The Shadow Throne

I was very sad that this series had to end. The Shadow Throne by Jennifer A. Nielsen concludes The Ascendancy Trilogy, and it is a fantastic conclusion. This book had everything I love about Jaron's character, but also made him very real. Jaron always seems to have a plan and tends to outsmart everyone. However, in this book there comes a point where he seems to be completely broken with no more plans up his sleeve. At first this discouraged me, but I quickly appreciated the realism portrayed in this book, and then I was completely satisfied when Jaron begins making his plans again.

I was talking to one of my friends about this series and how we both found it fantastic. He commented that he thinks it's the best fantasy series since Wheel of Time. The author deserves this praise. I would recommend The Ascendancy Trilogy to anyone.

SPOILER ALERT!!!! DO NOT READ THIS NEXT SECTION UNLESS YOU HAVE ALREADY READ THE BOOK!

One thing that often bothers me with great stories is how nobody important ever dies, and if they do, it is highly unsatisfying to the reader. It is a paradox. I want the story to be realistic, but I also don't want to lose any characters I love. I thought Nielsen did an incredible job with meeting both needs for me. Several main characters "die" in this book. As a reader, I went through all the emotions of losing a beloved character, and it really helped me connect more with the main character. But then, against all odds, the author is able to save these beloved characters. I love the way it was handled.

These books come highly recommended. Thank you, Jennifer, for providing such fantastic books to read!