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The Wells of Sorcery #3
Siege of Rage and Ruin
Siege of Rage and Ruin is the explosive final adventure in Django Wexler's The Wells of Sorcery trilogy, an action-packed epic fantasy saga.
Isoka has done the impossible--she's captured the ghost ship Soliton.
With her crew of mages, including the love of her life Princess Meroe, Isoka returns to the empire that sent her on her deadly mission. She's ready to hand over the ghost ship as ransom for her sister Tori's life, but arrives to find her home city under siege. And Tori at the helm of a rebellion.
Neither Isoka's mastery of combat magic, nor Tori's proficiency with mind control, could have prepared them for the feelings their reunion surfaces. But they're soon drawn back into the rebels' fight to free the city that almost killed them.
Isoka has done the impossible--she's captured the ghost ship Soliton.
With her crew of mages, including the love of her life Princess Meroe, Isoka returns to the empire that sent her on her deadly mission. She's ready to hand over the ghost ship as ransom for her sister Tori's life, but arrives to find her home city under siege. And Tori at the helm of a rebellion.
Neither Isoka's mastery of combat magic, nor Tori's proficiency with mind control, could have prepared them for the feelings their reunion surfaces. But they're soon drawn back into the rebels' fight to free the city that almost killed them.
Unknown Binding
First published January 5, 2021
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1681 people want to read
About the author
Django Wexler
52 books3,738 followersDjango Wexler graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh with degrees in creative writing and computer science, and worked for the university in artificial intelligence research. Eventually he migrated to Microsoft in Seattle, where he now lives with two cats and a teetering mountain of books. When not planning Shadow Campaigns, he wrangles computers, paints tiny soldiers, and plays games of all sorts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
January 5, 2021
It's always amazing to reach the end of a series! Thanks to everyone for reading, and I hope you have as much as I did.
December 10, 2019
I haven't read this book yet, but neither has that one star reviewer, so this marks a balancing placeholder. I haven't read a book by Wexler yet that I'd mark below 4 stars, and I don't anticipate this to be exception.
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January 6, 2021Siege of Rage and Ruin is a great end to the series.
August 9, 2021
I plowed through this trilogy to see how it ends, so I cannot bash the author or the books too hard: evidently they were entertaining enough to keep me reading.
Django Wexler reminds me a lot of Brandon Sanderson. I said this in my first review, because of the worldbuilding, and I'll say it again. There's a lot of magic that could only have been created by someone who spent his formative years playing Dungeons & Dragons. There's a lot of plotting that comes straight out of every fantasy author's writing advice blog. This trilogy is fine, it gives us characters who are interestingly "diverse" in both the literary and the modern woke sense, and it delivers a lot of action-packed who's got the biggest schwartz? magic duels and boss fights. It ends with a revolution and a fence-sitting emperor who's been kind of a lamb but steps up and briefly becomes a lion.
So basically everything goes back to the status quo, except the Emperor under whom the Blessed Empire had become a crapsack dystopia for the poor turns out to be a nice guy, so maybe now that he's no longer under the thumb of his evil, Machiavellian spymaster, he might make things less bad, kind of?
There was a long dialog in the middle, between Tori, the youngest of our two teen protagonists, and His Majesty, in which he explains his inaction and his hesitancy. Basically, other emperors have tried to change things and made a mess of things. The poor will always be with us. The world sucks and no man, not even an emperor, can make it stop sucking. Etc.
Tori quite rightly calls bullshit on this, but nonetheless, she and her older sister, Isoka, seem fairly content to let things go back to "normal" once the bad guy who put them in their predicament in the first place is taken care of. The noble houses are still in charge, the Emperor is still on the throne, presumably some of the evil practices that have been called out will be ended, but when Tori and Isoka sail off into the sunset, I was left thinking, "Lamest. Revolution. Ever."
Isoka and Tori both did some pretty terrible things in the previous two books. They did those things under duress, but they did them, and while they spend much of this book feeling bad about it (Tori much more than Isoka), there's never any true atonement. They basically killed off extras with justifications that were no better than the Emperor's.
This is a tidy YA fantasy package with a story that wraps up with some Sandersonesque magical tricks and the dramatic arrival of cavalries to turn the tide, and just enough discreet fade-to-black sex to get teen readers flushed and bothered.
It was okay.
Django Wexler reminds me a lot of Brandon Sanderson. I said this in my first review, because of the worldbuilding, and I'll say it again. There's a lot of magic that could only have been created by someone who spent his formative years playing Dungeons & Dragons. There's a lot of plotting that comes straight out of every fantasy author's writing advice blog. This trilogy is fine, it gives us characters who are interestingly "diverse" in both the literary and the modern woke sense, and it delivers a lot of action-packed who's got the biggest schwartz? magic duels and boss fights. It ends with a revolution and a fence-sitting emperor who's been kind of a lamb but steps up and briefly becomes a lion.
So basically everything goes back to the status quo, except the Emperor under whom the Blessed Empire had become a crapsack dystopia for the poor turns out to be a nice guy, so maybe now that he's no longer under the thumb of his evil, Machiavellian spymaster, he might make things less bad, kind of?
There was a long dialog in the middle, between Tori, the youngest of our two teen protagonists, and His Majesty, in which he explains his inaction and his hesitancy. Basically, other emperors have tried to change things and made a mess of things. The poor will always be with us. The world sucks and no man, not even an emperor, can make it stop sucking. Etc.
Tori quite rightly calls bullshit on this, but nonetheless, she and her older sister, Isoka, seem fairly content to let things go back to "normal" once the bad guy who put them in their predicament in the first place is taken care of. The noble houses are still in charge, the Emperor is still on the throne, presumably some of the evil practices that have been called out will be ended, but when Tori and Isoka sail off into the sunset, I was left thinking, "Lamest. Revolution. Ever."
Isoka and Tori both did some pretty terrible things in the previous two books. They did those things under duress, but they did them, and while they spend much of this book feeling bad about it (Tori much more than Isoka), there's never any true atonement. They basically killed off extras with justifications that were no better than the Emperor's.
This is a tidy YA fantasy package with a story that wraps up with some Sandersonesque magical tricks and the dramatic arrival of cavalries to turn the tide, and just enough discreet fade-to-black sex to get teen readers flushed and bothered.
It was okay.
January 17, 2021
Thank you to Desirae Friesen from Tor for the review copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion in anyway.
Siege of Rage and Ruin heads towards the logic conclusion to the trilogy. It was a good and solid conclusion, and yet something was still missing to be more.
After having survived the ship Soliton, having control over it and having created a new home for those with powers and outcasts, Isoka returns home to grab her sister and leave her home city behind forever. However her younger sister Tori has created her own life and is full into a rebellion against the empire. Or rather, that one person that send Isoka away. You can imagine the clash that sisters make one they find each other.
And it was realistic. This is where it all lead back to for Isoka, even if that isn't what she really wanted for herself or Tori. A rebellion can't easily win from an empire when you keep losing people and that was shown. They were at down odds and only because they had people with certain powers were they able to get where they did at the end of it. I have no complaints in that area.
