The Chains of War by Dean Wilson

I'm going to start this review with a confession: I'm not often a fan of the final book in a trilogy. I don't really like endings, having to say goodbye to the characters I've grown attached to, and not being able to make up scenarios in my head for them. I also feel like conclusions are often rushed or subpar, and rarely do I enjoy them as much as the first few books in the series (The Hunger Games, for example). Going into the last leg of the Children of Telm series by Dean Wilson, I was understandably a little nervous. I'd become a fan of Ifferon and his companions (particularly Delin and Geldirana, they were my favorite characters), and didn't want to turn the last pages on their story. Wilson did a fantastic job wrapping up his series, and keeping me hooked throughout the entire book. The Chains of War is a great concluding book, and earns itself 4 out of 5 stars and a glowing review from me.

From the publisher:
The first of Agon’s chains has broken, and the others are straining. It is only a matter of time before he is free, before the world is engulfed in chaos and death.

There are few left to stop him. Most of the gods can only sit and watch in horror from their prison in the heavens, but the resurrection of the father god Corrias gives the people of Iraldas a sliver of hope, a fighting chance.

Yet the memory of Corrias' failure to defeat Agon in ages past plays heavily on all minds. Many know that it is only the might of the Warrior-god Telm that can defeat the Beast. That god is dead, but his power lives on in his bloodline, in Ifferon and others like him, and they are tasked with waging a final war against the Beast.

My thoughts:
This is a difficult review to write, because there are a lot of details and quotes that I would love to incorporate, and can't do that because I don't want to spoil the book for anyone. I can say that the battle between Agon and Corrias was quite remarkable to read, and I was reminded of Rick Riordan and the mythology placed into his books. Corrias and Agon can walk the earth, be looked upon by mortal eyes, and Agon is capable of being hit by mortal weapons and hands, even if they do not inflict that much damage. I am not a fan of gods being completely unapproachable by mortals, and I liked that Ifferon and company could truly help Corrias, rather than just being background noise.

This world that Wilson has created is immense, and he does a wonderful job describing every facet. I am especially grateful for the map that was included, it made Ifferon's journey much easier to see and understand. I also really liked Yavun's poetry in this book, I feel like because there were fewer poems, they added so much more to the story without being overwhelming. Dean Wilson is incredibly skilled in his writing, from drawing me into his world that he has created, to emotionally linking me with his incredible characters. I felt so deeply for each of the characters whenever something happened to them, and found myself dreading the final chapters of the trilogy, knowing that this would be it for Ifferon, Geldirana, and all the other characters fighting against Agon.

Books such as The Chains of War are few and far between, and truly demonstrate the passion that their authors have for writing. Dean Wilson is certainly a force to be reckoned with, and I look forward to reading his other works. If you haven't already, I highly recommend downloading The Call of Agon, and starting this tremendous series. I leave you with one of my favorite quotes from The Chains of War :)

"It is not courage to not know fear, but rather it is courage to know fear and face it anyway."

- Justin