be on the outside...looking in. Love the tension in those decisions.
Overall, this is an excellent trilogy. This last book, was possibly the best, or equal to the best. Highly recommend this trilogy.
Adventurous, challenging, dark, emotional,
hopeful, inspiring, mysterious, reflective, sad, and tense.
Medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5��Stars
Well, that was great. I'm reeling. I have SO many thoughts...that I'm going to write this...now, but I will be back to add bits and bobs onto/into it. Hope you don't mind.
Really loved the journey/arc of Cade, Zephyr, Nella, Jun, Denton and Eliana.
A few of the above characters...had traumatic events happen in their lives, but it didn't define their life...which I was worred that it would. They rose above the harm...done to them.
Loved the Auk'nai, especially Talulo. He's definitely NOT a dodo (IYKYK). The love that he has for his planet and people...really drives him, so you cannot fault him...for being protective.
The Voyalten were surprising in many ways. You think you have a grasp on them, then you don't, then you do, then you don't...etc. Loved how that ended.
The Undreil are truly scary, but how the events of the inception of the Undreil are basically Unreal. Sorry about the pun.
The framing of this beginning was so well played, and helped foster the story's tension...so it couldn't have been done better. Non-linear storytelling isn't easy, but when an author hits it...it is golden.
The idea of The Decider was interesting. I am so glad that they are who they are, though truly clouded in mystery and misinformation. So good.
In some aspects of this story, you get a view into the mindset of a Borg (like in Star Trek) and one who rebels. So, you see how they are supposed to be, and how one fights who they are, even though...they MAY not be accepted ANYWHERE else. Those decisions, to do the right thing, and possibly to be on the outside...looking in. Love the tension in those decisions.
Overall, this is an excellent trilogy. This last book, was possibly the best, or equal to the best. Highly recommend this trilogy.
March 6, 2023
A great way to end the trilogy. I think this instalment is definitely my favourite of the three. It is filled with action scenes, love, loss and family bonds. I'm looking forward to entering this world again if T. A. Bruno decides he wants to share more of the world.
July 18, 2022
What a beautiful ending to a fabulous trilogy. I can't think of a more perfect and powerful ending.
June 21, 2022
Amazing
Action, adventure, heartfelt. I could not have asked for a better ending, what a great and perfect ending to The Song of Kamaria!
Action, adventure, heartfelt. I could not have asked for a better ending, what a great and perfect ending to The Song of Kamaria!
November 22, 2022
War never changes, only the reasons we fight them. Reasons like love, honor, and vengeance. But what do you do when an old enemy, long thought dead, returns? What do you do when nobody comes to your aid and helps you in the fight? What do you do when all bonds of loyalty are broken, and you are left on the brink of collapse? In the far reaches of space, across the gulf of time, this is the position the Castus family finds themselves in. To have any chance of defeating their enemy, they must stand together or die alone.
At the Threshold of the Universe is the final book in the Song of Kamaria trilogy by T. A. Bruno. Set in the far future, it follows the Castus family and their struggle for survival against a formidable enemy. I thoroughly enjoyed this engaging story. Although I must admit, I was not aware it was part of a trilogy until I got about 50 pages in. However, those introductory pages were so good that they prompted me to go and read the first two novels. They were excellent. And this third one is equally as good, if not better.
As a huge sci-fi fan, I could gush all day about world-building, character development, and plot development in this story, but I’ll keep it short. Simply, it was magnificent. This story had all of the above and delivered it absolutely mesmerizingly. I felt part of the story from the beginning; I hurt and laughed as much as the characters. In this new age of sci-fi epics, this trilogy will surely be remembered as one of the greater ones. An excellent novel by a fantastic writer.
At the Threshold of the Universe is the exhilarating conclusion to this riveting saga. This science fiction space adventure will have readers on edge as they wait to find out if humanity will survive the war or if this is the ultimate end of everything they have known.
At the Threshold of the Universe is the final book in the Song of Kamaria trilogy by T. A. Bruno. Set in the far future, it follows the Castus family and their struggle for survival against a formidable enemy. I thoroughly enjoyed this engaging story. Although I must admit, I was not aware it was part of a trilogy until I got about 50 pages in. However, those introductory pages were so good that they prompted me to go and read the first two novels. They were excellent. And this third one is equally as good, if not better.
