I’ve been following Saara El-Arifi ever since The Final Strife. So you know I had to read the finale! And this one is such a fitting conclusion to one of my favorite series. Talk about a journey! Keep reading this book review of The Ending Fire for my full thoughts.
Summary
The Wardens’ Empire is falling. A vigilante known only as the Truthsayer is raising an army against the wardens. Sylah and Hassa must navigate the politics of this new world, all the while searching for Anoor.
Across the sea, the Blood Forged prepare for war, requesting aid from other governments. Jond’s role as major general sees him training soldiers for combat, but matters of the heart will prove to be the hardest battlefield.
The Zalaam celebrate the arrival of the Child of Fire, heralding the start of the final battle. Anoor’s doubts are eclipsed by the powers of her new god. Soon the Zalaam will set off on their last voyage—and few expect to return.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
We meet The Ending Fire reeling from the blood, the revelations, and the tenets we held to be true. It’s a finale that examines belief and power. Can a leader rely on the power of their follower’s beliefs? If our followers don’t believe in us, who will? In The Ending Fire it’s a story about the different avenues of change. A story about the sacrifices we make to pursue what we think the right path is. And what happens when we’re wrong. With all these forces bent on massive change, whose approach will win? Additionally, The Ending Fire is about the ‘necessary casualties’ and the bodies upon which we stand.
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A body of authority which doesn’t allow questions or contradictions is never a good start. In The Ending Fire we become so accustomed to what we’ve been told, it takes a while to recognize them as lies. And how do we handle this revelation? As always, the magical world in The Ending Fire is stunning. It serves as this foundational backdrop for questions about what we would do for a sense of purpose. A sense of belonging. While the mic of POVS in the last part was a bit confusing, we love a good cat perspective! Overall, The Ending Fire is about the bloody and difficult path towards change and what happens when it begins to veer off our best intentions.
Find The Ending Fire on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.