This is the book where the Firekeeper series started to lose me. I liked the first one, was ok with the second, and was pretty much indifferent towards the third. After this one, I don't really plan on continuing. ( )

Firekeeper and Derian are captured and taken South, to a land where people know about Royal Beasts and use them for future telling. Firekeeper learns about her origins and how she came to be with the wolves.

Lindskold takes this book down a path I was not very comfortable with. Firekeeper wants to be a wolf and be with Blindseer. Practically bestiality. I hope the rest of the books in the series turn from this path, or I'm done with them. ( )

Firekeeper's world grows as she and her cohorts, Derian and Blind Seer, are kidnapped and taken off the map of their perceived world. A variation of their history has evolved into yet another culture based upon the intermingling of humans and other sentient beings.

The story evolves slowly but is engaging enough to hang with it. Agood book in an interesting series. ( )

If you've read my reviews for the previous books in the series, you probably know that I've been really struggling with these books. While the ideas have been interesting, the execution has been too long and lacking in enough action or drama to keep the pages turning swiftly. The books are slow, rather unsatisfying reads. In some ways, this one was better and in others worse.

First, the better. I really liked the change in setting, although I found the kidnapping scenario a bit far-fetched, given that the two countries had barely even heard of one another. How does word of such a specific nature get there and yet the Liglimom have no idea about Hawk Haven generally. Absurd!

Still, I loved getting to learn more about the animals. The religion they practiced was, to my agnostic brain, ridiculous, but still quite interesting. I found this book going a bit faster than the others, since my childhood love of animals spurred me on.

Unfortunately, the weak points of the other books are still here. Even though this book has romance, it failed to satisfy. Most worryingly is the love between wolf and human, which is now specifically referenced as being of a romantic variety. Yeah, unless they can work something out that is so not okay. Plus, Lindskold decided to curtail the one successful romance of the novel with a Whedon-esque no one can be happy moment.

I missed some of the other characters and hope the momentum gathered in some of this book will continue. However, I fear that I will have to suffer through more about Queen Valora of the Isles. ( )

Another great book in the series. You need to start at the beginning and catch up. I recommend reading Jane Linskold. Great characters and good plots. ( )