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The Ending Fire Trilogy #3
The Ending Fire
Rebellions are like fires—something needs to burn to make a flame. Return to the Wardens’ Empire in this riveting conclusion to the visionary fantasy trilogy inspired by the mythology of Africa and Arabia.
The Wardens’ Empire is falling. A vigilante known only as the Truthsayer is raising an army against the wardens. Sylah and Hassa must navigate the politics of this new world, all the while searching for Anoor.
Across the sea, the Blood Forged prepare for war, requesting aid from other governments. Jond’s role as major general sees him training soldiers for combat, but matters of the heart will prove to be the hardest battlefield.
The Zalaam celebrate the arrival of the Child of Fire, heralding the start of the final battle. Anoor’s doubts are eclipsed by the powers of her new god. Soon the Zalaam will set off on their last voyage—and few expect to return.
Do you feel it? Cresting the horizon? The darkness drawing in, the shadows elongating . . .
The Ending Fire comes.
The Wardens’ Empire is falling. A vigilante known only as the Truthsayer is raising an army against the wardens. Sylah and Hassa must navigate the politics of this new world, all the while searching for Anoor.
Across the sea, the Blood Forged prepare for war, requesting aid from other governments. Jond’s role as major general sees him training soldiers for combat, but matters of the heart will prove to be the hardest battlefield.
The Zalaam celebrate the arrival of the Child of Fire, heralding the start of the final battle. Anoor’s doubts are eclipsed by the powers of her new god. Soon the Zalaam will set off on their last voyage—and few expect to return.
Do you feel it? Cresting the horizon? The darkness drawing in, the shadows elongating . . .
The Ending Fire comes.
512 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 10, 2024
145 people are currently reading
8566 people want to read
About the author
Saara El-Arifi
14 books3,039 followersSaara El-Arifi is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Ending Fire Trilogy
and the Faebound Trilogy.
El-Arifi knew she was a storyteller from the moment she told her first lie. Over the years, she has perfected her tall tales into epic ones. She has lived in many countries, had many jobs, and owned many more cats. After a decade of working in marketing and communications, she returned to academia to complete a master’s degree in African studies alongside her writing career. She currently resides in London as a full-time procrastinator.
and the Faebound Trilogy.
El-Arifi knew she was a storyteller from the moment she told her first lie. Over the years, she has perfected her tall tales into epic ones. She has lived in many countries, had many jobs, and owned many more cats. After a decade of working in marketing and communications, she returned to academia to complete a master’s degree in African studies alongside her writing career. She currently resides in London as a full-time procrastinator.
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April 9, 2025
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Rating: 4 stars
'The Ending Fire' brings this series to an impressive conclusion with considerable character development and a satisfying ending.
Similar read: Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner
Cover: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
This design nicely captures an aspect and the genre of the story. It also fits well with the previous book covers in this series, and the colour scheme makes it stand out.
Writing: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Once again, I was blown away by the intricate world-building, especially the creative expansion of the magic system, creatures, politics, and religions. The simple writing style also quickly drew me in with vivid descriptions, and I loved the large scope provided by the multiple points of view (POVs).
"Stories nourish the mind and feed the heart"
Storyline: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The story begins with a helpful recap of previous events before delving into the character-driven storyline. I found the first half a bit slow, with little tension, but the second half was packed with gripping moments and action. Despite some anti-climatic and predictable moments, the high stakes and themes like addiction, belonging, and oppression also kept the storyline engaging.
Main character(s): 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Although the story is centred on Hassa, Sylah, Annora, and Jond, they all initially seemed passive as other characters drove major events in the story. However, this allowed each character to experience significant character development, making them realistic and easy to root for.
Secondary characters: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The vast cast of old and new characters was challenging to track but skillfully used to drive the story and support its large scope. In particular, characters like Yona and Kara stood out to me due to their important roles and strong personalities.
"Knowledge is not just about facts. Like muscles aren't just what make you strong."
Romance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The longing between Anoora and Sylah, along with the new connection Jond forms, fills the storyline with angst. While I am not usually a fan of romantic angst, it did not feel overdone here and actually made both relationships realistic and sweet. I also loved that both relationships contributed to the growth of the main characters and received a satisfying end.
Narration & Audio: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Nicole Lewis and Dominic Hoffman did a fantastic job with this audiobook. Nicole Lewis, in particular, perfectly captured the emotions and nuances in the story and enriched it with character voices and vocal effects.
Rating: 4 stars
'The Ending Fire' brings this series to an impressive conclusion with considerable character development and a satisfying ending.
Similar read: Sunbringer by Hannah Kaner
Cover: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
This design nicely captures an aspect and the genre of the story. It also fits well with the previous book covers in this series, and the colour scheme makes it stand out.
Writing: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Once again, I was blown away by the intricate world-building, especially the creative expansion of the magic system, creatures, politics, and religions. The simple writing style also quickly drew me in with vivid descriptions, and I loved the large scope provided by the multiple points of view (POVs).
"Stories nourish the mind and feed the heart"
Storyline: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The story begins with a helpful recap of previous events before delving into the character-driven storyline. I found the first half a bit slow, with little tension, but the second half was packed with gripping moments and action. Despite some anti-climatic and predictable moments, the high stakes and themes like addiction, belonging, and oppression also kept the storyline engaging.
Main character(s): 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Although the story is centred on Hassa, Sylah, Annora, and Jond, they all initially seemed passive as other characters drove major events in the story. However, this allowed each character to experience significant character development, making them realistic and easy to root for.
Secondary characters: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The vast cast of old and new characters was challenging to track but skillfully used to drive the story and support its large scope. In particular, characters like Yona and Kara stood out to me due to their important roles and strong personalities.
"Knowledge is not just about facts. Like muscles aren't just what make you strong."
Romance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
The longing between Anoora and Sylah, along with the new connection Jond forms, fills the storyline with angst. While I am not usually a fan of romantic angst, it did not feel overdone here and actually made both relationships realistic and sweet. I also loved that both relationships contributed to the growth of the main characters and received a satisfying end.
Narration & Audio: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Nicole Lewis and Dominic Hoffman did a fantastic job with this audiobook. Nicole Lewis, in particular, perfectly captured the emotions and nuances in the story and enriched it with character voices and vocal effects.
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September 8, 2024guess who got the arc 😋
July 27, 2024
After being disappointed by Faebound, I was cautious about this final instalment. There was no need. El-Arifi proved her skill through her beautiful writing and incredible, thoughtful world-building with complicated characters.
Home isn't the opposite of not belonging. It's choosing where you belong.
Anoor has been caught in the spider’s game, joining The Sandstorm’s Yona - Wife, grandmother. Anoor is prophesied to be the saviour of the Zalaam, to bring the Ending Fire. But the disciples, her new allies, aren't what they seem.
Sylah has returned, reuniting with Hassa who spreads the news that the Zalaam use bone marrow to shift the balance of the world and they are bringing war.
Even if the Zalaam don't kill them, the weather, made worse by Bloodwerk, eventually will.
Sylah’s mind is loveclouded. She cannot see beyond Anoor, much to Hassa’s chagrin who wants Sylah to see beyond one person and for the rebellion to succeed.
Sylah reverts back to her cruel self she was in book one. Similarly, we see Anoor changing, becoming disillusioned and losing her heart.
The pieces of her weren't the same: where they had once been as pliable as warm sand, they were now glass, fragile but sharp.
I was worried all the character development would unravel, but El-Arifi handles her arcs with such care, you can see the threads, temptations, and relationships linking from the first book to the finale.
Even till the end, my heart was in my throat.
I do wish this might have been four books long to spend more time learning the different parts of the world, their knowledge, culture, and lore.
This is clearly a compliment to El-Arifi’s world-building, being aware of so many different aspects which weren’t explored but were there.
The ending also slightly disappointed me. Things were finished up too quickly whilst some threads didn’t quite feel complete. I feel slightly cheated, but I can’t quite put my finger on what.
