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The Graven #3
Ethera Grave
In the final book of this genre-breaking, roller coaster of a space opera trilogy, bold new voice Essa Hansen will stretch the limits of your imagination in this adventure perfect for fans of The Expanse and A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet.
Caiden has finally been reunited with his sister Leta after ten years on the run with his unique starship and managed to convince his longtime enemy—Threi—to join his side. But the multiverse isn’t safe yet. Threi’s sister Abriss is still the most powerful being in existence. And she still wants to collapse their beautiful, diverse, constellation of multiverses down to one, growing more powerful and more ruthless with each unique universe she destroys.
As Abriss’s strength grows, her sanity wanes under the burden of the universe’s whispers. And Caiden must weigh his final choices against a new risk: if he finally unlocks the ancient Graven abilities lying dormant in his genetics and saves the multiverse, he risks losing himself to the whispers just as Abriss has. For the last time, Caiden and his makeshift family must carry the fate of all the worlds in their hands.
The Graven Trilogy
Nophek Gloss
Azura Ghost
Ethera Grave
Caiden has finally been reunited with his sister Leta after ten years on the run with his unique starship and managed to convince his longtime enemy—Threi—to join his side. But the multiverse isn’t safe yet. Threi’s sister Abriss is still the most powerful being in existence. And she still wants to collapse their beautiful, diverse, constellation of multiverses down to one, growing more powerful and more ruthless with each unique universe she destroys.
As Abriss’s strength grows, her sanity wanes under the burden of the universe’s whispers. And Caiden must weigh his final choices against a new risk: if he finally unlocks the ancient Graven abilities lying dormant in his genetics and saves the multiverse, he risks losing himself to the whispers just as Abriss has. For the last time, Caiden and his makeshift family must carry the fate of all the worlds in their hands.
The Graven Trilogy
Nophek Gloss
Azura Ghost
Ethera Grave
560 pages, Paperback
First published July 18, 2023
57 people are currently reading
471 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
April 24, 2025
A sensory whirlwind of thoughts, ideas and tremendous imagination that scours the mind.
August 10, 2023
4.0 Stars
https://youtu.be/dIMYGPyfWHs
This might be one of those cases where a trilogy just gets better with each entry. I absolutely loved the start of Nophek Gloss but I felt that the second half leaned into safe space opera tropes. From there, I was pleased to find book two, Azura Ghost, return to the darker elements and left me waiting for these final books.
Ethera Grave was a solid finale bringing a maturity to the finale act. Caiden has really grown into a well rounded complex protagonist. My favourite aspect of this series has become the worldbuilding. The technology and those that live within this world are weird and otherly. It's such a treat to find worldbuilding that excites me this way.
I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for a gripping, complex space opera. However you will want to start back at the beginning with Nophek Gloss.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
https://youtu.be/dIMYGPyfWHs
This might be one of those cases where a trilogy just gets better with each entry. I absolutely loved the start of Nophek Gloss but I felt that the second half leaned into safe space opera tropes. From there, I was pleased to find book two, Azura Ghost, return to the darker elements and left me waiting for these final books.
Ethera Grave was a solid finale bringing a maturity to the finale act. Caiden has really grown into a well rounded complex protagonist. My favourite aspect of this series has become the worldbuilding. The technology and those that live within this world are weird and otherly. It's such a treat to find worldbuilding that excites me this way.
I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for a gripping, complex space opera. However you will want to start back at the beginning with Nophek Gloss.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
May 18, 2023
Overhead, the Cartographer and passager fleet streaked the sky. On the opposite horizon, the encroaching rind flux hit the exosphere. Arcs of simmering luminosity coiled across the view. The salthuin entreated their heavens, billowing diaphonus bodies in synchrony, oceanic and serene.
Ethera Grave is a wildly imaginative and thought-provoking conclusion to the unforgettable Graven trilogy. I pored over its prose, chewed on its theories and conflicts, and allowed myself to walk in the shoes of all its main characters. It is a richly-drawn story that I connected with, hard. Hansen has an incredible talent for drawing the reader into her unique and colorful multiverse, populated with ideas that stretch the mind while still reflecting on our current society's cultural values. It raises philosophical debates while addressing identity, responsibility, and influence, and above all, is an incredibly fun read. Every time I started a new chapter, I never knew what to expect, and it kept surprising me over and over again.
This story focuses on the pros and cons of choice versus unity on an immeasurable scale. But one of the themes that particularly stood out was how refreshing it was to have platonic love and found family as the strongest and most visible relationships in the story. While Ethera Grave contains more romance than the first two books combined, it doesn't lose focus on the most powerful bonds forged within its wide cast of characters. I felt most connected to the tender moments shared between characters that weren't overtly sexual in nature.
Character development is one of the book's strongest assets. Every supporting character has their own distinct journey, but for the purposes of this review, I'll focus on four major viewpoints.
Abriss is creating a utopia by collapsing universes into her own, but doesn't seem to mind that you have to crack a few eggs to make an omelette. Unfortunately, these cracked eggs are acts of genocide, as entire civilizations and histories are wiped out if they cannot adjust to their new universal physics. Abriss has been steadily influenced by a Graven consciousness for entire life, so it is difficult for her to determine where her motivations stem from, nor how to control them.
Leta is uncomfortable in her own skin. Although her consciousness has drifted from body to construct, she has never quite felt like she belongs in any of the forms she's been tied to, either in her service to Abriss, or her human origins. She longs for peace in her physical and mental space, but sacrifices so much of what she wants to help her companions when she can. She sacrifices love and a chance at happiness due to her deep empathy with those she is close to. Her arc is heartbreaking and hopeful, and is one of my favorite characters of the trilogy.
Threi is obsessed with control. For most of his life, he has much of the multiverse under his thumb due to his innate Graven abilities. Although that has affected the way he builds organic relationships with his peers, he takes advantage of his role and tries to build practical solutions to some of the universe's biggest problems. But his sister Abriss is even more powerful, and stopping her plan of unifying the multiverse becomes his new obsession. Seeing how he deals with the ever-changing scope of his campaign, especially with loved ones at stake, is new territory for Threi. How does he react when he's not the most powerful Graven-fueled human in the room? It's time for Threi to assess what's truly important, and what must be sacrificed along the way.
Caiden has come a long way since his days as a mechanic, but some things never change: he is a born fixer, and is willing to put aside his own needs and desires to achieve results. Caiden's whole life has been about serving the greater good. Will there ever be a moment when he can focus on living his own life, on his own terms? Can he ever escape the clutches of his Graven influence? Is there a line he wouldn't cross to stop Unity, to preserve a part of himself?
