Here I am, with a new blog post after 4 months away.
What could drag me back into the blogosphere? Not a lot as I try to focus my writing on other areas. But one thing that could is the final book of my friend Morgan L. Busse’s trilogy, Heir of Hope. 
I became acquainted with Morgan through the Christian Sci-fi and Fantasy Blog Tour, but we met at a writer’s conference in 2012 and hit it off. That’s when I first read her Follower of the Word series, when the first book Daughter of Light was available at the conference bookstore. (I got it signed, be jealous.) My blog review of it is here.
The deep story was a welcome addition to the fantasy I had read before, and I really enjoyed it. Then she came out with Son of Truth, the second book in the series, another 
great fantasy read. You know how the second part in a trilogy is always darker? Yeah, Morgan nailed that with this book. Her poor characters were probably ready to revolt by the end.
Now we get the epic conclusion in Heir of Hope.
The final book in the Follower of the Word series did not disappoint. Morgan created some deep main characters that had many obstacles to overcome throughout the trilogy, and it doesn’t get any better for them in Heir of Hope. Rowen Mar has been captured and taken to the Shadonae, her mortal enemies. Caleb Tala, the assassin with a change of heart, is forced to work with Captain Lore to escape the Great Desert. Since Caleb had killed Lore’s former charge, it isn’t an easy alliance. And they have the scribe Nierne, who hasn’t had much experience outside of the monastery.
This fantasy is character-driven, and each of the main characters have a lot to lose. Their internal and external battles are intriguing and keep the reader invested. As they head toward a final confrontation with the enemies taking over the land, there are steep consequences for all involved.
I really enjoyed the whole series, and Heir of Hope does not disappoint. It could have been trimmed down a little and still maintain the tension and depth, but the flow doesn’t lose out. There’s wonderful themes about love, forgiveness, and sacrifice in the novel that make it and the series a great addition to any fantasy fan’s library.
How about a little contest? Leave a comment telling me your favorite fantasy series, and I’ll pick a random winner to receive a paperback copy of Daughter of Light. Thanks for stopping by, and leave a comment to get the start of a great series.