As a huge sci-fi fan, I could gush all day about world-building, character development, and plot development in this story, but I’ll keep it short. Simply, it was magnificent. This story had all of the above and delivered it absolutely mesmerizingly. I felt part of the story from the beginning; I hurt and laughed as much as the characters. In this new age of sci-fi epics, this trilogy will surely be remembered as one of the greater ones. An excellent novel by a fantastic writer.
At the Threshold of the Universe is the exhilarating conclusion to this riveting saga. This science fiction space adventure will have readers on edge as they wait to find out if humanity will survive the war or if this is the ultimate end of everything they have known.
March 4, 2023
This was a truly exceptional reading experience and is a fantastic example of what independently or self-published authors can create as they bring their stories to life. This final volume wrapped up the threads introduced across the trilogy and was a very satisfying conclusion. Their were high stakes throughout and a ton of action-packed sequences kept the pacing brisk. In the end, this was a story about family, both found and biological, along with learning to forgive what feels unforgivable. Bravo Mr. Bruno, bravo!
January 17, 2023
Wow! What a wild ride. This book hits the ground running and doesn't let up. I did have to take it in smaller doses because of that but it was still absolutely amazing. So very happy to finish this series and so very sad to see these characters go.
January 25, 2023
Fast paced, action packed. character-driven. Bruno ties up the dangling threads of the first two books in this satisfying series conclusion!
December 29, 2022
Contains spoilers for books 1 and 2 in The Song of Kamaria.
Thank you for the beautiful hardback copy of this book – the cover is my favourite of the trilogy and thank you also for the shoutout to my blog in the Acknowledgments! This trilogy has been a thrill ride that I have thoroughly enjoyed.
I was really excited to read the third and final episode in the Song of Kamaria trilogy, but also sad that the story is coming to an end in what has been one of my favourite series lately.
The stakes have been raised in At The Threshold Of The Universe. The relentless Undriel are back. The grisly horror of their absorption of human captives into their mechanical constructs is fully to the fore in the scenes which feature them. The Undriel are one of the creepiest villain races I have come across in Sci-Fi in quite a while and they are so well imagined with all of their deadly appendages and insect-like appearances.
At the end of the previous book, Cade Castus was taken prisoner and he has been absorbed, but keeps his consciousness, which allows the reader to see inside the Undriel fleet, and experience all of its horrific “mechanical purgatory” through his eyes. These sections of the narrative are not for the squeamish!
Cade is such a tragic hero in this book and you cannot help but hope and pray that he will survive the terrors of absorption and torture at the hands of the horrifying Undriel and somehow be able to reunite with his family. Cade’s telepathic link with the siren, Karx, allows him to shade walk through time and witness the back stories of each of the main Undriel characters, most of which are to be pitied for their Undriel absorption despite their later actions, with the exception of a couple of particularly despicable humans for whom I could feel no pity. These back stories are eye-opening and a very interesting way of filling in a lot of the events during the battle at the beginning of the first book of the series, while also explaining to both Cade and the reader how the persistently violent Undriel came into being.
“With a terrifying roar, the machines burst forth from the forest and rushed toward the city. Since they had lost the element of surprise, they would use fear to their advantage. The machines shrieked and increased the luminosity of their glowing eyes. They moved wildly, using tried-and-true methods to instill terror in their enemies. All Undriel warriors had felt this same horror right before they became absorbed into the dark network. Deep down, they remembered how effective it was.”
Cade’s deaf sister Nella also has a link with a siren – Sympha – which enables her to telepathically talk to the rocklike nezzaforms dotted all over the planet. Through them she learns more of the species known to humans as sirens, but who are actually Voyalten from a faraway starless planet. We learn that Nhymn, Sympha and Karx were part of a group sent to the planet to build a portal/gate, for which Nella is now able to use the nezzaforms to build a “Key” to open the portal, which would allow travel between the network of planets linked by this species.
Denton and Eliana believe each of their children to be dead at separate points in the book and the emotional strain and feelings of despair these episodes cause are well-written and pull hard on the heart strings. There are some amazing twists in the book, particularly one at about two thirds in, which took me by complete surprise and was a fantastic addition and genius way to give hope to the doggedly determined humans in the face of what initially appears to be an undefeatable enemy.