However if I look at the trilogy as a whole it felt as if there was a certain epicness missing from this specific installment. In the first book there was Soliton and the world on board. In the second book there was the city on the island and finding out more about their powers. This book is a logical end but doesn't quite have the same feel as the other two books had because there has been such a build up of the different and magic, and that isn't in this book. I also expected Soliton to have a bigger role to play than it did in this book.
I also have another bone to pick with Tori for the ending of this story but that is a spoiler so I'll just talk around it. But for someone so dead set on this rebellion, she easily turns her back on it.
As a whole The Wells of Sorcery is an interesting young adult trilogy
Siege of Rage and Ruin heads towards the logic conclusion to the trilogy. It was a good and solid conclusion, and yet something was still missing to be more.
After having survived the ship Soliton, having control over it and having created a new home for those with powers and outcasts, Isoka returns home to grab her sister and leave her home city behind forever. However her younger sister Tori has created her own life and is full into a rebellion against the empire. Or rather, that one person that send Isoka away. You can imagine the clash that sisters make one they find each other.
And it was realistic. This is where it all lead back to for Isoka, even if that isn't what she really wanted for herself or Tori. A rebellion can't easily win from an empire when you keep losing people and that was shown. They were at down odds and only because they had people with certain powers were they able to get where they did at the end of it. I have no complaints in that area.
However if I look at the trilogy as a whole it felt as if there was a certain epicness missing from this specific installment. In the first book there was Soliton and the world on board. In the second book there was the city on the island and finding out more about their powers. This book is a logical end but doesn't quite have the same feel as the other two books had because there has been such a build up of the different and magic, and that isn't in this book. I also expected Soliton to have a bigger role to play than it did in this book.
I also have another bone to pick with Tori for the ending of this story but that is a spoiler so I'll just talk around it. But for someone so dead set on this rebellion, she easily turns her back on it.
As a whole The Wells of Sorcery is an interesting young adult trilogy
January 28, 2021
So unfortunately, this was my least favorite of the trilogy. I adore Django Wexler's writing, so it pains me to be anything less than thrilled with one of his works.
It simply felt too rushed and had a bit too neat of an ending. I know endings can be difficult, and it's not so much that I'm opposed to how it ends, as I am with what happens in between and how we got to the ending. Some parts of the story work - like, once again, highlighting the contrast between Tori and Isoka and really showcasing how much they've both changed from how they used to perceive each other; their own personal growth over time and how they need to relearn each other. Other parts either fell flat or didn't feel fleshed out enough. I'm also not a fan of how basically all the supporting characters were pushed to the side.
Another minor thing (that actually ended up bothering me quite a bit, but it's probably minor in the eyes of others): This book could have definitely used another round of editing. There's a number of continuity errors, the most glaring one being that Tori now was raised in the Third Ward, when in the first two books she was said to have been raised in the Second Ward. This in particular would take me out of the story every time it was mentioned. There are also spelling mistakes and other continuity errors that all should have been ironed out.
It simply felt too rushed and had a bit too neat of an ending. I know endings can be difficult, and it's not so much that I'm opposed to how it ends, as I am with what happens in between and how we got to the ending. Some parts of the story work - like, once again, highlighting the contrast between Tori and Isoka and really showcasing how much they've both changed from how they used to perceive each other; their own personal growth over time and how they need to relearn each other. Other parts either fell flat or didn't feel fleshed out enough. I'm also not a fan of how basically all the supporting characters were pushed to the side.
Another minor thing (that actually ended up bothering me quite a bit, but it's probably minor in the eyes of others): This book could have definitely used another round of editing. There's a number of continuity errors, the most glaring one being that Tori now was raised in the Third Ward, when in the first two books she was said to have been raised in the Second Ward. This in particular would take me out of the story every time it was mentioned. There are also spelling mistakes and other continuity errors that all should have been ironed out.
April 27, 2023
It's pretty rare when the third book in a trilogy is my favorite, but I have to say, this book blew me out of the water.
Considering how much build-up Tori and Isoka's reunion had, I really think it couldn't have been done better. We've gotten to know these characters for two whole books, we've seen them grow and change, and now they are finally meeting again and we get to see how their perceptions of each other clash with the real people we've seen them become- both in good and bad ways. SORAR does a great job of combining both the nonstop action with introspection by both main characters. (And, again, I love how the main characters both have consciences and are good people but also aren't afraid to shy away from doing bad things. So many YA authors seem afraid to taint the moral sanctity of their protagonists by having them perform morally gray actions, so it makes for a very nice change.)
Speaking of the action: wow!! I've always loved how Wexler writes the action scenes in this series, and this book did not disappoint. Despite how fantastical the abilities the characters have are, the action scenes are always clear and easy to understand, even when hiveminds and moving eldritch statues are involved.
The plot is also the most grounded of the three books in this series: no ghost ships or abandoned temples, just a plain old revolution. This is another thing written wonderfully- we see characters grappling with food shortages and morale issues just as much as they grapple with the evil government.
I will say, the ending does feel a little like an abrupt cop-out- you know, the good Emperor swoops in and saves the day- but the addition of the epilogue makes it forgivable for me. The admission that things aren't suddenly all fixed in the city now that the bad guy is slain makes me okay with the, admittedly, slightly rushed-feeling ending.
Anyway, wonderfully underrated series with an excellent ending. Would highly recommend a read!!
Considering how much build-up Tori and Isoka's reunion had, I really think it couldn't have been done better. We've gotten to know these characters for two whole books, we've seen them grow and change, and now they are finally meeting again and we get to see how their perceptions of each other clash with the real people we've seen them become- both in good and bad ways. SORAR does a great job of combining both the nonstop action with introspection by both main characters. (And, again, I love how the main characters both have consciences and are good people but also aren't afraid to shy away from doing bad things. So many YA authors seem afraid to taint the moral sanctity of their protagonists by having them perform morally gray actions, so it makes for a very nice change.)
Speaking of the action: wow!! I've always loved how Wexler writes the action scenes in this series, and this book did not disappoint. Despite how fantastical the abilities the characters have are, the action scenes are always clear and easy to understand, even when hiveminds and moving eldritch statues are involved.
The plot is also the most grounded of the three books in this series: no ghost ships or abandoned temples, just a plain old revolution. This is another thing written wonderfully- we see characters grappling with food shortages and morale issues just as much as they grapple with the evil government.
I will say, the ending does feel a little like an abrupt cop-out- you know, the good Emperor swoops in and saves the day- but the addition of the epilogue makes it forgivable for me. The admission that things aren't suddenly all fixed in the city now that the bad guy is slain makes me okay with the, admittedly, slightly rushed-feeling ending.
Anyway, wonderfully underrated series with an excellent ending. Would highly recommend a read!!
June 24, 2021
Django Wexler has always been an author that has never disappointed me so far, but I think that this is the first time I've finished one of his novels and felt some level of disappointment.
It's not a bad book, and 3 stars is still a rating that I generally give to books that I found to be average. Not good, not bad, just.... average. And while I love Wexler's creativity and his characters (the amount of strong female characters in this series is amazing), I have to agree with another reviewer who felt that everything was just a bit too easy. There wasn't really a strong sense of adversity or loss by the main characters. And even when a problem did arise, it was easily solved in a matter of pages. And when the novel clocks in at barely 300 pages, it's understandable why events often felt rushed. Because when there's only 20 pages left and everyone still has to 'defeat the bad guy'.... you have a feeling that it's going to be pretty easy for your protagonists to win.
