An End, But a Hoped For Beginning
920826
I was left breathless by the last quarter of this novel!  It was a perfect ending, but I hope it becomes a new beginning for Gamache and all the characters because there are still loose ends that need to be secured.  I have thoroughly enjoyed all the books in the series, and I hope that if Ms Penny does not continue on with Three Pines, she finds another magical place for her readers to visit.
3975144
The better portion of the collection focuses on the war with the Adversary/Empire, and perhaps it was just my expectations from previous story arcs seeming to take longer, but this REALLY seemed to wrap up rather quickly.

The pacing and characters were excellent as always, but everything seemed to come to final conclusion much more rapidly than normal.  I was also expecting a little more with regard to "sneaky tactics" from the Empire and less of them being handily defeated.

I'm not certain how I feel about Willingham not having an "exit strategy" for the series, as the better comics I have read all had definite ends to go with their definite beginnings ('Preacher' and 'Sandman' both immediately jump to mind).  I am somewhat afraid that after another 75 issues or so that the plots will start to get stale and that the series will go out with a whimper vice a bang, but for the moment Willingham et al continue to produce a high quality story that rarely fails to enthrall this reader.
370899
The End is nearing, the stage is set. The players are getting to their places.  Soon now the war (and the series) will be over.  But first we must get through a few things that are laid out in this episode.  Cons: Pacing is erratic. I think they were trying to drag a 4-episode finale into 7 episodes.  But what a finale.  4.2/5 Stars.  ~Keep On Trekkin'
2892588
From following the collected editions of this series, I was excited for the conclusion. It feels like it builds really well, then just peters out. The ending leaves much to be desired. Writing aside, the art is generally phenomenal.
1817680
In the latest--and likely last--of his Priscilla Hutchins adventures, author Jack McDevitt wraps up the series-long mystery of the Omega Clouds.  We first encountered them in&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Engines-of-God/dp/0441002846/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Engines of God</a>&nbsp;and were tantalized with not-quite-enough more information in&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Omega/dp/0441012108/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Omega</a>.  They emanate from the center of the galaxy and abhor and annihilate artifacts built by intelligent beings and anyone standing next to them.  Hutch bludgeons reluctant funding sources into refitting a ship with a new drive that places the center of the galaxy within reach.  After assembling a crew of familiar faces from previous books in the series, she sets out to solve the mystery once and for all.