The humanoid birdlike species, the Auk’nai are also back in this book, but trust has been lost between them and the humans since the treaty in Book 1. They have taken over the old Telemachus ship and made it into their new Nest. They are not allowing humans to come near or even to fly over their new territory. Eliana Castus and Talulo, the Auk’nai leader must bury their grievances and try and find middle ground in order for the two species to move forward and work together against the enemy.
The epic battle at the finale of the book is extremely exciting and just keeps on going – whenever I thought it was going to end another character popped up needing to be defeated. There are a lot of major players but everything was well choreographed and didn’t get confusing. The ending to the battle was very emotional and I defy anyone to not shed a tear or two!
At the Threshold of the Universe is a thrilling edge-of-the-seat conclusion to what has been a wonderfully imaginative and creative series and one I will definitely reread. I hope there will be more stories from this compelling universe at some point in the not too distant future!
“Kamaria was relentlessly beautiful.“
Thank you for the beautiful hardback copy of this book – the cover is my favourite of the trilogy and thank you also for the shoutout to my blog in the Acknowledgments! This trilogy has been a thrill ride that I have thoroughly enjoyed.
I was really excited to read the third and final episode in the Song of Kamaria trilogy, but also sad that the story is coming to an end in what has been one of my favourite series lately.
The stakes have been raised in At The Threshold Of The Universe. The relentless Undriel are back. The grisly horror of their absorption of human captives into their mechanical constructs is fully to the fore in the scenes which feature them. The Undriel are one of the creepiest villain races I have come across in Sci-Fi in quite a while and they are so well imagined with all of their deadly appendages and insect-like appearances.
At the end of the previous book, Cade Castus was taken prisoner and he has been absorbed, but keeps his consciousness, which allows the reader to see inside the Undriel fleet, and experience all of its horrific “mechanical purgatory” through his eyes. These sections of the narrative are not for the squeamish!
Cade is such a tragic hero in this book and you cannot help but hope and pray that he will survive the terrors of absorption and torture at the hands of the horrifying Undriel and somehow be able to reunite with his family. Cade’s telepathic link with the siren, Karx, allows him to shade walk through time and witness the back stories of each of the main Undriel characters, most of which are to be pitied for their Undriel absorption despite their later actions, with the exception of a couple of particularly despicable humans for whom I could feel no pity. These back stories are eye-opening and a very interesting way of filling in a lot of the events during the battle at the beginning of the first book of the series, while also explaining to both Cade and the reader how the persistently violent Undriel came into being.
“With a terrifying roar, the machines burst forth from the forest and rushed toward the city. Since they had lost the element of surprise, they would use fear to their advantage. The machines shrieked and increased the luminosity of their glowing eyes. They moved wildly, using tried-and-true methods to instill terror in their enemies. All Undriel warriors had felt this same horror right before they became absorbed into the dark network. Deep down, they remembered how effective it was.”
Cade’s deaf sister Nella also has a link with a siren – Sympha – which enables her to telepathically talk to the rocklike nezzaforms dotted all over the planet. Through them she learns more of the species known to humans as sirens, but who are actually Voyalten from a faraway starless planet. We learn that Nhymn, Sympha and Karx were part of a group sent to the planet to build a portal/gate, for which Nella is now able to use the nezzaforms to build a “Key” to open the portal, which would allow travel between the network of planets linked by this species.
Denton and Eliana believe each of their children to be dead at separate points in the book and the emotional strain and feelings of despair these episodes cause are well-written and pull hard on the heart strings. There are some amazing twists in the book, particularly one at about two thirds in, which took me by complete surprise and was a fantastic addition and genius way to give hope to the doggedly determined humans in the face of what initially appears to be an undefeatable enemy.
The humanoid birdlike species, the Auk’nai are also back in this book, but trust has been lost between them and the humans since the treaty in Book 1. They have taken over the old Telemachus ship and made it into their new Nest. They are not allowing humans to come near or even to fly over their new territory. Eliana Castus and Talulo, the Auk’nai leader must bury their grievances and try and find middle ground in order for the two species to move forward and work together against the enemy.
