The final (until the next one is written) book in the Landover series! I couldn't believe how disinterested I was in Ben and Willow's storyline. I wanted to spend much more time with Nightshade and Mistaya or Abernathy, Quester, and Elizabeth. Maybe that's because I feel like Willow and Ben have gone about as far as they can go as characters. They do reveal some very personal secrets to each other in this book, but they're always accepting of each others' (mostly Ben's) faults. Mistaya, on the other hand, gets to hear Nightshade's history, though somewhat edited, and they develop a strange friendship that you know can only be doomed in the end. I think that Terry Brooks has some real potential with his villains, but we spend so much time with the heroes of the story, who are fairly bland in comparison, that we hardly ever get the villains' perspective. More Nightshade!

Maybe it's just the move to Washington, but it was very cool to see Abernathy and Quester set in a local environment for me as a reader. I was hoping Elizabeth would reappear in the series, but the potential relationship between herself and Abernathy gets dumped by the wayside for Ben and Willow's story. *grumble*

Okay, I'm complaining a lot. I did like this book, but I never felt pressed to keep reading, so I started and stopped several times along the way. The side characters her are much improved and, while it's not my favorite Landover book, I thought it was a good one.

I enjoyed the story, however as I travel a lot I rely on audio books to help me pass the travel time. I really enjoyed Dick Hill's narration, and his voices (except for Willow) were wonderful. The narration by Cameron Beierle is very flat and uninteresting. I wish now I had purchased the cassette, which did have Dan Hill's narration.

I am a huge Terry Brooks fan. This book does not disappoint. I have intorduced my grandson to Terry Brooks, and he enjoyed this book as much as I did.

Still good, but Terry Brooks starts being repetitive - you can figure out the plot in the first half

Ben Holiday continues to struggle with the Kingdom of Landover, always seems something's going on which requires his attention. Very well done and may be the best of the series to date. Good fantasy and a an easy, enjoyable read.

If you like books like this one, might I suggest another I've recently come across. The Unsuspecting Mage by Brian S. Pratt. It's another fantasy adventure sure to please. I highly recommend it.