My Review:
This book series was perfect. And this book had the perfect bittersweet conclusion.
I love how this series weaves a riveting, character driven thriller of a story, with genuinely relatable, flawed characters. Brandon is a teenaged everyman, who is so relatable even though his circumstances are not (at least to me personally). He has a wry, cheesy sense of humor, and he has a fierce determination to protect the ones he loves even at his own cost, he has his struggles but he wants to understand and to be better.
There are so many well developed characters that leapt off the page for me, even the ones that don’t get a lot of page time make their mark. Marvella is so well done throughout the series, she is a beautiful dream girl, full of a radiant love for God and others, yet she has her pain and struggles too.
Mr. Thrasher does an excellent job of dealing with the many difficult topics covered in this book, and realistically showing how spiritual warfare is waged and that there is true evil in the world. I loved that he wasn’t afraid to have his characters ask those tough questions, and in turn struggle to accept the at times tough answers.
There is so much that I want to say about this series but can’t put into words. But I HIGHLY recommend it, and am so thankful that Mr. Thrasher took the time and money to continue The Books of Marvella.
While this Glory does tie up the series, it leaves so many questions yet unanswered and I can’t help but think that we have just scratched the surface of the evil at play in Appleton.
I bought this series with my own money. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
My Review:
Picking up right where the previous books left off, the kings are trying to contain the Darkwater as it closes in. Willet Dura seeks the answer to defeating the Darkwater, while also looking for answers for the vault within. Meanwhile searching for heirs and missing members of the vigil, while Toria goes to the front lines and Fess tries to find peace with his two gifts.
This can be a rather daunting and confusing read if you have not read the previous books in the series, so I won’t not recommend attempting to start with this book. Also it is a very complexly built world and it can be hard to jump into again, if you are like me and haven’t read about Willet and his companions since last year when the second installment came out.
I did find it a bit hard to remember the details of what was going on, so it took me some time to get back in the swing of things. I did feel like this book took some twists that felt abrupt and changed the flow of the entire course of the book, and though we’ve been working up to it for a long time the ending felt kinda neat. It also brought up many questions for me on what kind of metaphors and allusions that the Fayit were meant to correlate to in the spiritual realm, and what their origin story meant for everyone, and if I was possibly analyzing it too closely.
I liked seeing Willet grow more confident in his role in the Vigil despite their distrust, it was good to see Fess’s growth throughout, and Pellin finally come into his own as Eldest. I found it was a bit hard to keep up with all of the characters, as well as the many new ones, it is a complex world, with many twists along the way.
Willet matured in this book, seemingly less impulsive, though his street smarts definitely helped him navigate the challenges before him.
Overall, I’m not a hundred percent sure what I think about this book as I have a lot of questions, but I did like seeing the characters grow towards who they are meant to be. Good fantasy world building, and an intriguing plot, that kept me turning the pages. Though the end of a trilogy, I’m sure there are many more adventures to be had in the future!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising.”
My Review: Thalli has lived in Pod C among her peers her whole life. And though she tries to be like her friend Rhen, never questioning, and ever obedient, Thalli cannot live without questioning and feeling things. She finds that she can express herself through music, and when she reacts with emotion to a “primitive” piece of music, she finds herself taken away for annihilation.
But her childhood friend, Berk, now one of the privileged scientists, fights to have her saved for study of her brain. Berk wants to save her from the invasive experiments of Dr. Loudin, and as reality and virtual reality blend together, will Thalli ever find the truth?
Thalli is a strong heroine, different from her peers, she wonders why it is so easy for them to not question the powers that be, or the scientists, not wondering about the primitive world above them. But after being taken for annihilation and testing, she meets John, a strange man with memories of the primitive world, of things like love, marriage, and family. John speaks of feelings as if they are a natural part of life, and he also speaks of the Designer who made everything, his love for the world, and sacrifice of his son Jesus.
Yet there is also the world above, and the colony that is thriving without the controlled rule of the scientists. Asta and Stone, who live above, and make her wonder if there is more than their colony below the earth.
Berk is a true friend to Thalli, chosen to join the revered scientists, he is clever and is constantly working on a new innovation. As Dr. Louden’s experiments get more and more invasive, Thalli has choices to make, will she fight for an unknown future?
I loved Thalli, she is a strong heroine, with a longing for something real, for something true. Ms. McGee did a great job of capturing her voice, with her joy and wonder, fear and desolation. The first of a trilogy, I was engaged beginning to end, intrigued by this strange new, and fearsome world below.
A fast-paced adventure for fans of dystopian fiction, this book stands out from the crowd with its search for clarity and truth. Highly recommend!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising.”