Look, it's still a solid book, and I did enjoy reading it. But it's kind of underwhelming, and certainly not indicative of Wexler's incredible talent.
It's not a bad book, and 3 stars is still a rating that I generally give to books that I found to be average. Not good, not bad, just.... average. And while I love Wexler's creativity and his characters (the amount of strong female characters in this series is amazing), I have to agree with another reviewer who felt that everything was just a bit too easy. There wasn't really a strong sense of adversity or loss by the main characters. And even when a problem did arise, it was easily solved in a matter of pages. And when the novel clocks in at barely 300 pages, it's understandable why events often felt rushed. Because when there's only 20 pages left and everyone still has to 'defeat the bad guy'.... you have a feeling that it's going to be pretty easy for your protagonists to win.
Look, it's still a solid book, and I did enjoy reading it. But it's kind of underwhelming, and certainly not indicative of Wexler's incredible talent.
February 4, 2021
I'm finding it a bit difficult to talk about this book, my thoughts are a bit scattered and it's not exactly a great impression. But I will try.
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First thing to notice here is that Django Wexler, dedicated this book to all first responders as it was written in 2020, a terrible year where they were risking their lives for our protection, so thank you from my side as well, I have a lot of family members who are doctors and it's worrying all the time.
Now why is that relevant to my collection of thoughts? For the sole reason that the book felt too neat because he was seemingly trying to make it seem like everything is going to be okay.
Everything worked in our protagonists favours, they didn't suffer at all in comparison to the first couple of books and everything was resolved way too easily for my taste. A message of hope could have worked for a book like this one, but not exactly like this.
I say this because the first couple of books painted this world in a brutal way, people die, they will do things they don't want to do and not everything works out perfectly. Yes, there is the occasional plot armor here and there, but I'd like to find a series without one, so feel free to recommend it. BUT even then, the stakes felt high and there were times when I thought someone might kick the bucket because of the danger. There is none of that here, not even for a single second.
I doubt anybody can deny that the author knows how to make fight scenes appealing, he knows how to make a magic system that is incredibly fun to see and this book shows that in big ways. I find that saddening, because the danger of the world made it all the more exciting (I don't think anyone would expect a different resolution to this book other than the implied one once we meet a certain person).
I may be a bit unfair here, because even when reading City of Stone and Silence, I found Tori's POV to be very boring in comparison to Isoka's. Therefore, the problem here might be with me personally as I find his exploration of the world to be a much better filler of my time than the confinement of the cities.
Regardless of which reason is the more dominant one here, I will say that I didn't enjoy this one much. The characters felt exactly the same, Meroe was reduced to the dotting wife position which I think is totally unfair (She previously had something going for her and she felt like she had a role) and he was trying too hard with Jack here who only came out as lame more so than anything else.
The romance was also cringeworthy here, I may have started this series tolerating it because there were so many other things to see in it, but starting from book 2 and definitely here, it became a con for me from all sides.
It was an okay book in the end, do I think it could have been better? yes, I liked the first two books a lot so you can imagine my absurd expectations coming into this one which they weren't ultimately delivered.
───────────────────
First thing to notice here is that Django Wexler, dedicated this book to all first responders as it was written in 2020, a terrible year where they were risking their lives for our protection, so thank you from my side as well, I have a lot of family members who are doctors and it's worrying all the time.
Now why is that relevant to my collection of thoughts? For the sole reason that the book felt too neat because he was seemingly trying to make it seem like everything is going to be okay.
Everything worked in our protagonists favours, they didn't suffer at all in comparison to the first couple of books and everything was resolved way too easily for my taste. A message of hope could have worked for a book like this one, but not exactly like this.
I say this because the first couple of books painted this world in a brutal way, people die, they will do things they don't want to do and not everything works out perfectly. Yes, there is the occasional plot armor here and there, but I'd like to find a series without one, so feel free to recommend it. BUT even then, the stakes felt high and there were times when I thought someone might kick the bucket because of the danger. There is none of that here, not even for a single second.
I doubt anybody can deny that the author knows how to make fight scenes appealing, he knows how to make a magic system that is incredibly fun to see and this book shows that in big ways. I find that saddening, because the danger of the world made it all the more exciting (I don't think anyone would expect a different resolution to this book other than the implied one once we meet a certain person).
I may be a bit unfair here, because even when reading City of Stone and Silence, I found Tori's POV to be very boring in comparison to Isoka's. Therefore, the problem here might be with me personally as I find his exploration of the world to be a much better filler of my time than the confinement of the cities.
Regardless of which reason is the more dominant one here, I will say that I didn't enjoy this one much. The characters felt exactly the same, Meroe was reduced to the dotting wife position which I think is totally unfair (She previously had something going for her and she felt like she had a role) and he was trying too hard with Jack here who only came out as lame more so than anything else.
The romance was also cringeworthy here, I may have started this series tolerating it because there were so many other things to see in it, but starting from book 2 and definitely here, it became a con for me from all sides.
It was an okay book in the end, do I think it could have been better? yes, I liked the first two books a lot so you can imagine my absurd expectations coming into this one which they weren't ultimately delivered.
July 23, 2021
I really enjoyed this trilogy, I love Isoka and I really came to like Tori almost as much. I do think book 2 was my favourite, just because there seemed to be more going on. A lot of things in this book seemed very convenient but it didn't effect my overall enjoyment of it.
Really solid trilogy.
Really solid trilogy.
November 6, 2022
This was an action-packed ending to a fun and exciting trilogy! This series was a very straightforward and accessible fantasy romp. I really enjoyed the characters (Jacke was very entertaining to listen to) and how descriptive all the battles were. I love the magic system, and I wish that things related to the Vile Rot and Ghul users were expanded on and shown more, that concept was really interesting.
A couple other things felt kind of unaddressed, such as how Hagen’s spirit made its way onto Soliton in the first place when Isoka killed him in Kahnzoka (for plot reasons, I guess), and the way things ended between Tori and Garo also felt kind of hanging. And of course, one of the biggest things that sticks out is how YOUNG Tori is. People looked to her for leadership during this huge rebellion but she’s barely fourteen years old, which is not very believable. I basically ignored that fact, and really enjoyed this final book in the series.
My YouTube review: https://youtu.be/0flwTGqmCn4
A couple other things felt kind of unaddressed, such as how Hagen’s spirit made its way onto Soliton in the first place when Isoka killed him in Kahnzoka (for plot reasons, I guess), and the way things ended between Tori and Garo also felt kind of hanging. And of course, one of the biggest things that sticks out is how YOUNG Tori is. People looked to her for leadership during this huge rebellion but she’s barely fourteen years old, which is not very believable. I basically ignored that fact, and really enjoyed this final book in the series.
My YouTube review: https://youtu.be/0flwTGqmCn4
February 4, 2024
This was an enjoyable conclusion to this series. The characters had a lot of growth over the course of the series, and I was able to get to know and like so many of the characters, even the side characters. I particularly loved how subtly the romances were handled in this series. They were portrayed with realism. There was no insta-love, and there was some soul searching. “Even monsters can enjoy a kiss. Can’t we?”
The book acknowledged that not all romances work out.
