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Tamora Pierce finishes off her second YA female knight series in great fashion here. There’s been a lot built up during the previous three books, and there’s a lot here. You can read this independently, but I recommend against it.

Most importantly, Kel is finally through training, and not before time, as all-out war is coming to Tortall. A strong king has emerged in Scanra, so actions are moving from unorganized raiding to organized raiding, and the occasional battle when Tortall’s army can catch a real force.

Worse, is the creation of magical ‘killing machines’ by a wizard up there, this is the main continuing bit from the previous novel, and the focus is largely on this. However, first, we get a taste of real military command. Which is defending an under-provisioned outpost, waiting. Knowing the enemy may show up soon.

Of course, the enemy does show up, and we get plenty of action. This also leads back into the central plot, which has even more action. If there’s any problems with Song of the Lioness and Protector of the Small it’s that the central points of ‘knights in training’ precludes a lot of action sequences. You get certainly get some, and Pierce does them very well, but they’re generally just part of the climax of the novel instead of being part of a roller coaster ride. Well, she more than makes up for it in this one.

It’s a good concluding novel with payoff for all the training, and plenty of new complications thrown in. This delivers on all the promises of the rest of the series. While I liked Song of the Lioness, I like this series more.