Just as a note, this will probably be the last book of this series I will be reviewing. Not because I don't want to read onward, but simply because this is the last book in the series that got translated into Dutch and is available at my library. I could buy the future installments, of course, but I don't think I'm quite engaged enough with this series to pay for the next books. Ah well, only time will tell.
Spoilers ahead.
Podkin returns in this new adventure. He and his friends go to look for yet another Gift, this time a magical bow that does not miss its target. But in order to obtain this bow, they will have to convince Podkin's grouchy uncle to aid in their quest. Meanwhile, the Gorm are still working hard to take over and destroy the world. It seems there is only one option for Podkin and the gang: they will have to use the arrows they forged in the previous book to take down the leader of the Gorm army.
Yeah, I quite enjoyed this book like the other ones. It also makes for a good mid-point in the series. Obviously I know that there's more books to come, but since the Dutch translations stopped translating after this installment and kept it a trilogy this is still a decent point to leave things off, even if the ending is open enough to know more is coming.
Podkin and Paz are still great characters and I also like how we got to see more of old Pook here. Pook is not that interesting a character in the main story (since he's just a toddler who doesn't do much), but the framing device where he is an elderly bard still makes him into a rounded and interesting character like his siblings. His subplot this book was also quite good, with is life being on the line depending on whether or not the bonedancers like his story.
The main story for Podkin and the gang was also still very enjoyable and perilous and kept me consistently engaged. I also liked Krum's subplot, where he has to learn to face his trauma as he comes across the witch who blinded him years ago. And you know me, I also really enjoyed the saber-toothed wolves in this. Even if they don't play a huge part in the end (which did sadden me a bit).
I do have to say that this book still also somewhat suffers from the fact that it's not always very good at justifying the children's presence in the story, but it feels less prominent and distracting here than in the last book. I just kind of wish Larwood had chosen a different, more pressing reason for Podkin and Paz and Pook to be involved in all this that isn't just "it was foretold". It just could've been handled a bit better.
Overall this is a good point for me to leave the series off on. The main villain is not outright defeated, but very severely weakened and Podkin is given a new mission to find the remaining Gifts. If I do ever continue this series, I look forward to what comes next. But if this is the last book of the series I'll ever read, that's fine by me also.
Rating: 4/5
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