I also really enjoyed how diversity was represented. I feel that so often queer people and people of color of written into books solely for the diversity, and their color or queerness becomes a focal point of their part in the story. In this series, diversity flows naturally, and representation mimics how common diversity is in real life. These are people beyond their casting as minority characters.
If you enjoyed the first two books, you’ll probably appreciate the conclusion.
The book acknowledged that not all romances work out.
I also really enjoyed how diversity was represented. I feel that so often queer people and people of color of written into books solely for the diversity, and their color or queerness becomes a focal point of their part in the story. In this series, diversity flows naturally, and representation mimics how common diversity is in real life. These are people beyond their casting as minority characters.
If you enjoyed the first two books, you’ll probably appreciate the conclusion.
January 8, 2022
End of another rivetting trilogy. I didn't care much for the ending, no plot twists to keep me on edge but what a brilliant tale this has been. Siege of Rage and Ruin could be the weakest of the three books but this was a story worth following until the very end.
Isoka, you're badass!
Isoka, you're badass!
January 22, 2024
Rating: 4.5
January 13, 2021
That wraps up another series from my favorite author. Siege of Rage and Ruin is an adrenaline rush from start to finish. Isoka and the crew of the Soliton have finally arrived in Kahnzoka. Tori and the revolution are knee deep in, well revolution. This final book has it all from great action, to great characters, to an ending I am very satisfied with. Could it have given me a little more of course but I think for what this series has always been about from the beginning, it was just right.
Isoka and Tori are both similar and not so similar in every way. They both fight for each other, while also fighting for everyone else. Neither thinks of themselves before jumping into danger. Where the differ is how they act. Isoka has always been more action speaks first and plan later. Tori the opposite plan before action. That dynamic shines in this one when the sisters are finally reunited after so long. I have always loved the sibling bond between these two and it is so much stronger in this final book. I also loved getting to see them at odds with each other. Another part of this book that shines is the side characters. Meroe, Jack, Zarun, Jakisba, Hasaka, Giniva, and so many more, were all utilized extremely well. What's also great is the amount of diverse characters spread throughout. Django Wexler always delivers a diverse cast of characters.
Like I said at the beginning of this review, this book is so fast paced. I flew thorugh this book in about a day and a half. Which typing that out only saddens me because I am done reading about this world and characters. This final book wraps up everything quite nicely. I am very satisfied with the end. I am not going to go to much into what happens because I have spoiled a little bit already but that's going to happen this is the third book in a series.
If there was one thing I could nitpick it would be that I wish we got to explore more of a certain part of the magic system. Again I cannot touch on this subject really at all because it is a large part of the story. But I loved this magic system from the beginning. It is very unique and wonderful. I do wish that one aspect was explored or even fleshed out a teeny bit more.
All in all, Django Wexler continues to reign supreme in my author catalogue and I look forward to any and all books he decides to publish. Especially this year, I am getting 3 works!!! WOOHOO!!
Ship of Smoke and Steel - 5/5
City of Stone and Silence - 5/5
Siege of Rage and Ruin - 5/5
The Wells of Sorcery - 15/15
Isoka and Tori are both similar and not so similar in every way. They both fight for each other, while also fighting for everyone else. Neither thinks of themselves before jumping into danger. Where the differ is how they act. Isoka has always been more action speaks first and plan later. Tori the opposite plan before action. That dynamic shines in this one when the sisters are finally reunited after so long. I have always loved the sibling bond between these two and it is so much stronger in this final book. I also loved getting to see them at odds with each other. Another part of this book that shines is the side characters. Meroe, Jack, Zarun, Jakisba, Hasaka, Giniva, and so many more, were all utilized extremely well. What's also great is the amount of diverse characters spread throughout. Django Wexler always delivers a diverse cast of characters.
Like I said at the beginning of this review, this book is so fast paced. I flew thorugh this book in about a day and a half. Which typing that out only saddens me because I am done reading about this world and characters. This final book wraps up everything quite nicely. I am very satisfied with the end. I am not going to go to much into what happens because I have spoiled a little bit already but that's going to happen this is the third book in a series.
If there was one thing I could nitpick it would be that I wish we got to explore more of a certain part of the magic system. Again I cannot touch on this subject really at all because it is a large part of the story. But I loved this magic system from the beginning. It is very unique and wonderful. I do wish that one aspect was explored or even fleshed out a teeny bit more.
All in all, Django Wexler continues to reign supreme in my author catalogue and I look forward to any and all books he decides to publish. Especially this year, I am getting 3 works!!! WOOHOO!!
Ship of Smoke and Steel - 5/5
City of Stone and Silence - 5/5
Siege of Rage and Ruin - 5/5
The Wells of Sorcery - 15/15
March 27, 2022
Each books is better than the last. The development and decriptions of the characters get leaner and sharper.
I'm so in Love with this series showing how far you are preparated to go and what creepy stuff you can do in order to protect and be there for others. A harsh hard world still showing how the main people as humens with doubts and love etc and interacting according to their upbringing.
The growth of the characters and the magic is cool as ever. Would like a continuation and was a bit sad for a certain character in the end but still a well executed series.
I'm so in Love with this series showing how far you are preparated to go and what creepy stuff you can do in order to protect and be there for others. A harsh hard world still showing how the main people as humens with doubts and love etc and interacting according to their upbringing.
The growth of the characters and the magic is cool as ever. Would like a continuation and was a bit sad for a certain character in the end but still a well executed series.
June 24, 2021
Završetak trilogije koja je po svemu neobična, istina, na nekim mjestima malo plitka, ali svakako meni je bila zanimljiva. Likovi nisu duboko razrađeni, čak naprotiv, površno su obrađeni i više pažnje je posvećeno radnji koja se brzo odvija. Kad čitam na Engleskom uvijek mi malo nedostaje da se uživim skroz možda zbog nekih nepoznatih riječi, ali bilo je zanimljivo putovanje 😊
August 20, 2022
I think this series is so under-hyped!! More people need to start reading it! It's incredible.
August 8, 2025
3.5 rounded down. Solid fun!
June 13, 2025
A very solid end to the series - the addition of a new POV character keeps things fresh, although I’m not sure it totally serves the emotional arcs as well as it could. In general the book feels a little clipped off and things work themselves out real quick by the end. Not necessarily a bad thing and probably more to do with YA book lengths than anything, but I digress.
Lots of the ending is predictable, but it is so, so fun anyways. Wexler’s magic system continues to be A+, can’t get enough of it.
Lots of the ending is predictable, but it is so, so fun anyways. Wexler’s magic system continues to be A+, can’t get enough of it.
January 15, 2021
Finishing a series is always so nerve-wracking for me. Will I be satisfied with the ending? Will all the characters I love make it out in one piece? I am mostly happy with the way everything is at the end of this though I did feel like the last part was a bit rushed. I also felt that some favorites got pushed aside and were only in the story to make a quick save during a battle and then they disappeared into the background again. (Okay, I'm speaking of Zarun, I just love him so much and he just felt different and underused in this book.)
