Reading through the top reviews, I get the distinct feeling that I must have been reading a different book.

Everyone seems to go on and on how this was a fitting, satisfying conclusion to a great series and that their heartstrings were pulled many times and how this book pulled them through the emotional ringer. I don’t get that.

In my experience, this was an average and dissapointing conclusion to a good series. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the Greatcoats’ story, but I feared, at the start of Tyrant’s Throne, that it would be near impossible to top Saint’s Blood in terms of epicness. I mean, how do you top killing a God ? I feel like the author should have spent another few 100 pages to provide a proper conclusion to Saint’s Blood , in stead of adding another full length novel, because let’s face it:

Country gets invaded by warmongering neighbour «« Murdered Saint’s, new God created and country gets enslaved by new God

Maybe book 3 & 4 should have switched places ? That would have been a more proper build-up to an actual epic conclusion. Or we could just drop this last part all together. The highlight of this book, and what I guess all those people are referring to when they talk about pulled heartstrings and emotional ringers, is Aline's death about halfway through the novel. Maybe it's because the moment was slightly spoiled for me, as in, I knew somebody was going to die, but not who, and I was hoping VERY much it wouldn't be Brasti or Kest; Or maybe it's because I've never cared for Aline, but in any case, the entire scene was quite the 'meh' experience. It doesn’t bode well, when the emotional high point of your epic conclusion leaves me all:

Which is unfortunate, because that event is the catalyst for the entire endgame, the Epic Conclusion, the Final Battle. As far as Final Battles go, this too, was kind of ‘meh’. The entire thing hinges, once again, on Falcio looking constipated, coming up with a prepostorous, heroic, plan that could never work, but luckily for our heroes, it does! The whole thing was quite anti-climactic.

To conclude my rant: The Epilogue to the Final Battle, dragged on way to long and was coated in way too much sugar-infused honey for my taste.

rant over, let’s talk about some of the things I actually liked:

• Brasti! (Wannabe pirate)
• Kest! (Especially when he pummeled Falcio)
• Banter, loyalty and friendship
• Falcio’s speeches (well, most of them)
• Darri gets a little screentime
• So does Valiana

There were plenty of jokes/jibes that got me to chuckle if not laugh out loud, that made the experience bearable. This wasn’t a hard read, it was just a lot of the same stuff I’ve read before and overall, it was dissapointing. This book, should not have been written.

3 stars, for the lulz and because I did really like the Greatcoats trilogy.