An excellent Sci-Fi, War tells the story of when the sleepers awake. There was a time when this phrase meant war. However, it's true! The ancient princess has been imprisoned and the walls are finally fraying. What happens next?

The story is well executed and the characters are well-crafted. Overall, it's a book I definitely recommend.

Jewel ATerafin, the Terafin, must find her way to the Winter Queen or all is lost as the Sleepers are Waking. Jewel has taken the Oracle's test and survived the wilderness with gods and figures from myth as companions; she has returned to her home city but cannot stay. She must become Sen, a mystical and powerful state, in order to save what she values but in the process she will lose much. Fantasy in the best tradition with well evoked villains and heroes. Read the whole series from book one to eight; enthralling reading that cannot be put down.

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect with this book as the end of the House War series. Because this is so intricately tied with The Sundered, The Sacred Hunt, and The Sun Sword series, I didn’t know for sure if this was the LAST, last book, or just the last House War book. It doesn’t feel like the end of the much larger universe and story arc that ties all those other series together.

There is so much that happens in this one book, I’m not sure how to unpack it all. Many threads that have been introduced throughout this series (and some of the other connected series) get tied up in this book, which was to be expected, but they don’t feel completely done. There are other, much larger, storyline threads outside of the House War series that are still left unfinished.

I wasn’t entirely surprised by the end result of Jewel’s journey. I am a little surprised at the specific events that get her there. I was honestly expecting different events or circumstances would be the catalyst that brought about her decision, a kind of emotional upheaval, but these weren’t. I am by no means disappointed, just… it came about differently than I thought, leaving me a little torn about my response to the actual events.

There is a conclusion to the storyline about The Sleepers, but I feel like this takes a bit of a backseat to Jewel’s story. Since she is essentially the focal character in this particular series, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I think I would have liked to have gotten a better glimpse of their interaction with Meralonne, though. But that is the problem with any great character in any book, you never feel like you get nearly enough page time with any of them.

In typical fashion, I get to the last page and I wasn’t ready for it to BE the last page. There are still lots of threads left unfinished, even the threads of many of the focal characters in this series. There are still so many characters in this series that I’m not ready to see the last of. This book, even being the end of the House War series, means that I don’t have to see the last of them just yet. I’m hopeful that means we will still get more of the specific characters in THIS series, wherever the larger storyline takes us.

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It was hard for me to read this book, because I knew it was the final book in this arc of the series and I didn't want it to end. I have loved the time I have spent with Jewel and her den, and this book was no exception. Each character was put into play with the deliberation of a chess master, making their moves strategically. The few characters that remained off-page had reasons for being where they were, which was gratifying to see as a reader. Often when that happens, you feel that the author forgot about them, but each one was logical and that logic was shared. The end of this arc was both totally satisfying and left me wanting more. I am looking forward to the next book in the new arc!

Anyone who has read Michelle West knows that she can charitably called verbose, and this final book in the House War series is no exception. There are a lot of point of views, a lot of *feelings* and a whole lot of everyone talking or thinking a lot about Jewel, who started off way back when as a young street urchin with a special power and ends this series as something else indeed. Overall, if you were interested enough to keep reading through out the series, you'll at least get some closure. However, I will say that there seems to still be a final battle looming (to be picked up in further books in a new series??) so I'm not exactly feeling like even the majority of the story is over. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this series to anyone - it feels like a lot of words to read for not a ton of plot development.

Excellent conclusion to the House saga. Author leaves some plot lines open for another arc in the story which is much apprecited!