She does, unfortunately.  After a three-book build-up, we see the little man behind the curtain--and mourn the shadowy wizard who once impressed and terrified us.  There is nothing left but to return home and pick up our lives.  Long-term McDevitt fans should read this book for the closure it provides and for one more journey with familiar and beloved characters.  That experience is worth the price of admission and time spent.  But this series might have ended better, with more of a bang than a whimper.
3197373
A solid, satisfying conclusion to the "Across the Universe" trilogy. The story did lose some of its edge now that the settlers have finally arrived at their new world. In fact, it seemed completely divorced from the two earlier novels leading up to this. To be fair, this is to be expected. The story no longer takes place on Godspeed. They are now on land, and as a result the issues are different, and so of course it would feel like a different storyline.
The ending did seem rushed, as if the author was trying to think of a way to end it, and wrapped up everything really quickly. If you have invested time and money on the first two books, you'll want to read this to see what happens to the main characters, although I warn you that the tone will be significantly different than the first two books. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just...well...different. I do recommend it however, just as long as you understand that.
4280679
This much anticipated "final" adventure of Gabriel Allon, wayward son of Israeli Intelligence was reminiscent of several other earlier books in the series, and seems to represent a final chapter in Allon's time in the field, with a win of sorts and a loss that should never have been allowed to occur, leaving the reader with a feeling of letdown instead of elation; then again real life can be like that, so maybe Silva makes his point here.  The tying together of many loose ends from preceding books gives the impression that Allon steps into the top spot in the "Office", and will nevermore be permitted to exercise his skills in the field.  Silva may be able to eke out another novel with Allon in transition, but it seems like he (Allon) deserves to have his life, or what's left to him of it, with his beautiful wife and new family without the relentless risks he has carried all his adult life as Israel's avenger.  It has been a great ride through the series, with the Defector still my favorite, but if this is the end it was anticipated, and the series remains one of the best by any author, IMO.
1294318
Hope that it's at least the first in a series, otherwise seemed to end kind of abruptly...
But until then it was entertaining.
2042264
It has been said that all good things must come to an end.  It was a good end to the series.  I felt that I had closure for all if the main characters.
1545163
The conclusion felt a anti-climactic, but overall, it was a solid end to the series. You should just get it to cap off your collection.
2529039
Appropriately tinged with nostalgia because it describes the mixed feelings of the head teacher of Fairacre school at her retirement.  One realizes with a start that this probably means no more news from Fairacre and its villagers.  All things come to an end, alas.
3829234
A great read!  A bit sad that it's over...or is it?  I am hopeful.
1679196
The end is worth the wait. It all comes together. But not completely, as in life nothing is perfect or explainable in human terms
1064968
As an introduction to the possible start of a series, this first volume accomplishes its goal.  What I found missing is a little more depth to the supposed collaboration between Sunfish and Starfish.  This introductory volume seems more weighted towards Oscar and what one assumes will be a partnership isn't quite fleshed out yet.  But, it's a fun read and we are left wanting to see what happens next.
2345498
And so we come to the final chapter in Nora's story. Or not, based on the author's note at the end, but the point is the battle against the elders starts and ends here.
Actually, just one elder. And the battle against just that one elder takes up almost a third of the book. Normally, I hate spoilers, but that just rubbed me the wrong way and I feel a need to comment on it given that over the past three books we've been told again and again that there's a council of eight to be taken on. Great fights are great, but this was just too much, and too little. Not that I necessarily wanted to pound through all eight battles individually, but the balance seemed off to me.
Overall, however, Foretold is an enjoyable read. Nora remains a character I could care about, the plot proceeds at a good pace, the settings are well thought out and the story has a real ending, both for this book in particular and for the series as a whole. A few things that had been bothering me from previous books get addressed, although a lot is just sort of crammed in right at the end; once again, the balance just seemed to be off, but better late than never.
Do I recommend the book? If you've read the series up to this point, then yes, it's worth finishing it by reading Foretold. A tricker question is, would I recommend the entire series to someone who hasn't started it yet? It's hard to do because it wraps up right when it seems like it's finally coming into its own. There is a decent story here, so if the vampires are your thing, then it's worth a read, but if you aren't a diehard vampire fan, then this series ends before having a chance to blossom into something that could change your mind.
3244973
I expected a bit more from the book.  To me plot seems a bit thin for the length of the book.  Rather than good plot development I saw new "powers" of the hero every few pages, who reminded us that he was an "archmage" on almost every page.  This is not to say that it is poorly written.  However I was glad to finally reach the end.  Unfortunately, the ending was a BIG disappointment in that it provided not even a hint of conclusion. Well written series provide a large degree of closure for each book with an opening remaining for further adventures.  This one is far more like ending a chapter with the requirement to wait months until the next chapter is published.  At the least I would recommend that readers wait until the series is complete unless one is comfortable with reading half a book, placing it aside, and picking it up to finish a year later.
3931349
If this wasn't the final Raksura book, but just the final in this story arc, I would have given it the full stars. It was a fine addition to the series and a good story, as usual. But as the final of the entire series, I felt a bit let down. There is still so much I want to know about the Reaches and the various Courts, the Fell, the half-Fell, and the characters, and a lot was left uncovered. Instead, I felt like we re-tread a lot of territory we'd already covered, like Groundlings once again being prejudiced to Raksura, and a character getting stolen and rescued, only to have another character stolen and needing rescued right after. There were parts of this book I absolutely loved, but parts did seem to drag a lot too. This series is still one my favorites and I will re-read parts of it a lot. I just wanted more and covering of different things for the final book.