Everything that I was weak in the 2nd book was magnified in this book. Too many things going on in too many different places, with confusing jumps in timeline. I felt the characterization was weaker than the other two books, in part because of all the action Birmingham tried to get through. I got the sense that for the author, the characters were not people in their own rights but plot points to hinge the story on -- a very weak writing tool that leaves me feeling ultimately very unsatisfied.

One thing I *did* like was the ending, oddly, as many had complained about the multiple loose ends. I thought that it was very indicative of the journey and the role of the characters - they were pulled out of their own time in which they had been fighting a war that has gone on for 20 years, with no end in sight. They landed in the middle of another war, and even at its end, their job was still not done.

Overall, I'm glad I read this series. It was a very unique premise that could have been done better, but still told an adequate story. I think the series could have been much stronger if it had been three books longer. There were things that happened off-screen in-between books that really should have been explored in the prose, and many events that would have had a more meaningful impact if they had been fleshed out more.