As this is the last book in the series there's not much I feel I can really talk about without giving away too much. I will say there is an interesting discussion on Isoka's morals. In the first book, she's the ruthless boss of the sixteenth ward. She kills and injures when citizens can't pay the money she's owed. In this book, we get to see how much her journey has changed her and the types of decisions she's willing to make. I enjoyed seeing Isoka and Tori butt heads, especially once Isoka realized Tori was not the delicate flower she always believed her to be. I liked that we finally got to see the Royal Ward in this final installment. I was hoping we would get to see the Emporer's palace and I was not disappointed. The descriptions of it were so lush. I think describing a setting is one of Wexler's strong suits. He has created such a fascinating world, I'm a little sad the series is over and I'll have to say goodbye but I think I'll be picking up one of his other books soon.
As this is the last book in the series there's not much I feel I can really talk about without giving away too much. I will say there is an interesting discussion on Isoka's morals. In the first book, she's the ruthless boss of the sixteenth ward. She kills and injures when citizens can't pay the money she's owed. In this book, we get to see how much her journey has changed her and the types of decisions she's willing to make. I enjoyed seeing Isoka and Tori butt heads, especially once Isoka realized Tori was not the delicate flower she always believed her to be. I liked that we finally got to see the Royal Ward in this final installment. I was hoping we would get to see the Emporer's palace and I was not disappointed. The descriptions of it were so lush. I think describing a setting is one of Wexler's strong suits. He has created such a fascinating world, I'm a little sad the series is over and I'll have to say goodbye but I think I'll be picking up one of his other books soon.
February 21, 2021
Der krönende Abschluss der Trilogie! Ich habe sehnsüchtig darauf gewartet und mich sofort darauf gestürzt, als ich es hatte. Trotzdem hatte ich während des Lesens stets ein flaues Gefühl im Magen - würde das Ende gut ausgehen? Werde ich damit umgehen können?
Ohne zu viel zu verraten - Wexler hat ein gelungenes Ende geschrieben. Damit kann ich mich auf jeden Fall abfinden und mich von den lieb gewonnen Figuren verabschieden. Natürlich hätte ich auch nichts gegen ein Wiedersehen einzuwenden, aber besser ein gute geschriebenes Ende als eine Serie, die versumpft.
Die Handlung selbst ist wiederum packend und spannend, Wexler bringt neue Ideen in den dritten Band, was diesen von den anderen beiden ein wenig abhebt. Wie gewohnt wechseln sich Kampfszenen und ruhige Szenen ab, sodass die Geschichte auf mehreren Ebenen stets vorangetrieben wird. Auch die Charaktere entwickeln sich weiter und man merkt, dass sie alle im Vergleich zu Band eins gewachsen sind.
Nun winke ich also dem Schiff hinterher, das meine Freunde ins Ungewisse trägt. Nein, vergessen werde ich sie keinesfalls und ich werde mich stets an die gemeinsame Zeit erinnern. Die Wells Of Sorcery-Bücher haben mich wieder ins Genre des YA zurückgeholt - nur schon deswegen haben diese Titel einen speziellen Platz in meinem Herzen verdient.
Ohne zu viel zu verraten - Wexler hat ein gelungenes Ende geschrieben. Damit kann ich mich auf jeden Fall abfinden und mich von den lieb gewonnen Figuren verabschieden. Natürlich hätte ich auch nichts gegen ein Wiedersehen einzuwenden, aber besser ein gute geschriebenes Ende als eine Serie, die versumpft.
Die Handlung selbst ist wiederum packend und spannend, Wexler bringt neue Ideen in den dritten Band, was diesen von den anderen beiden ein wenig abhebt. Wie gewohnt wechseln sich Kampfszenen und ruhige Szenen ab, sodass die Geschichte auf mehreren Ebenen stets vorangetrieben wird. Auch die Charaktere entwickeln sich weiter und man merkt, dass sie alle im Vergleich zu Band eins gewachsen sind.
Nun winke ich also dem Schiff hinterher, das meine Freunde ins Ungewisse trägt. Nein, vergessen werde ich sie keinesfalls und ich werde mich stets an die gemeinsame Zeit erinnern. Die Wells Of Sorcery-Bücher haben mich wieder ins Genre des YA zurückgeholt - nur schon deswegen haben diese Titel einen speziellen Platz in meinem Herzen verdient.
July 7, 2021
Django Wexler really has a fantastic imagination and the "The Wells of Sorcery" trilogy really shows it off. This is the third and I really hope not the final visit to this universe. I really enjoyed it and the climatic volume closes out most of the loose points he had coming. As this is the last volume I am reluctant to describe much so as to not give away the plot. But the actions of the characters are what I expected and more. The growth of the characters has been enjoyable and you can see how the details on the other books really come to a point or to hatch on this one.
I really would love to go back to this universe and see more of it as the other kingdoms were not touch but mentioned by the characters in description and I think it would be fascinating.
I really would love to go back to this universe and see more of it as the other kingdoms were not touch but mentioned by the characters in description and I think it would be fascinating.
October 2, 2023
(originally reviewed at
thelibraryladies.com
)
After blowing through the first two books in this trilogy last January, I had to hunker down for the long wait until January 2021 to finally get the to the release of the final book. As much as I like being current with many of the books coming out in real-time, I have to say, there’s something to be said for just waiting for a series/trilogy to be finished so you can enjoy it in one, big, binge read. Ah well. And, while this wasn’t my favorite book in the trilogy, I was overall quite pleased with this book and for the way the series wrapped up as a whole.
On her way back to her home city, Isoka imagines that nothing ahead can pose a bigger challenge than what she’s accomplished already. She simply needs to rescue Tori and head back to the mysterious land from which Soliton came. But Tori is no longer the innocent girl Isoka remembers. Instead, she’s a rebel leader caught up in a revolution that seems to be on the brink of failure. What’s more, she has a powerful magical ability to influence the minds and actions of others, a power she had kept hidden from Isoka for all of these years. Together, the sisters must work to re-learn the sibling they thought they knew while also saving a city that seems doomed to fall.
While I did enjoy this book and still love the heck out of Isoka as a main character, I did struggle with this one more than the first two. I think there are a few reasons for this. First, like the second book in this trilogy, Isoka now shares the narrative with Tori which essentially splits her portion in half.
Tori isn’t a bad character in her own right, but she simply can’t compete with the explosive force that is Isoka. Tori’s own story is much less sympathetic and her overall arch feels less complete. The last book saw her do some pretty terrible things and that’s never really addressed going forward. On one hand, I like the fact that the book doesn’t shy away from the terrible things that are done in revolutions, even by those fighting for the “good” side. But Tori also never seems to resolve her feelings of being “monstrous” in any real way. Isoka kind of just brushes the whole thing aside when she learns about it, and Tori just seems to get over it suddenly at the end for no apparent reason.
Isoka’s own story feels like it takes a back seat to Tori’s as this book is largely about the revolution Tori started and thus naturally falls more in her wheelhouse. I still loved Isoka’s chapters, if mostly because her voice and character feel so alive and compelling. But, like Tori, it didn’t feel like she had much of a character arc in this story. She’d already come into her own as a leader and recognized the fact that she didn’t enjoy brutal killing. So there’s nowhere really for her to go in this story.
