Kim Deister
Owlknight is the final book in both the Owl Mage trilogy and the Valedemar saga as a whole in the chronology. It ends the story of Darian, a mage and adopted Hawkbrother. When Darian’s parents disappeared, he was a child without any other family. He was thrust upon the “kindness” of the villagers, most of whom made it clear that they saw him both as a burden and as an outlier, just like his parents. They’d disappeared without a trace, and Darian has always wondered what happened to them. Years later, he’s finally in a place where he might be able to find answers. While I love the book, it isn’t my favorite. It isn’t because the story’s focus is on someone other than a Herald, who are the center of most of the saga. There are others in the longer saga that do that, too, and I love them just as much. I think it was because of the way Darian’s answers came to be. Not the journey to those answers, but the resolution itself. There isn’t much I can say without creating spoilers, but let’s just say that I was underwhelmed. But I cannot fault the world-building. That is one of the main reasons why I’m obsessed with all things Valdemar. Lackey has created a world that is so easily imagined, and every turn of the page draws me more into it. The writing is so rich and descriptive, and I feel as if I’ve traveled through the novel to the very places the characters are. That is a beautiful thing! My recommendation: If high fantasy is a favorite genre, this book, and the series, are great reads!