I received an e-arc of this book via Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review as part of the blog tour organised by RockStar Book Tours. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.
Publisher: Harper Voyager Impulse
Published: December 3, 2017
Format: eBook
Pages: 560
Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks
Published: December 3, 2017
Format: eBook
Series: Birth of Saints #3
Pages: 560
Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks
Summary
The final novel in Michelle Hauck's Birth of Saints trilogy, Steadfast follows Grudging and Faithful in telling the fateful story of Claire and Ramiro and their battle against a god that hungers for blood.
When the Northerners invaded, the ciudades-estado knew they faced a powerful army. But what they didn't expect was the deadly magic that was also brought to the desert: the white-robed priests with their lethal Diviners, and the evil god, Dal. Cities have burned, armies have been decimated, and entire populaces have been sacrificed in the Sun God's name, and it looks as if nothing can prevent the devastation.
But there are still those with hope.
Claire, a Woman of the Song, has already brought considerable magic of her own to fight the Children of Dal, and Ramiro, a soldier who has forsaken his vows to Colina Hermosa's cavalry to stand by her side, has killed and bled for their cause. Separated after the last battle, they move forward with the hope that the saints will hear their prayers, their families will be saved, and that they'll see each other once more.
A stirring conclusion to the Birth of Saints series, Ramiro and Claire's journey finds completion in a battle between evil and love.
My Thoughts...
Ooops, she did it again... Michelle Hauck managed to wow me once again with this stunning conclusion to her Birth of Saints trilogy! I am so in love with this series, I'm more than a little sorry that it is over... Might be just the right time to schedule a back-to-back reread!
Picking up right where Faithful left off, Steadfast takes us on an emotional rollercoaster, as the stakes for our characters grow ever higher. After having witnessed entire cities burned to the ground and armies destroyed, they are now faced with a threat bigger than ever before: the potential annihilation of humankind itself. Desperate to find a way to stop Dal, the Northerners' Sun God, before he succeeds in satisfying his blood thirst, our heroes are forced to separate and rally together new and unlikely allies to their cause.
Steadfast has all the elements of the first two books that I adored, and keeps adding more! The world building continues to be spot on, and the complexities of these many societies, with their individual customs and beliefs, continue to be explored in great detail. In a masterful touch, this time round we get a glimpse into Northerner society, too. I loved the introduction of Santabe's point of view and the scenes with the Northerner commander Rasdid. We now get a glimpse into this foreign society, and as Teresa and Ramiro figure out, it proves to be much more complicated than it would appear. Personally, I wouldn't mind getting to know them a little bit better still, so perhaps there could be room for a new spin-off series at some point? Just throwing it out there... it is nearly Christmas after all (wink, wink)...
This series started out really well, and right up to the end it did not disappoint! The characters kept growing and developing incessantly, each of them desperately fighting his or her own battle to understand their own identity and make sure it would not be lost in the wider war for survival. Michelle Hauck somehow managed to masterfully weave together a fantasy world, great action scenes and ethical dilemmas: just how far should one go in order to ensure their own survival? And what about other people's? These and other questions keep swirling around in all the main characters' minds... and our own. Issues of social justice and contrasting world-views are also present once more, expanding on what was introduced in the first two books, and showing how the destruction of the old world order can be the starting point for something new to be built.
At times funny, at times heartbreaking, Steadfast is the perfect conclusion to a stunning trilogy. There is never a dull moment, and each and every scene and character are absolutely key to the story's development. A book I could not put down, and one I wished could never end, it will draw you in and keep you wondering up until the end: has the age of saints returned? And it will show you just how powerful love, faith and hope can prove, even in the most desperate of times.
Rating: 5/5
Curious about the rest of the series? Why not check out my reviews for the first and second books, Grudging and Faithful, by clicking on the covers.
About Michelle:
Michelle Hauck lives in the bustling metropolis
of northern Indiana with her hubby and two teenagers. Two papillons help
balance out the teenage drama. Besides working with special needs children by
day, she writes all sorts of fantasy, giving her imagination free range. A book
worm, she passes up the darker vices in favor of chocolate and looks for any
excuse to reward herself. Bio finished? Time for a sweet snack.
She is a co-host of the yearly contests Query Kombat
and Nightmare on Query Street, and Sun versus Snow.
Her epic fantasy, Kindar's Cure, is published by
Divertir Publishing. Her short story, Frost and Fog, is published by The
Elephant's Bookshelf Press in their anthology, Summer's Double Edge. She's repped
by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary.
And now... Time for a giveaway!!
2 lucky winners will receive paperbacks of the first two books in the series, GRUDGING and FAITHFUL. US only.
Tour Schedule
I'm so excited to have been part of this tour! Make sure you check out the other stops as well:
Week
One:
12/4/2017- Hooked To
Books- Interview
12/4/2017- Lisa's Reads- Excerpt
12/5/2017- Bibliobibuli YA- Spotlight
12/5/2017- Adventures
Thru Wonderland- Review Book 1
12/6/2017- Cuz I'm A Nerd- Review Book 1
12/6/2017- Always Me- Excerpt
12/7/2017- BookHounds- Interview
12/7/2017- Books and
Ladders- Review
Book 1
12/8/2017- Spilling
Words- Excerpt
12/8/2017- Myth! Magic!
Mayhem!- Review
Week
Two:
12/11/2017- Book for
Thought- Review
12/11/2017- Author Dan Koboldt- Interview
12/12/2017- Don't Judge,
Read- Review
Book 1
12/12/2017- Literary
Musings- Spotlight
12/13/2017- Two Chicks
on Books- Interview
12/13/2017- K.T. Hanna –
Author- Review
Book 1
12/14/2017- Books at
Dawn- Excerpt
12/14/2017- books are
love- Review
Book 1
12/15/2017- Twinning for
Books- Guest
Post
12/15/2017- Book Briefs- Review
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