Voidbreaker

November 16, 2020
Dalglish sticks the landing with his final Keepers fantasy, which sees humans and monsters battle each other, their own creators, and the threat of the void. Following the events of Ravencaller, tensions are high between the humans of Londheim, devout worshippers of the three Goddesses, and the dragon-sired, recently reawakened magical creatures who remember a time when the humans’ lands belonged to them. It’s only a matter of time before the city erupts in war. Dalglish does a masterful job setting up both sides as flawed—only the peacekeepers in the middle are true heroes. Among them are kind, sarcastic warrior priest Devin Eveson; his dagger-wielding lover, Jacaranda; his resurrected wife, Brittany; and his magical brother-in-law, Tommy. But Devin’s sister, Adria, a priest of the Keeping church, has been granted power over souls by the dragon-sired, and her magic threatens the order the Goddesses have established. Though her intentions are good, her actions may bring about the apocalypse, pitting the siblings against one another. The climactic battle is duly epic, though the series’ deeper themes of unlearning history and reevaluating what makes a monster get somewhat lost in the bombastic action. Still, Dalglish sends things out on an optimistic note that will satisfy series fans. This is a worthy finale. Agent: Michael Carr, Veritas Literary.

December 4, 2020

The continuing adventures of Devin Everson are dark, gory, yet still inspiring. Confronted with his sister Adria's new, potentially world-altering abilities, Devin must support her dream while protecting the innocent lives of Londheim. Conflicting with her role as acting Vikar of the Day Adria, his sister and an unlikely team of dragon-sired are on a mission that will either result in utter and complete devastation or be a blessing for the whole of humanity. Fighting humans, monsters, and divine forces, the Everson family moves through each challenge, striving to keep the Cradle from falling into oblivion. The bloodshed from each battle unveils more moral dilemmas that call into question everyone's sense of faith, religious upbringing, and entire understanding of the world around them. Dalglish's approach to this third book in the series (after Ravencaller) keeps the returning characters fresh, relevant, and impactful in their necessary roles to both uplift and restrict the responsibilities of the Chainbreaker. VERDICT Recommended for readers with an interest in fantasy, fiction, magic, battle scenes, romance, and religiously driven moral debates.--Monique Martinez, Univ. of North Georgia Lib., Dahlonega

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