A little too neatly tied back together for me. ( )

Review by Crisetta MacLeod.
As the title suggests, in this volume Irvine’s dead have work to do—by offering advice from the underworld, or by coming back to life, or by not being very dead after all. But first, mountain warfare so bleak, I kept stopping for a hot drink. Nish, the longterm protagonist, wavers in confidence. (Being imprisoned for ten years by Daddy will do that to a man). Maelys, a typically strong Irvine woman, with Nish and his allies, must overthrow his godawful God-Emperor father Jal-Nish, and capture the Tears that give him power. Stilkeen, a supernatural being (compulsory italics) kidnaps Jal-Nish; the ransom demanded is lost chthonic fire. With magic and courage the allies search the worlds for this, until at last, old enemies and friends rally to Nish’s side and defeat Stilkeen. Having seen his father’s body, Nish is establishing a new democracy, when in true Irvine fashion, just when you think it’s all safely over. . .
Because of the glossary, and ongoing explanations, you could enjoy this tale without having read the previous books.
It’s hard to leave this world after being immersed for eleven volumes, but we’re promised yet another trilogy about Nish and Maelys’s children.

THREE WORLDS