I've been picking up every book in The Sundering series as soon as it's been available to me and have really enjoyed it as a reintroduction to Forgotten Realms. The characters that have been introduced (or built on) are ones that I'm excited to follow as they make their own way in Faerun.

That said, this one didn't really hit me in the same way. I'm not sure if I was just expecting too much with this being the final book in the event series or it just really didn't resonate, but I didn't connect to this one or its characters. It was great to finally get a glimpse into what was going on in Cormyr, but the story just didn't feel as 'epic' as many of the others. But when I think about it in the aggregate, I still have very much enjoyed The Sundering overall.

(egalley provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.) ( )

Originally posted on Tales to Tide You Over

This novel is the sixth book in a complicated series dealing with a changing of times, gods and chosen running rampant, and power mongers out in force to make sure they end up on top. The characters drew me in to the other books, showing as they did the personal side of these huge, world-encompassing events. This one did not succeed in that technique, in part because it starts with a character who knows nothing about what’s going on and is being dragged along for the ride. It did, however, grow on me after a slow start.

It’s a difficult task to bring together everything that the five previous books dealt with in pieces. The Herald must make all these disparate events into a cohesive whole despite at least three major players — all but one of which are splintered into multiple groups — and traverse the path to a cataclysmic ending which involves every single person in this universe: god, mortal, beast, and everything in between. On top of that, it must be overwhelming and life shattering.

And that’s where the book succeeds.

The Herald takes events so huge that each action, whether on the part of those we root for or those we don’t, is merely a nibble on the side of the big happenings. It then builds them piece by piece into the big finish. People strive, succeed, fail, and even die as they try to make an impact on something so huge it can barely be understood. El and Storm, two folks older than many of the elves even, are wonderful characters, especially Storm, once they stop trying to protect El’s successor Rune from what’s happening. Even Rune, who was a disappointment in the beginning because of her weak understanding and acceptance when the others wouldn’t tell her, became more interesting when paired with Arclath, the man she loves. Which is not to forget the handful of shadow folks who attempt great things out of loyalty, a hunger for power, arrogance, or some combination of the above. And even there, you find some reasoned dissension.

It’s a complex story, and I love complexity. The characters weren’t perfect, either. They made mistakes, sometimes critical ones, but bounced back through admitting their failures and working to solve them.

I’m guessing that folks who came to these stories before The Sundering will recognize many more of the characters who come to play, but we’re given enough to mourn even those who have a short time in the limelight.

This is not a pretty, chocolate and flowers, novel. It’s the end of an era, and that end comes in strife and blood. But it does offer some fascinating insights into the way people think, the bonds of loyalty, and both the dangers and rewards of willfulness, meaning taking charge of your life rather than sitting back on the sidelines even when you’ve been told that’s the best way for you to help.

Ultimately, the book won me over. Would I have waded through the deliberate ignorance of the beginning if I hadn’t read all the others? I’m not sure. However, I’m glad that I did because I would have missed out on the transformation El and Storm undergo from cranky old folks to heroes in the old style meaning those who seek out adventure and take on challenges because their sacrifice is necessary.

P.S. I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review. ( )

The Herald (The Sundering #6)
Ed Greenwood
ISBN: 9780786964604
June 2014
*This is a review of an uncorrected galley I received from netgalley*
4 Stars
Since this is the final book in a series I will not include a synopsis to avoid spoilers as much as possible.
I had a hard time deciding on how many stars I should give this one. The book and I got started on a bad foot, but that had nothing to do with the author. The galley was formatted badly and that proved frustrating and made it hard to get yanked into the story.
The one complaint I have with the story is that it felt cluttered in high action areas. I found myself back tracking here and there to make sure that I was grasping everything and not missing anything important. There’s a lot of characters and action to keep track of and it can be distracting. Other than that, all of the elements are entertaining and enjoyable. The characters are memorable, some even humorous, and I found myself invested in their personal stories. There’s a lot of intense action that keeps the pace quick and compliments each characters’ individual strengths and weaknesses. The relationships only improve the plot and are fun to read. Needless to say I really enjoyed this book.
This whole series is one that I recommend, especially to fantasy fans. Obviously this book is the conclusion and I suggest reading it last even if the other installments aren’t read in order. ( )

I am not really into video games, Dungeons and Dragons, but it's good for One Direction fans growing up into adulthood. ( )