The Shadow Roads
The Swan’s War #3
Sean Russell
Fantasy
4 stars
433 pages

The conclusion to The Swan’s War trilogy.

Alaan, Elise and their respective groups face off against Hafydd and his. Death, also known as Meachi, is trying to get free from the spell that walled him in from the living. Everything comes together quickly in the end and Death is walled in again, Hafydd goes back to the river and Alaan and Elise go their ways. The groups all go back to their ways of life, forever changed. To be honest, it seemed a bit too pat and quick. I enjoyed the ending, but with such humble beginnings[the feud between the Will’s and the Renne’s], to escalate things to Death himself trying to walk the earth again, it just seemed almost anti-climactic.

Well written, well thought out though. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this trilogy and am looking forward to re-reads already 🙂

The Isle of Battle
The Swan’s War #2
Sean Russell
Fantasy
5 stars
467 pages

Absolutely fantastic.

Haffyd goes after Alaard to kill him and Elise chases after Alaard to save him. Fills out the picture in regards to the Children of Wyrr, who have taken on human hosts to live again. Engaging, quick [not slow like

The One Kingdom] and opens up an even bigger world than we thought. Wyrr, and his Brother Aillyn are at odds.

I know this is a trilogy, so I have to wonder how Russell is going to wrap everything up in 1 book.

The One Kingdom
Swan’s War #1
Sean Russell
Fantasy
5 stars
517 pages

A land was torn asunder in the distant past by 3 siblings. Today the land groans under a schism of two families. But the Siblings’ spirits have returned to finish what they could not last time, conquer all. Follows the adventures of different people caught up in this whirlwind. 3 people have been “possessed” by the ancient siblings and those are the characters we follow.

VERY slow for the first 9/10th’s of the book and no huge gratuitous displays of magic. Which is a nice changeup for me in a fantasy trilogy. I’m looking forward to the next book.