I am wavering between three and four stars. 🌟
Thank you to Harper Voyager for providing an arc in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
Home isn't the opposite of not belonging. It's choosing where you belong.
Anoor has been caught in the spider’s game, joining The Sandstorm’s Yona - Wife, grandmother. Anoor is prophesied to be the saviour of the Zalaam, to bring the Ending Fire. But the disciples, her new allies, aren't what they seem.
Sylah has returned, reuniting with Hassa who spreads the news that the Zalaam use bone marrow to shift the balance of the world and they are bringing war.
Even if the Zalaam don't kill them, the weather, made worse by Bloodwerk, eventually will.
Sylah’s mind is loveclouded. She cannot see beyond Anoor, much to Hassa’s chagrin who wants Sylah to see beyond one person and for the rebellion to succeed.
Sylah reverts back to her cruel self she was in book one. Similarly, we see Anoor changing, becoming disillusioned and losing her heart.
The pieces of her weren't the same: where they had once been as pliable as warm sand, they were now glass, fragile but sharp.
I was worried all the character development would unravel, but El-Arifi handles her arcs with such care, you can see the threads, temptations, and relationships linking from the first book to the finale.
Even till the end, my heart was in my throat.
I do wish this might have been four books long to spend more time learning the different parts of the world, their knowledge, culture, and lore.
This is clearly a compliment to El-Arifi’s world-building, being aware of so many different aspects which weren’t explored but were there.
The ending also slightly disappointed me. Things were finished up too quickly whilst some threads didn’t quite feel complete. I feel slightly cheated, but I can’t quite put my finger on what.
I am wavering between three and four stars. 🌟
Thank you to Harper Voyager for providing an arc in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
December 29, 2024
Genuinely confused as to how this last book nosedived so bad
November 4, 2024
3.25/5
They say the Zalaam have come to conquer. But conquer what, I ask? For they will not overcome the land or the seas, or the rivers or the trees.
And they will not take you or me.
For we live in stories.
And words and memories.
I've had my ups and downs with this series. I thought the first book was okay and held promise, I thought the second book was very good and I've just completed the third and final book. It turns out that I'm not as utterly enamoured with it as most people seem to be, but I have enjoyed it.
This epic conclusion thoroughly disappointed me, however. Maybe I've fallen out of love with the aspects I did like, maybe I've grown tired of it? But I think my problems with this book stem from a little more than simple, personal dislikes.
The best part of this series, the best character by far, is Hassa. I've always adored Hassa, and every element of her narrative and perspective. The Battle Drum is also my favourite of the trilogy because of how prevalent she is.
I thought in this conclusion she was vastly underutilised. I wanted to see so much more of her, to hit the emotional impact far harder, to focus on everything this ending meant for the Ghostings in a much more personal way. Hassa's voice is so unique and intriguing, she's the perfect character to follow. I wish we had stayed with her a little longer.
Anoor, in particular, really bugged me this book. I've never been much of a fan of Anoor's character, but that's just a matter of opinion. My problem in this book was with how she was written.
I couldn't for the life of me understand how she was flip-flopping across beliefs and moralities that were so immensely different so quickly. It was absurd and I could never buy into it, it pulled me out of the story incessantly. There was such a lack of internal conflict it was unbelievable.
I found the character's actions very strange across the board. There was a lot of all-consuming love, and I know 'love makes you stupid,' but I am on my hands and knees begging these characters to make smarter decisions. I caught myself rolling my eyes and groaning an awful lot. (It's difficult to go into anything without spoiling something as this is the last book in the trilogy.)
I also thought that the characters were played more like chess pieces than real people, and that was why their actions felt so stiff or inevitably useless. They were in a place so we could see the place, they were with a character so we could gain insight into the character. It forced me to extend my suspended disbelief until I could no longer buy into it. It didn't feel like any of our main characters actually had a large impact on the story, they weren't the ones propelling it forwards, and that made everything feel very wooden.
It just didn't seem like the components of the story were moving as one well-oiled machine. It felt anti-climactic, not because of the actual action taking place, but because of the lack of emotional resolution. I actually enjoyed the end of the story a lot, I loved how we kept shifting perspectives, it echoed very well the stress and conflicting experiences on a battlefield. But I still felt as though there were things that hadn't been sufficiently wrapped up, emotional beats that hadn't quite been fulfilled. It left me wanting a lot more closure.
Overall, I'm just left with a vague feeling of disappointment. I don't mean to be so negative, but my frustrations with the book only seemed to grow as I read on. I don't think El-Arifi's works are for me, I've read a fair amount of books by her now and I think I can safely say that.
I'm so glad that other people seem to enjoy her works a lot more than I do, it's a shame I don't feel the same!
Thank you HarperVoyager for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
They say the Zalaam have come to conquer. But conquer what, I ask? For they will not overcome the land or the seas, or the rivers or the trees.
And they will not take you or me.
For we live in stories.
And words and memories.
I've had my ups and downs with this series. I thought the first book was okay and held promise, I thought the second book was very good and I've just completed the third and final book. It turns out that I'm not as utterly enamoured with it as most people seem to be, but I have enjoyed it.
This epic conclusion thoroughly disappointed me, however. Maybe I've fallen out of love with the aspects I did like, maybe I've grown tired of it? But I think my problems with this book stem from a little more than simple, personal dislikes.
The best part of this series, the best character by far, is Hassa. I've always adored Hassa, and every element of her narrative and perspective. The Battle Drum is also my favourite of the trilogy because of how prevalent she is.
I thought in this conclusion she was vastly underutilised. I wanted to see so much more of her, to hit the emotional impact far harder, to focus on everything this ending meant for the Ghostings in a much more personal way. Hassa's voice is so unique and intriguing, she's the perfect character to follow. I wish we had stayed with her a little longer.
Anoor, in particular, really bugged me this book. I've never been much of a fan of Anoor's character, but that's just a matter of opinion. My problem in this book was with how she was written.
I couldn't for the life of me understand how she was flip-flopping across beliefs and moralities that were so immensely different so quickly. It was absurd and I could never buy into it, it pulled me out of the story incessantly. There was such a lack of internal conflict it was unbelievable.
I found the character's actions very strange across the board. There was a lot of all-consuming love, and I know 'love makes you stupid,' but I am on my hands and knees begging these characters to make smarter decisions. I caught myself rolling my eyes and groaning an awful lot. (It's difficult to go into anything without spoiling something as this is the last book in the trilogy.)
I also thought that the characters were played more like chess pieces than real people, and that was why their actions felt so stiff or inevitably useless. They were in a place so we could see the place, they were with a character so we could gain insight into the character. It forced me to extend my suspended disbelief until I could no longer buy into it. It didn't feel like any of our main characters actually had a large impact on the story, they weren't the ones propelling it forwards, and that made everything feel very wooden.
It just didn't seem like the components of the story were moving as one well-oiled machine. It felt anti-climactic, not because of the actual action taking place, but because of the lack of emotional resolution. I actually enjoyed the end of the story a lot, I loved how we kept shifting perspectives, it echoed very well the stress and conflicting experiences on a battlefield. But I still felt as though there were things that hadn't been sufficiently wrapped up, emotional beats that hadn't quite been fulfilled. It left me wanting a lot more closure.
Overall, I'm just left with a vague feeling of disappointment. I don't mean to be so negative, but my frustrations with the book only seemed to grow as I read on. I don't think El-Arifi's works are for me, I've read a fair amount of books by her now and I think I can safely say that.
I'm so glad that other people seem to enjoy her works a lot more than I do, it's a shame I don't feel the same!
Thank you HarperVoyager for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
September 11, 2024
ugh this trilogy!!! 10/10 no notes
October 22, 2024
Great ending to the series!
