I loved this conclusion to the trilogy. This alternate version of the U.S. 'west' with its magical wildlife is fantastic. The books are a bit slow in parts but never boring. Overall great books, especially the first one and this one.

SPOILER ALERT: While I love that Eff and William ended up together I wish it hadn't happened so suddenly. It felt a bit rushed and I didn't get to relish that satisfying feeling of the main characters finding each other. While I know this wasn't a romance novel and it wasn't a large part of the plot all I could think when I finished the book was "they didnt even kiss!" ( )

the only thing that could have made this better would have been a map. for the love of pete, it's not like there isn't an easy starting point for the map or anything. ( )

The third and final novel in the Frontier Magic trilogy is the story of a journey both literally and figuratively. When the story begins, Eff Rothmer is twenty and working as an assistant to Professor Torgeson at the university in Mill City. Mill City is at Columbia's Western edge of civilization right up against the Great Barrier Spell, a magic spell concocted by Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson to keep magical creatures out of the East. But 83 years have passed and settlements have extended 100 miles west of the Great Barrier even though it is much more dangerous out there.

A journey is being planned to explore further west - perhaps, all the way to the Rocky Mountains. Eff is excited about it but doesn't think she has any hope of going along. Her brother Lan who is a powerful magician and a double seven (seventh son of a seventh son) has been invited as has her brother-in-law Brant who was a hero of the previous successful McNeil Expedition. Also going is Roger Boden who is Eff's suitor, even though she turned down his proposal, and her best friend William Graham who is a student of magic. This expedition is being partially financed by the Cathayan government and their representative is Adept Alikaket. When she is asked to go along as an assistant to Professor Torgeson, she is excited, scared and eager but she also recognizes the danger. After all, the Lewis and Clark Expedition was lost when they tried to explore.

This story has excitement, adventure and even romance. Magic is woven into this story in many ways. Most people have the ability to do magic. It is taught in their schools. Eff does have problems with the most common form of magic - the Avrupan. Her spells have a tendency to go wrong. She has been studying the Aphrikan system of magic since she was young and using it to tweak her Avrupan spells. She is also eager to study the Cathayan system of magic while on this expedition. The expedition encounters many new creatures on their journey including many magical creatures like the Medusa lizards which can turn living creatures to stone, steam dragons and rock dragons, and large fox-like animals that can use magic to hide themselves from view.

One of the strengths of this story is the world building. Wrede has built a complex and consistent world where magic is well-integrated into a landscape the will be familiar to many people who live in the Midwest of the United States. This is not high fantasy but rather frontier fantasy. There are many parallels to the time of the Westward Expansion of the United States but tweaked, as Eff tweaks her magic, to allow for the smooth integration of magic.

Another strength of this story are the many, well-rounded characters who inhabit this world. From the bossy older sisters to the single-minded professors, the characters have depth and are all interesting. Eff is strong-minded, curious, adventurous and determined but also self-effacing and modest about her magical gifts. Her brother Lan is bright and magically talented but also impulsive and a little arrogant.

During this journey, Eff grows up, comes to terms with her own unique magical abilities, finds her life partner and her life's work. It is a great conclusion to a fascinating fantasy series. I strongly recommend reading the whole series - Thirteenth Child, Across the Great Barrier, and The Far West - to explore a very creative world and meet many fascinating people. ( )

I think that as an installment in a longer series, I probably would've rated this at 4 stars. Since it seems to be the last in a trilogy, however, I finished the epilogue thinking, "And...?" There are several story details and aspects to the world and the characters that Wrede appeared to be building into the narrative in order to make later use of---the pendant, the nature of Eff's abilities, her dreams, etc.---but the series closes without any real elaboration on or connection to them. So even though the epilogue reaches its happily-ever-after, the book feels incomplete. ( )

I loved this book! This book was a great ending to the Frontier Magic Trilogy and I really enjoyed the plot for this book as well as the overall plot for the series. The storyline grabbed my attention and kept me intrigued throughout the series and especially during parts of this book. I also loved watching all the interactions between all the characters as well as seeing how everything turns out. ( )