Crusade

The Ravenmaster Chronicles #3

by K.A. Riley

Join Kress, Brohn, and Render for the last leg of what has been a long and perilous race!

Accompanied by Méridienne and her younger brother Corbin, Kress and Brohn undertake a whirlwind crusade through the Dordogne Region in the southwest of France. Navigating their way through the Medieval “Valley of Castles,” they rush to track down the fabled First Feather from a mythological raven that supposedly contains the techno-genetic code that makes Emergents possible.

Unfortunately, they’re not the only ones searching for this particular raven. It turns out Epic and his gang of deadly Hypnagogics have a head start. And to make matters much worse, half of the people in what’s left the world are willing to kill anyone in their way to get it first.

Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult

482 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 14, 2022

About the author

K. A. Riley is a writer of speculative and science fiction, dedicated to creating worlds just different enough from our own to be entertaining, intriguing and a little frightening all at once. For Riley, writing isn't a job. It's a laboratory where readers can wander into a land of ideas; it's a playground where they can scamper around, giggling, gasping, and freaking out to their hearts' content.

Riley is the top-secret pen-name of a NYT and USA Today best-selling author.

Reviews

[Lauren Fritch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this book a lot. Coming into this book I wasn’t sure what to expect as this series seemed like it was dragged out too long. This entire series has been a roller coaster of feelings and has been a love hate relationship. But I can’t believe it’s over I feel like I’ve been reading these books forever! I feel like everything was tied up beautifully but still left me with several questions to kinda answer myself. But the fact that the book ends with “I’m pregnant” like what?! Pls give me more. I loved everything about these books though I wished I could see this better built world they have been fighting for and to find out Wisps news. I really hope Riley decides to add at least one more book in the future that shows these things. ❤️❤️

[Campbell Pohlman · Rating 3 out of 5]

this 15 book series that I’ve been deeply invested in for the last 3 years ends with a pregnancy trope??? that’s no way to provide closure (at least for me). the author has so many great ideas but the ending was not one of them. The rest of the book was pretty ok I just don’t think it was good enough to warrant an ending.

[JESSICA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

I absolutely loved all the books and I'm so sad to see it end. I'd love to find out what happens next , to see them all save the world. I hope one day you pick up where this book left off ...

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has been noted as the final book of the series, and I have to say that, overall, it was a disappointment. The first half is drawn out and filled with fluff. The entire plot became unnecessarily complicated as if the author lost track of the story. The second half, which was more of a treasure hunt, was much better and engaging. The final battle scene had me on the edge of my seat and I wasn’t sure how they were going to come out of it. Then the story ends. There are no answers to several key components of the series And the entire plot of this specific book isn’t even put to use at the end. There is no resolution. It’s one thing to allow readers to deduce their own ending, it’s another thing to give up on finishing your story. Especially when it’s purposefully left with multiple cliffhangers. It would be forgivable if there seemed to be any intention of continuing the series, but that doesn’t seem to be the case which is why I gave this such a low rating.

It’s like the author got tired of her own story and gave up. I spent 15 books reading about how they were going to save the world, and then they never actually did it. Unbelievably frustrating.


Long review with SPOILERS:

This is supposed to be the final mission to find a feather in France. Well, 8 now. Random roadblocks pop up to stretch the story out but it feels like fluff. Then there’s a random gender war. There’s a round table with those who are guardians of the first feather and this whole “recovery of technology“ and “emergent behavior“ and technology.

Kress’ arm tattoos are now a map. Suddenly Brohn is dyslexic and it’s being mentioned multiple times and Meridienne magically knows English. Drones have now evolved into birds of prey. Corbin is weirdly mysterious.

The whole thing is unnecessarily complicated. The premise of the book has been drawn out and changed so many times that I don’t even know if the author understands the plot anymore.

When you put all that aside, the second half was pretty good. The treasure hunt of sorts through the castles to find the feathers was engaging and the battle that followed had me on the edge of my seat. How were they possibly going to get out of this one? Kress finally comes into her own and she and Render save the day. They return home, all 8 feathers in hand, and Kress learns to fly. Oh, and she’s pregnant.

But then it ends without an actual ending. There are no answers. No resolution. We don’t know what the Lyfelyte is. The Devoted are still in power and growing. They didn’t even use the feathers. It’s one thing to leave some things up to the reader’s discretion, it’s another to give up on finishing a story. Especially when it’s purposefully left with multiple cliffhangers. It would be forgivable if there seemed to be any intention of continuing the series, but that doesn’t seem to be the case which is why I gave this such a low rating.

[Cristiana Pinto · Rating 4 out of 5]

What keeps me from giving this final book 5 stars are is the ending. I’m okay with an open ending but “I’m pregnant” and leaving it at that without any further exploration regarding what will happened with the Devoted building their walls or Kress finally finding out who/what/when she is (which was at the center of much of the series)… it just doesn’t feel right. I think that a lot of questions remain unanswered to end the story like that.
Even if there was no final, definitive ending, I think the ending should have at least mentioned their future plans, since, as it stands, we know nothing of what will happen after Kress’ statement…
Nonetheless, this series has had a hold on me since I first started reading it. For sure one of the best I’ve read.

[David O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't wait for more of these characters

I know it says "the last book," but there is just no way. There are still tattoo, lifelyte, and so many more details (not to mention individual story arcs) that will be addressed at some point in the future, and I am so very here for it

[Annie Kosar · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEAUTIFUL & POWERFUL WITH OUR CONSPIRACY!!:-)

Such a GORGEOUS journey and sooo many emotions and deeper connections with characters!! We find out about sooo many more revelations and meet FANTASTIC new characters too!!!:-). LOVED IT!!:-)

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic series

An incredible ending to an incredible series. Hope to read more adventures in the future, but for now, the knowledge that this Conspiracy is set up for some incredible purposes puts the mind of the reader at ease about this long series concluding (for now)

[Heather Walski · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was faster to read then i expected. It was okay but i felt the ending was unfulfilling and i hate that it’s set up for more books. This series is already too long as it is, there doesn’t need to be more books.

[Jaidyn Meech · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing book series! It has been a long series but it’s worth all the time I spent reading it. I hope one day you pick back up where you left off. I can’t wait to see how the conspiracy reacts to Kress’ news!!

[Michelle Olsheskie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Satisfying ending with options for more material. After being invested in 15 books, it's a bittersweet feeling.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

more please!!!!!

I loved reading all 15 books of this amazing wonderful journey and all I can say is I hope we have the opportunity to hear more about their adventures.

[Isabella Anguiano · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE ENDING I LITERALLY GASPED OUT LOUD

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Ending to a series

I could say a lot about this book. But for now, I will leave it short and simple. That ending though…there are just no words.