With the first two books in the Acacia Trilogy, Acacia and The Other Lands, David Anthony Durham has created a vast and engrossing ca...
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Dec 05, 2011
Algernon
rated it: 
might contain spoilers. take care!
[9/10] a fitting conclusion to what turned out to be a monumental construction, like one of those huge wall paintings from le Louvre or like a symphony played by a full orchestra. The journey took me to wonderful places - lost cities in the jungle, desolate arctic plains, mountainous waves on the high seas, sophisticated palaces full of history and so on, deserts populated by fantastic creatures and much more. Everywhere, small bands of heroes, led by More...
[9/10] a fitting conclusion to what turned out to be a monumental construction, like one of those huge wall paintings from le Louvre or like a symphony played by a full orchestra. The journey took me to wonderful places - lost cities in the jungle, desolate arctic plains, mountainous waves on the high seas, sophisticated palaces full of history and so on, deserts populated by fantastic creatures and much more. Everywhere, small bands of heroes, led by More...
Nov 19, 2011
Jonathan
rated it: 
The Sacred Band by David Anthony Durham finishes of the Acasia Trilogy. I thought the book was well written and was comparable to the previous two books in the series. Overall I thuroughly enjoyed my read an will read whatever Durham puts out next. However, there were a few things that I didn't like. Some of the main characters have abrupt changes in behavior so that the conclusion could be quickly and easily wrapped up. This seems a little too convient for my tastes. The ending was a litt
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Oct 23, 2011
Nosocialize
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I just completed the Acacia series and I enjoyed the ride very much. As a trilogy I have to say the series is very satisfying and rewards the reader who pays attention to the details. But this isn't a review of the series but a review of the third book, so with that in mind, tally-ho!
To start, I believe this is the weakest of the trilogy, but before you stop reading know this: The Sacred Band is still good and we cannot judge it too harshly due to the brilliance that came before it. More...
To start, I believe this is the weakest of the trilogy, but before you stop reading know this: The Sacred Band is still good and we cannot judge it too harshly due to the brilliance that came before it. More...
Nov 08, 2011
Amanda
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The third installment of the Acacia trilogy is pretty much what readers would expect it to be. While there were no major surprises, the story remained suspenseful and interesting throughout. I found the entire story to be reminiscent of the Ice and Fire series (Game of Thrones) in that the story revolves around many characters in many places - giving the reader a complete world view. I believe George RR Martin and Durham have worked together before, and I'm not surprised given that their subject
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Feb 11, 2012
Derrick
rated it:
I found this book much like Acacia: The War with the Mein, in that I had a hard time starting, but the ending was good and I enjoyed the read.
This book definitely moved beyond the fantasy action and delved into optimism, hope, philosophy[undefined] and reason.
It made for a satisfying read, even if it was slow and not gripping.
I found it very uplifting to see the author portraying characters who deliberately broke their cycles of violence and hate and reforged circl More...
This book definitely moved beyond the fantasy action and delved into optimism, hope, philosophy[undefined] and reason.
It made for a satisfying read, even if it was slow and not gripping.
I found it very uplifting to see the author portraying characters who deliberately broke their cycles of violence and hate and reforged circl More...
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Jan 02, 2012
Bill
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I don't normally read much in the way of fantasy unless I get sucked in (Like Fire and Ice by HBO) or if the author is someone whose career I have been following since he first published. I read this trilogy because I was impressed by Durham's first novel, Gabriel's Story, engrossed by his treatment of the second Punic wars and was frankly surprised that a historical fiction writer would veer to fantasy. I wasnt disappointed in the multi-year ride of his trilogy, finishing this final volume in
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Feb 10, 2012
Mike
rated it:
The Sacred Band by David Anthony Durham brings the saga of the Akaran family, begun in Acacia, to a close. The novel picks up where The Other Landsleft off. Corinn controls Acacia with an iron grip her growing mastery over the magic learned from the Book of Elenet allow ever greater control over the populace. Dariel, still far across the sea in the Other Lands learning about the society formed by the former quota slaves. Mena has been tasked with defending Acacia’s northern border from invadeing
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Oct 17, 2011
Stefan
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The most pleasant surprise about The Other Lands, the previous book in the ACACIA trilogy by David Anthony Durham, was that it broadened the scope of the series tremendously. Ushen Brae, the setting for a large part of the action in that book, proved to be a complex and interesting place, with its non-human Auldek tribes, several strata of human Quota slaves (from a warrior caste to an organized “Free People” resistance movement), the mostly extinct Lothan Aklun race, and a rich and fascinating
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Jan 28, 2012
Erica
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What a way to end a trilogy! As with the other books, it took some time to get up to full speed but when it did, it was impossible to put down. Durham did leave some loose ends at the end, which could lead to another book, but I don't know if more needs to be told. I think things ended on the right note and nothing was tied in a perfect bow. I was left imagining the world as it would be once the book was completed. Sometimes I feel that it can be the best kind of ending. Reading all three back t
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Dec 04, 2011
Wm
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A bit of a rebound from the okay-ness of book 2. In fact, this book improved my opinion of the other two because it made me appreciate just how solid and interesting the worldbuilding is. On the other hand, it feels a bit rushed and my review for book 2 where I talk about the lack of grace or depth or something still applies. In all, a solid, sweeping epic trilogy and Durham is to be congratulated for keeping it to three and covering as much ground as he did.
