Penguin LCC US An Ember in the Ashes 3. A Reaper at the Gates

Rear book, it broke my heart.

Third volume in the series of fantasy novels entitled 'The Ember Quartet.'This one is most definitely not a jumping on point, so new readers should go to book one, 'an ember in the ashes.'Regular readers, read on.This volume runs for four hundred and fifty eight pages. It has five parts, and is further divided into fifty eight chapters.As with previous volumes, it does have a fair bit of violence and some adult stuff, so it's not really for younger readers.Picking up from where book two left off, it once again gives us Helene Laia and Elias as viewpoint characters. Each of them narrating alternating chapters in first person present tense. Although two important chapters do give someone else that duty..Marcus is getting worse by the day. Thus Helene is struggling to hold things together. To keep her sister safe. And to deal with the actions of the commandant. And to stave off some very big threats.Laia is looking for a way to stop the nightbringer. And has some hard choices to make.And Elias has to struggle with the role he now has, as a result of the big choice he made. Can he and Laia ever be together again?There's no exposition in this to remind you of what came before. So frankly I really struggled a bit to get into this one at first, and it was a while before I got used to the writing style once again, and all the characters and the situation fully came back to me.But do stick with it. Because steadily, it does get there. it doesn't really get hold of you till gone sixty pages, and it's not a book to read fast. It really has to be savoured to get the best from it. As with book two though, it really benefits from Helene being a viewpoint character as well as the other two, because her strand of the story is a really gripping one.This not being the last book in the series means it does have a fair bit of setting things up to do. And plot details to reveal. But unlike some middle or late series books that have to do that, none of this feels forced, and nothing ni here is a slave to the demands of the plot.It steadily does get rather epic indeed in terms of action. It does have you wanting to know what is going to happen next. And there are a couple of moments that will really make you gasp.Big things have happened by the end. And lots is left in the balance as well. It should be a memorable final instalment.Stick with this because it does become a very good read, and another great entry in a great series.

Loved this series so much.this book was great and i really loved how this book in the series was so much action packed and therewas an incredible amount of twists and turns, i did not expect that there would be as much as there was.i wasnt expecting the reveal with regards to a certain character and i was pleasantly surprised, but itwas good enough to share.

Simply superb story telling. The different POVs worked so well, and I can’t wait for the final ( I think) book. I could not predict much of where the story was heading to, and found so many emotions in the reading - exhilarating, traumatic, sadness, triumphant. Favourite book of the year as far.

I loved every bit of this book couldn't put it down. Cant wait for the last one. Sabaa Tahir is Brilliant. Her writing style reminded me of Daughter of smoke and bone by Laini Taylor. One of my favourites.

Another book I’ve loved so much. This series is so good, hopefully the last book lives up to the other 3.