The second challenge, beyond the lack of character arcs for our two leads, was my own personal preference for the unique, fantastical elements presented in the first two books. There was so much creativity to the fantasy aspect of the story in the first and second book, between the ship Soliton and the Harbor with its spooky leader, Prime. Here, the story of a fairly straightforward rebellion and a pretty predictable resolution just wasn’t cutting it. I really missed the fantasy aspects of the series and was disappointed that not much new was introduced. I never was very invested in Tori’s rebellion and to have this entire last book focused on that was a pretty big let-down. But this was definitely more a matter of personal preference than anything else.
The writing itself was still incredibly strong and Wexler shines with his action scenes. Isoka’s fights were as thrilling as ever and her companions were fun supporting characters. I think it’s telling of Wexler’s skill that Jack, who could easily have become gimmicky and annoying, served well in her role as comedic relief throughout. I was also pleased to see Tori’s romance plotline take a decided backseat role, as that was another aspect of the second book that I was not at all invested in.
Overall, this was definitely the weakest of the three books, but it did tie up the story well and ended in a satisfactory manner. Readers’ enjoyment of it will likely be directly tied to their interest in Tori and the storyline that was introduced with her in the second book. But I’d say that fans of the first two, regardless of preference, should definitely check this last book out.
Rating 7: Lacking the fantasy elements that I’ve come to love, but still a satisfying end to the trilogy.
After blowing through the first two books in this trilogy last January, I had to hunker down for the long wait until January 2021 to finally get the to the release of the final book. As much as I like being current with many of the books coming out in real-time, I have to say, there’s something to be said for just waiting for a series/trilogy to be finished so you can enjoy it in one, big, binge read. Ah well. And, while this wasn’t my favorite book in the trilogy, I was overall quite pleased with this book and for the way the series wrapped up as a whole.
On her way back to her home city, Isoka imagines that nothing ahead can pose a bigger challenge than what she’s accomplished already. She simply needs to rescue Tori and head back to the mysterious land from which Soliton came. But Tori is no longer the innocent girl Isoka remembers. Instead, she’s a rebel leader caught up in a revolution that seems to be on the brink of failure. What’s more, she has a powerful magical ability to influence the minds and actions of others, a power she had kept hidden from Isoka for all of these years. Together, the sisters must work to re-learn the sibling they thought they knew while also saving a city that seems doomed to fall.
While I did enjoy this book and still love the heck out of Isoka as a main character, I did struggle with this one more than the first two. I think there are a few reasons for this. First, like the second book in this trilogy, Isoka now shares the narrative with Tori which essentially splits her portion in half.
Tori isn’t a bad character in her own right, but she simply can’t compete with the explosive force that is Isoka. Tori’s own story is much less sympathetic and her overall arch feels less complete. The last book saw her do some pretty terrible things and that’s never really addressed going forward. On one hand, I like the fact that the book doesn’t shy away from the terrible things that are done in revolutions, even by those fighting for the “good” side. But Tori also never seems to resolve her feelings of being “monstrous” in any real way. Isoka kind of just brushes the whole thing aside when she learns about it, and Tori just seems to get over it suddenly at the end for no apparent reason.
Isoka’s own story feels like it takes a back seat to Tori’s as this book is largely about the revolution Tori started and thus naturally falls more in her wheelhouse. I still loved Isoka’s chapters, if mostly because her voice and character feel so alive and compelling. But, like Tori, it didn’t feel like she had much of a character arc in this story. She’d already come into her own as a leader and recognized the fact that she didn’t enjoy brutal killing. So there’s nowhere really for her to go in this story.
The second challenge, beyond the lack of character arcs for our two leads, was my own personal preference for the unique, fantastical elements presented in the first two books. There was so much creativity to the fantasy aspect of the story in the first and second book, between the ship Soliton and the Harbor with its spooky leader, Prime. Here, the story of a fairly straightforward rebellion and a pretty predictable resolution just wasn’t cutting it. I really missed the fantasy aspects of the series and was disappointed that not much new was introduced. I never was very invested in Tori’s rebellion and to have this entire last book focused on that was a pretty big let-down. But this was definitely more a matter of personal preference than anything else.
The writing itself was still incredibly strong and Wexler shines with his action scenes. Isoka’s fights were as thrilling as ever and her companions were fun supporting characters. I think it’s telling of Wexler’s skill that Jack, who could easily have become gimmicky and annoying, served well in her role as comedic relief throughout. I was also pleased to see Tori’s romance plotline take a decided backseat role, as that was another aspect of the second book that I was not at all invested in.
Overall, this was definitely the weakest of the three books, but it did tie up the story well and ended in a satisfactory manner. Readers’ enjoyment of it will likely be directly tied to their interest in Tori and the storyline that was introduced with her in the second book. But I’d say that fans of the first two, regardless of preference, should definitely check this last book out.
Rating 7: Lacking the fantasy elements that I’ve come to love, but still a satisfying end to the trilogy.
February 10, 2024
Isoka managed the impossible, gaining control of the legendary ghost ship Soliton and, with her love Meroe and a handful of her friends, turning it back towards Khanzoka to save her sister. She has managed the impossible, but cannot know about the rebellion or Tori’s place at its head. A rebellion fighting an uphill battle as the empire’s forces rally and food reserves dwindle. Between dealing with the Immortals and their commander, Kuon Naga, and suddenly finding themselves faced with the changes that each has gone through over the course of the past year. With the rebellion’s fight threatening to swallow them alive the sisters will have to find a way to save what is left of their city or survive long enough to escape it.
I was a little slow to pick up Siege of Rage and Ruin, the third book in Django Wexler’s The Wells of Sorcery trilogy, not because I expected anything negative from it but because I found myself not wanting to see the series over. It feels silly to admit, it kind of is, but after the use of minor characters being introduced and then later killed off in the second book I was a little worried that something similar would be done for the finally and I found myself not wanting to see that.
Interestingly, Siege of Rage and Ruin is, in many ways, a much less violent book than City of Stone and Silence was. No one getting torn in half by a zombie t-rex here. Part of that might be down to the people who die in this one being casualties rather than characters, largely nameless, mostly faceless. They feel less real than the minor characters did, which handily brings the focus to how Isoka reacts to all of this and processes her feelings on having to fight these people who are there because they have no other choice. There are still some fun fights, but the battles are mostly used to underscore Isoka’s growth as a leader.
I will absolutely say that Kuon Naga is a delightfully hate able antagonist though. We get that combination of seeing him being treated with a tremendous amount of respect and fear in turn, with him being politely threatening, and the choice to give one of the Immortals a stake in wanting to fight the sisters allows for a non-action antagonist without the physical threat feeling disconnected from the protagonists. Neither feels like less of a threat than the other and I find myself appreciating the Immortal being from the group at the end of the last book. She saw Tori use that family to kill one of her comrades and she wants revenge, simple and to the point but effective.
It did feel like some events happened less because they exactly fit the story as because the plot needed them to help speed things along. Some characters felt like they had gotten moved to the side in favor of more focus on the tension between Isoka and Tori, the whole expectations versus reality for both of them as they meet again in the middle of this rebellion. There are a number of things I find myself wishing there had been more of, Meroe in general being one of them, but I miss the wider cast and found myself thinking that more interaction between Isoka’s team and the Red Sash leaders. More of people reacting to what Tori has done with her Kindre Well’s mind control to make it feel like more of an issue for the protagonists. It winds up being miscellaneous little things, nothing really bad or that makes the book less enjoyable, but it can feel very convenient at times. It does make the last half or so of the book difficult to talk about though. It can also leave the ending feeling like it was what it had to be,
Overall, I feel like Siege of Rage and Ruin did a good job of finishing the series but I also wish that there was more of it, maybe not in the sense that I wanted to see the series get stretched out further but that I would love to see more of the world. It feels like there is a lot to still be seen and I find myself not ready to be done with a lot of these characters. While I do have a few minor issues that keep it from being a full five out of five it was a quick, enjoyable read and I fully intend to read Wexler’s work again in the future. So Siege of Rage and Ruin earns a four out of five from me.
