Read my reviews of previous books in the Triad series:
Alliance (#1) | Endurance (#2)
In this conclusion to an excellent epic fantasy trilogy, Z once again pulls no punches when it comes to making things complicated for her characters on all fronts. After working so closely together in the previous book, with all the growing pains for a new relationship that entails, it’s now time for all three men to go their separate ways. Not by choice, and it’s frustrating for both the heroes and the reader, but it’s necessary to deepen the plot and set up whatever craziness is sure to come next.
We knew at the end of the previous book that Deyvid would be setting off to confront some lingering issues from his past, but before we embark on that adventure, Symon also gets some drama dropped in his lap. Now, both men must face their futures separate from their husbands. As a result, we enjoy lovely individual character arcs of each man fulfilling his true potential, while Z also maintains the tension of how this trio will end up together and whole at the end. I loved how, even parted, these three are never far from each other’s minds (for both genuine emotional support and some truly imaginative spicy scenes).
In each phase of this book, I had no idea how all of this could possibly fit into a single novel. Z doesn’t necessarily tie everything neatly together, but she does manage a neat bit of plotting that does intertwine all the plot points so that the conclusions for all three individual storylines come together in a comprehensive whole. My editorial brain noted that the finale might have been a bit more dramatic had Z not committed so firmly to her narrative pattern, but my reader brain had absolutely no problems with the satisfying ending. Symon, Deyvid, and Petur may have achieved their well-deserved and unexpected happily ever after, but this imaginative and intriguing fantasy world has so much more room for storytelling. I hope Z chooses to return at some point in the future.