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The Rise of Magicks

(Chronicles of The One #3)

Nora Roberts (Goodreads Author)

4.14 · Rating details · 16,119 ratings · 1,676 reviews

After the sickness known as the Doom destroyed civilization, magick has become commonplace, and Fallon Swift has spent her young years learning its ways. Fallon cannot live in peace until she frees those who have been preyed upon by the government or the fanatical Purity Warriors, endlessly hunted or locked up in laboratories, brutalized for years on end. She is determined ...more

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Hardcover, 454 pages

Published November 26th 2019 by St. Martin's Press

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Nov 29, 2019 Tina rated it it was ok

Shelves: audiobook, sff-fantasy, z2019-reads

Disappointed.

Yeah, so that is the keyword with this final installment of the Year One series.

I adored the first book. It was a five-star book that I felt had scope, depth, action, and suspense. It set up a world-shattering apocalypse delivered on the wings of disease and magic. And we got to see how a bunch of different people in a bunch of different places all had to confront and cope with it. And at the end of that book, their different stories and lives converged, ended on a great climactic Disappointed.

Yeah, so that is the keyword with this final installment of the Year One series.

I adored the first book. It was a five-star book that I felt had scope, depth, action, and suspense. It set up a world-shattering apocalypse delivered on the wings of disease and magic. And we got to see how a bunch of different people in a bunch of different places all had to confront and cope with it. And at the end of that book, their different stories and lives converged, ended on a great climactic yet tragic moment and set up what promised to be a ripping story toward a hopeful conclusion.

I liked the second book a little less so, but understood it was necessary. It was a textbook hero’s journey of a ‘chosen one’ hero who has to be at the forefront of the looming and final conflict. It had to take us through that hero, Fallon’s training and show us how and why she’d earn an army to follow her. Even though I didn’t love that book as much as the first one, it was still action filled, all show rather than tell, and had some great set action pieces.

So I was really looking forward to this final installment. By all rights it should have used all the stuff the first two books set up -- all the characters we’ve learned to love and hate, the scope, even the time that has elapsed in this world -- to show us (not tell us!) the lead up to and then the final confrontation.

But I was very disappointed in the result. I think this book squandered the stellar promise of the first book and the groundwork of the second book. The first book felt really grand and pretty epic, this one just felt… small.

For one thing, I thought too much of it was told from Fallon’s POV. I get that she is the chosen one, but almost every single scene was from her POV. One of the things that made the first book so wonderful was the differing experiences of all the main players. It gave such a great overview what was happening distilled into different human stories. This time is almost all filtered through Fallon, and I hate to say, Fallon is just not all that interesting on her own. She is what she is. A chosen hero who learned all these mad skillz in the last book. But her inner struggles and ruminations are not enough to make an exciting book

Also the book was too damned talky. Fallon speechified a lot and intoned spells and drew her flaming sword and made lofty pronouncements about ‘light’ and lapsed in rhyming visions. Every word spoken was heavy with light vs. dark symbolism. And I mean HEAVY symbolism. People didn’t just talk, they talked with Meaning (capital ‘M’). And a lot of commas. Holy commas, Batman.

All the interesting personalities in the first book are relegated to parents who are super worried and wringing their hands over their youngsters who have to take on this fight. At this point after the apocalypse, these people should be more resolute than that. They don’t live in the world they lived in before. This one has no security, none. They have to be constantly vigilant and understand that until they have eradicated their enemies they are never safe. But it feels like this book has lost the thread and wants to be more conventionally an inner reflective romance than the previous two books in the trilogy suggested this series would be. In fact, one of the things that impressed me about the first book was that it felt so very different from anything else NR had written. This one really feels very familiar, it feels like everything else she’s written.

And finally, there are all these ambitious plans to take back the big cities – New York, DC etc. from the dark forces. Lots of plans and looking at maps and gearing up troops. But it is clear NR simply doesn’t or can’t write battle scenes. The descriptions are generic and these major offensives are over in two pages where the good guys are declaring victory. We get all aftermath or Fallon has ‘already taken care of that’ reassurances. It just feels all so very toothless. You get all dressed up and the dance is already over.