Unfortunately I never really connected to the characters. The worldbuilding & plot are great 😊
Unfortunately I never really connected to the characters. The worldbuilding & plot are great 😊
May 6, 2025
The Ending Fire, the epic conclusion to one of the best trilogies I have ever read is finally here. I have been dreading this day since I finished The Final Strife. Because I have loved every single page in this series. It is truly top tier for me and I don’t think it gets as much love as it should.
This series has everything you could ever want in a series. Good worldbuilding, epic journeys, flawed heroes, complex politics, and a beautiful love story. It's a series that I truly think everyone should read.
Saying goodbye to these characters was not easy. But saying goodbye to Anoor and Hassa was the hardest. They are easily my favorites. Hassa easily stole the show in this book and I could not love her more. Anoor had her moments where I struggled with how naive she seemed? But I still enjoyed her arc in this book. Jond impressed me as well, I don’t think I cared for him much at first but he really grew on me.
My only issue with this book is I wish it had been longer.I do think the ending was a bit rushed and would have benefited from another book. Or maybe I just am not ready to let these characters go. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t great. It was still a wonderful ending! I truly do not think I will ever get over this series.
READ IT!
This series has everything you could ever want in a series. Good worldbuilding, epic journeys, flawed heroes, complex politics, and a beautiful love story. It's a series that I truly think everyone should read.
Saying goodbye to these characters was not easy. But saying goodbye to Anoor and Hassa was the hardest. They are easily my favorites. Hassa easily stole the show in this book and I could not love her more. Anoor had her moments where I struggled with how naive she seemed? But I still enjoyed her arc in this book. Jond impressed me as well, I don’t think I cared for him much at first but he really grew on me.
My only issue with this book is I wish it had been longer.I do think the ending was a bit rushed and would have benefited from another book. Or maybe I just am not ready to let these characters go. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t great. It was still a wonderful ending! I truly do not think I will ever get over this series.
READ IT!
September 28, 2024
The most disappointing series conclusion I’ve ever read (and dare I say most disappointing book I’ve EVER read?) Considering when I finished Atlas Complex and thought there’s NO WAY my heart could be shattered AGAIN in the worst way possible, but this… well… it’s happened again just months later for a series I would’ve ridden at dawn for.
Full of blindingly obvious plot holes, huge inconsistencies, and ridiculously easily wrapped up purposeless scenes, I can’t even imagine WHYYY?!? HOWWW?!?! this turned out the way that it did.
(edit: my friends and I buddy read this and feel the same immense disappointment have this theory: ghost writer, maybe??)
If you’re coming in to read this book cause you heard it was sapphic and Queernorm, note that the majority of the book is a cis hetero romance with SO MUCH cis hetero spice. *gag* And let me tell you SEA does not write good spice. (even reading Faebound, the spice was NOT it)
The sapphic couple who knew each other for 3 months in the previous two books pretty much spent 90% of this book apart and when they reunited I could only sigh in disbelief, thinking “go girl give us nothing.”
Honestly, the only thing this book gave me was the ending of my fire for SEA.
Full of blindingly obvious plot holes, huge inconsistencies, and ridiculously easily wrapped up purposeless scenes, I can’t even imagine WHYYY?!? HOWWW?!?! this turned out the way that it did.
(edit: my friends and I buddy read this and feel the same immense disappointment have this theory: ghost writer, maybe??)
If you’re coming in to read this book cause you heard it was sapphic and Queernorm, note that the majority of the book is a cis hetero romance with SO MUCH cis hetero spice. *gag* And let me tell you SEA does not write good spice. (even reading Faebound, the spice was NOT it)
The sapphic couple who knew each other for 3 months in the previous two books pretty much spent 90% of this book apart and when they reunited I could only sigh in disbelief, thinking “go girl give us nothing.”
Honestly, the only thing this book gave me was the ending of my fire for SEA.
September 23, 2024
solid conclusion. did feel a bit rushed, but maybe that’s just cause i wanted to spend more time with these characters
October 11, 2024
this was good! but this series should have had four books instead of three bc this was rushed
September 10, 2024
The Final Strife was not only my favorite debut of 2022, but it was also one of my favorite fantasies. To say I had high expectations for this final book is an understatement. Did it meet my expectations? Not quite. I can’t quite put my finger on what didn’t work for me. It took me three weeks to read this book that should have taken me three days.
Sylah’s storyline is this book was good. Her character development throughout the series has been done well, and I found her actions and motivations believable.
Anoor, on the other hand, annoyed me quite a bit in this book. I felt like her actions didn’t line up with her character from previous books. I do feel like her character arc came to a satisfying end though.
Hassa had the best and most developed storyline in this book. I enjoyed seeing her come into herself.
Jond was a pleasant surprise in this book. He wasn’t my favorite character in the previous two books, but I found myself looking forward to his chapters.
I did really enjoy the final battle. I liked that Saara El-Arifi gave us a lot of short chapters from various new POVs to help understand what was happening in the battle.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. This is still a series that I will recommend widely. It just didn’t quite live up to my high expectations.
The Final Strife - 5 stars
The Battle Drum - 4.5 stars
The Ending Fire - 4 stars
Sylah’s storyline is this book was good. Her character development throughout the series has been done well, and I found her actions and motivations believable.
Anoor, on the other hand, annoyed me quite a bit in this book. I felt like her actions didn’t line up with her character from previous books. I do feel like her character arc came to a satisfying end though.
Hassa had the best and most developed storyline in this book. I enjoyed seeing her come into herself.
Jond was a pleasant surprise in this book. He wasn’t my favorite character in the previous two books, but I found myself looking forward to his chapters.
I did really enjoy the final battle. I liked that Saara El-Arifi gave us a lot of short chapters from various new POVs to help understand what was happening in the battle.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. This is still a series that I will recommend widely. It just didn’t quite live up to my high expectations.
The Final Strife - 5 stars
The Battle Drum - 4.5 stars
The Ending Fire - 4 stars
January 18, 2025
LOL (derogatory)
Ok I finally calmed down and can write a review of this because I keep thinking about it and need to get it off my chest. I could write an essay about this series, which, against all my better judgement, I fell for and committed to. But I won’t. Because it doesn’t deserve it 😭 The writing was…not great, but the characters were lovable, and I felt myself bond to them over the course of the first book. The second book provided more of the same repetitive, corny writing but also sprung twists on us and widened the world so vastly that I had to see how El Arifi was going to conclude the series. I even re-read the first two in order to prepare for the final book.
So tell me why she spent the entire third installment CHARACTER ASSASSINATING!!!! Sylah is a husk of who she was in book 1 and completely nonessential, Anoor ????? Wtf happened to Anoor? How can she become a genocidal maniac in 30 pages of brainwashing? Omg it was so dumb.
AND TELL ME WHY we spent more time on JOND and his annoying heterosexual romance than ANYTHING ELSE in the book?! This is supposed to be sapphic and Jond is the WORST and i don’t want to hear about his yearning!!!!
The final battle was a mess, the nuance was nonexistent (although to be fair I knew that, having read the first two), it was just a fucking mess.
I wish I never read this book, but I should have known better
El Arifi desperately needs a good editor that can correct some of the clunky writing and hone in on the story she is trying to tell in order to help it come across on the page.
Ok I finally calmed down and can write a review of this because I keep thinking about it and need to get it off my chest. I could write an essay about this series, which, against all my better judgement, I fell for and committed to. But I won’t. Because it doesn’t deserve it 😭 The writing was…not great, but the characters were lovable, and I felt myself bond to them over the course of the first book. The second book provided more of the same repetitive, corny writing but also sprung twists on us and widened the world so vastly that I had to see how El Arifi was going to conclude the series. I even re-read the first two in order to prepare for the final book.
So tell me why she spent the entire third installment CHARACTER ASSASSINATING!!!! Sylah is a husk of who she was in book 1 and completely nonessential, Anoor ????? Wtf happened to Anoor? How can she become a genocidal maniac in 30 pages of brainwashing? Omg it was so dumb.