Beautiful, descriptive, and imaginative prose flows out of every page. It's hard to choose which passages to share, since I highlighted so many, but here are a few of my favorites:
The rind membrane splintered, and Unity paved into the other universe in a vicious front of conversion. Space expanded, allowing light to break its limits. Mathematics rioted. Music tangled into dissonance as it transposed into Unity, restringing space to play new chords.
Leta was too exhausted to carry hope. The shape of it had carved into her over all this time. One day it'd cut right through.
The chalarii was sensitive to the group's scent information. He towered over the gathering but was viciously thin, body gelatinous and water-drop smooth over transparent, spongy bones. An oily sheen that migrated across him betrayed his irritations.
Pressure rolled in the air like thunder slowed. Electricity effervesced through the orrery as Ethera poured into physical space. The projected stars bent and rays crumpled, space bulged and contracted, huge folds of unnameable mass: coils and waves and scales and arms and roots. The light of heavens slicked over strange curves, helping define the Graven for her mortal vision.
The Graven trilogy is one of the very best trilogies I've read -- science-fiction, or otherwise. It is packed with emotion, discovery, allegory, and speaks volumes about our current cultural climate. Plus, it's just so darn cool. It was a joy to read and I cannot recommend this series enough.
Ethera Grave is a wildly imaginative and thought-provoking conclusion to the unforgettable Graven trilogy. I pored over its prose, chewed on its theories and conflicts, and allowed myself to walk in the shoes of all its main characters. It is a richly-drawn story that I connected with, hard. Hansen has an incredible talent for drawing the reader into her unique and colorful multiverse, populated with ideas that stretch the mind while still reflecting on our current society's cultural values. It raises philosophical debates while addressing identity, responsibility, and influence, and above all, is an incredibly fun read. Every time I started a new chapter, I never knew what to expect, and it kept surprising me over and over again.
This story focuses on the pros and cons of choice versus unity on an immeasurable scale. But one of the themes that particularly stood out was how refreshing it was to have platonic love and found family as the strongest and most visible relationships in the story. While Ethera Grave contains more romance than the first two books combined, it doesn't lose focus on the most powerful bonds forged within its wide cast of characters. I felt most connected to the tender moments shared between characters that weren't overtly sexual in nature.
Character development is one of the book's strongest assets. Every supporting character has their own distinct journey, but for the purposes of this review, I'll focus on four major viewpoints.
Abriss is creating a utopia by collapsing universes into her own, but doesn't seem to mind that you have to crack a few eggs to make an omelette. Unfortunately, these cracked eggs are acts of genocide, as entire civilizations and histories are wiped out if they cannot adjust to their new universal physics. Abriss has been steadily influenced by a Graven consciousness for entire life, so it is difficult for her to determine where her motivations stem from, nor how to control them.
Leta is uncomfortable in her own skin. Although her consciousness has drifted from body to construct, she has never quite felt like she belongs in any of the forms she's been tied to, either in her service to Abriss, or her human origins. She longs for peace in her physical and mental space, but sacrifices so much of what she wants to help her companions when she can. She sacrifices love and a chance at happiness due to her deep empathy with those she is close to. Her arc is heartbreaking and hopeful, and is one of my favorite characters of the trilogy.
Threi is obsessed with control. For most of his life, he has much of the multiverse under his thumb due to his innate Graven abilities. Although that has affected the way he builds organic relationships with his peers, he takes advantage of his role and tries to build practical solutions to some of the universe's biggest problems. But his sister Abriss is even more powerful, and stopping her plan of unifying the multiverse becomes his new obsession. Seeing how he deals with the ever-changing scope of his campaign, especially with loved ones at stake, is new territory for Threi. How does he react when he's not the most powerful Graven-fueled human in the room? It's time for Threi to assess what's truly important, and what must be sacrificed along the way.
Caiden has come a long way since his days as a mechanic, but some things never change: he is a born fixer, and is willing to put aside his own needs and desires to achieve results. Caiden's whole life has been about serving the greater good. Will there ever be a moment when he can focus on living his own life, on his own terms? Can he ever escape the clutches of his Graven influence? Is there a line he wouldn't cross to stop Unity, to preserve a part of himself?
Beautiful, descriptive, and imaginative prose flows out of every page. It's hard to choose which passages to share, since I highlighted so many, but here are a few of my favorites:
The rind membrane splintered, and Unity paved into the other universe in a vicious front of conversion. Space expanded, allowing light to break its limits. Mathematics rioted. Music tangled into dissonance as it transposed into Unity, restringing space to play new chords.
Leta was too exhausted to carry hope. The shape of it had carved into her over all this time. One day it'd cut right through.
The chalarii was sensitive to the group's scent information. He towered over the gathering but was viciously thin, body gelatinous and water-drop smooth over transparent, spongy bones. An oily sheen that migrated across him betrayed his irritations.
Pressure rolled in the air like thunder slowed. Electricity effervesced through the orrery as Ethera poured into physical space. The projected stars bent and rays crumpled, space bulged and contracted, huge folds of unnameable mass: coils and waves and scales and arms and roots. The light of heavens slicked over strange curves, helping define the Graven for her mortal vision.
The Graven trilogy is one of the very best trilogies I've read -- science-fiction, or otherwise. It is packed with emotion, discovery, allegory, and speaks volumes about our current cultural climate. Plus, it's just so darn cool. It was a joy to read and I cannot recommend this series enough.
June 27, 2023
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review!
If you loved books 1 and 2, you will definitely love book 3! Ethera Grave brings to a stunning conclusion the conflicts, alliances, plans, loves, and fears developed in Nophek Gloss and Azura Ghost.
As usual, the action scenes are immersive, and the story is complex but not convoluted. It's gritty, dark, unafraid, and intimate. The characters we love from the first two are all present. You feel as if you're part of their multiverse, almost part of the crew. No one in this series is simple or an archetype. The characters are as complex as the world-building; they aren't so much morally gray as incredibly multi-faceted, and this continues to grow in the third book. There is also a ton of normalized queer, disability, and neurodiversity rep and an alien monster that is somehow adorable. We have a small love story, a found family, a badass spaceship, sibling rivalry (to put it mildly), a villain you understand and definitely can’t hate, and a collection of humanoid alien species. It has so many of the great tropes of the genre while remaining fresh and most certainly not “tropey.”