So yeah, disappointed.
...more

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Nov 27, 2019 Celeste rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, romance, favorites, speculative

There’s something about a culmination that makes me hesitate. Whether it’s a fear that the ending won’t live up to my expectation or a desire for the journey to never end, it leaves me inclined to never finish anything. Not in life, mind you; I’m incredibly dependable and the opposite of a procrastinator when it comes to reality. But when it comes to entertainment, I’d rather let the story live on unfinished in my mind than risk a final chapter that sours something I grew to love. Constant Reade There’s something about a culmination that makes me hesitate. Whether it’s a fear that the ending won’t live up to my expectation or a desire for the journey to never end, it leaves me inclined to never finish anything. Not in life, mind you; I’m incredibly dependable and the opposite of a procrastinator when it comes to reality. But when it comes to entertainment, I’d rather let the story live on unfinished in my mind than risk a final chapter that sours something I grew to love. Constant Readers of Stephen King can relate, I’m sure; though I love his work, the endings are rarely satisfying. However, there are some authors I always trust to really deliver with their endings, and Nora Roberts is high up on that list. She knows how to stick the landing every single time. The Rise of Magicks is no exception, and has actually shot this series into my list of best loved series of all time, alongside The Kingkiller Chronicle and The Stormlight Archive.

“Loss can shake faith if you let it, and the dark gloats when faith seeps out with loss.”

Chronicles of the One is, in ways, radically different from anything else Nora has ever penned. For one thing, she very rarely kills off characters, much less 80% of the world’s population. But not only did she launch the planet into a pandemic of apocalyptic proportions, she also took a pretty hefty risk by killing off a central character in the first book. While this might seem pretty par for the course for fantasy fans, remember that Nora has, until recent years, been first and foremost a romance author, whose audience expected happily ever afters in the final pages of any book she penned. Even I had a hard time accepting that radical choice, and I read plenty of fantasy and horror. I suppose I was thrown off because Nora was my ultimate source of comfort reading for a decade. She’s added some incredible depth to her work over the past few years, but I just wasn’t quite ready for what I found in the pages of Year One. At least, I wasn’t the first time around. On my second read-through, my cognitive dissonance was replaced with a ton of respect and a genuine love for the story Nora was telling. By my third time through, Year One had become one of my favorite books. Both of the following installments cemented that love.

“The other, the not-like-me, would always spark hate in some hearts.”

In other ways, Chronicles of the One is merely a final draft of the story Nora has been telling for years: magic finds its way to a group of friends or family or strangers destined to become both, and those who use magic for good must battle back the dark, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. While never derivative, it’s a story that Nora has told before, and told well. You can tell that it is her center, a belief that magic lies just beneath the surface and that those who wield it for light will always triumph over the darkness. However, that triumph never comes without blood, sweat, and tears. One of my favorite elements of any Nora novel or series is her portrayal of idyllic families and communities, while also showing how much hard work went into building them and goes into maintaining them. In all of her stories, the central characters find their passion, be it art or carpentry or baking or bookselling or defending others in a court of law, and how hard they work at said passion. The same goes for any practitioner of magic; nothing worthwhile comes freely or even easily. I love how much emphasis she puts on giving whatever path you’ve found for yourself absolutely every ounce of effort you have. And I love how, no matter how long and hard the fight, that good will always triumph over evil in everything she writes.

“I can’t lean on you until I’m sure I can stand on my own.”

There’s very little I can say about the actual book itself without spoiling it. So I’ll say that it was a perfect conclusion, both for romance fans and fantasy fans. There were a multitude of battles and strategic preparations and war councils, but there was also love and humor and the culmination of a romance that had been building since the involved parties were born. Nora perfectly balanced fate and free will in regards to both the war and the romance, and I think she handled both beautifully. For those who are fantasy fans and not lovers of the romance genre, don’t worry; the romance in the book never takes over the plot even as it becomes vitally linked to it. The entire trilogy was handled in such a way that I truly believe that fantasy fans will love it should they give it a chance.

“Then again, love’s a victory… Without it, all the battles mean nothing.”