Review was previously posted at https://tympestbooks.wordpress.com/20...
I was a little slow to pick up Siege of Rage and Ruin, the third book in Django Wexler’s The Wells of Sorcery trilogy, not because I expected anything negative from it but because I found myself not wanting to see the series over. It feels silly to admit, it kind of is, but after the use of minor characters being introduced and then later killed off in the second book I was a little worried that something similar would be done for the finally and I found myself not wanting to see that.
Interestingly, Siege of Rage and Ruin is, in many ways, a much less violent book than City of Stone and Silence was. No one getting torn in half by a zombie t-rex here. Part of that might be down to the people who die in this one being casualties rather than characters, largely nameless, mostly faceless. They feel less real than the minor characters did, which handily brings the focus to how Isoka reacts to all of this and processes her feelings on having to fight these people who are there because they have no other choice. There are still some fun fights, but the battles are mostly used to underscore Isoka’s growth as a leader.
I will absolutely say that Kuon Naga is a delightfully hate able antagonist though. We get that combination of seeing him being treated with a tremendous amount of respect and fear in turn, with him being politely threatening, and the choice to give one of the Immortals a stake in wanting to fight the sisters allows for a non-action antagonist without the physical threat feeling disconnected from the protagonists. Neither feels like less of a threat than the other and I find myself appreciating the Immortal being from the group at the end of the last book. She saw Tori use that family to kill one of her comrades and she wants revenge, simple and to the point but effective.
It did feel like some events happened less because they exactly fit the story as because the plot needed them to help speed things along. Some characters felt like they had gotten moved to the side in favor of more focus on the tension between Isoka and Tori, the whole expectations versus reality for both of them as they meet again in the middle of this rebellion. There are a number of things I find myself wishing there had been more of, Meroe in general being one of them, but I miss the wider cast and found myself thinking that more interaction between Isoka’s team and the Red Sash leaders. More of people reacting to what Tori has done with her Kindre Well’s mind control to make it feel like more of an issue for the protagonists. It winds up being miscellaneous little things, nothing really bad or that makes the book less enjoyable, but it can feel very convenient at times. It does make the last half or so of the book difficult to talk about though. It can also leave the ending feeling like it was what it had to be,
Overall, I feel like Siege of Rage and Ruin did a good job of finishing the series but I also wish that there was more of it, maybe not in the sense that I wanted to see the series get stretched out further but that I would love to see more of the world. It feels like there is a lot to still be seen and I find myself not ready to be done with a lot of these characters. While I do have a few minor issues that keep it from being a full five out of five it was a quick, enjoyable read and I fully intend to read Wexler’s work again in the future. So Siege of Rage and Ruin earns a four out of five from me.
Review was previously posted at https://tympestbooks.wordpress.com/20...
April 8, 2021
Siege of Rage and Ruin is the explosive final adventure in Django Wexler's The Wells of Sorcery trilogy, an action-packed epic fantasy saga.
Isoka has done the impossible—she's captured the ghost ship Soliton.
With her crew of mages, including the love of her life Princess Meroe, Isoka returns to the empire that sent her on her deadly mission. She's ready to hand over the ghost ship as ransom for her sister Tori's life, but arrives to find her home city under siege. And Tori at the helm of a rebellion.
Neither Isoka's mastery of combat magic, nor Tori's proficiency with mind control, could have prepared them for the feelings their reunion surfaces. But they're soon drawn back into the rebels' fight to free the city that almost killed them.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Siege of Rage and Ruin is the explosive final adventure in Django Wexler's The Wells of Sorcery trilogy, an action-packed epic fantasy saga.Isoka has done the impossible—she’s captured the ghost ship Soliton.With her crew of mage-bloods, including the love of her life Princess Meroe, Isoka returns to the empire that sent her on her deadly mission. She’s ready to hand over the ghost ship as ransom for her sister Tori’s life, but arrives to find her home city under siege. And Tori at the helm of a rebellion.Neither Isoka’s mastery of combat magic, nor Tori’s proficiency with mind control, could have prepared them for the feelings their reunion surfaces. But they’re soon drawn back into the rebels’ fight to free the city that almost killed them.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
August 22, 2021
This last book of the Wells of Sorcery trilogy does a fine job of wrapping things up. One would hope this would be the case, of course, but I found this third book to be a satisfying, well-executed ending, with good payoffs for both the characters and the world.
The core of this book, and indeed the entire trilogy, is the relationship between the sisters Isoka and Tori. The first book is told from Isoka's POV, which is appropriate as the two are separated for the entire narrative. In the second, Tori's story is picked up, which adds greatly to the series. This continues in the third book, alternating chapters of Isoki and Tori and the showdown with the antagonist in their home city of Kahnzoka.
This is a young adult fantasy with a fairly innovative magic system. The only thing that creeped me out was Tori's sorcerous power, Kindre, the Well of Mind. She can manipulate people mentally, and during her fight against Kahnzoka's oppressive class system she creates a network of people called the Blues, which are basically her mind slaves. Of course this is a horrendous violation, and though Tori calls herself a monster, Isoka all but brushes it off as "doing what you must with what you have." Isoka has killed a great many people with her Well, Melos, the Well of Combat, which includes (among other things) green swords of power emerging from her wrists. Still, this seems like a pretty clean death compared to what Tori is doing, and that whole concept needed to be rethought a bit, I think.
But the overall worldbuilding is well-thought-out and interesting, and the sisters Gelmei both show some nice character growth. The ending concludes the story in a satisfying manner, with the sisters taking the survivors of Kahnzoka, including the mistreated mage-born, aboard their gigantic ghost ship Soliton and away from the city altogether, never to return. (Although I would have loved to learn more about the "ancients" who created both Soliton and the Wells of Sorcery. This series is fantasy, but the little we got of this world's backstory had a definite SF feel to it.) I read a lot of YA, and this is definitely one of the better series of recent years.
The core of this book, and indeed the entire trilogy, is the relationship between the sisters Isoka and Tori. The first book is told from Isoka's POV, which is appropriate as the two are separated for the entire narrative. In the second, Tori's story is picked up, which adds greatly to the series. This continues in the third book, alternating chapters of Isoki and Tori and the showdown with the antagonist in their home city of Kahnzoka.
This is a young adult fantasy with a fairly innovative magic system. The only thing that creeped me out was Tori's sorcerous power, Kindre, the Well of Mind. She can manipulate people mentally, and during her fight against Kahnzoka's oppressive class system she creates a network of people called the Blues, which are basically her mind slaves. Of course this is a horrendous violation, and though Tori calls herself a monster, Isoka all but brushes it off as "doing what you must with what you have." Isoka has killed a great many people with her Well, Melos, the Well of Combat, which includes (among other things) green swords of power emerging from her wrists. Still, this seems like a pretty clean death compared to what Tori is doing, and that whole concept needed to be rethought a bit, I think.
