SCORCHED EARTH

The Dark Shores series concludes with large-scale political, military, and magical conflicts.

Beginning right where Gilded Serpent (2021) left off, Jensen tosses readers right back into the action; they would benefit from rereading previous installments for reminders on the well-populated landscape. After facing Rufina, Killian struggles with his love for Lydia, although the Corrupter has twisted her so she’s “barely recognizable.” Meanwhile, Marcus’ desperate flight through a dangerous number of xenthier jumps leaves him vulnerable, and Teriana must deal with villainous proconsul Cassius to find a way to save both him and her people. The pages are densely packed, covering internal conflicts within the various nations of Reath (such as intrigues over Mudamora’s crown), the inventive strategies and tactics of various military operations (the Thirty-Seventh Legion demonstrates how threatening the Celendor Empire is to every other nation), and attempts to counter the supernatural blight (in a more mystical storyline). The characters’ relationships anchor the complicated goings-on: Fate constantly conspires to keep the point-of-view couples apart in logical, natural ways, so that when they culminate in (tastefully) spicy scenes, it’s deeply romantic. While certain story beats and betrayals are predictable, the theme of good versus evil is given nuance through characters’ making mistakes and seeking redemption. The high-stakes, high-cost climax resolves on an optimistic note. Diversity is widespread and casually accepted, except for Celendor’s preference for those of “Cel blood.”

A big, bold send-off for beloved characters.