Destiny: Child of the Sky

This is going to be a hard review to write, because I read the first three books in this series 10 years ago and loved them, and I'm re-reading them now to finish the series. I still love them. I got sucked right back into the story of Rhapsody, Achmed, and Gruntor...and Ashe. Ugh. Ashe. Because I love these books I don't want to say anything bad about them, but this book in particular drove me crazy at times.

I spent half my time reading this book (listening to the audiobook, really) rolling my eyes at Ashe, and at how beautiful and perfect Rhapsody is. I mean, we didn't really need to hear about her beautiful hair and her blazing eyes and literally perfect face over and over again. This is book 3. We get it by now. And then their show more romance...the wedding scene reminded me of every overblown fanfiction wedding I've ever read, and I genuinely expected better than that.

That being said, this book wraps up most of the major conflicts from the first part of this series. The Cymrians are reunited under the leadership of Ashe and Rhapsody as Lord and Lady Cymrian, the F'dor is finally killed, and the mysterious Meridion is finally understood. It feels like a tidy ending, and for some it may be a good place to stop.

I would have preferred to see much more of Achmed and Gruntor in this installment, and I can only hope at this point that as the series continues it focuses on more than (or anything but) the Ashe and Rhapsody love story. Achmed > Ashe. That's all. show less

Time is running short and the Three know they must find the demon before he plunges the world into darkness. With the knowledge of the locations of the demon spawn children, Rhapsody and Achmed leave Ylorc in Grunthor's hands while they seek each of the children out. If they can find a way to separate the demon's blood from the children it will give them a way to track the F'dor. Hopefully it will be enough.

Destiny is the final book in the Rhapsody trilogy and the third book of the larger Symphony of Ages series. Again the story picks up straight where book two leaves off. There is still a good amount of travel involved, as seems to be common in these books, yet it doesn't seem quite as plodding this time around. We get to see new areas show more of the world, with more details into the lore and history of the land. The world building in these books is simply amazing. Haydon knows how to create a world that feels alive.

In this book the format changes a bit. Rather than only being focused on the main characters, we are given points of view of many of the side characters introduced in the first two books. This adds a nice depth to those characters and gives insight into how actions of the three are starting to affect the rest of the world as well as the various politics between countries. It also emphasizes just how much the F'dor's influence has spread, adding to a sense of urgency to the main quest.

The love story still plays a part in this book, though less than it did in book two. It does not take over the plot and is mostly brought up at the end of the story.

Haydon does a nice job of tying up all the loose story threads. It is a satisfying ending to the trilogy. show less

Oh god, thank you that that is over. It just went on and on and on. At one point in the audiobook I started yelling "just get on with it already".

Sigh. I have fond memories of this series, but it's not aging well for me. I'm not sure I will continue--which is a shame because I'd like to know what happens. Maybe I'll just skip to the last book in the series.

This book was WAY long, which was why it gets 4 stars (prolly closer to 3.5). I love the main characters, but I really felt like the book dragged on and on and on. So many things happening. And I'm not entirely certain the ending was worth it (the very last chapter). I liked the overall wrap up and will definitely be continuing the series.

This book got back on track after the excessive romance that dominated the second book. A good conclusion to the trilogy with enough to keep me reading the series.

The conclusion of the Rhapsody Trilogy. The Three must find a way to defeat the F’Dor, unite the Cymrians, and hopefully live happily ever after. If they live through it all. Still enjoyable on my 3rd (4th?) re-read.

Driven by prophetic visions, the three know time is running short, and they must find their elusive enemy before his darkness consumes them. But after their final, brutal confrontation with the F'dor, their world crosses the threshold of disaster and faces utter oblivion.