I really love this series. Bennett's world-building is just outstanding, and each of his characters is unique and interesting. The book was a real page-turner as I wanted to know how it was all going to turn out-- and who was going to survive!

A special shout out to the same-sex relationship at the core of the book. It is wonderful to see mainstream authors highlighting LGBTQ+ characters and relationships.

A great conclusion to the trilogy that is definitely one I will reread from time to time. I love the magic system and how Robert Jackson Bennett built this world. I feel that this was a good wrap up to the series and did answer any questions that I did have reading the first two. Definitely will be reading more by this author and can’t wait to imerse myself in this world again.

The third and final installment in the Founders Trilogy does not disappoint.

Ok, maybe just a little. For starters, if you have not read the first two novels, you will be lost. I did, and at times I was still a bit at sea with all the invented words and descriptions.

Next, the first two installments are focused on Sancia and her friends/allies. Sancia is the character who drew me in to the first two books. Sancia feels like a second fiddle in this final story and Berenice takes center stage. Minor quibble on my part, but I really wanted this finale to be all about Sancia and only Sancia.

Last, this doesn't not have the nonstop action of the first two books. Oh, there IS action, but there is also a lot a pondering the meaning of life among long passages of self-reflection. But the ending is satisfactory, even though again, it was all about Berenice instead of Sancia.

Not a bad book at all, oh no no. Just the teensiest bit not as good as the first two.

Locklands by Robert Jackson Bennett, a nice conclusion to a great trilogy. If you are a fan of this series, you won't want to miss this book!

My Overall Thoughts - 4/5
Locklands wraps up the Founders Trilogy. It sees the heroes and villains from Shorefall eight years after Shorefall Night, the exciting conclusion to book two, in a world that is utterly unlike the world the series started in. Sancia, Berenice, and all their allies have an array of obstacles to overcome to bring peace to their world once again.
As the conclusion to a series that I loved, this book did a beautiful job at wrapping up loose ends and giving me all the piercing bittersweet moments that I want at the end of such a dark fantasy. The first two books constantly kept me on my toes trying to figure out who was actually the “bad guy” and this book is no different. It turns out, in the world of the Founders Trilogy, there are no “bad guys,” just flawed people trying to do their imperfect best for the world and the people they love most. That’s what I love about this series.
~~*Mild Spoilers to follow*~~
Character Development - 4.5/5
The heroes of Locklands have a lot to go through in order to reach the end of their story, and even within the last third of their arcs, we see a lot of growth and change. Clef and Crasaedes see the biggest growth as, over the course of the book, memories resurface and dire choices are forced upon them. Berenice comes in next with more page time in this book than ever before and a lot of learning to do in order to face her inevitable future. Sancia having to face her premature aging and fear of loss was great, though I am a little uncertain if I love the end of her arc. The only disappointment I have is Gregor’s conclusion. I wish we’d had more time in his head.
Story Structure/Pacing - 3/5
This was the weakest part of the book, I think. The pacing felt a bit scattered. The whole first third of the book dragged a bit for me (perhaps it started as the fault of the CHONK of a Chapter One, the longest chapter in the book by a huge amount). The middle portion of the book had tons going on and while I loved the interspersed character-focused moments, I longed for more of them.
Tone/Style - 3/5
There are a few things Bennett does that really drive me crazy. One, a predilection for interrupting his characters’ dialogue mid-word. Second, ending his dramatic scenes with everything breaking, everything change, or someone screaming. To be entirely fair, a lot of breaking and screaming occurs in this book because of, as I mentioned before, the world-shattering drama. But it is a bit overdone…definitely not enough to hinder my enjoyment of his books, though. I’ll just twitch my eyes every once in a while. Other than that, his dialogue and turns of phrase are often very funny and he manages to keep the tone light even among very dark and depressing situations.
World Building - 4.5/5
The magic of the Founders Trilogy has been among my favorites since reading book one. The complexity and intricacy of the system has always been interesting and fun. I was a tad disappointed that we didn’t get much Sancia/Clef arguing with scrivings, like we did in previous books…though it made sense in the story for there to be far less of it. We did, however, get all kinds of new systems that had grown from the simpler scriving magic of the earlier books. The coolest new aspect was the cadences. And then the epilogue of the book…!? Consider my mind blown. What an awesome direction to take this magic system in. Loved it.
Content
There is innumerable instances of foul language. If you don’t like flavorful words, probably just steer clear of Bennett’s works. Other than that, a lot of violence and frightening images.
My Final Thoughts
I look forward to rereading this whole series at some point because it was really just so much fun from beginning to end. I loved these characters and this magic system has inspired me. Anyone who loves fun characters, exciting plots, and complex magic systems should definitely give this series a shot.

I received an advance copy via Netgalley.

<i>Locklands</i> completes an ambitious fantasy trilogy set in a unique world where magic essentially means editing the programming of items and reality itself. I started reading and realized I'd forgotten a lot of the little details of the past books--I read the second one over two years ago now. The book keeps up a breathless pace from the very start and I only wish the beginning took a moment to rehash some things. That said, even though I felt a bit lost for a while, I was still engaged. This thing is intense, and the ending...! The stakes were so high, it would have been easy to blow it, but this feels emotionally resonant and satisfying.

