A bittersweet end to the series with this tour de force from mister mindflayer, Joseph Sale.
On another world, known as Nekyia, its prince returns a changed man. Gone are his physical eyes, but with his third eye he can see the doors between all the worlds are now open and something older than the seven gods has been unleashed.
As unspeakable, unstoppable monsters emerge through the gates to destroy the worlds, moving towards Earth, a group of familiar faces unite in an effort to stem the tide. There is one question upon all their lips. Where is Craig Smiley?
Sale’s mastery of his craft continues, with the language in this book his most beautiful I have yet encountered. There is no denying that he has a talent for writing lyrical prose that juggles complex, layered plots with ease. This book is even more effortless than his last, with each carefully crafted sentence a joy to read, even as the storyline and characters flowed relentlessly forward.
I have to applaud the author for once again changing direction with this book. It is the most deeply philosophical of the series. It takes the elements from the other books and combines them to posit a way of looking at the world. At first I was unsure of this approach, but it came together to stunning effect in the finale.
The worst thing I can say about this book is that it is an ending. The characters mention that it is endings that give stories meaning, but I’m not sure I agree with them. There is a sadness that pervades this book as the universe is drawn to a close with this tale. Endings are always sad, so I was left bereft after finishing this book, yet at the same time satisfied.