Journey into the Void (Sovereign Stone Trilogy) (Paperback)

The second book left us all on a knife edge... But that edge was dulled by the formulaic rush of the final instalment, to arrive at some sort of plot resolution. The characters were to my mind eroded by a tangibly forced exposition. I felt that the main characters, which the authors had made me feel so attached to in the past, were simply walked through a series of predictable set-pieces so that the story could be set up for what felt more like a wind-down than a climax. Perhaps it was too much to answer within one book of fewer than 600 pages? The long awaited reckonings between the original characters of the first book never really happened. Certain pivotal characters just seemed to give up the ghost and were simply not referred to again or written out with a whimper rather than with the roar that I expected.

Lastly, I think it is a measure of a good book not to require an epilogue which rushes us through what, why and how the key characters finally finish up as a result of where the story apparently ends - what is worse is it is done like the authors are sketching out their shopping list... Massive events and implications are summarised in just a few words.

An inferior end to a superior tale...

Bashae, The Grandmother and Jessan have all arrived at New Vinnangael with Baron Shadamehr and Dominion Lord Damra. Here they are hunted by one of the Vrykyl. It turns out that the king (child) has been replaced by one of the Vrykyl and Baron Shadamehr's role in this book becomes more prominent. They all end up fighting for their lives and some of them succeed, others do not.

Wolfram and Ranessa are still at the Dragon Mountain, with Ranessa as a fledgling dragon. But the world catches up with them and they need to leave the mountain - together once again. This time Ranessa is able to shorten travel time through her dragon abilities.

Jessan's uncle Raven are still in captivity with the Taan. But he finds himself able to better the living conditions of the half-taan through getting them accepted as warriors. He has given his heart to one of them.

In the end all four Dominion Lords who carry part of the Sovereign Stone have to come together. Wolfram, Damra, Shadamehr and the orken Dom.Lord are brought to Old Vinnangael in order to join in the last battle with Lord Dagnarus.

Bashae, The Grandmother and Jessan have all arrived at New Vinnangael with Baron Shadamehr and Dominion Lord Damra. Here they are hunted by one of the Vrykyl. It turns out that the king (child) has been replaced by one of the Vrykyl and Baron Shadamehr's role in this book becomes more prominent. They all end up fighting for their lives and some of them succeed, others do not.

Wolfram and Ranessa are still at the Dragon Mountain, with Ranessa as a fledgling dragon. But the world catches up with them and they need to leave the mountain - together once again. This time Ranessa is able to shorten travel time through her dragon abilities.

Jessan's uncle Raven are still in captivity with the Taan. But he finds himself able to better the living conditions of the half-taan through getting them accepted as warriors. He has given his heart to one of them.

In the end all four Dominion Lords who carry part of the Sovereign Stone have to come together. Wolfram, Damra, Shadamehr and the orken Dom.Lord are brought to Old Vinnangael in order to join in the last battle with Lord Dagnarus.