If you can’t tell, I loved everything about not only this book, but the trilogy it concluded. I wish I could say more about the character development and the magic and the scope without fearing that I’d inadvertently spoil the story in some way, but suffice it to say that I couldn’t have been more satisfied. In fact, upon finishing the book I did something I’ve thought about but never actually done in my entire life: when I finished the last page, I decided to read it again. I went with the audio version the second time through as Julia Whelan did such a brilliant job with the first two, and I loved going that route when I decided to reread them in preparation of this book’s publication. And I loved every minute of both reading experiences. All of Nora’s books are fabulous in print, and this trilogy was no exception. But there’s something about her writing that lends itself incredibly well to audiobooks. There’s a cadence, a distinctive and lovely rhythm to her prose that is absolutely enchanting when read aloud by a talented narrator.

“Now I’ve looked… And I see. The treasures, the dreams, the dangers, the glorious diversity of the world and those who live in it. She’s a generous mother who offers all we need, and she’s a child who needs our tending and care.”

I can’t recommend this series highly enough to everyone, no matter your preferred genres. If you’re a fantasy fan, please don’t let the fact that Nora is a “romance” author deter you. The woman can seriously write. Her world building, and lore weaving, and character development are all absolutely stellar. And for someone fairly new to the game, her battle scenes were completely gripping. If you’re already a longtime Nora fan, and are hesitant to pick this up because of the darkness of theme and plot, please give it a try anyway. You already know that you’re in good hands; trust her to get you through a radically different story in such a way that you’ll be completely won over by the final pages. (Side note: my grandmother devoured this series and isn’t a fantasy fan. Chronicles of the One, written by one of her favorite authors, opened her up to reading more fantasy. I can’t tell you how excited I am about that.) This trilogy is truly something special. It’s among my top ten series I’ve ever read. In my whole life. Now I have to face the difficult decision of which books to move from my favorites shelf in my living room so that Chronicles of the One can take its rightful place among them.

You can find this review and more at Novel Notions. ...more

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Nov 29, 2019 Corina rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: pnr, fantasy, trilogy

For me, it always has been hard to continue a series after a year long break. To keep all the characters straight. To remember all the battles that have been fought. And to connect all the dots. Surprisingly it wasn’t as hard to get into The Rise of Magicks as expected. But I still needed a chapter or two to become accustomed again with the story and its cast.

I finished the book in two days, and it kept me quite busy and enthralled with its 454 pages. I even got goosebumps at one time. And I def For me, it always has been hard to continue a series after a year long break. To keep all the characters straight. To remember all the battles that have been fought. And to connect all the dots. Surprisingly it wasn’t as hard to get into The Rise of Magicks as expected. But I still needed a chapter or two to become accustomed again with the story and its cast.

I finished the book in two days, and it kept me quite busy and enthralled with its 454 pages. I even got goosebumps at one time. And I definitely loved the overall feel-good theme. Especially how LIGHT banishes the DARK, again and again. After only a short time of becoming familiar with the characters, it was like revisiting old friends again. There are so many fantastic characters in this trilogy. Partially because the POV of the entire trilogy is told from the view of the ONE and her family. Another reason why they story isn’t as dark as it could have been.

Besides meeting favorite characters, what I think I enjoyed the most was how with each battle, skirmish and confrontation LIGHT surged forward in its never ending quest to banish the DARK side. I loved how the author emphasized this by giving the novel an overall feel-good vibe. Same with seeing places that were lost to the DARK, built back up and flourish again. There was a noticeable progress, hope and successful integration in every page of this book. All of this made for a very satisfying read.

But, there were a couple things I felt were missing.

This novel had a lot of battles going on, and I didn’t feel like the length of the fighting scenes compared to the amount of battles that were fought. But I must also say that I’m someone that reads Kate Daniels who is known for her fighting scenes. The biggest issues was for me that the battles were just too easily won. It’s supposedly this HUGE battle between good vs evil, LIGHT vs DARK, and I felt the gravity of it all was just not met.

Now I also know that the author doesn’t write high fantasy or anything that comes with epic battles like e.g. in Lord of the Rings. But the feeling I got from the books, the overall plot, the message, all of it didn’t mesh with what was delivered on he pages. The epicness that I had built up in my mind since I read Of Blood and Bone was missing.