The epic battle at the finale of the book is extremely exciting and just keeps on going – whenever I thought it was going to end another character popped up needing to be defeated. There are a lot of major players but everything was well choreographed and didn’t get confusing. The ending to the battle was very emotional and I defy anyone to not shed a tear or two!
At the Threshold of the Universe is a thrilling edge-of-the-seat conclusion to what has been a wonderfully imaginative and creative series and one I will definitely reread. I hope there will be more stories from this compelling universe at some point in the not too distant future!
“Kamaria was relentlessly beautiful.“
June 29, 2022
Enthralling
Every bit as good as the first two. Hard to put down once you start reading. A fascinating world with such a diversified mix of characters . Great read for fantasy and Science Fiction readers.
Every bit as good as the first two. Hard to put down once you start reading. A fascinating world with such a diversified mix of characters . Great read for fantasy and Science Fiction readers.
July 13, 2022
Thank you Mr. Bruno for gifting me a signed copy of At the Threshold of the Universe 😊!
First off, I have to start with how beautiful the cover and interior art is! There is a recap of the past two books, a map, and a dramatis personae inside the book.
Continuing on to the writing, TA Bruno did not disappoint. The writing is as descriptive as the first two in the series and made me felt like I was on Kamaria myself. The characters are well written and lovable. I loved the subtle romance in the book (Denton and Elly are so cute together!)
The plot balance between past and future helped At the Thresholds of the Universe end on a great note.
It played out like a movie and I was on the edge of my seat while reading to see what was in store for the Castus crew. I do admit, I started to tear up during the epilogue. The ending ties up all loose ends, but the epilogue can be the start of a new adventure.
All in all, the Song of Kamaria series is probably in my all time top favorite sci-fi/fantasy series! Everything is amazing about it and I can’t wait to see what TA Bruno does next with Kamaria next!
First off, I have to start with how beautiful the cover and interior art is! There is a recap of the past two books, a map, and a dramatis personae inside the book.
Continuing on to the writing, TA Bruno did not disappoint. The writing is as descriptive as the first two in the series and made me felt like I was on Kamaria myself. The characters are well written and lovable. I loved the subtle romance in the book (Denton and Elly are so cute together!)
The plot balance between past and future helped At the Thresholds of the Universe end on a great note.
It played out like a movie and I was on the edge of my seat while reading to see what was in store for the Castus crew. I do admit, I started to tear up during the epilogue. The ending ties up all loose ends, but the epilogue can be the start of a new adventure.
All in all, the Song of Kamaria series is probably in my all time top favorite sci-fi/fantasy series! Everything is amazing about it and I can’t wait to see what TA Bruno does next with Kamaria next!
December 29, 2023
This is a series I am quite conflicted on. The first book is one I one quite enjoyed, was quite exciting for me. I loved various of the worldbuilding elements to it and the science behind it as well. Book two I didn't have a good time with at all. I think it was too much of a departure from the first book for me. I think there was a fair time jump in between them and maybe that didn't really work for me, but some of the setting just didn't seem right for where and when it was supposed to be. It seemed almost modern day and it was just a little bit weird, if I'm honest.
So as a result of not enjoying that so much, I left book three for quite a while and sadly, when I did get to it, it was more of the same for me. It didn't go back to where I was in my enjoyment of the first book, it was more along the lines of what I got in the second one, I just didn't enjoy it too much and I don’t think it’s one that will really stick in my mind for long in the future.
So as a result of not enjoying that so much, I left book three for quite a while and sadly, when I did get to it, it was more of the same for me. It didn't go back to where I was in my enjoyment of the first book, it was more along the lines of what I got in the second one, I just didn't enjoy it too much and I don’t think it’s one that will really stick in my mind for long in the future.
April 13, 2025
If you'd told me back in book 1 that I'd have sympathy for Nhymn, I'd have said you were crazy.
This book neatly tied up the plot threads from the first two books while still leaving the reader with questions. I hope T.A writes more in this universe. I want to know more about the Voyalten and this web of portals. It sounds fascinating.
All in all, this was a great series.
This book neatly tied up the plot threads from the first two books while still leaving the reader with questions. I hope T.A writes more in this universe. I want to know more about the Voyalten and this web of portals. It sounds fascinating.