AND TELL ME WHY we spent more time on JOND and his annoying heterosexual romance than ANYTHING ELSE in the book?! This is supposed to be sapphic and Jond is the WORST and i don’t want to hear about his yearning!!!!
The final battle was a mess, the nuance was nonexistent (although to be fair I knew that, having read the first two), it was just a fucking mess.
I wish I never read this book, but I should have known better
El Arifi desperately needs a good editor that can correct some of the clunky writing and hone in on the story she is trying to tell in order to help it come across on the page.
September 12, 2024
Wow. I can't believe it's over.
This was one of my most anticipated releases due to the fact that The Battle Drum was one of the best sequels I have ever read of a fantasy series. With the mix of character exploration, expansive world buildings, incredible plot twists, it worked so so well to set up for the final instalment.
The Ending Fire follows closely after The Battle Drum and all of our characters are in such a state of disarray. Scrambling to prepare for the war and find each other, the stakes are so high and our characters are up against steep odds. I was so stressed throughout and many times I was screaming at my kindle.
The magic of this world is pushed to the absolute limits and we see some incredible uses of it as well as innovative ways that each group think of in preparation of war.
This series has a sound ending but I feel like everything wrapped up quite fast. I would of liked more and I saw another review talking about how this would be a good 4 book series because the world is so large, but I don't know if I also support that because I just didn't want this story to end.
Saara El-Arifi smashed this series and I will think of it often. Sylah, Anoor, Hassa. The three women that changed the empire forever. Who went to hell and back in their own ways and came out fighting.
Thank you HarperVoyager for the advanced copy provided by Netgalley.
This was one of my most anticipated releases due to the fact that The Battle Drum was one of the best sequels I have ever read of a fantasy series. With the mix of character exploration, expansive world buildings, incredible plot twists, it worked so so well to set up for the final instalment.
The Ending Fire follows closely after The Battle Drum and all of our characters are in such a state of disarray. Scrambling to prepare for the war and find each other, the stakes are so high and our characters are up against steep odds. I was so stressed throughout and many times I was screaming at my kindle.
The magic of this world is pushed to the absolute limits and we see some incredible uses of it as well as innovative ways that each group think of in preparation of war.
This series has a sound ending but I feel like everything wrapped up quite fast. I would of liked more and I saw another review talking about how this would be a good 4 book series because the world is so large, but I don't know if I also support that because I just didn't want this story to end.
Saara El-Arifi smashed this series and I will think of it often. Sylah, Anoor, Hassa. The three women that changed the empire forever. Who went to hell and back in their own ways and came out fighting.
Thank you HarperVoyager for the advanced copy provided by Netgalley.
May 7, 2025
Thank you, Saara El-Arifi/NetGalley, for this amazing eARC. All opinions are my own.
"Child of Fire whose blood will blaze,
Will cleanse the world in eight nights, eight days,
Eight bloods lend strength to lead the charge, and eradicate the infidel; only gods emerge,
Ready we will be when the Ending Fire comes,
When the Child of Fire brings the battle drum,
The battle drum,
The battle drum,
Ready we will be,
For war will come."
The stunning conclusion to the *Child of Fire* trilogy, El-Arifi makes sure you won't want to miss her finale "The Ending Fire"
Kudos 👏🏽💐
"Child of Fire whose blood will blaze,
Will cleanse the world in eight nights, eight days,
Eight bloods lend strength to lead the charge, and eradicate the infidel; only gods emerge,
Ready we will be when the Ending Fire comes,
When the Child of Fire brings the battle drum,
The battle drum,
The battle drum,
Ready we will be,
For war will come."
The stunning conclusion to the *Child of Fire* trilogy, El-Arifi makes sure you won't want to miss her finale "The Ending Fire"
Kudos 👏🏽💐
September 17, 2024
I need this so bad
Page 211: Anoor WTF IS WRONG WITH U. CHILDREN??
Is she being drugged by the tea?
TLDR: Read this series it’s amazing. Likeable characters and a well developed main romance.
FINAL REVIEW:
Heavy spoilers ahead.
Positives:
-Well written and easy to follow narrative
- Hassa finally comes into her own and is still easily my favourite character.
-I appreciate that the book doesn’t pretend racism is solved by having a happier ending (cough cough Children of agony and anguish). The Dryland Republic is shown to be the right change, but it shows there’s still issues present. This is far more realistic and fits in with the overall feel of the story.
- Hassa and her father are so cute. That’s it, that’s the point.
-Jond finally gets something other than Sylah to think about.
-Yona dies in a way that feels earned by the story.
-I like that the magic system is consistent in a magical realism way.
-The ending of the deathcraft being lost reminds me of AOT so it was kinda cool. It feels like somebody will find it one day and make trouble again.
-The Joba seeds continue to be the real villain in the story. Anoor’s struggle is a mirror of what Sylah went through. Good callbacks and writing.
-Hassa’s solution for the fire felt really earned by the story. I loved how it flipped the ember’s blood supremacy on its head. Only the ghostings could reclaim their country.
-I really like how the ghostings don’t assume the fight is over because they’ve overthrown the Wardens. It feels more mature as they actually focus on rebuilding and preventing another extremist regime. I would’ve liked to see more of Chrysalis tho.
-Nayeli’s story is so cool and really runs through well in the two books. She is a fanatic to her core and the story never tries to redeem her. More authors should be committed and plan ahead like this.
-I’m actually satisfied by Anoor and Sylah disappearing. Two women forced into the centre of everything by their births, able to disappear due to their love.
-Jond losing his voice seems strangely fitting because he always seemed like the character who never shut up.
NEGATIVES:
-I really don’t feel like Sylah and Jond actually got an end to their story together. There was so much crazy history and they just never really talked again. Feel so let down.
-Anoor’s whole character was shafted nearly the full book to just being Daenerys on drugs. The plot twist was extremely predictable and made her sections a drag to go through.
-I really wasn’t a fan of how Anoor seemed to get away with everything. It wasn’t her fault, but you’re telling me nobody tried to attack her for her part in it?
-The whole murder mystery plot of book 2 remains to be pointless in this story. Zuhari just felt shoe-horned in just to make it seem more relevant.
-This is more petty but the boat country’s political system is so unbelievably stupid i can’t believe they exist.
-Kara is so forgettable in book 2 that her arc in this one feels really unearned. She’s almost just there as a romance plot for Jond. There’s a world ending war going on why do we need will they or won’t they drama?
-… What’s going on in Tenio now?
-I don’t like the mindlinks, I feel like it lessens the impact of the atrocity done to the ghostings if they can just use telepathy.
-What was the point of the Captain being kicked out if she just gets the role back anyways?
MAIN COMPLAINT:
I really hate the series’s shift into multiple POVs. Book 1 was perfect, Sylah was actually the main character and I liked her a lot. (However I always cared way more about Hassa) Book 2 was okay because I really wanted to know about Nayeli and the mcs were separated. But the final battle in this book was just ridiculous. I knew who the characters were but for a more casual reader it would be impossible to remember who any of them were. Why did Retribution need a POV? The whole thing just felt disorganised.
OVERALL:
This review seems way more negative than I actually feel about the book. I really enjoyed it and I think it was a worthy finale for these characters. I do think some sections were too long (Anoor drug arc) but they were mostly well balanced.
Page 211: Anoor WTF IS WRONG WITH U. CHILDREN??
Is she being drugged by the tea?
TLDR: Read this series it’s amazing. Likeable characters and a well developed main romance.
FINAL REVIEW:
Heavy spoilers ahead.
Positives:
-Well written and easy to follow narrative
- Hassa finally comes into her own and is still easily my favourite character.
-I appreciate that the book doesn’t pretend racism is solved by having a happier ending (cough cough Children of agony and anguish). The Dryland Republic is shown to be the right change, but it shows there’s still issues present. This is far more realistic and fits in with the overall feel of the story.
- Hassa and her father are so cute. That’s it, that’s the point.
-Jond finally gets something other than Sylah to think about.