Oct 21, 2011
Brianleedurfee
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Something about this trilogy, started out promising, but I eventually grew bored with it. Durham is a great writer though. Maybe when i re-read it in ten years I will find more to like about it. But for epic fantasy I recommend Tad Williams, George Martin, Kate Elliott, or even Robert Jordan.
Dec 31, 2011
Colin
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Wow. I just love these. The series as a whole kinda blew me away. Richly detailed, anti-racist, decolonial, complicated. Yay. This last installment had me marvelling at the complexity of Corinn's characterization in particular. There were so many threads of story, and I was happy to read more about each one. I thought the ending was a bit too neatly done--slightly trite/pat. But the themes and overall skill of the story makes me fucken happy. Gushing fan mail to David Anthony Durham completely j
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Dec 27, 2011
Neal
rated it:
I have to admit I was very worried when I was halfway through this book and I could not see a way the author could tie up even a few of the plots that carried us through the two previous books. I was happily proven wrong. A very satisfying ending to a very decent trilogy.
Jan 02, 2012
Dawn
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This was pretty good, but I didn't like it nearly as much as the first two in the series. It wrapped up the story pretty well, but didn't really pull me in all the way at any point. I think part of the reason was that <spoiler>everyone and their mom came back from the dead in one way or another.. Or two people at least did, but two is enough. It just took the finality out of death for me, I think the story would have been better off if they had just stayed dead</spoiler>. But it was
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Feb 20, 2012
Phil
rated it:
Here's a extract from my review, full link:
http://afantasyreader.blogspot.com/2012/02/sacred-band-review.html
http://afantasyreader.blogspot.com/2012/02/sacred-band-review.html
To give a concise rundown, The Sacred Band is an epic story where morally mitigated characters blend with the common figure and some committed antagonists while the benevolence of humankind is pushed to the limit and where the greater good has firm roots and eventually succeeds in ways that cannot be fathomed. It's a complete tale of redemption over a generation of warfaMore...
Dec 23, 2011
Jim
rated it:
A solid ending to an excellent trilogy. This was not a dark series, so if you only like grit, it isn't for you. However, it had excellent depth and breadth, and a lot of imagination.
Jan 07, 2012
Robert
rated it:
Conclusion to a series I really enjoyed. I had quite a good time reading the book and enjoyed the way characters had redemption. It was nice.
Nov 17, 2011
Vince
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A nice and fitting end to the trilogy. Slightly weaker in the epic sense, but still a good long read with great clearity of thought.
Oct 27, 2011
Susan
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Strong ending to the series - impressed how the author moves the story along without turning it into an interminable epic like a certain author with two middle initials (and I'm not talking about Tolkien!).
Feb 10, 2012
Eli
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The ending was solid, but some parts felt a little forced. Don't get me wrong - was worth reading, but the quality of those parts that felt forced was just not as high as most of the writing in the series was. The resolution was foreshadowed nicely, though, and the parts I had trouble with were really only inferior relative to the inspired writing in other portions. The worldbuilding was every bit as good as the rest of the trilogy, which has probably been my favorite part throughout. I'll defin
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Nov 17, 2011
A trilogy I've been dying to read, now complete. We have found my holiday reading.
Jan 04, 2012
Corey
rated it:
The Sacred Band is a relatively satisfying ending to what was, overall, a very well-written and interesting story. Durham has a somewhat plodding style, but writes action well when he chooses to do so and provides very excellent character development throughout this trilogy. Would recommend to anyone.
Jan 11, 2012
Judah
rated it:
One of those rare books that I'm tempted to put down 50 pages from the end, simply because I don't want the story to end. That way, I can continue to imagine how it all turns out....and then revise and "rewrite" it again.
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Dec 22, 2011
Glenn
rated it:
A solid but too-neat end. Complex characters from the first two books became exactly what they needed to be so the series could wrap up. Good, but it could've been great.
Dec 06, 2011
Cody
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Listened to the audiobook from Audible. This was a great finish to a great fantasy series. If you've enjoyed the first two, you should enjoy this one as well.
Dec 02, 2011
Ben
rated it:
While generally a well written fantasy trilogy, the last book did not live up to the promise of the earlier books.