All in all, this was a great series.
August 1, 2023
Desperate times call for some crazy shit.
What an absolutely fantastic ending to such an outstandingly imagined Universe! I keep repeating myself in every review, but there is no denying that T.A.Bruno's "The Song of Kamaria" series - ending here of course with the final chapter of this current storyline, namely "At the Threshold of the Universe" - is incredible science fiction bordering even on fantasy as we are propelled throughout through space, time and even arguably untold planes of existence! Simply a must read for all fans of just about any genre I can think of, or at very least, of the genres that I enjoy most!
Even if he managed to survive this nightmare, he would never be the same. (He was) a monster. A hybrid. Not human anymore.
This third chapter of course focuses in large part on the final battle for the very soul of not only Kamaria but of all the sentient beings that occupy her lands. The "impossible enemy", namely the Undriel - or as I found them hilariously referred to: The Undies! - are back in force. Naturally, these Borgian enemies are seeking once again to annihilate anything and anyone that stands in their way. As Bruno deftly describes it, this is indeed "a tale of betrayals, absorptions, genocide, and unnecessary waste." But along the way we are finally treated to a full description of not only why they commit this atrocities but how they came to be hundreds of years before and how the heck they wound up on Kamaria in the first place!
They trick us, play with our hearts and our minds, and in the end, we always lose, even if we win.
In fact, Bruno does his best work - beyond bringing to life the absolutely stellar characters we have grown to love and/or hate along the way - by taking the reader on multiple journeys as we stand witness to all that has happened up to these final violent encounters. The use of Shade-tethering - or if you will Shade walking was very interesting, not only for what it accomplished but how it came to fruitition. This brings about some of the most horrifying moments in this story, where I personally was glad to see a bit more harshness make its way into the story as it added only more gravitas to this insane reality. OK, granted at one point I had to moan after literally screaming "don't enter an abandoned and dark base in the middle of a war!" but then again, they can't exactly hear me, can they?
He had seen worlds destroyed and people absorbed in different timelines.
And yes, admittedly, I also still had some of the same - no, not complaints but less-than-stellar reactions - to some aspects of the construction as with the proceeding two chapters. Again, the prose and emotional responses of many of the characters gives some of the dialogue an extremely Young Adult flair. OK, granted, we get some f-bombs and more within - and again more than a dollop of brutality - but this still keeps the entire tale from feeling necessarily like HARD scifi if that makes sense. It also doesn't help that as before, Bruno has a tendency to unnecessarily repeat a lot of points (e.g. Eddie's fate as a buzzer is well ingrained in our minds by now!). I was just a tad frustrated by such instances, as it does slow things down ever so slightly and takes away from the suspense and shock value of bits moving forwards.
The Undies must have learned some new tricks after we left the Sol System.
We also had some examples of rather out-of-place metaphors (they could also be idioms or similes, I dunno). Like mentioning "being in a second plane crash after surviving the first" or even that someone resembled a strange-looking scarecrow. If we're this far in the future and still worrying about either, perhaps we don't deserve to survive! But minor stuff that my majorly weird brain locks onto and needs to be rebooted to correct occasionally. Oh and speaking of brains, I'm also not entirely sure what exactly happened to Homer once everything was said and done. He gets the ol' Undie-patented chop chop at one point and after that…? He just becomes a template for the Freedriel (my word, with apologies to the author!)?
He was hoping to use a bit of unpredictable hillbilly ingenuity to stop the fiercest enemy humanity had ever faced.
Oh well, just ignore my weirdness. Bottom line is that this was a FANTASTIC series (I said that already huh?) and I especially don't regret re-reading Book 1 again so I could enjoy the whole kit and caboodle in one glorious week filled with cooler weather and, of course, lots and lots of reading! T.A.Bruno is a writer to watch for sure and, in fact, speaking of coincidences (we weren't, but play along!), I just picked up a copy of his latest release "Down Below Beyond" earlier today! So step through the portal with me and let's see what's waiting!