Overall, while I don't have much to say about the book itself (because it would be all spoilers and likely nonsensical with my outpouring of love), I can't recommend the series enough!
If you loved books 1 and 2, you will definitely love book 3! Ethera Grave brings to a stunning conclusion the conflicts, alliances, plans, loves, and fears developed in Nophek Gloss and Azura Ghost.
As usual, the action scenes are immersive, and the story is complex but not convoluted. It's gritty, dark, unafraid, and intimate. The characters we love from the first two are all present. You feel as if you're part of their multiverse, almost part of the crew. No one in this series is simple or an archetype. The characters are as complex as the world-building; they aren't so much morally gray as incredibly multi-faceted, and this continues to grow in the third book. There is also a ton of normalized queer, disability, and neurodiversity rep and an alien monster that is somehow adorable. We have a small love story, a found family, a badass spaceship, sibling rivalry (to put it mildly), a villain you understand and definitely can’t hate, and a collection of humanoid alien species. It has so many of the great tropes of the genre while remaining fresh and most certainly not “tropey.”
Overall, while I don't have much to say about the book itself (because it would be all spoilers and likely nonsensical with my outpouring of love), I can't recommend the series enough!
Read
July 20, 2023An excellent ending to one of the best SF trilogies of the past few years.
April 7, 2024
Ethera Grave by Essa Hansen - 3rd book in The Graven trilogy
Challenging, dark, emotional, informative,
mysterious, reflective, sad, and tense.
Medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0 Stars
This third novel leaned a little more into the philosophical/metaphysical weeds than I could completely understand, but that being said...it was still very enjoyable.
A very good trilogy story, that was ended with a truly satisfying ending. Well done.
The character of Caiden grows SO much in this series. His journey is not always pretty, but it is commendable, for sure.
One negative, would be that I wish we had more involvement of his rescuers (from the first book - found family) in the rest of the series. They're there, but not as "front and center" as I would've liked (that may not be what everyone else thinks, but I loved them).
The characters that we do have...are truly unique...and leveled up...so the above desire precluded the above desire, but it is, what it is.
The way that the books expanded the central conflict from book to book, was absolutely magnificent. I believe that the author is incredibly brilliant (far surpasing anything that I could achieve) and was able to transmit her vision of this univese structure into words...in such a way that you feel/smell/hear and at times even touch the topics being written about. Mind boggling.
I am hoping that she returns to this universe...and expands further stories that can be told through other characters, either ones that we've already been introduced to, OR even people unknow (as of now), but that could add SO much to the experience of this incredibly unique and bazaar multiverse.
Whatever she writes in the future...I will definitely pickup.
I've been watching a number of interviews that she's given, and she's a really interesting and captivating person. Love the way her mind works.
Challenging, dark, emotional, informative,
mysterious, reflective, sad, and tense.
Medium-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0 Stars
This third novel leaned a little more into the philosophical/metaphysical weeds than I could completely understand, but that being said...it was still very enjoyable.
A very good trilogy story, that was ended with a truly satisfying ending. Well done.
The character of Caiden grows SO much in this series. His journey is not always pretty, but it is commendable, for sure.
One negative, would be that I wish we had more involvement of his rescuers (from the first book - found family) in the rest of the series. They're there, but not as "front and center" as I would've liked (that may not be what everyone else thinks, but I loved them).
The characters that we do have...are truly unique...and leveled up...so the above desire precluded the above desire, but it is, what it is.
The way that the books expanded the central conflict from book to book, was absolutely magnificent. I believe that the author is incredibly brilliant (far surpasing anything that I could achieve) and was able to transmit her vision of this univese structure into words...in such a way that you feel/smell/hear and at times even touch the topics being written about. Mind boggling.
I am hoping that she returns to this universe...and expands further stories that can be told through other characters, either ones that we've already been introduced to, OR even people unknow (as of now), but that could add SO much to the experience of this incredibly unique and bazaar multiverse.
Whatever she writes in the future...I will definitely pickup.
I've been watching a number of interviews that she's given, and she's a really interesting and captivating person. Love the way her mind works.
November 11, 2024
DNF
Thanks to NetGalley and the Editor. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I am really sorry to DNF this one, because I really wanted to read the end of this trilogy. I love these characters and the other two books are amazingly good. And by all means, this is one of the "it's not you, it's me" cases. It's 100% my fault, but I can't really pay attention to this last book, and reading it has become a chore so I just decided to let it go, because I am having a really hard time paying attention. It's just that, for me, this is all quite hard to follow, because we have a lot of science and not so much action. And it makes total sense because there are things that are happening and that need the science part but I couldn't pay attention, at all!
And I am really sorry, because the characters are amazing, all of them. We have a villain who is not really a villain. Well, she is the villain but she is not doing all she is doing because she craves power or because of greed or hate or the usual reasons. And the author does such an amazing job with her!
And C is the best, as always.
Even if this particular book didn't work for me (but I hope to go back to this one in the future, maybe if I find the right time for it I will manage to pay more attention!) I love this series, I love the characters, the world, and the plot. This author did an amazing job, and I recommend this series 100%
Thanks to NetGalley and the Editor. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I am really sorry to DNF this one, because I really wanted to read the end of this trilogy. I love these characters and the other two books are amazingly good. And by all means, this is one of the "it's not you, it's me" cases. It's 100% my fault, but I can't really pay attention to this last book, and reading it has become a chore so I just decided to let it go, because I am having a really hard time paying attention. It's just that, for me, this is all quite hard to follow, because we have a lot of science and not so much action. And it makes total sense because there are things that are happening and that need the science part but I couldn't pay attention, at all!
And I am really sorry, because the characters are amazing, all of them. We have a villain who is not really a villain. Well, she is the villain but she is not doing all she is doing because she craves power or because of greed or hate or the usual reasons. And the author does such an amazing job with her!
And C is the best, as always.
Even if this particular book didn't work for me (but I hope to go back to this one in the future, maybe if I find the right time for it I will manage to pay more attention!) I love this series, I love the characters, the world, and the plot. This author did an amazing job, and I recommend this series 100%
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January 1, 2025Caiden from Nophek Gloss is demisexual!
https://aspeccharactersoftheday.tumbl...
https://aspeccharactersoftheday.tumbl...
May 20, 2023
Ethera Grave ends the Graven trilogy and I’m a bit sad to see it completed. This trilogy has been great. What Essa Hansen has made feels unique and special, and no part of this story has been a let down. Found family and love within that group has been present with all three books, but Ethera Grave really focuses on it. That focus made the end of the trilogy strangely comforting amid all the action and sacrifices that was going on. If you haven’t checked out this trilogy yet, please do! It’s well worth it.
