Synopsis:
In the tenth year of the Change, the survivors in western Oregon live in a world without technology. Michael Havel’s Bearkillers hold the lands west of Salem in peace and order. To the east, the Clan Mackenzie flourishes under the leadership of Juniper Mackenzie, bard and High Priestess.
           
Together, they have held Norman Arminger—the warlord of Portland—at bay. With his dark fantasies of a neofeudal empire, Arminger rules much of the Pacific Northwest, spreading fear with his knights, castles, and holy inquisition. Even more dangerous, and perhaps Arminger’s most powerful weapon of all, is his ruthlessly cunning consort, Lady Sandra.
           
These factions haven’t met in battle because Arminger’s daughter has fallen into Clan Mackenzie’s hands. But Lady Sandra has a plan to retrieve her—even if it means plunging the entire region into open warfare…

Review:
Long. Long. Long. I felt like it took forever to read this one. The war… was coming, and there was really no way around it. I did enjoy the way the war ramped up and how each side worked together to fight against Arminger. I definitely found myself enjoying this book more than the second, perhaps because I really did like Tiphane once we got to know her a bit better. It was actually really neat getting a glimpse of things from Rudi’s perspective as well. The switch in perspective of getting to see how things were for the people under Arminger’s banner, especially those that weren’t noble showed a lot about the integrity of various characters and how they consider themselves versus others. While I quite agree with the Meeting and stipulations for the truce, I am still heartbroken over a very serious casualty of the war– so for now, I will leave the Emberverse, to return later.

Star rating: ✯✯✯✯