Of course, whatever I felt was missing in the end worked towards delivering a feel-good novel. With a ‘light banishes the dark’ kind of feel, which was of course the heart and soul of the entire novel/trilogy. I just felt that for a 454 page novel, with a lot of substance, and a plot that covered multiple years that this last book might have been better split into two. But this is just me, mulling over the fact that the book felt LONG at times, and maybe even a tiny bit repetitive.

Nevertheless, as I mentioned above, I devoured the novel in two days. And I believe many readers will love it, especially if they aren’t as bloodthirsty as I am apparently – lol. I wish there would have been a longer epilogue, but that’s something I always wish for. Anyway, this epic saga, that covered multiple generations, is finally concluded, and I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next.

ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest review.
...more

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Dec 17, 2019 Phrynne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5000-2019

What a great series. I enjoyed that so much! I listened to the audio which was narrated beautifully and which added to the whole experience.

The whole series has been very character driven and it was really nice in this last book to have so many of the original characters coming forward and playing their parts. Lana, Katie, Fred and Arliss in particular helped round things off as they helped the light return

Fallon of course was the main event and she was a remarkable character. I enjoyed the way ...more

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Dec 15, 2019 Jonetta rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, 2019-audiobook-challenge, 2019-in-2019, audio-2500, 5000-2019, dystopia, 300-comp, publisher-review-request, 2019-nora, fantasy

Word of caution...this series has a continuing story arc and is intended to be read in order.

Fallon Swift, The One, and the rest of her family and community at New Hope are continuing their strikes against Raiders, Purity Warriors and the corrupt government officials who are waging war against magickals and keeping the world immersed in darkness. But, Fallon realizes that it’s time to play a bigger game, to bring back the “light” and move the world out of the chaos and despair into hope and pro Word of caution...this series has a continuing story arc and is intended to be read in order.

Fallon Swift, The One, and the rest of her family and community at New Hope are continuing their strikes against Raiders, Purity Warriors and the corrupt government officials who are waging war against magickals and keeping the world immersed in darkness. But, Fallon realizes that it’s time to play a bigger game, to bring back the “light” and move the world out of the chaos and despair into hope and progress. The only way to do that is with bold actions.

I could hardly wait for this book’s release as I’ve loved the series and what it stands for. There’s a particular emphasis on “light” and “dark” elements, whether it be individuals’ or groups’ behaviors or the difference in magickals. It was underlying everything of significance throughout the book, so much that I began to think of every encounter this way. It was a powerful distinction as I considered what it would mean if this kind of doomsday event really happened. At some point, it does boil down to good versus evil, lightness or darkness of heart.

Most of the story is told through Fallon’s point of view, though we do get others’ insights regularly as part of her narrative. That felt appropriate given that she is The One and earned that mantle even though it was ordained. I loved how the weight of that weighed heavily on her. There are lots of small skirmishes that helped me understand both sides clearly. But what was even more compelling was Fallon’s leadership. Great leaders have bold vision, know how to inspire others and surround themselves with those who are not only wise but will be truthful to them, speaking truth to power. Her father, Simon, and trainer, Mallick, were two extremely important voices, helping guide her decisions. There were others, including her mother, Lana, who had influence and that gave me comfort because it’s critical to success.

While the great battles initiated by Fallon and her forces seemed to end swiftly, I didn’t believe that because there was great emphasis on the casualties and losses, which were many. I’m not a fan of the details of war and battle campaigns but if you are, know that this isn’t a strong element in this story. You’ll have to just accept that they were bloody and tough because they aren’t outlined. However, the strength of this final story lies with the relationships, some stemming from the beginning of the trilogy, others cultivated during the journey to present day. The final showdown between Fallon and her nemesis was exciting and the return to where it all began was poignant. I love the strong themes and their resonance as it’s relevant for current times. The resilience of the light was encouraging as we experience dark times ourselves. It left me in such a good place.

Finally, Julia Whelan is in a class by herself as a narrator. I had to remind myself that there weren’t multiple performers because it seemed like there were at least four! Just truly an outstanding performance, making the listening experience extraordinary.

