The Wolfriders and the Go-Backs make their final charge towards the palace of the High Ones.

And so the original quest comes to a close. This is good stuff, but it does feel very much like a "let's wrap up the loose ends" kind of a book. Long-running questions are answered as the elves work towards their ultimate goal.

Despite this, the ongoing story isn't static. The Pinis continue to work with their themes of change and growth. The Wolfriders move forward in more ways than one. Their understanding of the Way changes in light of what they learn, and their role in the battle for the Palace causes their relationships to shift in some surprising and difficult ways. We've got a definite resolution by the story's end, but there are still many places the characters could go from here. Their story is far from over, and I for one am glad the Pinis decided to go beyond their original vision and continue to tell us what happens to these characters.

Highly recommended, but this is just about the worst place you could start. Backtrack to volume one and begin there. ( )