Note: arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for honest review
Note: arc provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for honest review
August 24, 2023
Time is running out for the multiverse. For millennia, existence has been made up of countless small universes existing side by side, each with their own laws of physics and unique beings and materials. But the powerful being Abriss believes the future lies in creating one cohesive whole universe by destroying the boundaries that make up the multiverse - even if that means countless species incompatible with changing physics are wiped out in an instant. Caiden and his allies have one last desperate gamble as Abriss's reach draws closer: unlocking his dormant Graven genetics in the hope of making Caiden powerful enough to stand in her way.
ETHERA GRAVE is a slow march to a beautiful finale, one that eschews action for contemplation. This is a book that demands patience. As horror unfolds and a seemingly unstoppable wave of destruction creeps ever closer, our heroes are wrapped up in long goodbyes and introspection about their lives. To top it all off, we dip in and out of the lives of beings of vast consciousness who are intrinsically tied into this immense power struggle, who don't perceive life the same way mere mortals do. This book deals with the fate of existence on a scale so grand, it can be hard to wrap your head around.
I admit, I struggled quite a bit with ETHERA GRAVE, particularly in the middle of the book when all hope seems lost and a Hail Mary plan unfolds. I am a person who generally likes Things to Happen, and that is not what ETHERA GRAVE is about. While I will fully give credit to the clever and (eventually) emotional way this tale tied everything together across space and time, you have to be willing to wade through nearly 200 pages of slow progress to get there. Along the way, there are a whole host of heady philosophical debates around such things as death versus stagnation or harmony through collective thought vs. creativity through individuality.
THE GRAVEN series has always been one to be unapologetically big and bold in its ambitions, with some truly unique world-building that lives squarely in the middle of all things unfamiliar. Perhaps that's why at times it was difficult to hang on to the plot; when everything is new and foreign to you, it can be hard to find points to latch onto for connection. But in the final moments of the book, when everything mattered, I did find that I had built a fondness for these characters, and that I could be moved by their fates. While ETHERA GRAVE was too slow for me personally, I can't help but admire what it accomplished in its own unique fashion: to be wholly original in all things.
I was given a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.
ETHERA GRAVE is a slow march to a beautiful finale, one that eschews action for contemplation. This is a book that demands patience. As horror unfolds and a seemingly unstoppable wave of destruction creeps ever closer, our heroes are wrapped up in long goodbyes and introspection about their lives. To top it all off, we dip in and out of the lives of beings of vast consciousness who are intrinsically tied into this immense power struggle, who don't perceive life the same way mere mortals do. This book deals with the fate of existence on a scale so grand, it can be hard to wrap your head around.
I admit, I struggled quite a bit with ETHERA GRAVE, particularly in the middle of the book when all hope seems lost and a Hail Mary plan unfolds. I am a person who generally likes Things to Happen, and that is not what ETHERA GRAVE is about. While I will fully give credit to the clever and (eventually) emotional way this tale tied everything together across space and time, you have to be willing to wade through nearly 200 pages of slow progress to get there. Along the way, there are a whole host of heady philosophical debates around such things as death versus stagnation or harmony through collective thought vs. creativity through individuality.
THE GRAVEN series has always been one to be unapologetically big and bold in its ambitions, with some truly unique world-building that lives squarely in the middle of all things unfamiliar. Perhaps that's why at times it was difficult to hang on to the plot; when everything is new and foreign to you, it can be hard to find points to latch onto for connection. But in the final moments of the book, when everything mattered, I did find that I had built a fondness for these characters, and that I could be moved by their fates. While ETHERA GRAVE was too slow for me personally, I can't help but admire what it accomplished in its own unique fashion: to be wholly original in all things.
I was given a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.
January 21, 2024
Ethera Grave was the conclusion to one of the most unique sci-fi trilogies I have ever read and has firmly earned its place amongst my shelves and favourites. In addition to being exquisitely paced and plotted, Ethera Grave undertakes a lot of my favourite themes with fresh insight and compelling concepts. Transhumanism, queerness, neurodivergence, bodily autonomy, disability, and of course interpersonal relationships all take center stage in an expansive multiverse packed with action and characters you want to root for. I laughed, I cried, I highlighted so many lines, and I think about it every time sci-fi books come up in discussion. I cannot recommend this trilogy highly enough and consider it deeply underrated.
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.
June 5, 2024
Got tedious toward the end
Felt like this could have been told in two books. First two were much better. I couldn’t read more than 20 mins before I put the book down and did something else.
Felt like this could have been told in two books. First two were much better. I couldn’t read more than 20 mins before I put the book down and did something else.
July 1, 2023
Essa Hansen’s Ethera Grave may be the conclusion of her Graven trilogy (following Nophek Gloss and Azura Ghost), but it does far more than bring to an exciting and powerful conclusion a complex story. The novel expands its multiverse in dazzling ways and probes numerous questions of moral choice, diversity, transformation, time, the power of found family and the idea of death itself. Along the way, there are exciting combat scenes between humans and the supra-physical, near god-like entities known as the Graven and compelling personal stories. All of this is told in Hansen’s signature prose of rich and explosive imagery of light, color, sound and touch, a sensory abundance that is unique to her imagination and adds depth to every scene.
.........
Abriss Cetre, ruler of Unity and inheritor of Graven genes that enable her to command loyalty, is intent on collapsing the multiverse, with its varying physics and sentient species, into a single universe. She believes she is doing good by eliminating conflict, poverty and environmental disaster. Yet the costs she refuses to see are clear from the outset. In the first chapter, we find Caiden, who possesses a similar genetic inheritance, trying to convince the beings of one planet about to be destroyed by impending collapse of its bubble in the multiverse that they must abandon their home. He does not want to compel their agreement with his will, through the power of his Graven influence, because he believes intensely in their right to make a free choice. They refuse because their spiritual beliefs are so strong that they think they can overcome the disaster on their own. But they are wrong, and, as Caiden leaves, their planet is engulfed in destruction.
From the opening scene, then, Hansen focuses on moral choice – that of Caiden to refuse the use of his special power to compel agreement, that of sentient species to choose their own future, that of Abriss to destroy diversity in the name of a higher good. At first the conflict about saving the multiverse is played out on a human level. Caiden works with Abriss’s brother Threi, who was once his enemy. They are joined by Leta, saved by Caiden in her childhood and later taken in by Abriss with whom she has since broken. All three prepare to battle Abriss and the forces she has bent to her power. Threi has catalogued the loss of vast numbers of species and irreplaceable environments as a result of Abriss’s campaign, yet even he is forced to admit that the world of Unity seems a great improvement and has to keep reminding himself and others that the cost of that seeming utopia is a brutal catastrophe. Every character has to weigh the costs of the battle they are engaged in. There are no simple answers.
