ND WILSON

The author ties in so much scripture and makes so many beautiful analogies and you really start to realize how deep his writing goes. An absolutely incredible captivating plot, and I swear these characters are real. Very very well written, and my words are doing it NO justice at all so please go and see for yourself.

I definitely feel very unfinished after reading but oddly satisfied too (sign of a good author). Lot’s of questions… what happened to Phoenix? Radu Bey? Nolan? I want to know more about Pythia…

I truly love the relationships portrayed and they all seem so realistic… the dynamic between Cyrus and Antigone and even Dan as siblings could not be more on point, and the author doesn’t try to gloss over the hard things. The book (whole series really) is down to earth, faces the ugly, but then still gives you hope and redemption, which is how life really is. It is hard and there are ugly parts to it but in the end there IS beauty and redemption and true hope. It just really makes you think.

Also, character growth!!! Insane. Cyrus who are you?!
He is the desolation. The general. The way he assumes leadership and duty is very awe inspiring. And I totally want to name my son Cyrus now.

And Rupert has my heart 😭💔

And I just love Diana.

Also, Dan. I made the connection between him and biblical Daniel, both dreamer!! Good one, Wilson.

The whole concept and different combining of legends and reality is really clever, what with the transmortals and their backgrounds etc. insanely well done.

This was definitely the darkest of all the books in the series so far. Like I said, the author doesn’t gloss over anything and portrays evil as evil. And so yes, it is sickening and some of these villains, all of the really, are vile and do vile things. Awful stuff happens. But not. With. Out. Hope.

I could go on and on, but I’ll stop here. I’m so ready for book four! (I think we have it but in magazine form in snippets!)

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

“Hot tears rolled down Cyrus’ face and the fire of a loved life flowed through his limbs, wiping away weariness with fierce fury.”

“‘What can you do, dragon, to erase the life and the laughter I’ve already lived and already laughed?’ Cyrus asked. ‘What can you do to frighten one as foolish as me?” 😭😭😭

“In every herd, many stampede, while only a few turn to face the lions. Cowards live for the sake of living, but for heroes, life is a weapon, a thing to be spent, a gift to be given to the weak and the lost and the weary, even to the foolish and the cowardly.”

“When mothers lay down their lives for children, when brothers die for sisters and sisters for brothers, when fathers die for wives and children, when heroes die for strangers on the street, they do not pour out their blood because the one they save deserves such a sacrifice. Nah, lad. Love burns hotter than justice, and it’s roar is thunder. Beside love, even wrath whispers. Not one of us, snatching breath with mortal lungs deserves such a gift, and yet every day such a gift is given.”

“To love is to be selfless. To be selfless is to be fearless. To be fearless is to strip your enemies of their greatest weapon. Even if they break our bodies and drain our blood, we are unvanquished. Our goal was never to live; our goal is to love. It is the goal of all truly noble men and women. Give all that can be given. Give even your life itself.”

“‘You who knit me in my mother’s womb and plucked me into life, be not far from me. I am alone in grief’s broad sea. My brothers are fallen, their laughter is stopped, their voices are silenced. The pride of the Monaster is poured out like water, and my courage is no more than ash. Be not far from me. Dogs encircle me. Bulls surrounded me. Trouble melts my heart like wax. Evil has drained a draught of greatness, and I am left alone, to be pierced and broken.’ Rupert rose. ‘Be not far from me,’ he answered. ‘Walk with me through the shadow of the grave. Tear this curtain of darkness. Make your face to shine upon our fallen, and give them peace.’” (Quoting direct portions of scripture!!!)

“He walks the vineyard path, following in the steps of the one Mortal from whom even the Reaper fled in fear. That path runs beneath headstones, down through the lightless cold of lonely loss, through the dark valleys where death was borne down to the black soul rice and the final battle line. Only love can set a man’s feet on such a path. Only love can see him through, into rest and the hot light of the sun.” (The biblical analogy here is so rich)

This is one of my favorite series of all time, and this book in particular is extremely well written and showcases a deep understanding of reality and a care for his readers by the author.

Best writer I’ve read

It is a glorious story full of courage, love, strength, good triumphing over evil, death, and life.