(Thanks to Brilliance Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.) ...more

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May 07, 2019 Misty rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: edelweiss, favorites

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Well Deserved Stars - Thank you Edelweiss for an ARC

I can not wait to put this conclusion in the hands of my library patrons because it was so beautifully wrapped up - I couldn't have asked for a better ending. I've said it before, *raises hand* not the biggest Nora Roberts fan here I admit this freely however, if I can specify a series to be the HUGEST Nora Roberts fan for - it'd be this one. She ties up loose ends, ravels and spins a web with each and every character and yet it somehow ...more

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Feb 11, 2020 jv poore rated it liked it

Shelves: own-it

So nicely Nora.

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Nov 27, 2019 Monica rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: heroines-who-actually-kick-ass, seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time, sigh, yawn, makes-me-chew-glass, what-s-the-punchline, lost-potential, bletch, don-t-know-why-i-m-bothering, rage-rants

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Edit 2/11/20:
I'm lowering my original rating of this book because, upon further reflection, the "You didn't say no" justification for unwanted sexual contact is still a thing in this last installment. Roberts has and continues to throw out implications about a woman's knowing complicity in sexual violence, something I've only recently picked up on when rereading some of her work.

WARNING: Very Long Review Below.

This is a2.5 star read, and the .5 is only because the lead up to the "climax “is, f ...more

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Dec 03, 2019 Brittany rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audios-i-own, fiction, 4-star-reads, fantasy, year-2019

4 Stars!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you dig Fantasy- I highly recommend this unique gem of a series!!

I have been an avid reader for years- I tend to lean more towards the romance/fantasy type books. But believe it or not- I never picked up a Nora Roberts book until a few years ago. It was called Obsession. I absolutely adored it- and promised myself I would check out her books again some day.

Well that day finally came when I heard she had a fantasy series coming out - with the first book being Year One. It so ...more

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Dec 06, 2019 Brenda rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewing-by-request, speculative-fiction, sent-by-publisher, arc, own-read, fantasy, 2019-release, 5000-2019, paranormal

It had been around two decades since the Doom struck, killing the majority of civilization, and all the while Fallon Swift was readying herself; preparing to free those imprisoned or impoverished by the Purity Warriors and Dark Uncanny. As she built her armies, her leaders proved themselves time and again – her brother Colin, Duncan and his twin Tonia, Mick, Mallick and many more – and with her mother and father by her side, Fallon knew it was time.

Fallon was The One; but she couldn’t do it on h ...more

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Dec 09, 2019 Barb in Maryland rated it it was ok

Shelves: romance, sf-f

A big, fat 'meh'. I found too much of this book laden with jargon, too much woo-woo, and a heavy case of predictability.

I may write more at some later date...

Note: I started this book, then put it down in order to read 3(!!) more books in a series that I'm re-reading. I call that 'failure to grab my attention' on this book's part.

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Nov 30, 2019 ☕️Kimberly rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Because of the way the story unfolds listeners and readers should begin at the beginning Year One and now that the trilogy is complete it’s the perfect time to binge!

The Rise of Magicks brings growth as Fallon Swift forms armies and takes back the light by reclaiming cities and towns ruled by dark. It is not without loss, and she will suffer. One cannot help but admire young Fallon who has been tasked since birth with such responsibilities. Her training, family, mentors and friends aid her and s ...more

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Dec 20, 2019 Addie Dehart rated it liked it · review of another edition

