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The Ending Fire Trilogy #3
The Ending Fire
Win a free print copy of this book!
18 days and 14:38:35
5 copies available
U.S. only
Rebellions are like fires—something needs to burn to make a flame. Return to the Wardens’ Empire in this riveting conclusion to the visionary fantasy trilogy inspired by the mythology of Africa and Arabia.
The Wardens’ Empire is falling. A vigilante known only as the Truthsayer is raising an army against the wardens. Sylah and Hassa must navigate the politics of this new world, all the while searching for Anoor.
Across the sea, the Blood Forged prepare for war, requesting aid from other governments. Jond’s role as major general sees him training soldiers for combat, but matters of the heart will prove to be the hardest battlefield.
The Zalaam celebrate the arrival of the Child of Fire, heralding the start of the final battle. Anoor’s doubts are eclipsed by the powers of her new god. Soon the Zalaam will set off on their last voyage—and few expect to return.
Do you feel it? Cresting the horizon? The darkness drawing in, the shadows elongating . . .
The Ending Fire comes.
The Wardens’ Empire is falling. A vigilante known only as the Truthsayer is raising an army against the wardens. Sylah and Hassa must navigate the politics of this new world, all the while searching for Anoor.
Across the sea, the Blood Forged prepare for war, requesting aid from other governments. Jond’s role as major general sees him training soldiers for combat, but matters of the heart will prove to be the hardest battlefield.
The Zalaam celebrate the arrival of the Child of Fire, heralding the start of the final battle. Anoor’s doubts are eclipsed by the powers of her new god. Soon the Zalaam will set off on their last voyage—and few expect to return.
Do you feel it? Cresting the horizon? The darkness drawing in, the shadows elongating . . .
The Ending Fire comes.
480 pages, Hardcover
First published September 10, 2024
About the author
Saara El-Arifi
8 books2,258 followersSaara El-Arifi is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Ending Fire Trilogy
and the Faebound Trilogy.
El-Arifi knew she was a storyteller from the moment she told her first lie. Over the years, she has perfected her tall tales into epic ones. She has lived in many countries, had many jobs, and owned many more cats. After a decade of working in marketing and communications, she returned to academia to complete a master’s degree in African studies alongside her writing career. She currently resides in London as a full-time procrastinator.
and the Faebound Trilogy.
El-Arifi knew she was a storyteller from the moment she told her first lie. Over the years, she has perfected her tall tales into epic ones. She has lived in many countries, had many jobs, and owned many more cats. After a decade of working in marketing and communications, she returned to academia to complete a master’s degree in African studies alongside her writing career. She currently resides in London as a full-time procrastinator.
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September 8, 2024guess who got the arc 😋
July 27, 2024
After being disappointed by Faebound, I was cautious about this final instalment. There was no need. El-Arifi proved her skill through her beautiful writing and incredible, thoughtful world-building with complicated characters.
Home isn't the opposite of not belonging. It's choosing where you belong.
Anoor has been caught in the spider’s game, joining The Sandstorm’s Yona - Wife, grandmother. Anoor is prophesied to be the saviour of the Zalaam, to bring the Ending Fire. But the disciples, her new allies, aren't what they seem.
Sylah has returned, reuniting with Hassa who spreads the news that the Zalaam use bone marrow to shift the balance of the world and they are bringing war.
Even if the Zalaam don't kill them, the weather, made worse by Bloodwerk, eventually will.
Sylah’s mind is loveclouded. She cannot see beyond Anoor, much to Hassa’s chagrin who wants Sylah to see beyond one person and for the rebellion to succeed.
Sylah reverts back to her cruel self she was in book one. Similarly, we see Anoor changing, becoming disillusioned and losing her heart.
The pieces of her weren't the same: where they had once been as pliable as warm sand, they were now glass, fragile but sharp.
I was worried all the character development would unravel, but El-Arifi handles her arcs with such care, you can see the threads, temptations, and relationships linking from the first book to the finale.
Even till the end, my heart was in my throat.
I do wish this might have been four books long to spend more time learning the different parts of the world, their knowledge, culture, and lore.
This is clearly a compliment to El-Arifi’s world-building, being aware of so many different aspects which weren’t explored but were there.
The ending also slightly disappointed me. Things were finished up too quickly whilst some threads didn’t quite feel complete. I feel slightly cheated, but I can’t quite put my finger on what.
I am wavering between three and four stars. 🌟
Thank you to Harper Voyager for providing an arc in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
Home isn't the opposite of not belonging. It's choosing where you belong.
Anoor has been caught in the spider’s game, joining The Sandstorm’s Yona - Wife, grandmother. Anoor is prophesied to be the saviour of the Zalaam, to bring the Ending Fire. But the disciples, her new allies, aren't what they seem.
Sylah has returned, reuniting with Hassa who spreads the news that the Zalaam use bone marrow to shift the balance of the world and they are bringing war.
Even if the Zalaam don't kill them, the weather, made worse by Bloodwerk, eventually will.
Sylah’s mind is loveclouded. She cannot see beyond Anoor, much to Hassa’s chagrin who wants Sylah to see beyond one person and for the rebellion to succeed.
Sylah reverts back to her cruel self she was in book one. Similarly, we see Anoor changing, becoming disillusioned and losing her heart.
The pieces of her weren't the same: where they had once been as pliable as warm sand, they were now glass, fragile but sharp.
I was worried all the character development would unravel, but El-Arifi handles her arcs with such care, you can see the threads, temptations, and relationships linking from the first book to the finale.
Even till the end, my heart was in my throat.
I do wish this might have been four books long to spend more time learning the different parts of the world, their knowledge, culture, and lore.
This is clearly a compliment to El-Arifi’s world-building, being aware of so many different aspects which weren’t explored but were there.
The ending also slightly disappointed me. Things were finished up too quickly whilst some threads didn’t quite feel complete. I feel slightly cheated, but I can’t quite put my finger on what.
I am wavering between three and four stars. 🌟
Thank you to Harper Voyager for providing an arc in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
September 11, 2024
ugh this trilogy!!! 10/10 no notes
September 10, 2024
The Final Strife was not only my favorite debut of 2022, but it was also one of my favorite fantasies. To say I had high expectations for this final book is an understatement. Did it meet my expectations? Not quite. I can’t quite put my finger on what didn’t work for me. It took me three weeks to read this book that should have taken me three days.
Sylah’s storyline is this book was good. Her character development throughout the series has been done well, and I found her actions and motivations believable.
Anoor, on the other hand, annoyed me quite a bit in this book. I felt like her actions didn’t line up with her character from previous books. I do feel like her character arc came to a satisfying end though.
Hassa had the best and most developed storyline in this book. I enjoyed seeing her come into herself.
Jond was a pleasant surprise in this book. He wasn’t my favorite character in the previous two books, but I found myself looking forward to his chapters.
I did really enjoy the final battle. I liked that Saara El-Arifi gave us a lot of short chapters from various new POVs to help understand what was happening in the battle.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. This is still a series that I will recommend widely. It just didn’t quite live up to my high expectations.
The Final Strife - 5 stars
The Battle Drum - 4.5 stars
The Ending Fire - 4 stars
Sylah’s storyline is this book was good. Her character development throughout the series has been done well, and I found her actions and motivations believable.