What an absolutely fantastic ending to such an outstandingly imagined Universe! I keep repeating myself in every review, but there is no denying that T.A.Bruno's "The Song of Kamaria" series - ending here of course with the final chapter of this current storyline, namely "At the Threshold of the Universe" - is incredible science fiction bordering even on fantasy as we are propelled throughout through space, time and even arguably untold planes of existence! Simply a must read for all fans of just about any genre I can think of, or at very least, of the genres that I enjoy most!
Even if he managed to survive this nightmare, he would never be the same. (He was) a monster. A hybrid. Not human anymore.
This third chapter of course focuses in large part on the final battle for the very soul of not only Kamaria but of all the sentient beings that occupy her lands. The "impossible enemy", namely the Undriel - or as I found them hilariously referred to: The Undies! - are back in force. Naturally, these Borgian enemies are seeking once again to annihilate anything and anyone that stands in their way. As Bruno deftly describes it, this is indeed "a tale of betrayals, absorptions, genocide, and unnecessary waste." But along the way we are finally treated to a full description of not only why they commit this atrocities but how they came to be hundreds of years before and how the heck they wound up on Kamaria in the first place!
They trick us, play with our hearts and our minds, and in the end, we always lose, even if we win.
In fact, Bruno does his best work - beyond bringing to life the absolutely stellar characters we have grown to love and/or hate along the way - by taking the reader on multiple journeys as we stand witness to all that has happened up to these final violent encounters. The use of Shade-tethering - or if you will Shade walking was very interesting, not only for what it accomplished but how it came to fruitition. This brings about some of the most horrifying moments in this story, where I personally was glad to see a bit more harshness make its way into the story as it added only more gravitas to this insane reality. OK, granted at one point I had to moan after literally screaming "don't enter an abandoned and dark base in the middle of a war!" but then again, they can't exactly hear me, can they?
He had seen worlds destroyed and people absorbed in different timelines.
And yes, admittedly, I also still had some of the same - no, not complaints but less-than-stellar reactions - to some aspects of the construction as with the proceeding two chapters. Again, the prose and emotional responses of many of the characters gives some of the dialogue an extremely Young Adult flair. OK, granted, we get some f-bombs and more within - and again more than a dollop of brutality - but this still keeps the entire tale from feeling necessarily like HARD scifi if that makes sense. It also doesn't help that as before, Bruno has a tendency to unnecessarily repeat a lot of points (e.g. Eddie's fate as a buzzer is well ingrained in our minds by now!). I was just a tad frustrated by such instances, as it does slow things down ever so slightly and takes away from the suspense and shock value of bits moving forwards.
The Undies must have learned some new tricks after we left the Sol System.
We also had some examples of rather out-of-place metaphors (they could also be idioms or similes, I dunno). Like mentioning "being in a second plane crash after surviving the first" or even that someone resembled a strange-looking scarecrow. If we're this far in the future and still worrying about either, perhaps we don't deserve to survive! But minor stuff that my majorly weird brain locks onto and needs to be rebooted to correct occasionally. Oh and speaking of brains, I'm also not entirely sure what exactly happened to Homer once everything was said and done. He gets the ol' Undie-patented chop chop at one point and after that…? He just becomes a template for the Freedriel (my word, with apologies to the author!)?
He was hoping to use a bit of unpredictable hillbilly ingenuity to stop the fiercest enemy humanity had ever faced.
Oh well, just ignore my weirdness. Bottom line is that this was a FANTASTIC series (I said that already huh?) and I especially don't regret re-reading Book 1 again so I could enjoy the whole kit and caboodle in one glorious week filled with cooler weather and, of course, lots and lots of reading! T.A.Bruno is a writer to watch for sure and, in fact, speaking of coincidences (we weren't, but play along!), I just picked up a copy of his latest release "Down Below Beyond" earlier today! So step through the portal with me and let's see what's waiting!
October 10, 2022
What a glorious, glorious mess.
I'll start with the positive. The Undriel are the high point of the story. Through Cade's perspective, we witness the backstory of their creation and learn their motivations. There are plenty of disturbing elements of body horror throughout the narrative, and they are very well done. Now, are the Undriel particularly unique? Let's put it like this, the term "absorbed" is used when new Undirel are created, when the more appropriate one is "assimilated". A menacing group of technologically-enhanced organisms who forcefully and mercilessly incorporate other organics into their collective, and seek perfection through mechanical augmentation, governed by a central intelligence? I half expected one of the generals to say "Resistance is Futile!". Maybe throw in the replicators from Stargate for good measure. But, hey, I like both of these classic science fiction baddies, so it's all good.
