In some ways, this trilogy wraps up the core part of the Valdemar saga that’s spanned several books. In this book, the loose ends of every major plot line throughout the saga is wrapped up. This is particularly satisifying for readers, like me, who’ve absorbed every word of this world for years. There are relevations about different aspects of the world that are truly eye-opening, that bring it all together for the reader. And this book is rather more tense and action-filled than the rest of the trilogy, which really amps up the anticipation.
Because of the way this series wraps up so many aspects of the saga, it’s clearly not a trilogy meant to be read alone, without having read The Mage Wars trilogy at least. That series begins the Cataclysm that changes the world, and this series ends it.
And although this book does wrap up many of the core Valdemar storylines, it is by no means the end. There are books to come that begin the next chapter in Valdemar history, the remaking of the world now that magic has come back.