Anoor, on the other hand, annoyed me quite a bit in this book. I felt like her actions didn’t line up with her character from previous books. I do feel like her character arc came to a satisfying end though.
Hassa had the best and most developed storyline in this book. I enjoyed seeing her come into herself.
Jond was a pleasant surprise in this book. He wasn’t my favorite character in the previous two books, but I found myself looking forward to his chapters.
I did really enjoy the final battle. I liked that Saara El-Arifi gave us a lot of short chapters from various new POVs to help understand what was happening in the battle.
Overall, I did enjoy this book. This is still a series that I will recommend widely. It just didn’t quite live up to my high expectations.
The Final Strife - 5 stars
The Battle Drum - 4.5 stars
The Ending Fire - 4 stars
Want to read
January 18, 2024THAT COVER??????? OMG
September 23, 2024
solid conclusion. did feel a bit rushed, but maybe that’s just cause i wanted to spend more time with these characters
September 12, 2024
Wow. I can't believe it's over.
This was one of my most anticipated releases due to the fact that The Battle Drum was one of the best sequels I have ever read of a fantasy series. With the mix of character exploration, expansive world buildings, incredible plot twists, it worked so so well to set up for the final instalment.
The Ending Fire follows closely after The Battle Drum and all of our characters are in such a state of disarray. Scrambling to prepare for the war and find each other, the stakes are so high and our characters are up against steep odds. I was so stressed throughout and many times I was screaming at my kindle.
The magic of this world is pushed to the absolute limits and we see some incredible uses of it as well as innovative ways that each group think of in preparation of war.
This series has a sound ending but I feel like everything wrapped up quite fast. I would of liked more and I saw another review talking about how this would be a good 4 book series because the world is so large, but I don't know if I also support that because I just didn't want this story to end.
Saara El-Arifi smashed this series and I will think of it often. Sylah, Anoor, Hassa. The three women that changed the empire forever. Who went to hell and back in their own ways and came out fighting.
Thank you HarperVoyager for the advanced copy provided by Netgalley.
This was one of my most anticipated releases due to the fact that The Battle Drum was one of the best sequels I have ever read of a fantasy series. With the mix of character exploration, expansive world buildings, incredible plot twists, it worked so so well to set up for the final instalment.
The Ending Fire follows closely after The Battle Drum and all of our characters are in such a state of disarray. Scrambling to prepare for the war and find each other, the stakes are so high and our characters are up against steep odds. I was so stressed throughout and many times I was screaming at my kindle.
The magic of this world is pushed to the absolute limits and we see some incredible uses of it as well as innovative ways that each group think of in preparation of war.
This series has a sound ending but I feel like everything wrapped up quite fast. I would of liked more and I saw another review talking about how this would be a good 4 book series because the world is so large, but I don't know if I also support that because I just didn't want this story to end.
Saara El-Arifi smashed this series and I will think of it often. Sylah, Anoor, Hassa. The three women that changed the empire forever. Who went to hell and back in their own ways and came out fighting.
Thank you HarperVoyager for the advanced copy provided by Netgalley.
July 1, 2024
"Rebellions are like fires—something needs to burn to make a flame."
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
➳ 4.5
TW: ableism, abuse, addiction, alcohol, blood, child death, classism, colonization, confinement, cursing, death, death of a loved one, domestic abuse, drug abuse, drug addiction, emotional abuse, genocide, gore, grief, gun violence, hate crime, injury/injury detail, medical content, murder, mutilation, panic attacks/disorders, physical abuse, police brutality, ritualistic sacrifice, religious extremism, self harm, sexual content, slavery, suicidal thoughts, suicide, torture, trafficking, violence, vomit, war, xenophobia.
Saara El-Arifi deserves every kind of award because how is every book she writes fantastic?
I'm actually incredibly emotional to be at the end of this trilogy, but here's my attempt at writing a coherent review (kindly ignore the distant sounds of my sniffling, please <3)
There are no words for how excited I was when I got approved for this ARC and I can only say that it met every single one of my expectations. Every ounce of excitement I felt for this book was rewarded with the kind of story deserving it. Even with me being locked in a horrendous reading slump, I was either reading this or thinking about reading it.
The story picks up just a bit after where The Battle Drum left off, with our characters each dealing with their own challenges as obstacles upon obstacles get thrown their way. We follow some characters to explore parts of the world we haven't seen before (each beautifully crafted) and others to more familiar places.
One of my favorite aspects was the way each of the main characters was given some sort of closure (or not) of a full-circle moment without the book ever feeling like it was trying to force me to experience that 'end-of-series' emotion that so many finales seem to attempt to manipulate their readers into feeling.
I will admit to struggling with Anoor's naivety a bit more in this book than the previous installments - but I also can't pretend I don't understand the decisions she made or the path that led her to where she was in this book. She was in character the entire time, it was just a bit tedious to read about.
My only other (slight) criticism is that I almost felt as if this book was too short or rushed. That isn't to say that I think it wasn't well-crafted but rather, I wish more time had been given to certain experiences/developments/characters. There were so many things going on in this book and not a single page was wasted; I just wish it could have been a bit longer.
That aside though? This is the kind of finale that makes you feel a bit hollowed out at the end, which is one of the biggest compliments I can give it. I love this series so, so much and it's really bittersweet to know that it's over.
I'm wholeheartedly grateful for the chance to read this and I can't wait to read every book Saara El-Arifi writes from now until the end of time.
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
➳ 4.5
TW: ableism, abuse, addiction, alcohol, blood, child death, classism, colonization, confinement, cursing, death, death of a loved one, domestic abuse, drug abuse, drug addiction, emotional abuse, genocide, gore, grief, gun violence, hate crime, injury/injury detail, medical content, murder, mutilation, panic attacks/disorders, physical abuse, police brutality, ritualistic sacrifice, religious extremism, self harm, sexual content, slavery, suicidal thoughts, suicide, torture, trafficking, violence, vomit, war, xenophobia.
Saara El-Arifi deserves every kind of award because how is every book she writes fantastic?
I'm actually incredibly emotional to be at the end of this trilogy, but here's my attempt at writing a coherent review (kindly ignore the distant sounds of my sniffling, please <3)
There are no words for how excited I was when I got approved for this ARC and I can only say that it met every single one of my expectations. Every ounce of excitement I felt for this book was rewarded with the kind of story deserving it. Even with me being locked in a horrendous reading slump, I was either reading this or thinking about reading it.
The story picks up just a bit after where The Battle Drum left off, with our characters each dealing with their own challenges as obstacles upon obstacles get thrown their way. We follow some characters to explore parts of the world we haven't seen before (each beautifully crafted) and others to more familiar places.
One of my favorite aspects was the way each of the main characters was given some sort of closure (or not) of a full-circle moment without the book ever feeling like it was trying to force me to experience that 'end-of-series' emotion that so many finales seem to attempt to manipulate their readers into feeling.
I will admit to struggling with Anoor's naivety a bit more in this book than the previous installments - but I also can't pretend I don't understand the decisions she made or the path that led her to where she was in this book. She was in character the entire time, it was just a bit tedious to read about.
My only other (slight) criticism is that I almost felt as if this book was too short or rushed. That isn't to say that I think it wasn't well-crafted but rather, I wish more time had been given to certain experiences/developments/characters. There were so many things going on in this book and not a single page was wasted; I just wish it could have been a bit longer.