This book was probably my most disappointing read of 2019. I really enjoyed the first two books in the trilogy so I was expecting to like this one as well, but in my opinion it was pretty lackluster. When left to contemplate, why I liked the first two and found the last one lacking I drew a couple of conclusions. My main conclusion was that the first two books had conflict (either internal or external). The final book had little conflict despite it being about the final battle between light and This book was probably my most disappointing read of 2019. I really enjoyed the first two books in the trilogy so I was expecting to like this one as well, but in my opinion it was pretty lackluster. When left to contemplate, why I liked the first two and found the last one lacking I drew a couple of conclusions. My main conclusion was that the first two books had conflict (either internal or external). The final book had little conflict despite it being about the final battle between light and dark. During the first book, the apocalypse was actually occuring and I love a good apocalyptic story. There was all sorts of conflict and survival themes. Plus I really enjoyed the characters Fred, Eddie, Chuck, all of the New Hope originals were at the forefront in this story and I was interested in their story. The second story centered around Fallon, whom I definitely wasn't as interested in as the originals but in the second story she faced a lot of struggles in coming into her powers. I enjoyed her interactions with Mallick and Mick. There was a bit of a magical school vibe as Mallick put her through the paces and the magic system was fleshed out. Then we got to the third story. To me it was a bore. The third story was all about the final battle between good and evil, but it was very lackluster as final battles go. That leads me to Fallon. My husband and sons often talk about superheros and video games and what makes them fun/entertaining and what characteristics make them boring. A common characteristic in the boring games and movies is when the hero/villain/weapon etc is overpowered. It takes away the competitive nature and the suspense. Fallon was overpowered. She was "The One" and there was never any doubt she would triumph. There was never really much of a struggle at all. It came pretty easily to her. She did not face much conflict either internally or externally in the whole story and because of that, it was dull. She was also too perfect and one dimensional. I like my book characters to be more realistic and have some depth. I did really like the last 30 pages. It contained more heart and emotion than the entire 420 pages before it. For that reason I gave it a 3 instead of the 2.5 I had decided on prior to the books completion. ...more

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May 04, 2019 Jenelle added it · review of another edition

Book received from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

The series comes to a powerful end as Fallon and New Hope come together fight the evil that caused the Doom. Really, there is no explanation needed when it comes to Nora Roberts. The final book brings the series to a mind blowing close. With lives lost, lives to avenge, and a dark evil to destroy.... I loved this series so much! It’s different from her normal writing in that the series doesn’t surround the romance of certain people bu ...more

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Dec 07, 2019 Jen | Jen Talks Audiobooks rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: adult, women-authors, audiobook, apocalyptic, new-adult, some-sexy-sizzle, fantasy, worth-a-re-read, romance

Fantastic, incredible ending to this trilogy. I loved the characters, the action was compelling, the plot was interesting. The final battle was something I could see in my head like a movie. Wow. Fallon and Duncan will be on my mind for awhile - as well as Fred, Eddie, Lana and especially Simon. Amazing.

I'm both a parent and a daughter and I really appreciated the way Roberts handled all the family relationships. When Fallon's parents question the wisdom of her having gone on a dangerous mission Fantastic, incredible ending to this trilogy. I loved the characters, the action was compelling, the plot was interesting. The final battle was something I could see in my head like a movie. Wow. Fallon and Duncan will be on my mind for awhile - as well as Fred, Eddie, Lana and especially Simon. Amazing.

I'm both a parent and a daughter and I really appreciated the way Roberts handled all the family relationships. When Fallon's parents question the wisdom of her having gone on a dangerous mission alone without consulting anyone, they're not the only ones who take her to task. Her battle group in general did the same. Chuck said it best - they're right, she's right. These parents were the paragons of how you empower your children while still worrying for their safety. One of the highlights of this book was the way families were so close. The same with the friendships.

The book could have gone way into YA territory with the mindsets and actions of the main characters. But I found a nice balance between them and the older adults. Everyone had a job, a role to play in the greater mission. If anything, I was both relieved and somewhat surprised that more key characters didn't die. I really liked the surprises and plot twists.

There was one single thing that gave me pause. When one of the bad guys (really bad) cries out "the God of Abraham" along with all the horrible things that said God is going to do to the Magicks, I didn't like it. He was on the side of abject evil and you just don't lump the Christian God in with that. It furthers the stereotype that Christians are bad people, and nothing could be further from the truth. The whole aspect of religious people handling "powers" wasn't really explored other than one scene involving a dead priest. This story wasn't the place to do that - and I was fine with it until those two scenes briefly referenced it. To a person of faith, this was a red flag that really made me think about whether I should even be reading it. I generally stay away from stories about witches for this reason. In this case, the characters and overall dark vs. light idea overshadowed that - but not entirely. Witchcraft in the real world is in opposition to the Christian church, so to set it up that one is light and the other dark respectively doesn't work for me. I don't think Roberts did that completely here, but she certainly approached it. I'd rather she had left it out entirely.

