I don't know what I was expecting, but this novel, the final book, more than lived up to the series itself. Yes, once again Tavi is faced with insurmountable odds, but after continually seeing him do the impossible you expect it from him. It's well done. The action can at times leave you breathless, and you're cheering for him as much as the soldiers he leads. But the true stars of this novel, and possibly this series, are the characters around him who have all their own ways helped to shape him. Everything, for the most part, is wrapped up beautifully. No character is truly left out. And there is more than one unexpected twist for almost all of them. This series goes out on a high note and is still filled with the same humor, heart, and adventure that made the land of Alera so captivating from the beginning. ( )

Gaius Octavian, the First Lord of Alera is returning home after fighting the merciless Vord in the Canim homeland. Unfortunately, one hive of vord is overtaking Alera as well. Tavi’s grandfather has died trying to defend the capital and most of the major cities are destroyed or occupied by the Vord. Tavi must reach the remaining forces who are readying for a last stand in the Calderon Valley and reinforce them or his homeland will be lost. He is also the only one with the smallest chance to defeat the Vord queen, who is learning and growing stronger after each encounter. The fate of Alera and all surviving humanity rests on his sholders.

I just adore this series. Jim Butcher has a fantastic knack for writing breathtaking, edge of your seat action. Yet, even after six books they have not begun to feel the same. Tavi always manages to use different solutions to each problem. While things look almost hopeless the story is not so dark that I just want to give up reading it. The character relationships and interaction are fantastic, with just a little humor to lighten the tension. I usually devour each new book and then eagerly await the next one. This one is no different except, there does not appear to be another story in the works. I will keep my fingers crossed because there were little pieces that were not tied off, so perhaps there is hope for more Alera stories in the future. ( )