.......
The novel is enriched not only by the complexity of the choices facing the characters but also by an abundance of strange and endearing xenid species. There is C, the nophek – an omnivorous beast as big as a human who was tamed by Caiden as a pup but who can become a savage attacker when needed. There are the members of Caiden’s found family: Endirion Day, who started as human but added so many enhancements that they can change shape and gender to suit their mood; Ksine, an Andalvian, who is a scientist forever concocting new potions and cures; Panca, a saisn pilot, a tall, lean humanoid who can take in a vast amount of sensory data through a special organ in their brain. And there is a great variety more xenid species, each realized with precise physical detail and mannerisms. No matter how strange their physical form may be, they all express their feelings and concern for each other in moving ways.
........
Like the entire Graven trilogy, Ethera Grave is a richly envisioned epic of multiversal conflict and of life unmade and remade in brilliant strokes of light and energy. For me, this third and final novel is the most powerful and moving in the series, as its heroes not only do battle but struggle to accept who they are and find homes amid found family and physical forms that match their spirit. This series is a great achievement.
Read the full review at SciFi Mind.
.........
Abriss Cetre, ruler of Unity and inheritor of Graven genes that enable her to command loyalty, is intent on collapsing the multiverse, with its varying physics and sentient species, into a single universe. She believes she is doing good by eliminating conflict, poverty and environmental disaster. Yet the costs she refuses to see are clear from the outset. In the first chapter, we find Caiden, who possesses a similar genetic inheritance, trying to convince the beings of one planet about to be destroyed by impending collapse of its bubble in the multiverse that they must abandon their home. He does not want to compel their agreement with his will, through the power of his Graven influence, because he believes intensely in their right to make a free choice. They refuse because their spiritual beliefs are so strong that they think they can overcome the disaster on their own. But they are wrong, and, as Caiden leaves, their planet is engulfed in destruction.
From the opening scene, then, Hansen focuses on moral choice – that of Caiden to refuse the use of his special power to compel agreement, that of sentient species to choose their own future, that of Abriss to destroy diversity in the name of a higher good. At first the conflict about saving the multiverse is played out on a human level. Caiden works with Abriss’s brother Threi, who was once his enemy. They are joined by Leta, saved by Caiden in her childhood and later taken in by Abriss with whom she has since broken. All three prepare to battle Abriss and the forces she has bent to her power. Threi has catalogued the loss of vast numbers of species and irreplaceable environments as a result of Abriss’s campaign, yet even he is forced to admit that the world of Unity seems a great improvement and has to keep reminding himself and others that the cost of that seeming utopia is a brutal catastrophe. Every character has to weigh the costs of the battle they are engaged in. There are no simple answers.
.......
The novel is enriched not only by the complexity of the choices facing the characters but also by an abundance of strange and endearing xenid species. There is C, the nophek – an omnivorous beast as big as a human who was tamed by Caiden as a pup but who can become a savage attacker when needed. There are the members of Caiden’s found family: Endirion Day, who started as human but added so many enhancements that they can change shape and gender to suit their mood; Ksine, an Andalvian, who is a scientist forever concocting new potions and cures; Panca, a saisn pilot, a tall, lean humanoid who can take in a vast amount of sensory data through a special organ in their brain. And there is a great variety more xenid species, each realized with precise physical detail and mannerisms. No matter how strange their physical form may be, they all express their feelings and concern for each other in moving ways.
........
Like the entire Graven trilogy, Ethera Grave is a richly envisioned epic of multiversal conflict and of life unmade and remade in brilliant strokes of light and energy. For me, this third and final novel is the most powerful and moving in the series, as its heroes not only do battle but struggle to accept who they are and find homes amid found family and physical forms that match their spirit. This series is a great achievement.
Read the full review at SciFi Mind.
December 22, 2025
Despite a few books between this third instalment and the second book (book club picks require me to leave series behind partly unfinished from time to time 😔, I decided to try and finish this series before the end of the year. I liked the first two quite a bit and my brain would not let me leave this story unfinished…
The plot of these books is so complicated that I hesitate to put any more summaries than I already have in my previous reviews. However, I will say that, despite their complications and the fact that they are quite heavy going, is that they are, in some ways, quite brilliant. The world building is first class and populated with characters that are complicated and multi-layered. And, if that wasn’t enough, the plot has as much action as sci-speak which makes it perfect for those readers that love science fiction with weight and gravitas.
It is at this point that a warning is appropriate. This trilogy is not easy to read because it relies heavily on futuristic and imagined technology, not to mention theories of the universe that are beyond what we currently know. In some places, it became so complicated that it required a second glance. I would not blame anybody for putting together a flow chart in order to understand everything that happens. I have yet to encounter so many twist and turns in an overall story arc as in this series with the characters seeming to be one thing but turning on a dime in unexpected ways.
For someone who likes to read as quickly as I do, this has been a very different experience because these books couldn’t be inhaled at my usual pace; I discovered the best way to read them was in small increments of 20 to 30 pages a day in order to avoid overload. They were heavy going and needed thought to absorb all the tech speak and the complex plot. I also think that they could have been shorter, but then again that would have changed the tone and the nuances that made these books what they are.
Like any good science-fiction writer, Hansen has penned a true science-fiction classic that explores several themes and is loaded with subtext. The predominant theme here is the political/ideological divide. Where is the line in society between safety and restriction? Which is the ideal? A society that is safe but restrictive or one where its citizens have the freedom of various cultures but that carries the risk of war, disease, climate change, etc.? In the world of the Graven, Hansen uses a Multiverse vs Unity but the messages is the same. Is a universe of harmony worth living in if the price is uniformity?
As I said previously, this is a dense but beautifully written tech-heavy science fiction story that is not for everyone. But if you are a sci-fi fan, you could do worse than adding this to your TBR.