I'm not always a huge fan of Julia Whelan, but I have to say that she brought it to life beautifully on audio. Her characters were distinct and she allowed me to get completely immersed and lost in the story. That there's a fantastic narrator. ...more

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Dec 14, 2019 Debbie rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, paranormal-stuff

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 08, 2020 Shawna rated it really liked it

Shelves: apocalypse-postapocalyptic-dystopia, best-fave-brilliant-worldbuilding, hh-warrior, pnr-occult-magic, heroine-naïve-virgin-like-a-virgin, psychic-special-abilities-powers, 2020-reads, urban-fantasy, angsty-dark-heavy-lotsa-drama, scifi-futuristic-fantasy-misc-pnr

4-4.5 stars - Paranormal Romance/Fantasy/Post-Apocalyptic/Dystopia/Horror

I didn't enjoy this trilogy as much as the Sign of Seven trilogy, which is still my favorite of NR's paranormal series, but they're still worthwhile reads. Nora Roberts is such a prolific, remarkable author, and I'll continue to read her books as long as she keeps writing them!

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Dec 03, 2019 David St.Andrews rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Absolutely horrible and annoying to listen too.
The first book started out as a pretty interesting idea. The second book became a black and white shit fuck with a bunch of characters who all think, act and talk the same and are these paragons of virtue. The third book just overloaded me with unbelievable bullshit. Every character has the same speech pattern as the rest of the writing. I got really annoyed at how Every second sentence sounded the same and she always writes like this: "he could fee ...more

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Jan 19, 2020 Karen’s Library rated it really liked it

Shelves: armedwithabingo, fantasy, post-apocalyptic, shiny-penny-2020

Although, I loved the series of Chronicles of the One, this final book wasn't as good as the first two for me. I still really liked it, but towards the end, it dragged a bit. And I wish there was more of an epilogue.

I did really love all of the main characters and I was really happy with their ending. But, to be honest, I started this series because it was an apocalyptic tale, with some magick sprinkled in. By the last book, it was a full on fantasy book, with really no apocalypse or even post-a ...more

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Dec 02, 2019 Justine rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019-read

Exactly the finish to Chronicles of the One that I expected.

This final book picks up right where Of Blood and Bone left off, and takes the characters and the story to the exact place promised at the outset. If you liked the first two books, you won't have any complaints here.

Overall the series is very cinematic in presentation, reading like a well-made miniseries. That means, not a ton of detail, no extra stuff, and a quick pace from start to finish. It's an entertaining read that is easy to vis ...more

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Mar 03, 2020 Carole (Carole's Random Life in Books) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2020, library, audio-book

Initial Thoughts
Probably closer to 3.5 stars. I liked this one but not as much as I liked the first two books in the series. There just weren't a whole lot of surprises in this book. Everything has been leading up to the events in this book but I never had any doubt about how things would work out in the end. I did enjoy the book and thought that it had a lot of excitement. The character relationships also progressed and I liked were things ended up. Julia Whelan did a wonderful job with the nar ...more

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Dec 06, 2019 Stephanie Laurenza rated it it was ok

What a disappointment. I really loved the first two installments, so much that I pre-ordered this book back in May. I pre-order a lot of books and typically this means I end up surprised when it is delivered, but this is one that I remembered the date of (Tuesday before Thanksgiving) and anxiously awaited. Only to be wholly and completely let down - it felt like the same lines, the same thing repeated, over and over and over again, until the end, which was very obvious and would have been okay t ...more

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Jan 11, 2020 CD {Boulder Blvd} rated it did not like it

I just couldn't read it. I would skim, try to read, skim some more...until I ended the torture by skipping to the end and and called it a day. And this is so disappointing as some of my all time favorite books were written by NR (Black Hills, True Betrayals, Witness).

Too long between books, way too much woo woo power, over the top, couldn't handle the dialogue, "the one" is such an overused trope, and then an obvious ending.

Stretching this to 3 books was way too much. The first book had such p ...more

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Dec 02, 2019 Amy Lee rated it liked it · review of another edition

Disappointed with this last book. The first was so good. This one missed the mark. Battle scenes were lackluster, characters were flat.

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Dec 06, 2019 Adah Udechukwu rated it liked it · review of another edition

I didn't like the Rise of Magicks as the novel was far too descriptive for my liking. The Rise of Magicks is not as awesome as book 1 and it is as poor as book 2.

