by P. C. Darkcliff
Rating: *****
As the empire is engulfed in a war against the Darkside and Archmage Gadram is indisposed, only Baard has the power to summon the living and the dead to the Ultimate Battle with the magical battleaxe, Tarroth.
Mages and warriors who were adrift in the Sea of Oblivion are re-animated as Tarroth strikes the ground for the second time. However, can their combined Might overcome the Dark Overlord, and do Baard and Co., have any fight left?...
This last installment in Darkcliff’s Magic Circle series* opens by immediately plunging the reader into an intense, action-packed beginning. It’s a gripping start that instantly hooks the reader, especially with the swift arrival of the Shayatin, sand funnels that devour everything in their path.
Even at this early stage, there is a shift in tone that suggests this final reckoning is going to be much darker than before. The malign agencies of the Daa’morcs and Corpsentinels combine with relentless malevolence, devoid of any compassion but hellbent on death and destruction. Baard, his close allies, and those across the empire are emotionally and physically depleted.
Indeed, Darkcliff takes Baard deep into horrendous territory, literally and figuratively. Nonetheless, he never loses sight of the carefree woodsman from Icecreek that Baard once was, and briefly brings back a familiar, bittersweet face who unintentionally makes Baard’s difficulties all the more harrowing.
Ufi and Mardok are relatively paramount, although the majority of old favorites appear. All main players have undergone or will undergo severely testing events and arduous passages of time throughout The Circle’s End with some heartbreaking scenes. Even Ufi’s impish affability is sorely dented.
No one remains unscathed, each primary character receives intriguing and personal challenges to overcome as the Ultimate Battle draws near. It’s brilliantly controlled, blistering chaos, rich in description and emotion.
Once again, Darkcliff adds to and utilizes his marvelously imagined world with wondrous effect. He has a deep, intrinsic feel for the places he has created and the vivid narrative power of their transitory effects and fundamental topography.
And, despite his knot of acutely observed, dimensional, and investable central characters, who, by now are established friends to the reader, Darkcliff is not afraid to introduce new, important personalities, even at this late stage, who are instantly credible and interesting.
Varazim is one such, she is nastily portrayed with complete individuality and with Adrix Blastblade, the first Battle-Wizard of Aganopea, Darkcliff has some fun. Blastblade is a strong, swashbuckling character who provides drama and drive for several chapters.
Story-wise, Darkcliff gives the reader a galloping, breath-taking, page-turner of a plot that always remains sharp and cohesive. Clever, twisting, fast-paced, and with a constant plethora of wonderfully choreographed, thrilling battle sequences that always preserve continuity and carry momentum.
Further, they never read tiresomely or similar. Darkcliff ensures the violence inhabits a range of tones and outcomes. He is a foremost fight-scene writer and guarantees that his characters are emotionally immersed in their battles. Every conflict has consequences and implications for the plot and character/s involved.
There is more gore than before and although there are tangents, Darkcliff maintains laser-focus on the Ultimate Battle. As it approaches, there is a stripped-back, militaristic quality to The Circle’s End, albeit with Darkcliff ramping up the myth and magic quotient to spellbinding effect.
The conclusion is a realistic one, its fallout rendering characters and readers alike a touch subdued and shell-shocked with Darkcliff wisely leaving a few lingering questions to ponder upon as well as answers.
The Circle’s End is an exhilarating and impressive finale to a fantastically accomplished, entertaining, and imaginative epic fantasy series that must surely cement P. C. Darkcliff’s standing as one of the foremost contemporary writers in the genre. Highly recommended.
*Click here for my review of The Wizard’s Blade (The Magic Circle Book One)
*Click here for my review of The Dragon’s Eye (The Magic Circle Book Two)
*Click here for my review of The Traitor’s Spell (The Magic Circle Book Three)
*Click here for my review of The Warrior’s Call (The Magic Circle Book Four)
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I have read all five books in the series including this one. Your review is right on! PC Darkcliff is an incredibly talented writer and this series was entertaining from the very beginning of Book One right up until the exciting conclusion of Book Five. I'm looking forward to reading more of his work in the future.