This isn't really the final book, since she then went back and wrote a fourth one, but since the threat of wild horses couldn't entice me to continue reading once I found a good stopping place, I might as well use this as my conclusion. It was, after all, only meant to be a trilogy.She finally ended most of the tedium of dragon care, what was fascinating in the beginning soon felt like I really did own a dragon. The reader was present for every feeding, at least we were spared the shoveling of dung in this final book. What's more, the constant search for food was an all-pervading theme, okay, we get it, dragons are HUNGRY. I'm only glad she bothered to take care of the search for water in the desert, because that could've really gotten boring.The world was moderately interesting, except it was just a fantasy version of Egypt, and the Egyptian names blurred together after a bit. The characters proved intensely flat. So what if boy got girl? Boy was never in danger of losing girl. In fact, the books were entirely devoid of any romantic entanglements of any sort. How is it that every relationship was so distinctly without any drama? A few people died, but no one intrinsic to the plot, or if they were, I didn't seem to notice. I didn't really care about any of them.Honestly, I'm just glad this is over with, which isn't how I should feel about a trilogy. I should be exciting about jumping into another book, and happy that she wrote a fourth.
If you love dragons, this is the correct series to read. This three books are so filled with dragons and flying jousters that you'll feel the wind on your skin while reading it. These books are a really good coming of age story, but also the world building, the politics and the society overall are very good. Only thing that doesn't get a five star for me is that there are a lot of external characters, but these characters are sometimes forgotten, and sometimes it makes you feel that the book should really have been longer. Also it's really a boy book, and being female I strongly feel the absence of female characters
What do You think about Sanctuary (2006)?
This is the third book in the Dragon Jouster's series that began with Joust and continued in Alta, and you should read those first. I'm a fan generally of Lackey's books, particularly her Valdemar series, and I think these are among the best of her books I've read. The series is centered on Kiron (in the first book known as Vetch) and I like his arc throughout the books, as well as the magical land, reminiscent of Ancient Egypt, in which this is set--and the dragons of course. They're not talking or telepathic dragons in the vein of McCaffrey or Novik, but are still engaging. The problems in the two lands of the previous books come to a head in this one, and beyond following characters I'd grown to care about (the dragons as much as the humans) this makes for a well-paced gripping adventure tale.
—Lisa (Harmonybites)
I still love this new world that Lackey's created but I felt that this book fell short of the previous two. The story was slow to start and it didn't really get going until after the first 100 pages. Also, I think my reaction had a lot to do with the fact it's been about a year since I've read the second book and the events and characters of that were a little fuzzy. However, the ending was satisfactory and there are enough intriguing hints of what's to come in this universe that I'll keep reading. In addition, for a history freak like me, I'm loving the parallels to Lackey's world to the historical ancient Egypt's unification. Recommended, but read the first two first.
—Debbie
I'm a bit torn about this one. On one hand I liked to learn how Kiron & Co fare in Sanctuary and with what they have to deal on a daily basis. On the other hand I feel like that that part of the story was a bit too long and detailed. :/I also didn't like that I got told certain bits of information and history again and again and again. I've read the previous books. I don't need to be told again what happened. Or that Aket-ten's power is a minor one again and again. Or that Toreth was murdere
—Saphirablue
