Hmm, I'm having a hard time deciding what to rate this one. I blew threw this and [b:Now I Rise|40669906|Now I Rise (The Conqueror's Saga #2)|Kiersten White|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1530288861s/40669906.jpg|42367441] in like 3 days, and while I definitely thought Now I Rise was the superior book, this had a lot of redeeming qualities for me.

First, Radu. He's kind of trash in the second book. Love him as a character but damn if he doesn't make some terrible decisions. He absolutely redeems himself here though. Finally atoning for all the weak moments in the first and second books.

Lada: I was kind of disappointed with her! She was SO clever and nasty in the first two; she seemed really... defeated in this one. Walks into a lot of traps. I absolutely LOVE novels where the main characters are constantly trying to out maneuver each other (the TV series Reign and [b:The Pillars of the Earth|5043|The Pillars of the Earth (Kingsbridge, #1)|Ken Follett|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1388193707s/5043.jpg|3359698] are great examples of this), and I feel like that was a lot more essential to the plot of the second book but not this one.

Mehmed is still terrible. Love to hate that guy. Kinda felt a little bad for him there at the end but meh.

I also loved how the various romances were handled. They weren't overdone, and I think this book could have been easily ruined with a lot of sex. It would have taken away from the dark and bloody conflict which is of course the point of the story. I would have loved to have seen Lada and Bogdan's relationship developed a little further, however.

Overall a strong finish to a compulsively readable series.