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Dec 02, 2019 Trisha rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Wow... this book was so sickeningly sweet and melodramatic so far from where it began in book 1. Disappointing ending to the series.

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Aug 08, 2019 Dianne rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: galleys-arcs, young-adult, 2019

I was surprised to find that I enjoyed this last book in this trilogy way more than the first two. (see links to my reviews of the first two books below) It was a reasonably good way to end this trilogy but not an original way to end it. However, if you have already read the first two books, then this is a must-read for you.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34311452-year-one

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38236125-of-blood-and-bone

I had some problems with the repetitiveness that Nora see I was surprised to find that I enjoyed this last book in this trilogy way more than the first two. (see links to my reviews of the first two books below) It was a reasonably good way to end this trilogy but not an original way to end it. However, if you have already read the first two books, then this is a must-read for you.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34311452-year-one

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38236125-of-blood-and-bone

I had some problems with the repetitiveness that Nora seems to embrace lately. She does like to repeat over and over, what we not only have learned from the first two books, but she did this with passages from this particular book too. Unlike other reviewers, I feel that Ms. Roberts was merely filling up pages to get to a specific word count. I did not like the fact that these books use a language more like what she uses in her J.D.Robb series -which I call 'text speak.' She tends to lose the flow of her sentences when doing this, and it makes it a bit awkward for a reader who is not used to this way of speaking. Ms. Roberts leaves out things like determiners and grammatical articles and even some crucial verbs!

I still do think that this series is geared more for the YA/Teen audience than a purely adult one.

There are new character's to enjoy, fights galore, and deaths of some secondary character's that we've come to know. I do wonder why Fallon is not using all of this fantastic magic she absorbed when opening "The Book of Spells" and then jumped into "The Pit".

The last fight is interesting ( not exciting as such, but interesting) but a little lackluster for a trilogy like this

I loved Vivienne especially and a lot of the secondary and tertiary character's. This idea would have made an excellent long-running series which would have given the characters more time to grow and mature into their roles. I did have a bit of a difficult time with the large jumps in time. Fallon is an infant -poof-Fallon is 13-poof-Fallon is 20 (I think). An extended series would have given us time to see what all the fights were like, to understand more about Vivienne and the other alliances, to feel more about the romance, etc.

*ARC supplied by the publisher. ...more

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Sep 18, 2019 Antonio rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: giveaways

I got this book free from a Goodreads giveaway!
Thank you, thank you, thank you.

*No spoilers

I have never read anything from Robert's before this series but I must say, I am definitely impressed.
I'll no doubt be checking out some of her other work in the future if any are as elaborate and alluring as this.

'The Rise of Magicks' is a beautiful, riveting, and powerful conclusion to a fantastic series.
A fast paced, emotional roller coaster of a story with an ending that would make almost anyone smi ...more

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Nov 27, 2019 Terri ♥ (aka Mrs. Christian Grey) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio

The hardest thing about this book was the time in between. With so many characters and a year between each of the previous installments, I didn’t remember who half the people were.

And while I normally hate recaps because I’m normally binging or the time between is shorter, I really wish there had been one as I’m not a re-reader.

Because of the above, it was hard to care and get into the story as much.

Overall, interesting but I thought the battles were rushed. I also felt cheated after three book ...more

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Feb 18, 2020 Ira rated it really liked it

Shelves: angels, fantasy, dragon, kids-in-the-story, paranormal, pnr-uf, witches, dystopian, kick-ass-heroine, likable-hero

4.5 stars.
Not suitable for young readers anymore, they need to growing up like Fallon, first! 😘 😂

❤️

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About Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts

38,791 followers

Nora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Come Sundown, The Obsession, The Liar, and coming in December 2017, Year One -- the first book in The Chronicles of The One. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print. ...more

Other books in the series

Chronicles of The One (3 books)

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Quotes from The Rise of Magicks

“She’s a generous mother who offers all we need, and she’s a child who needs our tending and care.” — 0 likes

“Lana breathed in, breathed out. Like giving birth, she thought. Letting a child find her way in the world wasn’t all that different, really, from bringing them into the world.” — 0 likes

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