-Yona dies in a way that feels earned by the story.
-I like that the magic system is consistent in a magical realism way.
-The ending of the deathcraft being lost reminds me of AOT so it was kinda cool. It feels like somebody will find it one day and make trouble again.
-The Joba seeds continue to be the real villain in the story. Anoor’s struggle is a mirror of what Sylah went through. Good callbacks and writing.
-Hassa’s solution for the fire felt really earned by the story. I loved how it flipped the ember’s blood supremacy on its head. Only the ghostings could reclaim their country.
-I really like how the ghostings don’t assume the fight is over because they’ve overthrown the Wardens. It feels more mature as they actually focus on rebuilding and preventing another extremist regime. I would’ve liked to see more of Chrysalis tho.
-Nayeli’s story is so cool and really runs through well in the two books. She is a fanatic to her core and the story never tries to redeem her. More authors should be committed and plan ahead like this.
-I’m actually satisfied by Anoor and Sylah disappearing. Two women forced into the centre of everything by their births, able to disappear due to their love.
-Jond losing his voice seems strangely fitting because he always seemed like the character who never shut up.
NEGATIVES:
-I really don’t feel like Sylah and Jond actually got an end to their story together. There was so much crazy history and they just never really talked again. Feel so let down.
-Anoor’s whole character was shafted nearly the full book to just being Daenerys on drugs. The plot twist was extremely predictable and made her sections a drag to go through.
-I really wasn’t a fan of how Anoor seemed to get away with everything. It wasn’t her fault, but you’re telling me nobody tried to attack her for her part in it?
-The whole murder mystery plot of book 2 remains to be pointless in this story. Zuhari just felt shoe-horned in just to make it seem more relevant.
-This is more petty but the boat country’s political system is so unbelievably stupid i can’t believe they exist.
-Kara is so forgettable in book 2 that her arc in this one feels really unearned. She’s almost just there as a romance plot for Jond. There’s a world ending war going on why do we need will they or won’t they drama?
-… What’s going on in Tenio now?
-I don’t like the mindlinks, I feel like it lessens the impact of the atrocity done to the ghostings if they can just use telepathy.
-What was the point of the Captain being kicked out if she just gets the role back anyways?
MAIN COMPLAINT:
I really hate the series’s shift into multiple POVs. Book 1 was perfect, Sylah was actually the main character and I liked her a lot. (However I always cared way more about Hassa) Book 2 was okay because I really wanted to know about Nayeli and the mcs were separated. But the final battle in this book was just ridiculous. I knew who the characters were but for a more casual reader it would be impossible to remember who any of them were. Why did Retribution need a POV? The whole thing just felt disorganised.
OVERALL:
This review seems way more negative than I actually feel about the book. I really enjoyed it and I think it was a worthy finale for these characters. I do think some sections were too long (Anoor drug arc) but they were mostly well balanced.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2024
"Rebellions are like fires—something needs to burn to make a flame."
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
➳ 4.5
TW: ableism, abuse, addiction, alcohol, blood, child death, classism, colonization, confinement, cursing, death, death of a loved one, domestic abuse, drug abuse, drug addiction, emotional abuse, genocide, gore, grief, gun violence, hate crime, injury/injury detail, medical content, murder, mutilation, panic attacks/disorders, physical abuse, police brutality, ritualistic sacrifice, religious extremism, self harm, sexual content, slavery, suicidal thoughts, suicide, torture, trafficking, violence, vomit, war, xenophobia.
Saara El-Arifi deserves every kind of award because how is every book she writes fantastic?
I'm actually incredibly emotional to be at the end of this trilogy, but here's my attempt at writing a coherent review (kindly ignore the distant sounds of my sniffling, please <3)
There are no words for how excited I was when I got approved for this ARC and I can only say that it met every single one of my expectations. Every ounce of excitement I felt for this book was rewarded with the kind of story deserving it. Even with me being locked in a horrendous reading slump, I was either reading this or thinking about reading it.
The story picks up just a bit after where The Battle Drum left off, with our characters each dealing with their own challenges as obstacles upon obstacles get thrown their way. We follow some characters to explore parts of the world we haven't seen before (each beautifully crafted) and others to more familiar places.
One of my favorite aspects was the way each of the main characters was given some sort of closure (or not) of a full-circle moment without the book ever feeling like it was trying to force me to experience that 'end-of-series' emotion that so many finales seem to attempt to manipulate their readers into feeling.
I will admit to struggling with Anoor's naivety a bit more in this book than the previous installments - but I also can't pretend I don't understand the decisions she made or the path that led her to where she was in this book. She was in character the entire time, it was just a bit tedious to read about.
My only other (slight) criticism is that I almost felt as if this book was too short or rushed. That isn't to say that I think it wasn't well-crafted but rather, I wish more time had been given to certain experiences/developments/characters. There were so many things going on in this book and not a single page was wasted; I just wish it could have been a bit longer.
That aside though? This is the kind of finale that makes you feel a bit hollowed out at the end, which is one of the biggest compliments I can give it. I love this series so, so much and it's really bittersweet to know that it's over.
I'm wholeheartedly grateful for the chance to read this and I can't wait to read every book Saara El-Arifi writes from now until the end of time.
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
➳ 4.5
TW: ableism, abuse, addiction, alcohol, blood, child death, classism, colonization, confinement, cursing, death, death of a loved one, domestic abuse, drug abuse, drug addiction, emotional abuse, genocide, gore, grief, gun violence, hate crime, injury/injury detail, medical content, murder, mutilation, panic attacks/disorders, physical abuse, police brutality, ritualistic sacrifice, religious extremism, self harm, sexual content, slavery, suicidal thoughts, suicide, torture, trafficking, violence, vomit, war, xenophobia.
Saara El-Arifi deserves every kind of award because how is every book she writes fantastic?
I'm actually incredibly emotional to be at the end of this trilogy, but here's my attempt at writing a coherent review (kindly ignore the distant sounds of my sniffling, please <3)
There are no words for how excited I was when I got approved for this ARC and I can only say that it met every single one of my expectations. Every ounce of excitement I felt for this book was rewarded with the kind of story deserving it. Even with me being locked in a horrendous reading slump, I was either reading this or thinking about reading it.
The story picks up just a bit after where The Battle Drum left off, with our characters each dealing with their own challenges as obstacles upon obstacles get thrown their way. We follow some characters to explore parts of the world we haven't seen before (each beautifully crafted) and others to more familiar places.
One of my favorite aspects was the way each of the main characters was given some sort of closure (or not) of a full-circle moment without the book ever feeling like it was trying to force me to experience that 'end-of-series' emotion that so many finales seem to attempt to manipulate their readers into feeling.
I will admit to struggling with Anoor's naivety a bit more in this book than the previous installments - but I also can't pretend I don't understand the decisions she made or the path that led her to where she was in this book. She was in character the entire time, it was just a bit tedious to read about.
My only other (slight) criticism is that I almost felt as if this book was too short or rushed. That isn't to say that I think it wasn't well-crafted but rather, I wish more time had been given to certain experiences/developments/characters. There were so many things going on in this book and not a single page was wasted; I just wish it could have been a bit longer.
That aside though? This is the kind of finale that makes you feel a bit hollowed out at the end, which is one of the biggest compliments I can give it. I love this series so, so much and it's really bittersweet to know that it's over.
I'm wholeheartedly grateful for the chance to read this and I can't wait to read every book Saara El-Arifi writes from now until the end of time.
October 12, 2024
I'll keep this vague to avoid spoilers, but if you want to go into this book with no idea about how it plays out, please don't read this.
So.
I really wanted to love this one, but of 4 main characters, a full 3 of them were naïve in ways that made zero sense, especially given what we know about them from the previous books. The 1 character who was actually smart had to live through the author stripping her of her important peer relationships, to the point where I was irate on her behalf at the end.
The endgame relationships were either codependent as heck or childish. I spent a lot of time rolling my eyes and cringing.