That aside though? This is the kind of finale that makes you feel a bit hollowed out at the end, which is one of the biggest compliments I can give it. I love this series so, so much and it's really bittersweet to know that it's over.
I'm wholeheartedly grateful for the chance to read this and I can't wait to read every book Saara El-Arifi writes from now until the end of time.
August 31, 2024
2024 reads: 243/250
i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
this is the conclusion to the ending fire trilogy.
as a vigilante known as the truthsayer raises an army against the wardens, sylah and hassa search for anoor…who’s currently being praised as the child of fire.
i still can’t believe this trilogy is over! i’ve been lucky enough to have received each book early, so i’ve been following this series since before book one came out. needless to say, i had high hopes for this book. i’m so glad that this exceeded my expectations! i really enjoyed how each character’s arc played out. the plot was also very interesting, and the author used the 500+ pages well.
i highly recommend this to anyone who’s enjoyed the previous books in this series, and i’m looking forward to more from saara el-arifi.
i received an advanced review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating.
this is the conclusion to the ending fire trilogy.
as a vigilante known as the truthsayer raises an army against the wardens, sylah and hassa search for anoor…who’s currently being praised as the child of fire.
i still can’t believe this trilogy is over! i’ve been lucky enough to have received each book early, so i’ve been following this series since before book one came out. needless to say, i had high hopes for this book. i’m so glad that this exceeded my expectations! i really enjoyed how each character’s arc played out. the plot was also very interesting, and the author used the 500+ pages well.
i highly recommend this to anyone who’s enjoyed the previous books in this series, and i’m looking forward to more from saara el-arifi.
September 17, 2024
I need this so bad
Page 211: Anoor WTF IS WRONG WITH U. CHILDREN??
Is she being drugged by the tea?
TLDR: Read this series it’s amazing. Likeable characters and a well developed main romance.
FINAL REVIEW:
Heavy spoilers ahead.
Positives:
-Well written and easy to follow narrative
- Hassa finally comes into her own and is still easily my favourite character.
-I appreciate that the book doesn’t pretend racism is solved by having a happier ending (cough cough Children of agony and anguish). The Dryland Republic is shown to be the right change, but it shows there’s still issues present. This is far more realistic and fits in with the overall feel of the story.
- Hassa and her father are so cute. That’s it, that’s the point.
-Jond finally gets something other than Sylah to think about.
-Yona dies in a way that feels earned by the story.
-I like that the magic system is consistent in a magical realism way.
-The ending of the deathcraft being lost reminds me of AOT so it was kinda cool. It feels like somebody will find it one day and make trouble again.
-The Joba seeds continue to be the real villain in the story. Anoor’s struggle is a mirror of what Sylah went through. Good callbacks and writing.
-Hassa’s solution for the fire felt really earned by the story. I loved how it flipped the ember’s blood supremacy on its head. Only the ghostings could reclaim their country.
-I really like how the ghostings don’t assume the fight is over because they’ve overthrown the Wardens. It feels more mature as they actually focus on rebuilding and preventing another extremist regime. I would’ve liked to see more of Chrysalis tho.
-Nayeli’s story is so cool and really runs through well in the two books. She is a fanatic to her core and the story never tries to redeem her. More authors should be committed and plan ahead like this.
-I’m actually satisfied by Anoor and Sylah disappearing. Two women forced into the centre of everything by their births, able to disappear due to their love.
-Jond losing his voice seems strangely fitting because he always seemed like the character who never shut up.
NEGATIVES:
-I really don’t feel like Sylah and Jond actually got an end to their story together. There was so much crazy history and they just never really talked again. Feel so let down.
-Anoor’s whole character was shafted nearly the full book to just being Daenerys on drugs. The plot twist was extremely predictable and made her sections a drag to go through.
-I really wasn’t a fan of how Anoor seemed to get away with everything. It wasn’t her fault, but you’re telling me nobody tried to attack her for her part in it?
-The whole murder mystery plot of book 2 remains to be pointless in this story. Zuhari just felt shoe-horned in just to make it seem more relevant.
-This is more petty but the boat country’s political system is so unbelievably stupid i can’t believe they exist.
-Kara is so forgettable in book 2 that her arc in this one feels really unearned. She’s almost just there as a romance plot for Jond. There’s a world ending war going on why do we need will they or won’t they drama?
-… What’s going on in Tenio now?
-I don’t like the mindlinks, I feel like it lessens the impact of the atrocity done to the ghostings if they can just use telepathy.
-What was the point of the Captain being kicked out if she just gets the role back anyways?
MAIN COMPLAINT:
I really hate the series’s shift into multiple POVs. Book 1 was perfect, Sylah was actually the main character and I liked her a lot. (However I always cared way more about Hassa) Book 2 was okay because I really wanted to know about Nayeli and the mcs were separated. But the final battle in this book was just ridiculous. I knew who the characters were but for a more casual reader it would be impossible to remember who any of them were. Why did Retribution need a POV? The whole thing just felt disorganised.
OVERALL:
This review seems way more negative than I actually feel about the book. I really enjoyed it and I think it was a worthy finale for these characters. I do think some sections were too long (Anoor drug arc) but they were mostly well balanced.
Page 211: Anoor WTF IS WRONG WITH U. CHILDREN??
Is she being drugged by the tea?
TLDR: Read this series it’s amazing. Likeable characters and a well developed main romance.
FINAL REVIEW:
Heavy spoilers ahead.
Positives:
-Well written and easy to follow narrative
- Hassa finally comes into her own and is still easily my favourite character.
-I appreciate that the book doesn’t pretend racism is solved by having a happier ending (cough cough Children of agony and anguish). The Dryland Republic is shown to be the right change, but it shows there’s still issues present. This is far more realistic and fits in with the overall feel of the story.
- Hassa and her father are so cute. That’s it, that’s the point.
-Jond finally gets something other than Sylah to think about.
-Yona dies in a way that feels earned by the story.
-I like that the magic system is consistent in a magical realism way.
-The ending of the deathcraft being lost reminds me of AOT so it was kinda cool. It feels like somebody will find it one day and make trouble again.
-The Joba seeds continue to be the real villain in the story. Anoor’s struggle is a mirror of what Sylah went through. Good callbacks and writing.
-Hassa’s solution for the fire felt really earned by the story. I loved how it flipped the ember’s blood supremacy on its head. Only the ghostings could reclaim their country.
-I really like how the ghostings don’t assume the fight is over because they’ve overthrown the Wardens. It feels more mature as they actually focus on rebuilding and preventing another extremist regime. I would’ve liked to see more of Chrysalis tho.
-Nayeli’s story is so cool and really runs through well in the two books. She is a fanatic to her core and the story never tries to redeem her. More authors should be committed and plan ahead like this.
-I’m actually satisfied by Anoor and Sylah disappearing. Two women forced into the centre of everything by their births, able to disappear due to their love.
-Jond losing his voice seems strangely fitting because he always seemed like the character who never shut up.
NEGATIVES:
-I really don’t feel like Sylah and Jond actually got an end to their story together. There was so much crazy history and they just never really talked again. Feel so let down.
