With any first-time fantasy trilogy, no matter how good the other books have been, the finale is make-or-break. After constructing an intriguing world, setting up a veritable maze of dominos of political intrigue and military action, and giving us a trio of flawed but endearing siblings as his main characters, Brian Staveley had to show whether he could pull it all together. And he does, in an explosive final novel that does justice to everything that has come before. The pace never drops, the POV characters come together without a hitch and without seeming forced, and the conclusion is fantastic. I can't wait for the follow-up single book coming early this year!