There was a cool mirror of a major character struggle from Book 1, but it was drawn out forever and was resolved in a few paragraphs of timeskip.
Worst of all, the entire book seemed to be building toward a major conflict that had the promise of being dramatic and complicated, and I was looking forward to it as it was foreshadowed more and more, eager to see how it would be resolved. There was zero payoff. No introspection, no conflict, no emotional struggle, just a timeskip and a light smattering of PTSD symptoms that seemed to be tacked on.
The intensity of the big battle was undermined by healing magic that was far too powerful, which meant the fatal wounds weren't actually fatal and any of the important dying characters didn't die. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to one of them, but it seemed like a bait-and-switch that they survived what would have been an epic death.
The politics were surface-level and left me wanting more.
So yeah, overall, disappointed. I'll give it 2 stars because it held my attention until the end, and because I'm attached to the characters from book 1 & 2.
I see a lot of people really liked this book, so maybe I went in with misaligned expectations. This seems like it might be a "me problem." I do enjoy the characters and the world, so I hope the author made fat stacks of cash for their hard work in spite of my 2 stars, haha.
So.
I really wanted to love this one, but of 4 main characters, a full 3 of them were naïve in ways that made zero sense, especially given what we know about them from the previous books. The 1 character who was actually smart had to live through the author stripping her of her important peer relationships, to the point where I was irate on her behalf at the end.
The endgame relationships were either codependent as heck or childish. I spent a lot of time rolling my eyes and cringing.
There was a cool mirror of a major character struggle from Book 1, but it was drawn out forever and was resolved in a few paragraphs of timeskip.
Worst of all, the entire book seemed to be building toward a major conflict that had the promise of being dramatic and complicated, and I was looking forward to it as it was foreshadowed more and more, eager to see how it would be resolved. There was zero payoff. No introspection, no conflict, no emotional struggle, just a timeskip and a light smattering of PTSD symptoms that seemed to be tacked on.
The intensity of the big battle was undermined by healing magic that was far too powerful, which meant the fatal wounds weren't actually fatal and any of the important dying characters didn't die. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to one of them, but it seemed like a bait-and-switch that they survived what would have been an epic death.
The politics were surface-level and left me wanting more.
So yeah, overall, disappointed. I'll give it 2 stars because it held my attention until the end, and because I'm attached to the characters from book 1 & 2.
I see a lot of people really liked this book, so maybe I went in with misaligned expectations. This seems like it might be a "me problem." I do enjoy the characters and the world, so I hope the author made fat stacks of cash for their hard work in spite of my 2 stars, haha.
October 22, 2024
Did the same person even write this book? I only got into it at the final battle when the pace was decent, and even at the end of it I was dissatisfied.
Why is my favorite character in this Jond?? I hate that guy. Sylah has faded into obscurity, Hassa is being cool as always, but doesn't do anything new, and Anoor has become the most disappointing, pathetic version of herself. Giving this three stars is generous.
The Final Strife was one of my favorite books! The Battle Drum was good. The Ending Fire is a disaster. None of the plot twists were plot twists, they were obvious as hell from the very beginning.
All in all, I'm so frustrated by this book that I want to pull out my hair. Why did I buy a signed copy before reading?? I don't even like it. UGH.
Why is my favorite character in this Jond?? I hate that guy. Sylah has faded into obscurity, Hassa is being cool as always, but doesn't do anything new, and Anoor has become the most disappointing, pathetic version of herself. Giving this three stars is generous.
The Final Strife was one of my favorite books! The Battle Drum was good. The Ending Fire is a disaster. None of the plot twists were plot twists, they were obvious as hell from the very beginning.
All in all, I'm so frustrated by this book that I want to pull out my hair. Why did I buy a signed copy before reading?? I don't even like it. UGH.
June 24, 2024
AHHHHHHHH!!!!! This was everything I wanted and more!!! I’m just so sad it’s over now 😭
I genuinely loved how each character came into their own and was able to stare their challenges down. I’m genuinely going to miss this world, and I only wish I could have more of them.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I genuinely loved how each character came into their own and was able to stare their challenges down. I’m genuinely going to miss this world, and I only wish I could have more of them.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 16, 2025
I’m… just going to pretend this was a duology. 🫣
September 15, 2024
The Ending Fire marks the final chapter in Saara El-Arifi’s visionary trilogy, where the mythology of Africa and Arabia weaves together to create a rich, incredibly complex fantasy world. I adored this trilogy and I will always read anything the author writes in the future. The world-building is vast, the world feels lived-in and imperfect, and the characters are complex. This is one of the most fascinating and imaginative settings in modern fantasy. El-Arifi is able to play readers like a fiddle and I felt every single emotion. I adored these characters and I was shocked at how my perceptions changed over time. Even secondary characters feel incredibly fleshed out and real. I loved watching the rebellion attempt to gain allies and the preparation for war had so much mounting tension.
The final battle scenes are brutal and I loved how El-Arifi gave us multiple POVs from side characters. It adds depth to the story, showing us the many small and often overlooked moments that make up the chaos and harsh nature of war. These perspectives pulled me in and made the battle feel more real and grounded—like we weren’t just watching heroes at the forefront but seeing the raw humanity behind the fight for freedom. And it broke my heart so many times.
That said, the emotional pacing, especially toward the end, left me wanting more. Anoor’s arc was heart-wrenching, almost physically painful to experience, but it felt like her journey was cut short. Her healing needed more time to be explored, and the ending left her in a place that didn’t fully feel fair to the complexity of her character. With how much she went through, I wanted more for her. A fourth book could have given her—and the readers—the time to properly process that pain and healing.
On the flip side, Jond’s POV and romance arc were handled with care. I loved how his character developed across the series, and seeing his romantic relationship evolve felt like a well-earned reward amid all the tragedy.
While the conclusion brings with it the inevitable war and rebellion, something feels like it’s missing—and I think that missing piece is time. This story needed more room to breathe, and a fourth book would have given the characters, especially Anoor, the space they deserved to heal and grow. While the world and the characters were incredibly rich, the ending didn’t quite hit as hard as it could have if the pacing had allowed for more development. This is one of those series that will stay with me for a long time, and despite the very rushed ending, the overall journey was incredible.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for the opportunity to read and review. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary. All opinions are my own. I had a great time buddy reading with @geengeenreads and @readingintandem on Storygram!
The final battle scenes are brutal and I loved how El-Arifi gave us multiple POVs from side characters. It adds depth to the story, showing us the many small and often overlooked moments that make up the chaos and harsh nature of war. These perspectives pulled me in and made the battle feel more real and grounded—like we weren’t just watching heroes at the forefront but seeing the raw humanity behind the fight for freedom. And it broke my heart so many times.
That said, the emotional pacing, especially toward the end, left me wanting more. Anoor’s arc was heart-wrenching, almost physically painful to experience, but it felt like her journey was cut short. Her healing needed more time to be explored, and the ending left her in a place that didn’t fully feel fair to the complexity of her character. With how much she went through, I wanted more for her. A fourth book could have given her—and the readers—the time to properly process that pain and healing.
On the flip side, Jond’s POV and romance arc were handled with care. I loved how his character developed across the series, and seeing his romantic relationship evolve felt like a well-earned reward amid all the tragedy.
While the conclusion brings with it the inevitable war and rebellion, something feels like it’s missing—and I think that missing piece is time. This story needed more room to breathe, and a fourth book would have given the characters, especially Anoor, the space they deserved to heal and grow. While the world and the characters were incredibly rich, the ending didn’t quite hit as hard as it could have if the pacing had allowed for more development. This is one of those series that will stay with me for a long time, and despite the very rushed ending, the overall journey was incredible.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for the opportunity to read and review. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary. All opinions are my own. I had a great time buddy reading with @geengeenreads and @readingintandem on Storygram!