But the overall worldbuilding is well-thought-out and interesting, and the sisters Gelmei both show some nice character growth. The ending concludes the story in a satisfying manner, with the sisters taking the survivors of Kahnzoka, including the mistreated mage-born, aboard their gigantic ghost ship Soliton and away from the city altogether, never to return. (Although I would have loved to learn more about the "ancients" who created both Soliton and the Wells of Sorcery. This series is fantasy, but the little we got of this world's backstory had a definite SF feel to it.) I read a lot of YA, and this is definitely one of the better series of recent years.
August 11, 2022
This one is definitely my favorite book out of the trilogy. It had most of what I liked from the previous two books. It also makes me wish the story of the previous two books, and perhaps of the entire trilogy, was entirely different, and more like this one. Especially the Isoka storyline of Book 2, which is completely pointless.
I do have a few issues with the book and with the trilogy as a whole. One being the epilogue, which is a bit unsatisfying and wrapped up too quickly. I also don't really agree with the decision of one of the characters, it doesn't feel like something she'd do. The fate of her loved one and her relationship with him is also completely neglected. Another thing that bothers me is the character arcs. Namely that there weren't much of them in this book compared to the first two. I think the arcs could've been continued, or perhaps stretched out so they last the whole trilogy instead of wrapped up in one book each.
The last thing that bothers me is the Rot. And the fact is was never addressed. You'd think that with the way it's hyped up in the first book, and the fact it's so bad that it's literally an in-universe curse word, that it'd be resolved. But after the first book it's hardly mentioned.
Maybe it'll be addressed in another series taking place in the same universe, but I doubt it. Wexler seems to be more interested in creating a whole new universe for each series he writes. Which I can respect, but at the same time, I want to see more of this world.
Overall I liked it, and I will repeat my wish from my review of Book 2 of seeing Wexler write a novel in the Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise.
I do have a few issues with the book and with the trilogy as a whole. One being the epilogue, which is a bit unsatisfying and wrapped up too quickly. I also don't really agree with the decision of one of the characters, it doesn't feel like something she'd do. The fate of her loved one and her relationship with him is also completely neglected. Another thing that bothers me is the character arcs. Namely that there weren't much of them in this book compared to the first two. I think the arcs could've been continued, or perhaps stretched out so they last the whole trilogy instead of wrapped up in one book each.
The last thing that bothers me is the Rot. And the fact is was never addressed. You'd think that with the way it's hyped up in the first book, and the fact it's so bad that it's literally an in-universe curse word, that it'd be resolved. But after the first book it's hardly mentioned.
Maybe it'll be addressed in another series taking place in the same universe, but I doubt it. Wexler seems to be more interested in creating a whole new universe for each series he writes. Which I can respect, but at the same time, I want to see more of this world.
Overall I liked it, and I will repeat my wish from my review of Book 2 of seeing Wexler write a novel in the Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise.
June 30, 2023
The premise: Isoka and Tori are reunited but have to deal with the city siege and starvation following the people's rebellion.
This wasn't too bad but I did skim a lot.
Copyediting errors were annoying.
The whole thing just felt like tying up loose ends in Tori's plot, which wasn't as interesting as Isoka's to begin with. And then to resolve it all just by There wasn't any character development for existing major players, new interesting characters, or surprising plot. Everything pretty much happened as expected.
This would have been a lot more interesting if Tori had gone full dark and mind-controlled everyone. Then after the war was won, go back and make amends. But I guess that would be too dark for this YA, even though it's a pretty gritty YA? Tori just never really grew on me. Too idealistic and uncompromising.
Book 1 is still my favorite, although book 2 was so good too. This one is a hefty notch below.
Notes:
Finding a lot of typos in just the first couple pages...
Wow so Isoka is struggling to control the angels but Tori has got a dozen people completely under her control - are others aware of this? I feel like it just came out of nowhere. Everyone is just OK with it? And Tori still hesitates to read peoples' minds and emotions but will totally mind-control these select people?
"Imperial Army" has been misspelled "Nrmy" three times now. Did they do a search and replace wrong?
This wasn't too bad but I did skim a lot.
Copyediting errors were annoying.
The whole thing just felt like tying up loose ends in Tori's plot, which wasn't as interesting as Isoka's to begin with. And then to resolve it all just by There wasn't any character development for existing major players, new interesting characters, or surprising plot. Everything pretty much happened as expected.
This would have been a lot more interesting if Tori had gone full dark and mind-controlled everyone. Then after the war was won, go back and make amends. But I guess that would be too dark for this YA, even though it's a pretty gritty YA? Tori just never really grew on me. Too idealistic and uncompromising.
Book 1 is still my favorite, although book 2 was so good too. This one is a hefty notch below.
Notes:
Finding a lot of typos in just the first couple pages...
Wow so Isoka is struggling to control the angels but Tori has got a dozen people completely under her control - are others aware of this? I feel like it just came out of nowhere. Everyone is just OK with it? And Tori still hesitates to read peoples' minds and emotions but will totally mind-control these select people?
"Imperial Army" has been misspelled "Nrmy" three times now. Did they do a search and replace wrong?
November 11, 2021
4 Sisters Rule the World Stars
As a series overall I really enjoyed it, as the final book however it was not my favorite. I was kind of hoping for an epic battle with lots of magical well usage and etc. I got a lot of self loathing and hating each other and miscommunication. It kind of felt rushed for an ending, I guess I was hoping for more.
Now I don't want you to get the wrong idea, it had the same amazing characters. Almost everyone was back for more in this final book. As per usual I really enjoyed the side character more than the main characters. Jack and Zarun could have their own books and I would be completely fine with that. There was a little bit of political intrigue in this book but I didn't find it as involved. I did like the introduction of the emperor and would have liked to of seen more of him. The use of magic in these books aka "wells" is so interesting and I would love to delve more into that. The sisters Tori and Isoka are very complicated in this book not quite understanding the woman they have both grown into.
Again this trilogy over all is very well written and a great world of new people and exciting magic. I would highly recommend it and I will continue to read this author. A very big thank you to my best buddy reader Danielle ;) for reading this whole trilogy with me.
As a series overall I really enjoyed it, as the final book however it was not my favorite. I was kind of hoping for an epic battle with lots of magical well usage and etc. I got a lot of self loathing and hating each other and miscommunication. It kind of felt rushed for an ending, I guess I was hoping for more.
Now I don't want you to get the wrong idea, it had the same amazing characters. Almost everyone was back for more in this final book. As per usual I really enjoyed the side character more than the main characters. Jack and Zarun could have their own books and I would be completely fine with that. There was a little bit of political intrigue in this book but I didn't find it as involved. I did like the introduction of the emperor and would have liked to of seen more of him. The use of magic in these books aka "wells" is so interesting and I would love to delve more into that. The sisters Tori and Isoka are very complicated in this book not quite understanding the woman they have both grown into.
Again this trilogy over all is very well written and a great world of new people and exciting magic. I would highly recommend it and I will continue to read this author. A very big thank you to my best buddy reader Danielle ;) for reading this whole trilogy with me.
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