Inferno
By Kat RossThe Fourth Talisman #5
Released on March 15, 2019
354 Pages
YA, Fantasy
In the fifth and last volume of the Fourth Talisman series, the worlds of the living and the dead collide in a final confrontation that will leave Nocturne and Solis forever changed….
Three talismans adrift.Two mad kings.One poisonous crown.
As dark forces gather at the Rock of Ariamazes in Samarqand, Nazafareen discovers that there are worse places than the afterlife. The twisted creature pulling the Vatras’ strings is holed up in the deepest level of the Dominion—and only she has the power to follow him there, though at the potential cost of her own soul.
Prophecy claims the three daeva clans must unite to face their greatest enemy again, but two of the talismans have vanished and the third is a child more used to skulking in the shadows than leading an army. Meb the Mouse might be their last hope—if anyone bothers to take her seriously.
And within the confines of the Rock, a dying king makes a pact with the devil, setting in motion a chain of events that could spell doom for friends and foes alike.
WARNING: This book contains twists and turns, richly deserved comeuppances, shocking revelations, knock-down, drag-out fights, obsessive stalkers, some very nasty monsters…and, of course, true love.
Review
I have been with this series for three years, starting all the way back in 2016 with my review of the first book in the first series with Nazafareen and Darius and the mysterious beings called the daevas. In my first review for the series, I was astounded by the depth of the world and its characters, but even my past praise never anticipated the heights the series would reach.
Nazafareen has had a fiery personality throughout the series, but the action and her characterization peaked in this epic finale of her story. Her change, which includes a complex combination of progress and regression that testifies to the depth of her character, is evident in this finale.
Through the ups and downs, the life and death, bloodshed and love, Narafareen and Darius have been the constants in the series. Other characters, amazing in their own right as well, have entered and exited the story but I love that the common thread of Nazafareen and Darius's relationship is woven throughout the whole narrative. Call me a romantic, but I cannot help but fall for a great love story, especially one that starts as frenemies to lovers.
I know that I keep going on and on about Nazafareen and Darius, but there really is an entire world contained within this pages. The world of Nocturne and Solis is comparable to the expansive fantasy worlds found in epics by Tamora Pierce, Cassandra Clare, and Sarah J. Maas. With her lyrical prose, expansive world-building, and mastery of various voices, Ross is my new favorite for long-running fantasy epics. However, unlike many sprawling fantasy series, the series has a destination, a story that needs to be told instead of one that is being milked for all it's worth. There is no stretching of the world just for the sake of more books, instead the series feels like a constant exploration of discoveries and adventures in a new world.
I have hope for more books within this universe as the ending is the perfect balance between wrapping the story up and still keeping the world open for even more characters and adventures. Nazafareen and Darius's story came to a satisfying conclusion, but I am still curious about the world and its endless mysteries.
The series may have finished, but my adoration of this world, its magic, and its characters will never die.
If you are still unconvinced about this amazing series, here is my raving review for The Midnight Sea (the first book in the first series) and Nocturne (the first book the in Fourth Talisman series).
About the Author
Kat Ross worked as a journalist at the United Nations for ten years before happily falling back into what she likes best: making stuff up. She's the author of the dystopian thriller Some Fine Day, the Fourth Element fantasy trilogy (The Midnight Sea, Blood of the Prophet, Queen of Chaos), and a new gaslamp mystery series that opens with The Daemoniac and continues with The Thirteenth Gate. She loves myths, monsters and doomsday scenarios. For more information about Kat's books, come visit her at katrossbooks.com.Giveaway
Enter for a chance to win one of three ebook copies of Nocturne, the first book in The Fourth Talisman series. The giveaway ends on March 28th.
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What do you think is the hot epic fantasy series? What makes you stay with a series for the long haul? Have you read any books by Kat Ross? If not, what are you waiting for?
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