-Anoor’s whole character was shafted nearly the full book to just being Daenerys on drugs. The plot twist was extremely predictable and made her sections a drag to go through.
-I really wasn’t a fan of how Anoor seemed to get away with everything. It wasn’t her fault, but you’re telling me nobody tried to attack her for her part in it?
-The whole murder mystery plot of book 2 remains to be pointless in this story. Zuhari just felt shoe-horned in just to make it seem more relevant.
-This is more petty but the boat country’s political system is so unbelievably stupid i can’t believe they exist.
-Kara is so forgettable in book 2 that her arc in this one feels really unearned. She’s almost just there as a romance plot for Jond. There’s a world ending war going on why do we need will they or won’t they drama?
-… What’s going on in Tenio now?
-I don’t like the mindlinks, I feel like it lessens the impact of the atrocity done to the ghostings if they can just use telepathy.
-What was the point of the Captain being kicked out if she just gets the role back anyways?
MAIN COMPLAINT:
I really hate the series’s shift into multiple POVs. Book 1 was perfect, Sylah was actually the main character and I liked her a lot. (However I always cared way more about Hassa) Book 2 was okay because I really wanted to know about Nayeli and the mcs were separated. But the final battle in this book was just ridiculous. I knew who the characters were but for a more casual reader it would be impossible to remember who any of them were. Why did Retribution need a POV? The whole thing just felt disorganised.
OVERALL:
This review seems way more negative than I actually feel about the book. I really enjoyed it and I think it was a worthy finale for these characters. I do think some sections were too long (Anoor drug arc) but they were mostly well balanced.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2024
AHHHHHHHH!!!!! This was everything I wanted and more!!! I’m just so sad it’s over now 😭
I genuinely loved how each character came into their own and was able to stare their challenges down. I’m genuinely going to miss this world, and I only wish I could have more of them.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I genuinely loved how each character came into their own and was able to stare their challenges down. I’m genuinely going to miss this world, and I only wish I could have more of them.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 15, 2024
The Ending Fire marks the final chapter in Saara El-Arifi’s visionary trilogy, where the mythology of Africa and Arabia weaves together to create a rich, incredibly complex fantasy world. I adored this trilogy and I will always read anything the author writes in the future. The world-building is vast, the world feels lived-in and imperfect, and the characters are complex. This is one of the most fascinating and imaginative settings in modern fantasy. El-Arifi is able to play readers like a fiddle and I felt every single emotion. I adored these characters and I was shocked at how my perceptions changed over time. Even secondary characters feel incredibly fleshed out and real. I loved watching the rebellion attempt to gain allies and the preparation for war had so much mounting tension.
The final battle scenes are brutal and I loved how El-Arifi gave us multiple POVs from side characters. It adds depth to the story, showing us the many small and often overlooked moments that make up the chaos and harsh nature of war. These perspectives pulled me in and made the battle feel more real and grounded—like we weren’t just watching heroes at the forefront but seeing the raw humanity behind the fight for freedom. And it broke my heart so many times.
That said, the emotional pacing, especially toward the end, left me wanting more. Anoor’s arc was heart-wrenching, almost physically painful to experience, but it felt like her journey was cut short. Her healing needed more time to be explored, and the ending left her in a place that didn’t fully feel fair to the complexity of her character. With how much she went through, I wanted more for her. A fourth book could have given her—and the readers—the time to properly process that pain and healing.
On the flip side, Jond’s POV and romance arc were handled with care. I loved how his character developed across the series, and seeing his romantic relationship evolve felt like a well-earned reward amid all the tragedy.
While the conclusion brings with it the inevitable war and rebellion, something feels like it’s missing—and I think that missing piece is time. This story needed more room to breathe, and a fourth book would have given the characters, especially Anoor, the space they deserved to heal and grow. While the world and the characters were incredibly rich, the ending didn’t quite hit as hard as it could have if the pacing had allowed for more development. This is one of those series that will stay with me for a long time, and despite the very rushed ending, the overall journey was incredible.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for the opportunity to read and review. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary. All opinions are my own. I had a great time buddy reading with @geengeenreads and @readingintandem on Storygram!
The final battle scenes are brutal and I loved how El-Arifi gave us multiple POVs from side characters. It adds depth to the story, showing us the many small and often overlooked moments that make up the chaos and harsh nature of war. These perspectives pulled me in and made the battle feel more real and grounded—like we weren’t just watching heroes at the forefront but seeing the raw humanity behind the fight for freedom. And it broke my heart so many times.
That said, the emotional pacing, especially toward the end, left me wanting more. Anoor’s arc was heart-wrenching, almost physically painful to experience, but it felt like her journey was cut short. Her healing needed more time to be explored, and the ending left her in a place that didn’t fully feel fair to the complexity of her character. With how much she went through, I wanted more for her. A fourth book could have given her—and the readers—the time to properly process that pain and healing.
On the flip side, Jond’s POV and romance arc were handled with care. I loved how his character developed across the series, and seeing his romantic relationship evolve felt like a well-earned reward amid all the tragedy.
While the conclusion brings with it the inevitable war and rebellion, something feels like it’s missing—and I think that missing piece is time. This story needed more room to breathe, and a fourth book would have given the characters, especially Anoor, the space they deserved to heal and grow. While the world and the characters were incredibly rich, the ending didn’t quite hit as hard as it could have if the pacing had allowed for more development. This is one of those series that will stay with me for a long time, and despite the very rushed ending, the overall journey was incredible.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for the opportunity to read and review. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary. All opinions are my own. I had a great time buddy reading with @geengeenreads and @readingintandem on Storygram!
September 13, 2024
I will never recover from this ending to the trilogy. Perfect no notes.
July 1, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC
Rarely have I ever found such an incredible trilogy where all 3 books are equally phenomenal....but my god. My heart was racing, my eyes were crying, my heart will never be the same. This was so, so good and the ending leaves room for so many more stories, nothing is wrapped with a perfect bow, but it's SATISFYING even if I am BROKEN.
The slow pacing in the Final Strife was not a problem in The Battle Drum and again in The Ending Fire, it's banger after banger. There are several POVs and they're all equally good and all had my attention fully gripped. The writing was so good and while I'm not sure I'll ever recover, I loved every second.
El-Arifi has really mastered her craft with this series - the characters are rich and complex and she really dives into their motivations and their development and forces them, and us as readers, to challenge why they are who they are and who they want to be moving forward. Our characters are in drastically different places and scattered across the world with this one and we see so many different sides of them as they discover new aspects of themselves. I'm not sure with a gun to my head I could pick a favorite, they're all done so well.
I have so much respect for how she brings so many characters and plots to fruition and ties the together in a way that isn't tied with a perfect bow, but feels real and respectful to the loss and dangers our characters have faced. Please read this trilogy....it's so dang good.
Rarely have I ever found such an incredible trilogy where all 3 books are equally phenomenal....but my god. My heart was racing, my eyes were crying, my heart will never be the same. This was so, so good and the ending leaves room for so many more stories, nothing is wrapped with a perfect bow, but it's SATISFYING even if I am BROKEN.
The slow pacing in the Final Strife was not a problem in The Battle Drum and again in The Ending Fire, it's banger after banger. There are several POVs and they're all equally good and all had my attention fully gripped. The writing was so good and while I'm not sure I'll ever recover, I loved every second.
