I enjoyed the finale of this series as much as the other two, but at the same time, I can't help but have been left feeling slightly disappointed. I thought the writing itself was great, and I really enjoyed the characters (even Ligea/Sarana), but I ended it feeling like more needed answering. We found out what the Ravage was... kind of. I am still not completely clear on what it actually was. And the fact that Arrant never discovered what was wrong with his power. I definitely felt there needed to be some explanation/answer to that, but he was left still without his power.

What I did like was the addition of Firgan. What. A. Villain. For a generally pleasant race of people, he was true evil and I loved it! Really well written.

I also adored the relationship between Arrant and Tarran, right until the end, and the scenes between those two were always my favourite to read. ( )

This third book in the trilogy is awesome. Arrant feels like he must have some ability to defeat the devastating Ravage, otherwise why would the monsters keep targeting him? His beleaguered country and everyone he loves may be destroyed if he can’t work it out, starting with his Mirage Maker brother. But his great potential to do magic continues to be unfulfilled, and when it does break free people die rather than the Ravage Beasts.

Meanwhile he has to deal with worse than average school bullies who would do anything to stop him being heir to the throne - anything at all. And the Mirage Makers, who were on his side, abandon him to the deadly Shimmer Barrens at a crucial moment, leading to tragic consequences. It seems like there is no way this could all have a happy ending.

A real page turner! I love Glenda Larke. ( )

In this, Glenda Larke’s seventh book, the author shows us yet again what a magnificent gift she has for world-building. The quasi-Middle Eastern realm of Kardiastan springs alive from the pages, along with characters already familiar to the reader from the two earlier books in the series, Heart of the Mirage and The Shadow of Tyr.

Ligea’s son, Arrant, leaves Tyrans for Kardiastan to take his place as Mirager-heir, while Ligea prepares to halt an insurrection on the outskirts of her newly-liberated Tyran Empire. But Arrant’s skills as a Magoroth are dangerously inconsistent, and his father, Temellin, finds it difficult to communicate with this secretive young man he barely knows. Arrant’s singular ability to communicate with his half-brother, Tarran - a part of the collective mind known as the Mirage Makers - leads them both towards the possibility of a tragic clash with the encroaching Ravage. As Arrant’s enemies among the Magoroth plot to ruin his family and his future as heir, he begins to realise there is a greater mystery to solve if he is to prevail.

Larke has demonstrated in previous books that she not only has one of the best imaginations in the business but that she also has a strong social conscience and this is shown as clearly as ever in her latest volume. I have to say it left me with that melancholic feeling you get when you read a really really good book and you can’t seem to get your mind out of that world and into the real one! I became really attached to Ligea's son, Arrant, I hope that Larke brings us back to Kardiastan in the future to see how Arrant’s future plays out. ( )

I finished it just this morning and I loved it. It kept me guessing right up until the end. For once, I had absolutely no idea how it was going to end and that was great.

There were also so many moments where I thought "No! That can't happen!" It was heart-wrenchingly brilliant.

Glenda has really outdone herself with this one. ( )

The brilliant conclusion to a fantastic trilogy. SONG OF THE SHIVER BARRENS sees Arrant come in to his own - it's a 'coming of age' story, but Glenda Larke is anything but trite and obvious. In fact, she has a wondrous way of zigging when other authors might zag which makes for really refreshing reading. I inhaled this book -- couldn't put it down. I wish there were more and have a feeling I'll be thinking of these characters often over the coming weeks. ( )