4 stars 🤓📚
#NophekGloss #TheGraven #EssaHansen @EssaHansen
#booksbooksbooks #books #bookish #bookaddict #bookclubread #reading #bookstagram #booktok #bookreview #booksof2025 #bookdragon #bookworm #lovebooks #bookrecs #booklovers #booklove #booknerd #bibliophile #ilivetoread #passionforbooks #bookish #readingcommunity #bookaddict #bookrecs
#sciencefiction #multiverse #spaceopera #spaceadventure #adventure #fiction
The plot of these books is so complicated that I hesitate to put any more summaries than I already have in my previous reviews. However, I will say that, despite their complications and the fact that they are quite heavy going, is that they are, in some ways, quite brilliant. The world building is first class and populated with characters that are complicated and multi-layered. And, if that wasn’t enough, the plot has as much action as sci-speak which makes it perfect for those readers that love science fiction with weight and gravitas.
It is at this point that a warning is appropriate. This trilogy is not easy to read because it relies heavily on futuristic and imagined technology, not to mention theories of the universe that are beyond what we currently know. In some places, it became so complicated that it required a second glance. I would not blame anybody for putting together a flow chart in order to understand everything that happens. I have yet to encounter so many twist and turns in an overall story arc as in this series with the characters seeming to be one thing but turning on a dime in unexpected ways.
For someone who likes to read as quickly as I do, this has been a very different experience because these books couldn’t be inhaled at my usual pace; I discovered the best way to read them was in small increments of 20 to 30 pages a day in order to avoid overload. They were heavy going and needed thought to absorb all the tech speak and the complex plot. I also think that they could have been shorter, but then again that would have changed the tone and the nuances that made these books what they are.
Like any good science-fiction writer, Hansen has penned a true science-fiction classic that explores several themes and is loaded with subtext. The predominant theme here is the political/ideological divide. Where is the line in society between safety and restriction? Which is the ideal? A society that is safe but restrictive or one where its citizens have the freedom of various cultures but that carries the risk of war, disease, climate change, etc.? In the world of the Graven, Hansen uses a Multiverse vs Unity but the messages is the same. Is a universe of harmony worth living in if the price is uniformity?
As I said previously, this is a dense but beautifully written tech-heavy science fiction story that is not for everyone. But if you are a sci-fi fan, you could do worse than adding this to your TBR.
4 stars 🤓📚
#NophekGloss #TheGraven #EssaHansen @EssaHansen
#booksbooksbooks #books #bookish #bookaddict #bookclubread #reading #bookstagram #booktok #bookreview #booksof2025 #bookdragon #bookworm #lovebooks #bookrecs #booklovers #booklove #booknerd #bibliophile #ilivetoread #passionforbooks #bookish #readingcommunity #bookaddict #bookrecs
#sciencefiction #multiverse #spaceopera #spaceadventure #adventure #fiction
June 18, 2024
Ethera Grave is the conclusion to Essa Hansen’s space opera scifi trilogy The Graven. Caiden, Leta, and Threi must join forces if they want to defeat Abriss and her mission of unity, forcefully combining the multiverse into a single harmonic unit regardless of the incompatibility of various alien species. Threi is willing to do whatever it takes, but Caiden is still hesitant to accept his Graven power should he lose control and becoming worse than even Threi and Abriss.
This was such a beautiful and painful conclusion to the series. I really wanted each of the characters to have their own happy endings, but unfortunately someone did not. And boy did I cry for the one person who didn’t because I wanted better for them and it was heartbreaking that they didn’t get to see the future they had been building all this time (I’m being intentionally vague). I appreciated the imperfect ending, but I just wish it had been someone else (and I know who I would personally have given up instead).
Told from Caiden, Leta, Threi, and Abriss’ perspectives, the book delivers a rounded view of the events without taking away from any of the other characters. In fact, it allowed for more emotions and personal issues to be wrung out—Caiden’s fear of losing himself, Leta’s wanting of a body she can be herself in, Threi’s steadfast belief in himself and his vision, and Abriss’ desire for a perfect world. Even sidelined, Caiden’s found family were still prominently present and felt throughout, bringing with them the groundedness and stability he needs at just the right moments.
All this time, there was something greater going on in the background. Caiden, Abriss, and even Threi are just vessels/pawns in a greater fight between three ancient god-like Graven beings who were once friends and whose fight has come full circle after all this time—harmonious Ethera, autonomous Azura, and middleman Vaith. The book competently weaved both past and present conflicts and pulled it off well in that it made perfect sense in the context of all three books without needing to retrocon any details. You can see that the author had this planned from the outset.
Ethera Grave just delivers and made my initial struggle through the first book worthwhile.
This was such a beautiful and painful conclusion to the series. I really wanted each of the characters to have their own happy endings, but unfortunately someone did not. And boy did I cry for the one person who didn’t because I wanted better for them and it was heartbreaking that they didn’t get to see the future they had been building all this time (I’m being intentionally vague). I appreciated the imperfect ending, but I just wish it had been someone else (and I know who I would personally have given up instead).
Told from Caiden, Leta, Threi, and Abriss’ perspectives, the book delivers a rounded view of the events without taking away from any of the other characters. In fact, it allowed for more emotions and personal issues to be wrung out—Caiden’s fear of losing himself, Leta’s wanting of a body she can be herself in, Threi’s steadfast belief in himself and his vision, and Abriss’ desire for a perfect world. Even sidelined, Caiden’s found family were still prominently present and felt throughout, bringing with them the groundedness and stability he needs at just the right moments.
All this time, there was something greater going on in the background. Caiden, Abriss, and even Threi are just vessels/pawns in a greater fight between three ancient god-like Graven beings who were once friends and whose fight has come full circle after all this time—harmonious Ethera, autonomous Azura, and middleman Vaith. The book competently weaved both past and present conflicts and pulled it off well in that it made perfect sense in the context of all three books without needing to retrocon any details. You can see that the author had this planned from the outset.
Ethera Grave just delivers and made my initial struggle through the first book worthwhile.
July 8, 2023
Thanks to Orbit Books and Netgalley for the ARC.
"Memories of the Graven past carried to her like book pages flipped in fast motion. Accumulated selves living in communal bodies. Luminiferous consciousnesses built from layers of time."
The blurb on the book says "a sucker punch to the senses" well this finale was a sucker punch to my feelings!! Nine crimes!! Essa brings this amazing series to a phenomenal conclusion with a story full of action, heart, sacrifice, love, loss and mind bending trips through luminiferous time.
"Dust cascaded, starlight bent, and space attuned to the stillness of aftermath."
