I'm curious as to how GR displays reviews of different editions... guess I'll find out!

For some reason, I... completely forgot the timing of the third act twist and once again missed what I should've been looking for in my reread of [b:Ashes to Fire|30166223|Ashes to Fire (Woodwalker, #2)|Emily B. Martin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1474978369l/30166223._SY75_.jpg|50605667] lol; I'll thumb through that again later today... but because it's fresh thanks to reread, there's bits that are like, "Oh, right. That's what the concern was over."

Gemma remains my fave, a scholar through and through. Primary sources are important, y'all, and using multiple sources to verify is good!!!

original review (as seen here)
The point of view protagonist in the third and final installment of Emily B. Martin's Woodwalker series is a scientist, and I couldn't love her more. After the actions at the end of Ashes to Fire, Queen Gemma finds herself arrested by her own people. A familiar stranger breaks her out, and a tantalizing discovery could change the religion and politics of Alcoro forever.

I honestly thought the first arc would be the overarching book so as our characters approached McGuffin 1, I looked at my page progress and thought, "That can't be, we're only a third of the way here... what's going on". Geopolitics! With a third act twist [again?] that made sense in hindsight but ALSO didn't go the way I thought it might? As far as series viewpoint characters, each of the women are strongly influenced by their background- Mae by her, uh, woodwalker skills, Mona by being a politician at birth, and Gemma- always a scholar, never stops being a scholar. The importance of primary sources drives the plot.

Also- in previous art, Gemma was always holding her arm. I figured this was maybe a magical disfigurement or something, but it's more important and mundane than that- a winestain, covered up because of the perfection demanded of Alcoran rulers. Gemmaaaa I just want you to live a quiet life drawing insectssss ( )

The point of view protagonist in the third and final installment of Emily B. Martin's Woodwalker series is a scientist, and I couldn't love her more. After the actions at the end of [b:Ashes to Fire|30166223|Ashes to Fire (Woodwalker, #2)|Emily B. Martin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1474978369s/30166223.jpg|50605667], Queen Gemma finds herself arrested by her own people. A familiar stranger breaks her out, and a tantalizing discovery could change the religion and politics of Alcoro forever.

I honestly thought the first arc would be the overarching book so as our characters approached McGuffin 1, I looked at my page progress and thought, "That can't be, we're only a third of the way here... what's going on". Geopolitics! With a third act twist [again?] that made sense in hindsight but ALSO didn't go the way I thought it might? As far as series viewpoint characters, each of the women are strongly influenced by their background- Mae by her, uh, woodwalker skills, Mona by being a politician at birth, and Gemma- always a scholar, never stops being a scholar. The importance of primary sources drives the plot.

Also- in previous art, Gemma was always holding her arm. I figured this was maybe a magical disfigurement or something, but it's more important and mundane than that- a winestain, covered up because of the perfection demanded of Alcoran rulers. Gemmaaaa I just want you to live a quiet life drawing insectssss ( )

Creatures of Light wraps up the delightfully cozy Woodwalker trilogy. This book follows the point of view of the queen of the "bad guys," Gemma, as she confronts the nature of her country's deeds, her marriage, and her future, all against a backdrop of rebellions and court politics. I won't delve into details, as I don't want to spoil anything, but Martin has created a satisfying conclusion for the trilogy. As always, I love the natural details that are integral to this original world--Martin's work as a park ranger really brings the setting to life.

I'm excited to start reading Sunshield next, the brand-new book set in this same world. ( )

Queen Gemma of Alcoro is sitting in prison a the start of this book--a prison for the high-born, discreetly known as The Retreat, but a prison nonetheless. This trilogy has been a story of a clash of cultures and kingdoms, and Gemma's choices in the midst of larger conflicts in the previous books have branded her a traitor. She's awaiting trial and sentencing. There's no chance of changing the verdict, she's concluded, but she hopes she can at least make her case to her husband, King Celeno, and a few councilors, that peace, not war with their neighbors, will be better for Alcoro. She's convinced that the Prophecy Alcoro uses to guide its policies is being used badly.

And then a stranger works her way into The Retreat, and smuggles Gemma out.

Except the woman isn't a stranger, not really, and she has stunning information that might be a means to change Alcoro's course, and prevent war. If she can make first Celeno, and then their neighbors, to accept what they've found and move in a new direction.

There are, of course, a lot more opportunities for Gemma to get killed than to succeed, and she's about to discover just how much treachery and deceit there is in Alcoro.

This is a book that just hooked me immediately. It's a fantasy world where the countries and the cultures make sense given their circumstances, and stated and implied history. The characters have complex, interesting identities and relationships.

Oh, and Gemma is a biologist, and Celeno is an astronomer, both a bit frustrated at having had to abandon their research when the old king, Celeno's father, died. Another character is attempting to invent cultural history as an academic discipline. Geologists play an important off-stage role.

People do research, sufficiently documented facts can overturn past orthodoxy, and I am in love.

Seriously. Read this books and its predecessors.

Highly recommended.

I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss. ( )