One of the best series I’ve read in a while. It’s a mix of the fall of Camelot and the three musketeers. This concluded the series nicely, never being trite or overly predictable. I loved the characters, and I did the audiobook version, which I think was the best reading I’ve ever heard. Highly recommended. ( )

Oh this was a great conclusion. But also terribly sad at points. There was at least one plot twist where I was "NO....., is that really happening".
Our heroes back in an impossible situation, with twists and turns and satisfying plot threads concluded. Just a great series. I've read Spellslinger and this now and Mr De Castell is now on my priority reading list. ( )

Very nice wrap-up to the series. The ending was such that the story could end, or there could be more. I'd be fine either way, but I certainly look forward to more books from this author! ( )

This was an extremely entertaining end to this amazing quadrilogy. We went through hopelessness and idealism and amazingly horrible odds and through every book, wonderful snark, action, and suspense.

I think I can rank this whole series up there as one of my absolute favorite fantasies ever. Why? Because it's effortless. A truly wonderful read. And the author has the ability to tear tears from my cold, humorless eyes. ; ;

The big things that happen in this book are somewhat scaled back from fighting and defeating gods as in the third book, but damn, it had to be. Fortunately, this isn't a bad thing. In fact, it really drove home all the horrible and fantastic things that happened to all the villains and heroes in all the previous books, featuring the very fate of the entire kingdom and its whole future. Subtle? No. But it is epic.

I love all the characters. Even the nasty ones. The action is amazing, but the dialogue is even better. The worldbuilding is something divine. But above all, the imagination, heart, and soul of the text shone through.

I will be following this author forever. I have to. Anyone who can write this is a master storyteller. Period. :) ( )

"Gentlemen," I said to Kest and Brasti, "I'm of a mind to attempt something rather daring and heroic."

Brasti grinned. "I assume this preposterous venture of yours is doomed to fail?"

"Assuredly. But we're going to do it anyway. You know why?"

Kest had a broad smile, one I'd rarely seen before. "Because preposterous heroics are the only things we've ever been good at."

And that is pretty much The Greatcoats in a nutshell: preposterous heroics saves the day. Fortunately for me I happen to love this brand of heroics, especially since the author has moved away from the grimdark edge and ended the series firmly in swashbuckling fantasy. While book 3 is my overall favorite, it's with this final installment that the series gives me the most Three Musketeers vibes which is what hooked me on this series to begin with.

Falcio val Mond is close to achieving his goal of putting the dead king's daughter, Aline, on the throne and restoring a rule of law to Tristia. Unfortunately things are never that easy for the Greatcoats. First Falcio must unite the Dukes in supporting Aline's rule, most of whom would rather secede from the kingdom than be ruled by a young girl. As if that wasn't enough war is brewing in the mountain kingdom of Avares. Avares has never posed a true threat before, being too unorganized to field an army, but that has changed. There is a new Warlord of Avares, who has united the the clans under a single cause - to take back the ancestral lands the Tristians had stolen.

It's safe to say that de Castell has cemented his formula for what makes The Greatcoats series great: witty character banter, a cast of heroes and villains you both love and hate, a bit of moral ambiguity, an interesting if undefined world, overwhelming odds and the preposterous heroics needed to save the day. Falcio faces his toughest opponent yet when he's forced to face his own ideals in order to save the country. It was a bold choice by the author and one I was glad to explore. What do you do when adhering to your own rules means sacrificing everything you believe in? Falcio does not have any easy time working through this latest set of problems.

My favorite thing from this series are the characters. Falcio, Brasti and Kest's friendship is a joy to read. I would happily buy these guys several rounds of beers in the nearest pub. I also truly loved the solution to the big problem and the epilogue for these characters. It felt right and true to the world de Castell has built.

As with the previous books there are some flaws with this one. I never really was onboard with the Falcio/Ethalia romance. I wish it had been dropped in the last book with the whole saint thing. The reveal of Ethalia being pregnant at the end was cheesy and eye roll worthy. Since de Castell has found his formula, it made the book feel slightly repetitive and it was easy to guess several of the big reveals, though there were still surprises mixed in. We are still left with some mysteries in the world, specifically around magic, which is frustrating, though leaves things open for the author to explore in the future if he wanted to.

Overall it was a good ending to the series. Be sure that you read the Acknowledgements as de Castell works in some fun facts about his characters as he's thanking everyone. ( )