El-Arifi has really mastered her craft with this series - the characters are rich and complex and she really dives into their motivations and their development and forces them, and us as readers, to challenge why they are who they are and who they want to be moving forward. Our characters are in drastically different places and scattered across the world with this one and we see so many different sides of them as they discover new aspects of themselves. I'm not sure with a gun to my head I could pick a favorite, they're all done so well.
I have so much respect for how she brings so many characters and plots to fruition and ties the together in a way that isn't tied with a perfect bow, but feels real and respectful to the loss and dangers our characters have faced. Please read this trilogy....it's so dang good.
September 6, 2024
3.5
Thank you Netgalley and Del Ray for providing me with an arc copy in exchange for an honest review. This trilogy has a beautiful end. While I found it to be my least favorite of the series, I felt as though it concluded the story well.
This book weaves multiple storylines through multiple povs which I found to be really well done. Just like the last book, Hassa remains my favorite character. I absolutely loved reading her character and honestly wished I got more of her because I love her so much. Her intelligence and her strength really made her story so interesting and I felt so drawn to her chapters. Jond this book ended up being a much more interesting character and I thoroughly enjoyed his chapters and his journey with Kara who I also really enjoyed. As for Anoor and Sylah, this book I felt like their chapters dragged. While I enjoyed Anoor’s chapters due to the cult like place she was in, I just felt more withdrawn from her story. Sylah was hard for me to like this book. I felt like nothing really progressed with her until after the 60% mark.
Overall while I really loved some of the characters, I felt like the pacing really dragged up until the 60% mark for half of the chapters. I absolutely loved the last half though. I thought it was so well thought out and was one of the coolest battles I’ve ever read. I also think the recap at the beginning of the book is one of the neatest things I’ve ever seen in a fantasy book.
Thank you Netgalley and Del Ray for providing me with an arc copy in exchange for an honest review. This trilogy has a beautiful end. While I found it to be my least favorite of the series, I felt as though it concluded the story well.
This book weaves multiple storylines through multiple povs which I found to be really well done. Just like the last book, Hassa remains my favorite character. I absolutely loved reading her character and honestly wished I got more of her because I love her so much. Her intelligence and her strength really made her story so interesting and I felt so drawn to her chapters. Jond this book ended up being a much more interesting character and I thoroughly enjoyed his chapters and his journey with Kara who I also really enjoyed. As for Anoor and Sylah, this book I felt like their chapters dragged. While I enjoyed Anoor’s chapters due to the cult like place she was in, I just felt more withdrawn from her story. Sylah was hard for me to like this book. I felt like nothing really progressed with her until after the 60% mark.
Overall while I really loved some of the characters, I felt like the pacing really dragged up until the 60% mark for half of the chapters. I absolutely loved the last half though. I thought it was so well thought out and was one of the coolest battles I’ve ever read. I also think the recap at the beginning of the book is one of the neatest things I’ve ever seen in a fantasy book.
September 28, 2024
The most disappointing series conclusion I’ve ever read (and dare I say most disappointing book I’ve EVER read?) Considering when I finished Atlas Complex and thought there’s NO WAY my heart could be shattered AGAIN in the worst way possible, but this… well… it’s happened again just months later for a series I would’ve ridden at dawn for.
Full of blindingly obvious plot holes, huge inconsistencies, and ridiculously easily wrapped up purposeless scenes, I can’t even imagine WHYYY?!? HOWWW?!?! this turned out the way that it did.
(edit: my friends and I buddy read this and feel the same immense disappointment have this theory: ghost writer, maybe??)
If you’re coming in to read this book cause you heard it was sapphic and Queernorm, note that the majority of the book is a cis hetero romance with SO MUCH cis hetero spice. *gag* And let me tell you SEA does not write good spice. (even reading Faebound, the spice was NOT it)
The sapphic couple who knew each other for 3 months in the previous two books pretty much spent 90% of this book apart and when they reunited I could only sigh in disbelief, thinking “go girl give us nothing.”
Honestly, the only thing this book gave me was the ending of my fire for SEA.
Full of blindingly obvious plot holes, huge inconsistencies, and ridiculously easily wrapped up purposeless scenes, I can’t even imagine WHYYY?!? HOWWW?!?! this turned out the way that it did.
(edit: my friends and I buddy read this and feel the same immense disappointment have this theory: ghost writer, maybe??)
If you’re coming in to read this book cause you heard it was sapphic and Queernorm, note that the majority of the book is a cis hetero romance with SO MUCH cis hetero spice. *gag* And let me tell you SEA does not write good spice. (even reading Faebound, the spice was NOT it)
The sapphic couple who knew each other for 3 months in the previous two books pretty much spent 90% of this book apart and when they reunited I could only sigh in disbelief, thinking “go girl give us nothing.”
Honestly, the only thing this book gave me was the ending of my fire for SEA.
August 16, 2024
I really liked this trilogy, but I think the last book is my least favorite (4 stars vs 4.5/5). That said, I still really enjoyed myself and would reread this entire trilogy again!
The characters were my favorite part. They’re all complex and flawed and interesting. I grew to care about characters I used to hate (Jond) and started to get irritated by characters I used to adore (Anoor).
By the end I was rooting for the entire main cast and had a pit in my stomach because I was so stressed!!
I loved seeing how the different characters grew and changed through this trilogy, but something about this finale left me feeling… unfulfilled?
My biggest gripe is that in the last section of the book (the climax!!) we get a lot of one off POVs from side characters we met through the series… this was so frustrating to me. There’s SO much happening and we spend so many chapters away from our main cast!! I just kept going “okay please let’s get back to it.” I understand the utility of putting these POVs in and I feel like it did add to the story, but the way it’s executed is clunky… especially considering this isn’t how the rest of the trilogy was written!!
Overall I love this series. The worldbuilding was excellent and unique, the plot was entertaining, and the characters were brilliant. I’m not entirely satisfied by the ending, but sometimes that’s life!
The characters were my favorite part. They’re all complex and flawed and interesting. I grew to care about characters I used to hate (Jond) and started to get irritated by characters I used to adore (Anoor).
By the end I was rooting for the entire main cast and had a pit in my stomach because I was so stressed!!
I loved seeing how the different characters grew and changed through this trilogy, but something about this finale left me feeling… unfulfilled?
My biggest gripe is that in the last section of the book (the climax!!) we get a lot of one off POVs from side characters we met through the series… this was so frustrating to me. There’s SO much happening and we spend so many chapters away from our main cast!! I just kept going “okay please let’s get back to it.” I understand the utility of putting these POVs in and I feel like it did add to the story, but the way it’s executed is clunky… especially considering this isn’t how the rest of the trilogy was written!!
Overall I love this series. The worldbuilding was excellent and unique, the plot was entertaining, and the characters were brilliant. I’m not entirely satisfied by the ending, but sometimes that’s life!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2024
It’s rare for me to love the next book in a series more than the prior, but with The Ending Fire trilogy each book got better and better.
Some of the things I really loved about book:
-All the different POVs.
-How each character has a very distinct voice.
-The growth and change each character went through.
-How each character arc wrapped up.
-The end battle sequence!
I wish this series could go on forever, but it wrapped up exactly how it should have. Highly recommend to those who love character driven fantasy stories that are set in queer-normative worlds.