August 31, 2024
2024 reads: 243/250
i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
this is the conclusion to the ending fire trilogy.
as a vigilante known as the truthsayer raises an army against the wardens, sylah and hassa search for anoor…who’s currently being praised as the child of fire.
i still can’t believe this trilogy is over! i’ve been lucky enough to have received each book early, so i’ve been following this series since before book one came out. needless to say, i had high hopes for this book. i’m so glad that this exceeded my expectations! i really enjoyed how each character’s arc played out. the plot was also very interesting, and the author used the 500+ pages well.
i highly recommend this to anyone who’s enjoyed the previous books in this series, and i’m looking forward to more from saara el-arifi.
i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
this is the conclusion to the ending fire trilogy.
as a vigilante known as the truthsayer raises an army against the wardens, sylah and hassa search for anoor…who’s currently being praised as the child of fire.
i still can’t believe this trilogy is over! i’ve been lucky enough to have received each book early, so i’ve been following this series since before book one came out. needless to say, i had high hopes for this book. i’m so glad that this exceeded my expectations! i really enjoyed how each character’s arc played out. the plot was also very interesting, and the author used the 500+ pages well.
i highly recommend this to anyone who’s enjoyed the previous books in this series, and i’m looking forward to more from saara el-arifi.
October 26, 2024
This review was originally published on Grimdark Magazine
After delivering one hell of a debut in The Final Strife and following that up with one of the strongest sequels in The Battle Drum, Saara El-Arifi had set the bar incredibly high for the epic conclusion in The Ending Fire. Now war has officially arrived at the Wardens’ Empires shores, and we are launched into a slightly messy but bloody satisfying finale that pulls zero punches and delivers tragedy and triumph in equal measure.
Look, El-Arifi proved to me in the first two books of this series that she is already a true master at her craft, but we all know that it’s rare for a finale to perfectly stick the landing, let alone a finale to a debut series. Needless to say, I went into The Ending Fire equally nervous and excited, hoping against all hope that all my favourite chaos queers would get their happy ending.
In many ways, I think The Ending Fire contained all the best elements of this visionary series and delivered on what was promised and set up in the first two books. Much like in the second instalment, our favourite perfectly imperfect characters find themselves separated against their will, fighting their own battles both within and without. Sylah and Hassa find themselves navigating the dangerous politics within the Wardens’ Empire where a mysterious vigilante is stirring up trouble, Jond is trying to bring war allies from overseas, and Anoor is taking up her role as the prophesied Child of Fire under the Zalaam’s oppressive thumb.
Now, I think these characters would be the first to admit that they are anything but perfect, but that relatable human messiness is exactly what made me love them so much in the first two instalments. However, in The Ending Fire, I felt like some of their satisfying and well-earned character growth was almost reversed a bit, and they started to test my patience just slightly too much with their questionable and frustrating actions. Moreover, while I appreciated how the separation of the characters in The Battle Drum allowed the world to expand and the characters’ individual arcs to shine, I personally thought it started to hinder both the development of the interpersonal relationships and my personal emotional investment in The Ending Fire.
Especially Anoor’s storyline in this finale had me feeling a bit conflicted, despite the fact that I deeply appreciate what El-Arifi tried to do with her character. The exploration of religious zealotry, cultism and indoctrination was quite powerfully executed, but her gullibility and ignorance just felt a bit too convenient and unbelievable for how savvy she had proven to be in the first two books. And as a result of Anoor’s tragic circumstances, I felt like a large part of Sylah’s entire personality was reduced to little more than “I am Anoor’s lover and I need to save her because there is no world and life without her”, which I found understandable for her character but nevertheless slightly disappointing.
Luckily, I could count on my girl Hassa to pull me through the rocky moments, and she just absolutely stole the show for me once again. The way that she continues to fight (in the shadows) through so much adversity despite her limitations was so empowering to see, and I honestly think she has the best character arc of anyone in this entire trilogy. Though while I personally wouldn’t hesitate to say that The Ending Fire is Hassa’s book, I also feel like I have to give some credit to Jond. See, I was stunned by how much I came to really enjoy Jond’s perspective in this finale, and I consider that a huge testament to El-Arifi’s skill as an author considering how much I loathed him in the first (and part of the second) book. His dynamic with Kara really entertained me, and their romantic tension proved to be a nice counterbalance to the unending yearning from Sylah and Anoor.
As the big climax drew near and the threatening (but undeniably cool) innovative blood magic creations/weapons were geared up for an epicly devastating showdown, I found myself getting surprisingly anxious and emotional over the fates of these characters despite my exasperation with them for large parts of this book. El-Arifi did a magnificent job of weaving together all the loose plot threads, resolving both the internal and external conflicts in a surprising but satisfying way. And although I was personally not the biggest fan of how messy and anti-climactic the final battle felt due to the sudden switch to perspectives from people we had never seen before, I can appreciate such a bold storytelling move and ultimately liked how it showcased the devastating impact of the war on all the little people outside of our (anti)-heroes’ lives.
Despite some of my quibbles with the execution of this finale, I can’t deny that I absolutely devoured this finale and found it to be a fittingly imperfect and beautifully bittersweet conclusion to The Ending Fire trilogy. Seeing how far these scarred characters have come since we first met them in The Final Strife tugged on my heartstrings in all the most unexpected ways, and I truly think El-Arifi succeeded in pulling off her ambitious vision for this story. I absolutely consider this one of my favourite series, and I will always be grateful to El-Arifi for helping change the landscape of the fantasy genre to a more diverse and inclusive space to escape into.
So, if you like the sound of a brutally dark yet delightfully fun fantasy tale set in a richly immersive African/Arabian-inspired world full of conspiracies and secrets, featuring beautifully queer and diverse characters who are way too snarky for their own good, and brimming with fascinating blood magic that will excite, delight, and freak you the fuck out, then I can’t recommend The Ending Fire trilogy highly enough. This is a journey I won’t soon forget.
After delivering one hell of a debut in The Final Strife and following that up with one of the strongest sequels in The Battle Drum, Saara El-Arifi had set the bar incredibly high for the epic conclusion in The Ending Fire. Now war has officially arrived at the Wardens’ Empires shores, and we are launched into a slightly messy but bloody satisfying finale that pulls zero punches and delivers tragedy and triumph in equal measure.
Look, El-Arifi proved to me in the first two books of this series that she is already a true master at her craft, but we all know that it’s rare for a finale to perfectly stick the landing, let alone a finale to a debut series. Needless to say, I went into The Ending Fire equally nervous and excited, hoping against all hope that all my favourite chaos queers would get their happy ending.
In many ways, I think The Ending Fire contained all the best elements of this visionary series and delivered on what was promised and set up in the first two books. Much like in the second instalment, our favourite perfectly imperfect characters find themselves separated against their will, fighting their own battles both within and without. Sylah and Hassa find themselves navigating the dangerous politics within the Wardens’ Empire where a mysterious vigilante is stirring up trouble, Jond is trying to bring war allies from overseas, and Anoor is taking up her role as the prophesied Child of Fire under the Zalaam’s oppressive thumb.
Now, I think these characters would be the first to admit that they are anything but perfect, but that relatable human messiness is exactly what made me love them so much in the first two instalments. However, in The Ending Fire, I felt like some of their satisfying and well-earned character growth was almost reversed a bit, and they started to test my patience just slightly too much with their questionable and frustrating actions. Moreover, while I appreciated how the separation of the characters in The Battle Drum allowed the world to expand and the characters’ individual arcs to shine, I personally thought it started to hinder both the development of the interpersonal relationships and my personal emotional investment in The Ending Fire.
Especially Anoor’s storyline in this finale had me feeling a bit conflicted, despite the fact that I deeply appreciate what El-Arifi tried to do with her character. The exploration of religious zealotry, cultism and indoctrination was quite powerfully executed, but her gullibility and ignorance just felt a bit too convenient and unbelievable for how savvy she had proven to be in the first two books. And as a result of Anoor’s tragic circumstances, I felt like a large part of Sylah’s entire personality was reduced to little more than “I am Anoor’s lover and I need to save her because there is no world and life without her”, which I found understandable for her character but nevertheless slightly disappointing.