Anyway, the action remains plentiful and intensive, even if the final battle is, I think, way too drawn out with too much happening all at once. Now, Bruno manages to keep things flowing well enough, but it did feel unnecessarily bloated at points.
Now, on the things I did not like. One of the best part about In the Orbit of Sirens were the titular Sirens. I am a sucker for cool aliens, and they are really cool. I wanted to learn more about them and now that I have... I wish that they had stayed mysterious. Most of it makes no sense. And the rest is kind of stupid and doesn't really mesh with the events of the first book.
In fact, nothing about the aliens, or their powers, makes sense, if you stop to think about it for more than a few seconds. How do these creatures function? How did any life, let alone life as complex as the Sirens, evolve in the conditions they supposedly evolved in? Where does the energy they keep throwing about come from, and why does it appear to be limitless? Why does it interact with the world the way to does? Why does it have the effects it does? Hello, laws, of physics?!? Where is the science in this science fiction? It doesn't have to be real science. Make something up, I'm not picky! As it stands, this is fantasy wearing a science fiction costume for Halloween.
I don't know. Maybe it's because I've been in a foul mood for last few weeks, but I did not particularly enjoy the conclusion of the Song of Kamaria. I feel like I was catfished into reading a fantasy epic when I wanted a science fiction story. Also, minor spoiler ahead... hard pass on the resurrection of the ye olde "kill your gays" trope.
I'll start with the positive. The Undriel are the high point of the story. Through Cade's perspective, we witness the backstory of their creation and learn their motivations. There are plenty of disturbing elements of body horror throughout the narrative, and they are very well done. Now, are the Undriel particularly unique? Let's put it like this, the term "absorbed" is used when new Undirel are created, when the more appropriate one is "assimilated". A menacing group of technologically-enhanced organisms who forcefully and mercilessly incorporate other organics into their collective, and seek perfection through mechanical augmentation, governed by a central intelligence? I half expected one of the generals to say "Resistance is Futile!". Maybe throw in the replicators from Stargate for good measure. But, hey, I like both of these classic science fiction baddies, so it's all good.
Anyway, the action remains plentiful and intensive, even if the final battle is, I think, way too drawn out with too much happening all at once. Now, Bruno manages to keep things flowing well enough, but it did feel unnecessarily bloated at points.
Now, on the things I did not like. One of the best part about In the Orbit of Sirens were the titular Sirens. I am a sucker for cool aliens, and they are really cool. I wanted to learn more about them and now that I have... I wish that they had stayed mysterious. Most of it makes no sense. And the rest is kind of stupid and doesn't really mesh with the events of the first book.
In fact, nothing about the aliens, or their powers, makes sense, if you stop to think about it for more than a few seconds. How do these creatures function? How did any life, let alone life as complex as the Sirens, evolve in the conditions they supposedly evolved in? Where does the energy they keep throwing about come from, and why does it appear to be limitless? Why does it interact with the world the way to does? Why does it have the effects it does? Hello, laws, of physics?!? Where is the science in this science fiction? It doesn't have to be real science. Make something up, I'm not picky! As it stands, this is fantasy wearing a science fiction costume for Halloween.
I don't know. Maybe it's because I've been in a foul mood for last few weeks, but I did not particularly enjoy the conclusion of the Song of Kamaria. I feel like I was catfished into reading a fantasy epic when I wanted a science fiction story. Also, minor spoiler ahead... hard pass on the resurrection of the ye olde "kill your gays" trope.
September 17, 2023
We are proud to announce that AT THE THRESHOLD OF THE UNIVERSE (The Song of Kamaria, #3) by T.A. Bruno has been honored with the B.R.A.G.Medallion (Book Readers Appreciation Group). It now joins the very select award-winning, reader-recommended books at indieBRAG.
August 15, 2022
3.5/5
Struggled with this book. Too many robot monsters, lost some of the appeal for me. And was too long.
Struggled with this book. Too many robot monsters, lost some of the appeal for me. And was too long.
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