**SPOILERS FOR BOOKS 1&2**
A story that began with a boy learning his life was a lie and fighting for his future and his family to a tale spanning the entire multiverse, while weaving together threads of the past, present and future in an outstanding conclusion to the trilogy. Caiden, Threi, and Leta have formed a precarious alliance to bring Abriss down along with her Graven companion to save the multiverse. As events unfold we learn more about Azura and her relationship to the Graven and how all of these disparate people have been maneuvered together for a larger purpose. Essa deftly brings all the threads together with fantastic action scenes as well as introducing some new characters into the fold. The story builds tension throughout as you know the final conflict will not leave your favorite characters unscathed. Threi is a favorite and I love that he got his own POV, and his relationship with Feran is EVERYTHING!!! Honestly, I love them so much.
It's brilliantly written and the final 25% just hit me in the feels so much more than expected, it is all so satisfying in how it wraps up. This is an outstanding science fiction series that deserves so much more buzz!! You need to read this and convince everyone else to as well!!!
"Memories of the Graven past carried to her like book pages flipped in fast motion. Accumulated selves living in communal bodies. Luminiferous consciousnesses built from layers of time."
The blurb on the book says "a sucker punch to the senses" well this finale was a sucker punch to my feelings!! Nine crimes!! Essa brings this amazing series to a phenomenal conclusion with a story full of action, heart, sacrifice, love, loss and mind bending trips through luminiferous time.
"Dust cascaded, starlight bent, and space attuned to the stillness of aftermath."
**SPOILERS FOR BOOKS 1&2**
A story that began with a boy learning his life was a lie and fighting for his future and his family to a tale spanning the entire multiverse, while weaving together threads of the past, present and future in an outstanding conclusion to the trilogy. Caiden, Threi, and Leta have formed a precarious alliance to bring Abriss down along with her Graven companion to save the multiverse. As events unfold we learn more about Azura and her relationship to the Graven and how all of these disparate people have been maneuvered together for a larger purpose. Essa deftly brings all the threads together with fantastic action scenes as well as introducing some new characters into the fold. The story builds tension throughout as you know the final conflict will not leave your favorite characters unscathed. Threi is a favorite and I love that he got his own POV, and his relationship with Feran is EVERYTHING!!! Honestly, I love them so much.
It's brilliantly written and the final 25% just hit me in the feels so much more than expected, it is all so satisfying in how it wraps up. This is an outstanding science fiction series that deserves so much more buzz!! You need to read this and convince everyone else to as well!!!
May 15, 2024
to be honest, this is my least favorite of the trilogy.
i didn’t like:
- Endirion suddenly being nonbinary at times—i really liked that part of her character was being genderfluid, SPECIFICALLY male or female. it was disappointing to have that aspect diminished.
- the plot at the end REALLY drug on. and on. and on. blah blah, spirit fighting, blah, physical fighting, blah, sensory input. it just got really repetitive and i was like can we please wrap it up already?
- my boy Threi was done DIRTY in this one
- Abriss deserved to die
- everything physical was fixed in the end. Caiden gets a new body with no nightmares. Abriss gets a new body with no scars. Leta gets a new body with no sensory difficulties. where’s the growth? the acceptance? the character development as they realize there are some things that cannot be changed? where’s the love and care Leta has for her sensitive body? where’s the growth and peace that Caiden has in book 2 for his recurring trauma every night? where’s the acceptance that Abriss has for her deeds, where’s her making the choice not to throw herself into her work / fix everything / push down her own feelings for the good of others?
- everything sort of just ends up the same in the end, in some ways
- VERY little of the original crew from book 1 (who i loved dearly)
- honestly i just don’t like Abriss
anyways there’s just some things that were disappointing. i’m happy to have wrapped this series up!
i didn’t like:
- Endirion suddenly being nonbinary at times—i really liked that part of her character was being genderfluid, SPECIFICALLY male or female. it was disappointing to have that aspect diminished.
- the plot at the end REALLY drug on. and on. and on. blah blah, spirit fighting, blah, physical fighting, blah, sensory input. it just got really repetitive and i was like can we please wrap it up already?
- my boy Threi was done DIRTY in this one
- Abriss deserved to die
- everything physical was fixed in the end. Caiden gets a new body with no nightmares. Abriss gets a new body with no scars. Leta gets a new body with no sensory difficulties. where’s the growth? the acceptance? the character development as they realize there are some things that cannot be changed? where’s the love and care Leta has for her sensitive body? where’s the growth and peace that Caiden has in book 2 for his recurring trauma every night? where’s the acceptance that Abriss has for her deeds, where’s her making the choice not to throw herself into her work / fix everything / push down her own feelings for the good of others?
- everything sort of just ends up the same in the end, in some ways
- VERY little of the original crew from book 1 (who i loved dearly)
- honestly i just don’t like Abriss
anyways there’s just some things that were disappointing. i’m happy to have wrapped this series up!
December 18, 2023
Caiden finally has his sister Leta back and is now even working with his former enemy Threi against the true threat: Threi's sister Abriss. Abriss is working with untold power and is working to collapse all the diverse multiverses down to just one that she will control with the help of the ancients which fuel her with power. However, that connection with the ancients and power she received from them and from collapsing the multiverses, is making her lose her grip on reality. Caiden must decide if he will use the ancient graven power that Abriss has tapped into, to make himself a formidable opponent and stop Abriss once and for all, no matter the cost.
What I liked:
- decent end to the story
- more concise story than the second volume
- expands characters and expands the world that everyone is in
What I didn't like:
- can still sometimes get lost in all that's happening as a lot is happening
- sometimes feels a bit too packed with info
It's a decent ending for this series. I had hoped this series would be into the upper echelon of my favourite sci-fi series but it fell a bit with the second book. This one is a bit better and largely helps to bring the series back to being decent.
What I liked:
- decent end to the story
- more concise story than the second volume
- expands characters and expands the world that everyone is in
What I didn't like:
- can still sometimes get lost in all that's happening as a lot is happening
- sometimes feels a bit too packed with info
It's a decent ending for this series. I had hoped this series would be into the upper echelon of my favourite sci-fi series but it fell a bit with the second book. This one is a bit better and largely helps to bring the series back to being decent.
August 1, 2023
Essa Hansen concludes her far, far future tale in which people with god-like powers, modified to break the universe into bubble universes, each with separate physics. Genetically modified Caiden and his family were sent to die by the Nophek Gloss (paper) creatures, but escaped with a hidden starship powered by the Graven Azura Ghost (paper). Ten years later he gets involved with the brother and sister rulers of Unity, Unity is not only the largest bubble universe but under the leadership of Abriss is trying to observe the other bubbles and return to a single universe. Caiden has the potential to become as powerful as the ancient Graven, and he is helped by Abriss’s brother Threi who is trying to prevent the destruction Unity is causing. Unknown to both siblings, Caiden is the spirit of Ethera Grave (paper from Orbit) who is using Unity to create a universe large enough to support her potentially living body. This is a complicated and fascinating universe. It maybe too complicated for some but I enjoyed stretching my mind.
