The 7th book of 'The Book of Deacon' series, which essentially ends the first half of the series.   Yes, 7 books are just the first half, we've got it all to do again to finish the series.   So what was book 7 like?

Well, it was a bit of a roller coaster, and then some.   A relentless, none stop, too and fro between The D'Karon and The Chosen.   We've been informed several times that one of The Chosen isn't going to survive this battle, so we kind of know the rest are, but it's what's going to be left of the world after they survive that is the question.   We also know that this is only the end of the first half of the series, so obviously something of The D'Karon is also going to survive as well, but as we don't know exactly what The D'Karon is, or are, we don't know much on what or who is going to survive.

It's all pretty big, epic fantasy, and while i'm not big into all the fighting stuff, i still find it really enjoyable.   Well written, easy to follow, with great characters on both sides of the conflict.   You can really lose yourself for a couple of months in this series.

The next book is 'The Adventures of Rustle and Eddy', which, although set in the same world, isn't part of the conflict and serves as a nice palate cleanser after all those nasty battles before we dive back into the next half proper. ( )

I'm being pretty generous in giving each book of this series 3 stars for the mere fact that I really enjoyed the story. That being said, it needs quite a bit more work in editing and revising. The point of view switches from one character to another often in a way that creates confusion. It feels like a first draft, yet with work it has a lot of potential. It also feels like it would be better as a single book instead of a series. There are multiple points that feel redundant adding to the already occuring redundancy when the author tries to fill the reader in on things that happened in the previous books. I would have also expected a bit more emotion when certain characters have passed away. One circumstance in particular was frustrating, because it was as if the character was simply left behind and forgotten about after seeing such a strong connection between that character and others. ( )

What a way to end a series! So much better than Jordan. So much better than virtually everyone. By this time you are so bonded with the characters and their goals that you are straining right along with them to win each and every battle, to kill each and every villain, to attain each goal, to escape each prison, to meet each challenge and to learn each scrap of information that will help them fight the good fight.

Now that the Great Convergence has happened, we have our divinely picked five Chosen. There is Lain the malthrope assassin, who is a master of blades and killing. There is Ether the mystic one, shapeshifter and immortal born of the gods. There is Myranda, wizard master and healer. Myn, a dragon twisted by the D'karon after she died, but healed by Myranda. And last but not least Ivy, great with weapons, with a powerful aura,once a creature of General Dement , artistic prodigy. And then there is Deacon, while he is not Chosen, he should have been. He chooses love for Myranda and duty to the world over home and family to help stop the war and little does he know it, but it is far more than war that needs stopping. He is so helpful with his grey magic that they couldn't have done it without him.

The five Chosen work as a team - melding their skills, battling the five Generals and their nearmen, dragoyles and mutant beasts. At one point, four of the Chosen are betrayed by Lain's business partner Desmeres and locked away separately for torture. To find out what happens read the book, in fact, read all three in order, they are simply a treat for the mind.

Out of all the quest fantasy that I've read over the years this has to rank up in the top five - and believe me, I've read a lot. Not only was the plot original, but it had so many twists and turns you never saw coming - not once. I fell in love with the characters, especially Myranda, Deacon, Myn, Ivy, Caya, Solomon and Calypso. I was fascinated by Desmeres too until he turned traitor.

The characterization in the story is absolutely brilliant; it's like one of your friends relating a real story about real people in their life. The characters are not characters; they are like real people, people you could meet shopping, at the grocery, at the corner drugstore. Nothing is left out, no feeling, no mood, no failing, no idiosyncrasy - nothing. They are as possibly real as you could get in a fictional character, and that'saying a lot.

The pacing in the book is swifter than the others, or maybe it only feels that way because there is so much at stake. You, as always, are sucked in from page one, and like a strong current in river, moved quickly through events, closer and closer towards the Battle of Verril, but that is not the ending by far. Much awaits our heroes after the battle, and none of it is good, in fact it could be world shatteringly catastrophic. And now they have to deal with that after everything else. The transitions in the book were silky smooth - shifting from from one Chosen to another plus Deacon and back again. Because their personalities are so distinct, it makes it childs play to know who is speaking and who you are following. Of course, the main narrator of all three books is Deacon, and even though he wasn't there for many of the events that took place, other Chosen were, and he took down their stories in their own words which he made up into the three books with his magic quill and paper.

I would recommend this whole series to anyone who can read English and appreciate a thumping good read. It's got something in it for everybody, a study of human nature, good versus evil, war, divinely inspired beings, romance, magic, adventure, weird alien science, dragons, strong women, strong men, elves, battles, mutant beasts, highly developed edged weapons and alternate worlds. Just like Tolkein's Lord of the Rings, this deserves the same type of wide readership because of it's quality and genre busting value as one of the premiere thumping good reads that I've had the pleasure to come in contact with. BUY THE SERIES! Do it now! The first one is even free! How can you lose? This is the best deal you'll get in years. Mr. Lallo, I want to thank you for hours of unalloyed reading pleasure of such a degree that I can't remember the last time I read books that were this good. Sir, you are an artist. Good luck to you! ( )

The Battle Of Verril is the last book in the Book Of Deacon series, and only available on the Kindle or NOOK. It follows the story of Myranda and her fellow Chosen in their race against time to save the North.
Although still worth buying and reading, I didn't enjoy this final installation quite as much as the first two. The quality of the writing and overall flow of the story seemed missing in some places, making for confusing descriptions of some of the action scenes. Also, while I understand that the pace of the story is supposed to pick up in the final book, The Battle Of Verril seemed almost completely comprised of action scenes, without a lot of time in-between. This kept my attention, certainly, but it was also a little disappointing to not have as much dialogue between the characters.
Speaking of characters, I don't want to spoil too much, but I was disappointed at the fate of the elf, Desmeres, who I found such an interesting character in the second book. I'm pretty happy with the way the other main characters ended up, however.
The ending was satisfying and as far as I can remember (It's been about two months since I read it), there were no unanswered questions, but it was certainly left open for more stories in the same world. ( )