Luckily, I could count on my girl Hassa to pull me through the rocky moments, and she just absolutely stole the show for me once again. The way that she continues to fight (in the shadows) through so much adversity despite her limitations was so empowering to see, and I honestly think she has the best character arc of anyone in this entire trilogy. Though while I personally wouldn’t hesitate to say that The Ending Fire is Hassa’s book, I also feel like I have to give some credit to Jond. See, I was stunned by how much I came to really enjoy Jond’s perspective in this finale, and I consider that a huge testament to El-Arifi’s skill as an author considering how much I loathed him in the first (and part of the second) book. His dynamic with Kara really entertained me, and their romantic tension proved to be a nice counterbalance to the unending yearning from Sylah and Anoor.
As the big climax drew near and the threatening (but undeniably cool) innovative blood magic creations/weapons were geared up for an epicly devastating showdown, I found myself getting surprisingly anxious and emotional over the fates of these characters despite my exasperation with them for large parts of this book. El-Arifi did a magnificent job of weaving together all the loose plot threads, resolving both the internal and external conflicts in a surprising but satisfying way. And although I was personally not the biggest fan of how messy and anti-climactic the final battle felt due to the sudden switch to perspectives from people we had never seen before, I can appreciate such a bold storytelling move and ultimately liked how it showcased the devastating impact of the war on all the little people outside of our (anti)-heroes’ lives.
Despite some of my quibbles with the execution of this finale, I can’t deny that I absolutely devoured this finale and found it to be a fittingly imperfect and beautifully bittersweet conclusion to The Ending Fire trilogy. Seeing how far these scarred characters have come since we first met them in The Final Strife tugged on my heartstrings in all the most unexpected ways, and I truly think El-Arifi succeeded in pulling off her ambitious vision for this story. I absolutely consider this one of my favourite series, and I will always be grateful to El-Arifi for helping change the landscape of the fantasy genre to a more diverse and inclusive space to escape into.
So, if you like the sound of a brutally dark yet delightfully fun fantasy tale set in a richly immersive African/Arabian-inspired world full of conspiracies and secrets, featuring beautifully queer and diverse characters who are way too snarky for their own good, and brimming with fascinating blood magic that will excite, delight, and freak you the fuck out, then I can’t recommend The Ending Fire trilogy highly enough. This is a journey I won’t soon forget.
February 25, 2025
This ending seemed weak. Also the battle going on felt weird.
January 12, 2025
The Final Strife was my favorite book the year it came out, and then I really liked the sequel but not quite as much. The pattern is still true with this one, it was my least favorite in the trilogy but it was still pretty good. I felt like the first half ish of the book had nothing happen, and then the ending was too fast, so I wish that the pacing had been a bit more balanced. But overall I feel good about this as a finale!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
September 22, 2024
I am truly disappointed but I’m DNFing this book at 47%. It appears my experience is very different from the vast majority of readers so far but I could not get into this book.
This writing in this series has reverted for me. I thought book 1 was just okay and book 2 was vastly better in terms of character depth and storytelling. The ending fire has similar issues to me that book 1 did, but I’m left feeling more disappointed in it because I thought the author was growing as the series progressed.
All the story beats just seem to happen with little to no internal dialogue or conflict from the POV character of each chapter. Oh, Yona tells Anoor that we must sacrifice people in the name of a god she’s only known about for a month? Sure, that’s fine. She’ll struggle with it for one sentence and then move on. Sylah gets back to the empire and finds Anoor is gone driving her to grief and her old drug habit. No that only lasts one paragraph before she kicks it. Hassa finds her father and he actually loved her mother and has been searching for her his whole life? Yeah that reunion was so emotionless it was appalling.
I think I wrote before that in book 1 it felt like the characters were pieces on a chess board being moved to advance the plot but completely lacking any internal life. And that’s what it feels like again in the finale of this triology. To me the life has been so sucked out of these characters that I’m DNFing because I simply do not care what happens to them. Why should I care when the characters themselves don’t?
I hate to be so harsh because I waited a long time for this book and was so excited for the conclusion of this story. But clearly now that the book has published, I am in the minority with my opinion so take this review as you will.
Thank you to NetGalley and DelRey for a ARC of this boo to review.
This writing in this series has reverted for me. I thought book 1 was just okay and book 2 was vastly better in terms of character depth and storytelling. The ending fire has similar issues to me that book 1 did, but I’m left feeling more disappointed in it because I thought the author was growing as the series progressed.
All the story beats just seem to happen with little to no internal dialogue or conflict from the POV character of each chapter. Oh, Yona tells Anoor that we must sacrifice people in the name of a god she’s only known about for a month? Sure, that’s fine. She’ll struggle with it for one sentence and then move on. Sylah gets back to the empire and finds Anoor is gone driving her to grief and her old drug habit. No that only lasts one paragraph before she kicks it. Hassa finds her father and he actually loved her mother and has been searching for her his whole life? Yeah that reunion was so emotionless it was appalling.
I think I wrote before that in book 1 it felt like the characters were pieces on a chess board being moved to advance the plot but completely lacking any internal life. And that’s what it feels like again in the finale of this triology. To me the life has been so sucked out of these characters that I’m DNFing because I simply do not care what happens to them. Why should I care when the characters themselves don’t?
I hate to be so harsh because I waited a long time for this book and was so excited for the conclusion of this story. But clearly now that the book has published, I am in the minority with my opinion so take this review as you will.
Thank you to NetGalley and DelRey for a ARC of this boo to review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC
Rarely have I ever found such an incredible trilogy where all 3 books are equally phenomenal....but my god. My heart was racing, my eyes were crying, my heart will never be the same. This was so, so good and the ending leaves room for so many more stories, nothing is wrapped with a perfect bow, but it's SATISFYING even if I am BROKEN.
The slow pacing in the Final Strife was not a problem in The Battle Drum and again in The Ending Fire, it's banger after banger. There are several POVs and they're all equally good and all had my attention fully gripped. The writing was so good and while I'm not sure I'll ever recover, I loved every second.
El-Arifi has really mastered her craft with this series - the characters are rich and complex and she really dives into their motivations and their development and forces them, and us as readers, to challenge why they are who they are and who they want to be moving forward. Our characters are in drastically different places and scattered across the world with this one and we see so many different sides of them as they discover new aspects of themselves. I'm not sure with a gun to my head I could pick a favorite, they're all done so well.
I have so much respect for how she brings so many characters and plots to fruition and ties the together in a way that isn't tied with a perfect bow, but feels real and respectful to the loss and dangers our characters have faced. Please read this trilogy....it's so dang good.
Rarely have I ever found such an incredible trilogy where all 3 books are equally phenomenal....but my god. My heart was racing, my eyes were crying, my heart will never be the same. This was so, so good and the ending leaves room for so many more stories, nothing is wrapped with a perfect bow, but it's SATISFYING even if I am BROKEN.
The slow pacing in the Final Strife was not a problem in The Battle Drum and again in The Ending Fire, it's banger after banger. There are several POVs and they're all equally good and all had my attention fully gripped. The writing was so good and while I'm not sure I'll ever recover, I loved every second.
El-Arifi has really mastered her craft with this series - the characters are rich and complex and she really dives into their motivations and their development and forces them, and us as readers, to challenge why they are who they are and who they want to be moving forward. Our characters are in drastically different places and scattered across the world with this one and we see so many different sides of them as they discover new aspects of themselves. I'm not sure with a gun to my head I could pick a favorite, they're all done so well.
I have so much respect for how she brings so many characters and plots to fruition and ties the together in a way that isn't tied with a perfect bow, but feels real and respectful to the loss and dangers our characters have faced. Please read this trilogy....it's so dang good.
September 13, 2024
I will never recover from this ending to the trilogy. Perfect no notes.
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