Well written and kept me reading.  Still, somehow I could not connect with this final entry in the series.

The characters seemed distant to me.  Maybe just because it took so long after second book for me to read this one.  Maybe because I so loved his other series, Throne of Amenkor that began with The Skewed Throne, that it suffers by comparison.

It didn't help that there was a lot of action and battles taking places with lots of different — even though familiar from earlier books — characters where it was hard to invest.  Pretty glum with lots of dire straits, bad things happening, and outnumbered armies.  The only respite quite a few exciting heroic moments.

I really loved the first two books (okay, the very beginning was a bit too much wagon-train-taking-settlers-west for me but once I got into it I was hooked).  

The ending of this one *sigh* — well, in a way, I guess it came full circle?  

Truthfully, before starting this last book of the trilogy, I wasn't sure how the author would be wrapping up in one book the events set out in the previous books.  Both were rather … leisurely … with some frantic-paced moments where I thought the series would take longer than three books.

I'm enjoying this (always enjoy Palmatier's writings) — but, parts have been a big "meanwhile back at the ranch" following various allies and foes and battlefields.  Lots of battles (unusual for Palmatier).  Not remotely nearly as bad about it as Jordan's Wheel of Time.

I'm getting satisfied it will be a proper finish and a proper story arc.  Colin — not at all incidentally — is definitely not a legend and had just set out for something that should prove quite pivotal.

Plus whatever library ebooks I borrow (lots on waitlist plus binge-ing some series) will interrupt regular reading schedule.

Another bookclub read of whatever TOR offers free has turned out to be  Kushiel's Dart - Jacqueline Carey  — plus 24in48 readathon July 22-23 will also disrupt or remake plans.

Spectacular efforts by the dwarren — and the allies have caught on so are moving legions into place.

Now if the Flame traitors would stop underestimating the wraith in their arrogance ...

I do love a traditional epic fantasy!

And the enemy has infiltrated everywhere in addition to where their wraith armies are laying siege.  Dire straits indeed — even if many characters are as yet unaware.

Plus whatever library ebooks I borrow (lots on waitlist plus binge-ing some series) will interrupt regular reading schedule.

Another bookclub read of whatever TOR offers free (mid-month?) plus 24in48 readathon July 22-23 will also disrupt or remake plans.

DISCLAIMER: A review in progress as each story is read from someone really horrrible with reading and reviewing anthologies and short stories/works.  

This one was picked up because I'm a fan of Joshua Palmatier and kept reading his posts about the project and seeing lots of favorite authors:

★★½☆☆

"To Scratch An Itch" by Avery Shade

I suspect this one was a short clip of a bigger story.  Writing was fine; but, so short I really didn't get to form an opinion.  The main character and POV is from a little girl, daughter of a "weatherman," who first uses her powers, gets scared, runs off, classmate brings her back home and it ends before she even confesses to her parents.  Might be more geared to middle grade or YA but too brief to really tell.  Too brief for any worldbuilding (just an unspecified city apartment).