5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
Some of the things I really loved about book:
-All the different POVs.
-How each character has a very distinct voice.
-The growth and change each character went through.
-How each character arc wrapped up.
-The end battle sequence!
I wish this series could go on forever, but it wrapped up exactly how it should have. Highly recommend to those who love character driven fantasy stories that are set in queer-normative worlds.
5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
Read
August 14, 2024COVER REVEAL IM SCREAMING
September 28, 2024
Thanks to Del Rey Books and Netgalley for the ARC.
The Ending Fire brings to a close one of the best trilogies to be released in recent years. The world that Saara El-Arifi created here is a complex world built on different blood colors, fantastically created creatures, and filled with political battles as well as the final battle that has been building since book 1. It's filled with flawed characters who don't always make the best decisions, but you can understand how they got there. In book 2 the world expanded greatly, and we got engage with the other cultures that make up this world and in this book all the different factions choose their sides. There are new characters, more adventures and difficulties, and of course a few surprises along the way.
Partway through book 2, I was drawn more to Jond's POV, and that held throughout this book as well. I really liked his journey and the rocky relationship with Kara (and of course, he has Rascal, and you can't not love a cat companion!). It felt like his character had the most growth throughout the series and I liked where his story ended. Hassa was also a favorite character as she had the most to overcome in the series and her journey to becoming a leader of the Ghostings was so beautifully written. This is a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, and the different blood magics that are used in the final battle are so very cool. There were times that I felt there was a lack of tension in the story, but overall, it's a fantastic series with remarkable world building and shows that we have a lot of wonderful stories to look forward to from Saara.
I listened to the audiobook and the narration is terrific and can highly recommend it as a way to read this series!
The Ending Fire brings to a close one of the best trilogies to be released in recent years. The world that Saara El-Arifi created here is a complex world built on different blood colors, fantastically created creatures, and filled with political battles as well as the final battle that has been building since book 1. It's filled with flawed characters who don't always make the best decisions, but you can understand how they got there. In book 2 the world expanded greatly, and we got engage with the other cultures that make up this world and in this book all the different factions choose their sides. There are new characters, more adventures and difficulties, and of course a few surprises along the way.
Partway through book 2, I was drawn more to Jond's POV, and that held throughout this book as well. I really liked his journey and the rocky relationship with Kara (and of course, he has Rascal, and you can't not love a cat companion!). It felt like his character had the most growth throughout the series and I liked where his story ended. Hassa was also a favorite character as she had the most to overcome in the series and her journey to becoming a leader of the Ghostings was so beautifully written. This is a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, and the different blood magics that are used in the final battle are so very cool. There were times that I felt there was a lack of tension in the story, but overall, it's a fantastic series with remarkable world building and shows that we have a lot of wonderful stories to look forward to from Saara.
I listened to the audiobook and the narration is terrific and can highly recommend it as a way to read this series!
August 25, 2024
The story picks up immediately after The Battle Drum left off, following separate journeys of different characters. There is a brief recap at the beginning which was immensely helpful! After the cliffhanger of the last book, this one starts off with a slow build as characters regroup and share information. The story is never rushed, with excellent world building and character development. The multi-POV narrative captures the war from multiple angles, never shying away from the brutal and heartbreaking loss that comes from war.
There are many players in this conflict and each character's intentions are interwoven in a complex web. This novel explores the importance of the war versus the importance of the individual, a theme that permeates multiple character arcs throughout the story. The story also deals with the concepts of home and belonging. Overall, this final installment was an epic and a satisfying conclusion to the Ending Fire trilogy.
Thank you to the publishers for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley.
There are many players in this conflict and each character's intentions are interwoven in a complex web. This novel explores the importance of the war versus the importance of the individual, a theme that permeates multiple character arcs throughout the story. The story also deals with the concepts of home and belonging. Overall, this final installment was an epic and a satisfying conclusion to the Ending Fire trilogy.
Thank you to the publishers for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley.
July 7, 2024
I think Saara El-Arifi is one of the best epic fantasy writers of our generation. I feel lucky to be alive at the same time as her.
The way she depicts war, both from the scale of the entire world to singular people, is magnificent. There is so much history and magic to be found within this fantasy world, always new layers to peel back, and it makes me want to explode. I love these books so much.
The way she depicts war, both from the scale of the entire world to singular people, is magnificent. There is so much history and magic to be found within this fantasy world, always new layers to peel back, and it makes me want to explode. I love these books so much.
September 24, 2024
I loved this series so much, and whilst this finale wasn't my favourite of the trilogy it was still pretty epic. Hassa - what a character and after the events of the last book, her character development into a leader and strategist was brilliant. I spent a long time last night after finishing thinking about that ending, truly a great end to a trilogy.
September 13, 2024
a conclusion that will have you screaming crying and on the edge of your seat
alc from penguin random house audio
plot: 5/5
the plot in this final installment was perfect. the pacing and intrigue kept be HOOKED i could not put this down. the way all the stories and histories came together was so satisfying. the choice saara made are heartbreaking but perfect, painful but effective. i hated it but i loved it.
characters: 5/5
crazy idea for saara… stop hurting them.
also rascal best character no competition
writing: 5/5
everything about the writing in this book is immersive and powerful. its just so impressive. the fourth part is an absolute masterclass in pov use. i was blown away. THERE WAS A CHAPTER FROM THE CATS POV. THIS WAS DONE FOR ME AND ME SPECIFICALLY. also the cat lives fyi.
the narration is so amazing i was in AWE of the narrators ability.. jus wow…
overall: 5/5
this is a must read for everyone whos started the series. ill admit book two was a little middlebook and didnt leave me craving more. but trust me it is worth it to push on just for this.
alc from penguin random house audio
plot: 5/5
the plot in this final installment was perfect. the pacing and intrigue kept be HOOKED i could not put this down. the way all the stories and histories came together was so satisfying. the choice saara made are heartbreaking but perfect, painful but effective. i hated it but i loved it.
characters: 5/5
crazy idea for saara… stop hurting them.
also rascal best character no competition
writing: 5/5
everything about the writing in this book is immersive and powerful. its just so impressive. the fourth part is an absolute masterclass in pov use. i was blown away. THERE WAS A CHAPTER FROM THE CATS POV. THIS WAS DONE FOR ME AND ME SPECIFICALLY. also the cat lives fyi.
the narration is so amazing i was in AWE of the narrators ability.. jus wow…
overall: 5/5
this is a must read for everyone whos started the series. ill admit book two was a little middlebook and didnt leave me craving more. but trust me it is worth it to push on just for this.
June 24, 2024
What an outstanding ending to such a superb fantasy series! This was absolutely stellar. It was definitely a very satisfying ending. The world-building continued to be amazing, and all the plot points were wrapped up beautifully. I loved all the character growth we saw in so many characters and all the fantastic character arcs. I'm sad to see the end of this series because it was so good, but this was the perfect conclusion.
September 4, 2024
2024 had and has so many amazing releases that I've been eagerly anticipating, but The Ending Fire was undoubtedly number one.
Even before this, I knew this series would be a forever favorite, and I had a feeling that this had a very good chance of taking the crown as my favorite read of the year. There might be four months left this year, but I really don't think anything can dethrone this.
