(Third of 3: Second Sons trilogy. Fantasy)

The third and final instalment of Fallon's Second Sons, which focuses on Dirk Provin, the second son of the Duke of Elcast, and to a lesser extent Kirshov Latanya, the second and favoured son of Antonov, the Lion of Senet. The kingdom of Senet holds the kingdom of Dhevyn - of which Elcast is part - and the boys are first cousins through their mothers. Dirk, whose ambition had been to become a physician and heal people, is now unwillingly embroiled in politics because of Antonov's plans for him. However, Antonov is a fanatical follower of the cult of Shadowdancers which was created by their High Priestess Belagren to further her bid for power. One of her Shadowdancers is Marqel, an otherwise nameless Landfall bastard with whom Prince Kirsh is besotted, who will use any influence she can to claw her way to a position of greater security than she has heretofore enjoyed.

Dirk has also been recognised as a mathematical genius and the only other person apart from Neris Veran, who predicted the emergence of the second son from behind the first which 'miracle' Belagren used to found her cult. He plans to use the information to bring down the cult and end the rites she and her cronies created to perpetuate it which spread misery amongst the people of Senet and now Dhevyn. Marqel, while not as clever as Belagren, is just as ambitious and can see her way to using the same lies to climb to power, using anyone she can as she goes. Dirk has to manipulate these personalities and incorporate them into his grand plan to save the world, having to think on his feet when some of them have their own ideas. He is fortunate that the people who love him best trust him, even when it looks like he has betrayed them in a game they don't understand as he plays his cards close to his chest in an attempt to protect them.

While we don't see much of Kirsh, two characters we haven't seen much of before become major players in this book. One of them is Misha, Kirsh's older brother who is referred to as the Crippled Prince as his left side is weaker than his right due to a stroke in childhood.

The book rolls along at a rollicking pace and had me hooked, although I felt it tapered off a bit after the major religious event in the middle. Most people get their 'happily ever after's but some don't. The ending is quite satisfactory while indicating that life still goes on.

I found the entire trilogy gripping and I must admit to curiosity about the ruins at Omaxin, which indicate that the history of this world is linked to the future of our Earth. Worth hunting down.

"...Dear Goddess! What else is there left to do?"

"I want to find out if lions are real," he said.

I have to say I was disappointed that I couldn't get this last book of the trilogy with a similar cover to my first two. I really like the artwork on those, by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law.

4.5 stars **** ( )

This is the last exhilarating book in the exciting Second Sons Trilogy.
Dirk’s Machiavellian plan is now well in play. The skill with which this nineteen year old manipulates pretty much everyone around him is amazing. He totally deceives king Antonov, a man more than twice his age; even those closest to him find it hard to believe he has not deserted them and gone over to the dark side. But Dirk is a man with a plan - he is ruthless because he can't see any other way of freeing the kingdom of Dhevyn or doing away with the evil cult of the Shadowdancers who use their religion to commit heinous acts.
All the clues laid down in the earlier books come together here. The characters also continue to grow. I was delighted with Neris’s role in this book; and despaired at his final gesture. Misha developed from a cipher to an engaging young man who will no doubt be a responsible and caring ruler. I was pleased to see the shrill edges smoothed a little from Tia and Maquel. Both had the potential to be the two least engaging females I’ve come across in fantasy worlds in a long time.
There’s something a bit out of the ordinary in this trilogy, which only occurred to me some time after I put down Lord of the Shadows. After reading over 1500 pages of this series, there had only been two scenes of battle, and both of those had been very small. The only "magic" was a trick played on everybody in the kingdom. The entire Second Sons trilogy was a story of political intrigue on a grand scale and I enjoyed every line of it.
It's hard to find someone who can get the finish to a trilogy just right, but Fallon has it down pat. She delivers an electrifying tale that will has me thirsting for her next novel. ( )

The culmination to the saga. We still have a story that is basically told through the characters and how they change. Even the places where I look at the plot poking through nakedly - "We've got a big ending planned, and we have to get all the principals there" for example - have little twists that make them work as character-driven moments as well as plot moments.

I could say everyone ends up living happily every after, but that's a lie. However, the good guys win through and do get to be happy, or at least starting to set up their happiness for marriages and the like. Even Tia forgives Dirk, eventually.

There's a step towards enlightenment, whether or not it will endure and generally things are going well. ( )

A very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Nearly everyone got what they deserved. A very enjoyable read which I found through the FantasyFans group - so thank you to them. ( )

Second Sons Trilogy #3