Pros: Does an unbelievably good job of living up to the previous two books; delves much deeper into some of the characters
Cons: Make sure you read this particular trilogy from the beginning!
Rating: 5 out of 5

Review book (ARC) courtesy of Penguin Group

Note: I’ll do my best to avoid big spoilers from the first two books, but it’s impossible to avoid giving away at least a few details.

In book one, The Silver Lake, several young thieves survive the chaos known as Havo’s Dance, each in his own way. Brax makes his oaths to Estavia, the Battle Goddess, in return for her help. Spar is coming into his own as a seer, but still too young to choose a path for himself, he must go to the shelter of Estavia’s temple with Brax. Graize, long a rival of the other two, is nearly killed by a maelstrom of hungry spirits—only to grab hold of them and mold them into a newborn Godling.

The Golden Tower finds Graize determined to destroy Brax and Spar, while Hisar, the Godling, grows in power and knowledge. It seeks aid from both Spar and Graize in this, only fueling Graize’s madness, jealousy, and obsession with Brax.

Finally, in Fiona Patton’s The Shining City, war looms on the horizon. Graize has helped to weave together a skein of allies to attack the shining city of Anavaton. Hisar is on the cusp of godhood, a child seeking understanding and power. Brax is recovering from his injuries, while Spar helps Hisar to come into his own.

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