The Final Strife blew me away and I could not believe this was a debut novel. It is undoubtedly one of my favorite books with trials, and I just immediately fell in love with absolutely everything.
The Battle Drum was even better, I loved the expansion of the world and seeing all these new places and characters.
And The Ending Fire really was the culmination of everything that made this series so brilliant.
The writing is fantastic, just as the first two books of course. I especially love the epigraphs and the interludes at the beginning of each part, it's so good.
The characters have so much depth and complexity. Some I absolutely love despite or maybe because of their flaws, and the villains I still can't help but feel for because we got to know their side of the story so well.
The world is one of the best I've ever read about. I also really love the progression of the magic; I really cannot recall another series that had such a transformation when it comes to the magic.
The story progression was fantastic too, the pacing was so well done. Usually the emotional part of me doesn't love when characters are separated for too long, but here everyone had such distinct story arcs that I didn't even mind, and it made me look forward to their reunions even more.
Truly, everything about this was fantastic and I am very sad that this series has come to an end, but now I can undoubtedly say that this is one of my top 3 series of all time and I still cannot believe this was a debut series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Even before this, I knew this series would be a forever favorite, and I had a feeling that this had a very good chance of taking the crown as my favorite read of the year. There might be four months left this year, but I really don't think anything can dethrone this.
The Final Strife blew me away and I could not believe this was a debut novel. It is undoubtedly one of my favorite books with trials, and I just immediately fell in love with absolutely everything.
The Battle Drum was even better, I loved the expansion of the world and seeing all these new places and characters.
And The Ending Fire really was the culmination of everything that made this series so brilliant.
The writing is fantastic, just as the first two books of course. I especially love the epigraphs and the interludes at the beginning of each part, it's so good.
The characters have so much depth and complexity. Some I absolutely love despite or maybe because of their flaws, and the villains I still can't help but feel for because we got to know their side of the story so well.
The world is one of the best I've ever read about. I also really love the progression of the magic; I really cannot recall another series that had such a transformation when it comes to the magic.
The story progression was fantastic too, the pacing was so well done. Usually the emotional part of me doesn't love when characters are separated for too long, but here everyone had such distinct story arcs that I didn't even mind, and it made me look forward to their reunions even more.
Truly, everything about this was fantastic and I am very sad that this series has come to an end, but now I can undoubtedly say that this is one of my top 3 series of all time and I still cannot believe this was a debut series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.
August 18, 2024
4 stars.
This was a solid conclusion to the Ending Fire trilogy. Let's start with the good: the way things concluded in this novel were exciting, made sense, and were ultimately satisfying. That being said, I do kind of wish the ending had been a little less neat as there were some poignant moments that ultimately felt a little undermined. That mixed with how particularly Anoor's plot line developed just left this not as amazing as The Battle Drum. This is still a fantastic trilogy and I would highly recommend people give it a go. A unique blood-based magic system, tropes that get turned on their head, and the bonkers reveals (particularly in book 2) all made this one of the best new fantasy trilogies I have read in recent years.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me a review copy via NetGalley.
This was a solid conclusion to the Ending Fire trilogy. Let's start with the good: the way things concluded in this novel were exciting, made sense, and were ultimately satisfying. That being said, I do kind of wish the ending had been a little less neat as there were some poignant moments that ultimately felt a little undermined. That mixed with how particularly Anoor's plot line developed just left this not as amazing as The Battle Drum. This is still a fantastic trilogy and I would highly recommend people give it a go. A unique blood-based magic system, tropes that get turned on their head, and the bonkers reveals (particularly in book 2) all made this one of the best new fantasy trilogies I have read in recent years.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me a review copy via NetGalley.
October 2, 2024
Call me French, cause The Ending Fire whelmed me.
Ooft, this is a difficult review.
I absolutely adored The Final Strife (FS) and Battle Drum (BD), they were both an easy 5 stars. By the end of Final Strife I knew Sylah so intimately that I was able to predict her reactions/actions in the Battle Drum. And the Battle Drum is genuinely one of the best slow burn books with the most incredible payoff. When I finished BD I thought - wow Saara has setup the final book up SO well, I cannot wait, this will be epic…..
First, the negatives:
This book would have massively benefited from an additional 75-100 pages. Everything was SO rushed, and Saara fell into the trap I so often find fantasy authors do - where problems are easily solved and there are no consequences. Which was shocking, because in FS and BD not every problem could be solved, and there were often consequences. However, I sort of understand why she took this approach.
FS and BD were fairly contained stories, which only had 2-3 POVs, and everyone was working towards the same goal. But in Ending Fire we had 5.5 POVs and everyone was separate, and mostly working towards the same goal, though each approach was different and separate from each other. So, I understand that drawing out every new mission could easily bloat the book and drag it out, but I still wish she had expanded on it more. For instance, she could’ve easily cut half of Jond’s chapters and given them to the Truthsayer (a character who was massively underutilized).
Also, what was the point of the Chrysalis in the end???
Okay, the positives:
I still love the illustrative world that Saara has created, with such rich and vibrant characters. Hassa and the Truthsayer’s character development was by far my favorite.
I seem to be an outlier here, but I loved how she wrote the final battle. Writing half the battle from the POV of side characters was a smart move, it made the battle feel frenzied, and gave us a glimpse into what everyone was doing. I felt tense, and had to keep reminding myself to slow down and try not to skip ahead - I was truly on the edge of my seat for most of it.
I thought this entire series was an EXCELLENT depiction of how abused people can be so easily sucked into cults and brainwashed. it’s probably my favorite aspect of the book.
Characters:
Jond, Jond oh Jond, you simp. I loved Jond’s character for the first 1.5 books, but he was completely pointless in EF. As I said, I wish they had cut Jond’s chapters in half and given them to the Truthsayer. The most I liked Jond in this book is when he said something along the lines of “am I just destined to trail behind powerful women.”
Truthsayer, you deserved more.
Hassa, my beautiful bad bitch. You were a bad ass from start to finish. I wish Saara had given you more to do in the middle of EF, but your ending was fitting.
Anoor, your character arc deserved far more than this book gave you.
Sylah, what happened here? Who was this Sylah? The person who I could once predict had vanished. She was completely absent from this book, and like Anoor, she deserved more.
Anoor and Sylah. Their endings were completely fitting, and stuck to the themes of the series. Absolutely adored their endings, and it was a highlight for me.
Final thoughts:
Overall, this series still holds a place in my heart, and I absolutely recommend it to everyone I know. I’m devastated to say goodbye to this world and these characters.
Ooft, this is a difficult review.
I absolutely adored The Final Strife (FS) and Battle Drum (BD), they were both an easy 5 stars. By the end of Final Strife I knew Sylah so intimately that I was able to predict her reactions/actions in the Battle Drum. And the Battle Drum is genuinely one of the best slow burn books with the most incredible payoff. When I finished BD I thought - wow Saara has setup the final book up SO well, I cannot wait, this will be epic…..
First, the negatives:
This book would have massively benefited from an additional 75-100 pages. Everything was SO rushed, and Saara fell into the trap I so often find fantasy authors do - where problems are easily solved and there are no consequences. Which was shocking, because in FS and BD not every problem could be solved, and there were often consequences. However, I sort of understand why she took this approach.
