I still love this series!

I can’t believe this is book 6 (or book 8 if you count the two prequel novellas) already. The Towers of the Earth series has flown by and I know I will be crushed when it does actually end. I’m so connected to the characters that my reading year would not be the same without them. This is steampunk fantasy at its best and Round is an excellent author. If you are new to the series I would highly recommend not starting here. In this series, all the books are very connected and to jump in near the end of the series would be difficult to understand and follow. There is a boxset that has the two prequels and first book altogether, at a reduced price or free on Kindle Unlimited, so I would recommend new readers start there.

This was a really interesting book of the series and quite different than all the others. While it wasn’t as exciting as some installments, it was quite suspenseful at times and kept me on the edge of my seat. I’m going to age myself here but the feel of the book reminded me of the old video game DOOM. In this book, you are underground going through tunnels, caverns, and secret passages, and as a reader, you never knew what to expect around the next corner. I found myself feeling a bit claustrophobic at times, but that was only because it was so well written.

I was also happy that my favorite character Ascara seemed to ‘steal the show’ in this book. Not only do I have a total book crush on Ascara, but she has made her way onto my list of favorite fictional characters. When it came to the character of Lucinda, she didn’t have a big role in this book, but she had a really important role in it. While I really like her character too, the other two mains, Ascara and Magda, are so well done that their stars often shine brighter than hers. And because part of the series storyline is that Ascara and Magda always want to protect Lucinda, I think they forget how strong she really is. Well, in this book she showed that she was actually the biggest badass of them all.

I don’t want to get into any spoilers but I will say that this book ties up a ton of loose ends. So many unanswered questions that go back to the very beginning are all finally answered. There still are a few storylines left open, so there will be at least another book or two, but it was really nice to have so many plot points finally all come together. This is an important book for the whole of the series. 4.5 Stars.

TLDR: I love this series and I appreciate that it is unlike anything in sapphic fiction –or mainstream fiction for that matter- that I have ever read. Round’s imagination is amazing and her characters are wonderful. Getting to read two of these books, before the year is even halfway over, has been a real treat. If you are a fan of this series this book really is a must as it answers so many important questions. If you are new to this wonderful series I would suggest starting with Towers of the Earth Box Set 1: A Steampunk fantasy adventure series.

A copy was given to me for an honest review.