The Born Queen

The series had great characterization, I even shed a tear at the end. I found the series consistantly good from book to book, that the charachters acted the way they did for a reason (it made sense to me) and I really liked the way Keyes ended it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this entire series. I grew to like the characters and the ending was satisfying.

Just finished the book! Me and my fiance have been at each other's heels devouring these books. This has been by far the greatest fantasy series we have read this year. Though we are both extremely sad for this series to end, we couldn't be happier with the colossal conclusion to the story this book provides. Greg Keyes is a master of character development and nuance - throughout the series, I have been constantly impressed with his subtleties of plot, personality and prose, so rarely found in what can often be described as a heavy-handed genre. Before starting this final chapter in the Thorn and Bone series, I did have my doubts as to how Keyes would accomplish tying up so many pieces in a single book. I am delighted to report he does so successfully, powerfully and elegantly - a fitting end to a story that has become dear in our hearts. Anne, Austra, Stephen, Cazio, Z'Acatto, Neil, and especially Aspar...you will not be forgotten anytime soon...

Okay I feel strange to say this after reading some of these other reviews, but I really liked this book. The reason why is because I didn't feel like I was being taken on a journey to la-la land where where the good guys win, the bad guys lose and everyone lives happily ever after. I liked this book because up until the end I had no clue how it would end. Other reviews state that they did not enjoy the book because characters did not stay in the cookie-cutter shapes the readers put them in. Life changing moments are happening all around the chars and we do not expect change? I was worried that this book would be all "the church is bad" like so many, so willing to throw the church and religion under the bus. But it wasn't like that. Everyone was just trying to do what they thought was right. What would save the world. I think that before anyone reads this book they need to read the other three through again. With the spaces between the books, it's easy to forget details from the previous books that are rounded up in this book. Great book!

If Greg Keyes were ever to sell the rights to his Bone and Thorn series to a television or movie studio, The Born Queen would be the easiest to adapt. The chapter endings will make anyone eager to see what happens next. Keyes uses visual cues and cuts between the action so vigorously that it can sometimes leave you dazed as a reader. However, it remains exhilarating throughout and always entertains. . . . Most of these reviews (it seems) reflect readers who have been following the series since the beginning, and have had to wait a year between books. Unlike his prior books, The Born Queen dives right into the action and never lets up. He doesn't allow us to get our footing, and I think that's why readers feel rushed and disoriented. The book isn't perfect, but it doesn't derail as drastically as some might entail. Keyes prose continues to impress us along with his compelling cast of characters. His epic is fulfilled. Those reading back-to-back without pause will likely find the transition smoother and more emotionally satisfying.