Age of Death by Michael J. Sullivan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Strong language

 
Winter blankets the land, and more than hope has died. Barred by the tower of Avempartha, the western army cannot invade the Fhrey homeland. So it must seek a way across the Nidwalden River before the fane obtains the secret of dragons. As time runs out for both humanity and the mystic Suri, the only chance for the living rests with the dead. Having made their fateful choice, can a handful of misfits do the impossible, or are they forever lost to an inescapable grave?

The last book in this series ended with a big cliffhanger, which is not the usual way that MJS ends his books, but the fact that the books are being released pretty rapidly helps with the anticipation after being left hanging, and this one picked up right where the last one left off. I liked that we got one continuous story without a gap in time.

While this isn't one of my favorite books in the series (I like it about the same as the previous book) it does start to weave some threads together that have been in the making for a long time. I especially enjoyed Suri's chapters as a captive of the Fhrey. I could feel all of her pain as she finally got through to the fane what it costs to make a dragon.

    "Now you know why you only face one."
 

As for the main adventure, I found the underworld to be very interesting and I liked the different characters that we met along the way. As always with Sullivan's books, the biggest strength here were the characters. I've said it in my other reviews, but I love how unlikely the heroes are in this series. I love the growth of each character, even Tressa, who at one time I hated. I love the themes of redemption, love, and sacrifice. I also need to add how much I loved the transformation of Gifford in this new place.

 
    "This war won't be won or lost by birds or dragons, nor by greed or hate, but by the courage and virtue of an unlikely few who will forfeit everything to save the future."
 

I don't have a whole lot more to add here in my review, just that I continue to enjoy this series and I'm looking forward to reading the last book soon, but at the same time I will be sad that it's over.