FS and BD were fairly contained stories, which only had 2-3 POVs, and everyone was working towards the same goal. But in Ending Fire we had 5.5 POVs and everyone was separate, and mostly working towards the same goal, though each approach was different and separate from each other. So, I understand that drawing out every new mission could easily bloat the book and drag it out, but I still wish she had expanded on it more. For instance, she could’ve easily cut half of Jond’s chapters and given them to the Truthsayer (a character who was massively underutilized).
Also, what was the point of the Chrysalis in the end???
Okay, the positives:
I still love the illustrative world that Saara has created, with such rich and vibrant characters. Hassa and the Truthsayer’s character development was by far my favorite.
I seem to be an outlier here, but I loved how she wrote the final battle. Writing half the battle from the POV of side characters was a smart move, it made the battle feel frenzied, and gave us a glimpse into what everyone was doing. I felt tense, and had to keep reminding myself to slow down and try not to skip ahead - I was truly on the edge of my seat for most of it.
I thought this entire series was an EXCELLENT depiction of how abused people can be so easily sucked into cults and brainwashed. it’s probably my favorite aspect of the book.
Characters:
Jond, Jond oh Jond, you simp. I loved Jond’s character for the first 1.5 books, but he was completely pointless in EF. As I said, I wish they had cut Jond’s chapters in half and given them to the Truthsayer. The most I liked Jond in this book is when he said something along the lines of “am I just destined to trail behind powerful women.”
Truthsayer, you deserved more.
Hassa, my beautiful bad bitch. You were a bad ass from start to finish. I wish Saara had given you more to do in the middle of EF, but your ending was fitting.
Anoor, your character arc deserved far more than this book gave you.
Sylah, what happened here? Who was this Sylah? The person who I could once predict had vanished. She was completely absent from this book, and like Anoor, she deserved more.
Anoor and Sylah. Their endings were completely fitting, and stuck to the themes of the series. Absolutely adored their endings, and it was a highlight for me.
Final thoughts:
Overall, this series still holds a place in my heart, and I absolutely recommend it to everyone I know. I’m devastated to say goodbye to this world and these characters.
September 10, 2024
4.5 Stars
In The Ending Fire, roles are shifting, allegiances are changing, and the rebellion against the Warden’s Empire is surging – but a greater war is coming.
Saara El-Arifi is a master crafter of rich and imaginative queer normative fantasy worlds, deeply flawed and yet loveable characters, and intricately woven plot-lines that culminate in a gipping and emotionally resonate conclusion to an OVERWHELMINGLY EPIC series.
First, let’s talk about the worldbuilding. The Ending Fire expanded upon the complex and vividly detailed world outside of the Warden’s Empire, from the mushroom towers to the underground beachside glass colony, to the book-loving ship city, I love the imagination behind each one and how every setting is infused with its own culture and history. Saara is so creative in the execution of her craft – I LOVE using the Griot storytellers as a mechanism to provide recaps from the previous books and was blown away by how effective her choice was to allow both major AND minor characters to provide a point of view during the ending battle scene. (Rascal the Kitten’s POV OMG I was in love!)
The relationships between and surrounding our main characters evolve significantly in The Ending Fire, as each character navigates the constantly changing landscape of alliances vs. enemies. Similar to the previous books, Saara does NOT shy away from putting her characters through intense hardships, but the beauty of it is in how their internal struggles mirror the broader conflicts of the world they inhabit so while its difficult to see our beloved friends continue to struggle, I find it consistent with the grim realities of the world that they live in. Also, JOND coming out of left field to end up one of my favorite characters, WHAT?! His arc in particular, alongside Hassa, were the most developed of the series.
While I found the foreshadowing to be more subtle in The Battle Drum than in The Ending Fire, (as I was able to easily guess most of the plot twists/character reveals), I still appreciated the twists and turns that drove the story forward. I loved the additional and more expanded thematic exploration of power and rebellion as a whole, and the story providing a more nuanced understanding of the Zalaam—a faction that seeks to consolidate power through manipulation of belief and religion and how corruption is born systemically but can often be nurtured and grown through the influence of one over-empowered individual.
If I could change anything about this series, however, it would be a quartet instead of a trilogy as I think we needed just a little more time to flesh out the story, to get more time with Sylah and Anoor as a couple or to have an expanded epilogue. The last battle scene was EPIC though the ending felt abrupt and while technically resolved, was emotionally unsatisfying. HOWEVER, with this choice, Saara ultimately stayed true to the story’s themes surrounding sacrifice and the often harsh nature of change.
I loved it. I love this series and I feel confident that I will love anything that Saara El-Arifi writes. Thank to you netgalley and Del Ray for the opportunity to read The Ending Fire as an advance reader copy.
In The Ending Fire, roles are shifting, allegiances are changing, and the rebellion against the Warden’s Empire is surging – but a greater war is coming.
Saara El-Arifi is a master crafter of rich and imaginative queer normative fantasy worlds, deeply flawed and yet loveable characters, and intricately woven plot-lines that culminate in a gipping and emotionally resonate conclusion to an OVERWHELMINGLY EPIC series.
First, let’s talk about the worldbuilding. The Ending Fire expanded upon the complex and vividly detailed world outside of the Warden’s Empire, from the mushroom towers to the underground beachside glass colony, to the book-loving ship city, I love the imagination behind each one and how every setting is infused with its own culture and history. Saara is so creative in the execution of her craft – I LOVE using the Griot storytellers as a mechanism to provide recaps from the previous books and was blown away by how effective her choice was to allow both major AND minor characters to provide a point of view during the ending battle scene. (Rascal the Kitten’s POV OMG I was in love!)
The relationships between and surrounding our main characters evolve significantly in The Ending Fire, as each character navigates the constantly changing landscape of alliances vs. enemies. Similar to the previous books, Saara does NOT shy away from putting her characters through intense hardships, but the beauty of it is in how their internal struggles mirror the broader conflicts of the world they inhabit so while its difficult to see our beloved friends continue to struggle, I find it consistent with the grim realities of the world that they live in. Also, JOND coming out of left field to end up one of my favorite characters, WHAT?! His arc in particular, alongside Hassa, were the most developed of the series.
While I found the foreshadowing to be more subtle in The Battle Drum than in The Ending Fire, (as I was able to easily guess most of the plot twists/character reveals), I still appreciated the twists and turns that drove the story forward. I loved the additional and more expanded thematic exploration of power and rebellion as a whole, and the story providing a more nuanced understanding of the Zalaam—a faction that seeks to consolidate power through manipulation of belief and religion and how corruption is born systemically but can often be nurtured and grown through the influence of one over-empowered individual.
If I could change anything about this series, however, it would be a quartet instead of a trilogy as I think we needed just a little more time to flesh out the story, to get more time with Sylah and Anoor as a couple or to have an expanded epilogue. The last battle scene was EPIC though the ending felt abrupt and while technically resolved, was emotionally unsatisfying. HOWEVER, with this choice, Saara ultimately stayed true to the story’s themes surrounding sacrifice and the often harsh nature of change.
I loved it. I love this series and I feel confident that I will love anything that Saara El-Arifi writes. Thank to you netgalley and Del Ray for the opportunity to read The Ending Fire as an advance reader copy.
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