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msbookmarked 's review for:
Age of Empyre
by Michael J. Sullivan
It was a bittersweet moment to finish the final book of the series and have to say goodbye to some of the characters that I have grown quite fond of.
For me, it didn't feel like the end of a series. Maybe it's because I did not read any of the Riyria books, I did not get any of the implications or understand what might have happened to a few of the characters. And so, I did not get the complete full circle moment when I turned the last page. As I mentioned in the previous book review, the story turned more onto the realm of Greek mythology and this book was no exception. Once again, I found myself irritated that the mortal characters whom we have previously championed for, were reduced to chess pieces and simply acting upon instructions. I felt that their achievements and their character developments were diminished, as compared to earlier books where they acted on their own accord.
Regardless, it was a satisfactory ending to a six book epic. Sullivan knows how to keep the reader engaged with twists and unexpected revelations before the major story lines were properly tied up. There were also a lot of philosophical explorations into life, death and moral outlook, which made for excellent self-reflection that goes beyond a typical fantasy novel. I also loved that not every character had a triumphant ending, which made it more realistic in a setting where politics and relationships were complex. It was a gratifying finale and I was glad to see Sullivan's initial decision to expand the series to six books had paid off.
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For me, it didn't feel like the end of a series. Maybe it's because I did not read any of the Riyria books, I did not get any of the implications or understand what might have happened to a few of the characters. And so, I did not get the complete full circle moment when I turned the last page. As I mentioned in the previous book review, the story turned more onto the realm of Greek mythology and this book was no exception. Once again, I found myself irritated that the mortal characters whom we have previously championed for, were reduced to chess pieces and simply acting upon instructions. I felt that their achievements and their character developments were diminished, as compared to earlier books where they acted on their own accord.
Regardless, it was a satisfactory ending to a six book epic. Sullivan knows how to keep the reader engaged with twists and unexpected revelations before the major story lines were properly tied up. There were also a lot of philosophical explorations into life, death and moral outlook, which made for excellent self-reflection that goes beyond a typical fantasy novel. I also loved that not every character had a triumphant ending, which made it more realistic in a setting where politics and relationships were complex. It was a gratifying finale and I was glad to see Sullivan's initial decision to expand the series to six books had paid off.