August 10, 2024
poetry and limitless imagination
It took me a long time to really get into this one. But I knew if I stuck to it, the payoff could be worth it. And it was. I feel like I’ve visited another universe, or a series of them, spawned from Hansen’s brilliant, vibrant, and gentle mind.
I am a careful and studious reader, and that gets me in trouble with Hansen’s rich and descriptive prose. I want to grok all of the interconnected meanings, but it is prose, not poetry, and its richness should perhaps be experienced as a shower rather than a surgical procedure. It should be felt rather than analyzed. Maybe.
I am satisfied with the ending of this story. I am a sucker for these characters finding closure, and further purpose. I have steeped myself in Hansen’s multiverses and will dream them probably until I die, they’re so flexible and compelling. But I’m ready for 2024 to bring other books and stories, too. Thanks for the universes, Essa Hansen.
It took me a long time to really get into this one. But I knew if I stuck to it, the payoff could be worth it. And it was. I feel like I’ve visited another universe, or a series of them, spawned from Hansen’s brilliant, vibrant, and gentle mind.
I am a careful and studious reader, and that gets me in trouble with Hansen’s rich and descriptive prose. I want to grok all of the interconnected meanings, but it is prose, not poetry, and its richness should perhaps be experienced as a shower rather than a surgical procedure. It should be felt rather than analyzed. Maybe.
I am satisfied with the ending of this story. I am a sucker for these characters finding closure, and further purpose. I have steeped myself in Hansen’s multiverses and will dream them probably until I die, they’re so flexible and compelling. But I’m ready for 2024 to bring other books and stories, too. Thanks for the universes, Essa Hansen.
May 25, 2023
A breathtaking and compassionate analysis of pain, comfort, love, and duty, ETHERA GRAVE brings the Graven Trilogy home with beautiful, effervescent emotions as bubbly as its multiverse. If you're reading this because you're thinking about picking up book 1, Nophek Gloss, or because you read books 1 and 2, know that Hansen delivers an ending that will leave you simultaneously fulfilled and longing for more at the same time. The worlds she creates continue to be unlike any you've seen and more inventive than the last.
I couldn't put it down. When I did, I carried the emotions with me until the moment I picked it back up. With nothing left to read in the series, I imagine I'll carry it with me always.
I couldn't put it down. When I did, I carried the emotions with me until the moment I picked it back up. With nothing left to read in the series, I imagine I'll carry it with me always.
August 14, 2023
If you're the type to wait until a series is finished to start it (but really, who does that??), then this is your cue to go pick up the Graven Trilogy NOW. The first book was intense fast action with a little bit of almost-horror thrown in. The second book was mind-blowingly creative with wild sci fi possibilities. And the final book was a satisfying, heartbreaking, and brilliant conclusion. Prepare to have your concept of science fiction blown out of the water. No cliches here, all three books skirt the edge of reality with extreme physics and vivid imagery. They're solidly hard sci fi; no giving your brain a vacation, these books make you think and feel in equal measure. If you want to fully dive into an intense universe (several, actually), then do not miss the Graven trilogy.
July 15, 2023
"Ethera Grave" is a very satisfying conclusion to "The Graven" trilogy. All 3 books have been consistent in terms of writing (very good), plot (interesting), characters (they grow well suring the series), and "the feels" (the atmosphere of a book is important to me!), and I've enjoyed the journey. I'm very eager to see where Essa Hansen's imagination takes us next.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.
September 1, 2023
Ethera Grave is a tremendous finale, bigger and bolder than its predecessors. It taps deep into the emotional core of what has always made Essa Hansen’s Graven books so powerful, and delivers a resonant ending to one of the most imaginative sci-fi series published in recent years. I'm really looking forward to revisiting this book series one day. One of my favorite reads of 2023.
You can read my full review at Winter Is Coming:
https://winteriscoming.net/2023/07/18...
You can read my full review at Winter Is Coming:
https://winteriscoming.net/2023/07/18...
September 20, 2023
Have so absolutely adored this series, but I think my expectations were too high. There were things I liked, like Threi’s relationship and Abriss’ redemption. Caiden’s big battle was pure epic. But there was a little too much hand-to-hand combat for beings who so easily swayed opinions and could make matter bend to their will. It seemed a little childish. Biggest letdown was how things were very neatly tied up in a bow at the end. I wanted it to happen, but when it did, it was just too predictable. Still extremely worth the read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 23, 2023
Gorgeous trilogy, with a graven-perfect ending, wrapping out the saga in such a satisfying way. Don't want to spoil all the twists (sides swapped, allegiances altered, multiverse rinds overlapping, bodies rebuilt, essences pulled from lumniferity and shoved into different vessels...) but the series is a MUST-READ for hard sci-fi fans, those who love weird found families (think Farscape, and there SHOULD be Muppets in this, honestly, to get all the xenids done right!) and anyone who enjoys a mind-bending adventure!
November 8, 2023
It was a very rewarding finish for the characters after three books but this one took forever to finish. I felt like I had to rather than wanted to for much of the book. There were two specific “fights” that just seemed so repetitive it was hard to keep my attention. But such a unique concept. I’d give it three but as a trilogy I think it deserves the four. I found the first book the best than second and third last.
October 2, 2023
Ethera Grave finished the trilogy following Caiden and Leta among others as the conflict becomes a fight over whether chaotic universes should be destroyed to create a more predictable but uniform world. The science gets a little crazier with this novel and I found it a little distracting from the plot. At times I felt like I needed more knowledge of theoretical physics to keep up.
September 5, 2024
Much preferred the first two books, this final book lacked the elements that made the first two so enjoyable.
I found the story line dull and boring, it all seemed drawn out far too long and I lost interest.
Really disappointed by the time loop twist as it felt like a lazy option for an author who had run out of ideas. A real shame
I found the story line dull and boring, it all seemed drawn out far too long and I lost interest.
Really disappointed by the time loop twist as it felt like a lazy option for an author who had run out of ideas. A real shame
June 11, 2023
Nice trilogy and good book. This author has a good imagination and it shows here. The characters created here are well-crafted and developed, which was one of my favorite aspects.
Thanks very much for the free copy for review!!
Thanks very much for the free copy for review!!
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