What a cliff hanger! I've been very impressed with Lyndsey's wold building and ability to draw the reader into the characters lives. In a strange way I can't wait until August but don't want to it to be released at the same time - another good series comes to an end. Definitely recommend.

No, a cliffhanger ending! Arggh. Although I can excuse this here because this book is clearly titled Part 1.

The book starts out with the team back in the capital city, along with the ousted Emperor Sespian. Amaranthe has plans to get him back on the throne, but the city has turned into a war zone, with rival factions all backing their preferred candidate. As Amaranthe plots, Sicarius attempts to protect Sespian from a soul-construct.

As you know if you’ve been reading this series, each book features two POVs, Amaranthe’s and one of her team members. This time its Sicarius, the deadly assassin. I really appreciated this insight into his character. Although he is one of the main characters, I never really took a liking to him the way I did to the rest of the team. I hadn’t been looking forward to reading his sections of the book, but I surprisingly enjoyed his sections almost as much as Amaranthe’s.

Amaranthe’s story line follows her, Books, and Akstyr as they attempt to eliminate the Behemoth, Forge’s ace-in-the-hole on their way to the Throne.

Secarius, Sespian, and the rest of the team attempt to gather followers and backers loyal to the true Emperor.

The ending really surprised and shocked me, and I am eager to see how this is all going to wrap up.

I really enjoyed this book overall, but I can’t recommend it if you haven’t read the first five in the series. Five stars. ( )

Soooo. This one took me much longer to get into than the last 5. It may well be because it didn't have the impetus of reading them back to back to back. Therefore, I had to pick up and get back into the characters and the ongoing story. I considered re-reading the first 5 before picking this one up - and I even intended to do so. However, I have had such a reading 'tude going on that I was just not of a mind to re-read anything.

Even though it took me a bit, I did enjoy this one. We get a bit more a feel for Sicarius and who and what he is. I didn't think I would, but I really enjoyed getting into his brain. Much less of the sillyness that is Maldynado - and I think I missed that a bit. For most of the book, two teams are split up trying to accomplish different goals toward the same end - and I missed their camaraderie.

I don't know that I am a fan of the typical fantasy plot set-up - slow going at the beginning, build up to discover what is happening toward the middle - until we get to the big, really climactic finish. I mean, most of the stories these days are told in series, and when each book follows the same model, it makes it hard for me to enjoy. I have already had the slow build up - I read the first book. I deserve some action now, doggone it! I shouldn't have to wait until the end. And, oh yea, when I *do* get to the end, it really isn't the end - but a darn cliffhanger which means to get to the end of the darn story I am going to have to wade through the beginning of yet another book. (Um, in case you, dear reader, cannot tell, I really don't care for the slow beginnings.)

Which brings me to the end. Lindsay did not lead us astray here - she warned us of the cliffhanger at the end of book 6. This would be why I did not pick up this one until the next was out. Here is the problem. I was hooked - hook, line and sinker - right up to the last sentence. The VERY LAST SENTENCE. It made me mad. The cliffhanger actually made me mad. I don't like it. I don't like where the story must go from here. I don't think I want to travel that path.

In truth. I bought the next book. I read the epilogue. (So, shoot me. I wanted to know where the story went - though I was fairly certain I knew.) I still don't know if I will read that book in its entirety. I am still angered by the plot device caused by the cliffhanger.

That single paragraph - on which the book ends - took the book down to 3 stars from 4. Sorry. But, there is the truth of it. ( )

With the throne up for grabs, Amaranthe's team of mercenaries has their work cut out for them - and not all of them believe Sespian should reclaim his "rightful" place. But the rebels, as Amaranthe's dubbed them, are united in their desire to stop Forge from taking over. Now if they can just manage to do so without flattening the entire city...

First off, I'm SO glad I discovered this series after the second half of this installment was released, because if I had to wait to find out what happens next I'd have been seriously annoyed. Don't miss this series - but do start at the beginning. ( )