Review: Deathcaster

Deathcaster (Shattered Realms #4)

By: Cinda Williams Chima

My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Genre: High Fantasy

Page Count: 656

Synopsis: SPLINTERED ALLEGIANCE.

Warrior Alyssa ana’Raisa would do anything to protect her home, the Fells, and her legacy, the Gray Wolf Line. But as a prisoner of Empress Celestine, Lyss is forced to turn her fearsome talents as an army commander against her beloved homeland. Refusal would swiftly lead to her death, and her death would end the Gray Wolf Line.

ANCIENT DANGER.

In Lyss’s absence, Fellsmarch Castle swarms with intrigue, deception, and a primordial threat. Destin Karn, a Southern spymaster with a hidden agenda of his own, might be the queendom’s only hope of defeating the forces aligned against the Seven Realms… as well as the enemies within the castle.

THE DEADLY COST OF PEACE.

Master storyteller Cinda Williams Chima delivers spellbinding action, bittersweet reunions, and dazzling revelations in this indispensable conclusion to the Shattered Realms series

The first section of this review will be spoiler free

Hello my book loving friends! Today I will be reviewing Deathcaster, the final book in the Shattered Realms series (a sequel series to the original Demon King books). First I want to start by saying I am so happy to finally have gotten my hands on a nice long book. So many books are around 300 pages these days and in my opinion that is bordering on novella. I like my books 500+ pages because then I can really get into the story. This book was incredibly ambitious, it included at least 4 POVs and three major locations. Overall the book does a fantastic job of balancing all these different elements, never rushing any storylines and making all the characters feel like they are important to the story.

I was very happy with the ending of this series, which is honestly a surprise because I was very upset with a certain death that happened in the first book. This series is a wonderful companion to the original Demon King series but if you haven’t read the originals you can definitely read this anyways. there are some special little easter eggs that only fans of the original will understand, but if you are a new comer to China’s universe you will not feel left out.

The world building continued to be incredible and the narrative really swept me away. There are so many adorable relationships to choose from and most of them got their own time to shine (both in this book and the first three). Really my only criticism, and the reason this is not a glowing 5 star review, is that the conclusion felt a little too neatly wrapped up for me. The build up was expertly crafted and the pace wasn’t too rushed, but the final couple chapters were very fast paced and the end was a little too “everyone gets exactly the happy ending you wanted” for me, since this series has typically subverted that YA trope.

 

***SPOILERS***

 

Alright, so if you have read my review of the first book in this series (flamecaster) you know that I was very upset about the death of Han (a main character from the original series). I will say that his resurgence (kind of) as a spirit was a welcome surprise, because I was very upset my favourite characters were not getting the happily ever afters I wanted. The fact that Mellony (Raisa’s sister) was the one who conspired not only to murder Raise, but her husband Han and their daughter Hana was shocking to say the least. I have known Mellony since the first book of the first series, it was kind of like my own friend had betrayed me.

On the romantic from Evan and Destin are by far my favourite couple of this series (and maybe even both series together). They are adorable and I would so be down for a companion book about their exploits in piracy together now that they got their happy ending!

 

 

Have you read this series? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! Also let me know your favourite series ending!