by Alwyn Hamilton

Usually I complain if a book starts out with a character list, but this is an exception as it's third in the series and reading through it triggered memories of what happened in the second book. Such lists in stand alone or first of a series are meaningless because the reader hasn't met the characters yet, but this was a good way to bring me back into the world within the story.

Within the first chapter, I was definitely back inside this amazing fantasy world and continuing from where the second book left off. The stakes are high and seemingly impossible in this third (and I believe last) book of the series. Characters we met in the second book are here or referred to, which helps trigger memories of what happened in the previous books. It's a series best read in order.

Like the previous books, it has an Arabic feel to the setting and the magic has solid rules. This is definitely one of the best Fantasy series I've read, ever. Nothing is made too easy for the heroes/rebels.

The main character, Amani, is a strong female and she is written very believably, keeping in mind we're in a world with Djinn magic! We see her inner vulnerabilities as well as her outer strength. The story is populated with an array of interesting and unique characters, both good guys and bad guys, as well as some for whom it's a matter of perspective.

There is plenty of action, especially towards the end chapters, and one scene that actually brought tears to my eyes which is rare. A story of romance is expertly woven in, but in a way that doesn't read like Romance genre.

This is one of the few series that didn't lose steam in the later books. It was written as a trilogy and ends in a way that pretty much guarantees that is really the end. As much as I love the world of magic that Hamilton created, I'm glad it wasn't drawn out beyond its natural length. I'd read parallel stories set in this world without hesitation though.

It will be interesting to see what this author does write next. She's one I will be watching for.

The Rebel Prince will rise again. He will bring a new dawn. A new desert.

Obviously, you have to read the first two in the series to understand this one. After most of Amani's group of friend's was taken prisoner, the majority of this was about journeying and working to set them free. The focus on the magic of the world seemed to takeover a lot in the middle until the later second half came back around to fighting, defeating, and ending the war. 

This tone had a ragged, tired at times, but still striving through the fight, which fit as the last book wrapping up a rebellion story. This really worked on portraying how wars started by powerful, more so affect the powerless and how even when you're fighting for right, wrong can be done. I liked how this in no way glorified war. 

Some of the visuals the author provided through her writing, especially the ship sailing on sand scene, were incredible, very well done fantasy. The emotion was heightened at times but with Amani, I started to feel very drained.

Amain and Jin didn't get near enough time together for me; a big important talk between the two was completely off screen. 

The ending went a little overly long and repetitive, some could easily have been edited out. However, the long out look at what our characters encounter was satisfying and a tad depressing as we see the same wars being fought over and over because of power greed. I can't say this ended on a very high note but I enjoyed the journey into this magical land the author created. 

But he wondered if a boy from the sea and a girl from the desert could ever survive together. He feared that she might burn him alive or that he might drown her. Until finally he stopped fighting it and set himself on fire for her.

This was a war between the people who belonged in this desert. Not the people who wanted to own it. We would decide it for ourselves---no one else.

They said that as long as Ashra’s Wall stood, the Destroyer of Worlds would be imprisoned. If it fell, so would a new age of darkness fall on the world. 

A friend on GRs said this reminded them of GOT, and oh yes! Only one more month to go and I'm hoping my call of Brienne of Tarth sitting on the throne comes true :)