I am so jealous of the people who get to read this trilogy all at once. I read Foundryside back in 2018, so each time I read another book in the trilogy, I'm super confused for the first 50-100 pages. I can remember names and the basics of scriving, but I usually need a refresher to bring my brain up to speed. (I totally forget Sanica and Berenice got married!) This was the only thing that kept this from being a slam dunk for me.

While I was less jazzed about Shorefall, I was more jazzed about this final book, (like a 4.5 for me). For one, the cast of characters is very tight, so even if you can't remember who's who, you'll get the gist quickly.

Secondly, the action starts in the opening pages and never lets up as the crew goes on a number of action-packed EPIC quests. These adventures are complex and intense. If this book were a movie, you'd need some IMAX action to be able to conceptualize it all (SPOILER ALERT: like multiple floating cities vs a 1,000 foot tidal wave, kind of big.) I appreciated that I always had a good sense of what it looked like even though the scope being described on the page was so broad. (That's a sign of some damn good writing.)

The stakes are incredibly high in this book. In some ways that can be a bummer, (the future of humanity is at stake, the violence is brutal, and the odds are heavily stacked against our heroes.) But all of that felt appropriate considering that this is the final book in the trilogy. For me, this trilogy wrapped up nicely and left me satisfied.

If you couldn't understand scriving from the first two books, don't read this one. It's like a scriving masterclass. People are scrived and twinned and used as hosts to power evil deadlamps that edit reality. It's A LOT, but I dug it. The world building is delightfully rich.

Lastly shout out for Clef who finally gets to walk around and do stuff. Man, do I love me some Clef scenes. Centering the narrative on his story felt like a gift to readers who've invested in the whole series.

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

As enthralled with the unique magic in the first 2 books that I was, this one fell flat for me. I struggled to finish this last book in the series. Clef and Sancia had a different feel in this book, and it felt more horror driven. I'm sorry it wasn't like the first 2. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC from Netgalley.

When I first picked up a copy of FOUNDRYSIDE in April 2020, I had no idea how much I would come to love this trilogy. Within these pages, Robert Jackson Bennett has created something remarkable, an imaginative and clever world unlike any other I've encountered so far. So, of course, I was thrilled to receive an advanced reading copy of LOCKLANDS, the final book in the Founders trilogy.

At the end of SHOREFALL, Sancia & Co. have found themselves beset by fear and grief. Having just fought the first of all hierophants, Crasedes Magnus, and witnessed two dear friends (Orso and Gregor) sacrifice themselves for the safety of the others, they can't possibly imagine how it could get worse. But it gets a lot worse. The entity they call Tevanne (as opposed to Old Tevanne, where they lived) is hellbent on destroying the world, and LOCKLANDS picks up eight years into the war against Tevanne. I was a little lost at first trying to pick up the details of what had happened the previous eight years, but liked how some important and special details (like Sancia and Berenice's wedding) were held until later.

From here, we follow Sancia, Berenice, Clef, Claudia, and Diela as they try to understand Tevanne's endgame and prevent the end of the world. The Givans have come up with a new application for mind-twinning, putting everyone in intimate, constant contact with each other, which is an interesting concept and makes the war a lot less difficult. There are also two new "characters"—Greeter and Design—who are essentially like two separate Borg collectives but a lot less sinister. Each individual retains their own memories and feelings but is connected to a higher consciousness with very specific tasks. All together, we revisit battered, ruined campos, witness Clef's recovered human memories (many including Crasedes), free and form an alliance with Crasedes, and ultimately arrive at the door that leads to a place behind the world. In a last-ditch attempt to save the ones she loves and destroy Tevanne, Sancia walks through the door and closes it from the inside, effectively removing her from reality.

Sancia was the main reason I fell in love with these books to begin with. Her perspective was so unique and multilayered, and it made me want to keep reading just to spend more time with her, learn more about her, and learn more about her world through her eyes. In LOCKLANDS, Sancia, to me, felt as though she'd been demoted to a background character. We still spend time in a close third on her, but she feels distant. We learn that this war, the scrivings, have aged her significantly, and she spends a lot of time in pain. But we don't really get the chance to dive into it because we're spending much more time in a close third on Berenice. Berenice is also an interesting character, and I love her romance with Sancia, but I didn't find her to be as engaging a narrator/main character. Especially toward the end with the sacrifice looming, I wanted to have spent more time with Sancia. For this reason, I've deducted a star from my rating.

Ultimately, the world is saved, Gregor is recovered, and the mind-twinning extends further and further to the point of utopia. Everyone working together. (I loved the chapter where Cresades tells Sancia that she's done something incredible with the scriving technology, something pure and truly powerful, something he could've never accomplished with his megalomania.) I should mention that Berenice had severed her connection—permanently—to the other Givans in order to sabotage Tevanne. After a while, she is left totally alone, as the mind-twinned Givans create a new door to the place behind the world and pass through to become enlightened. Eventually, a tired and desperate Berenice takes a boat crafted by the Givans to the old Foundryside, and she and Sancia are reunited. I do think the ending would've been even sweeter had we spent a balanced amount of time between Sancia and Berenice, but I felt emotional regardless.

When it's all said and done, I'm really pleased with how LOCKLANDS concludes the Founders trilogy. I worried at the outset that I'd be disappointed, but thankfully I wasn't. While I'm sad this is it, I'm so grateful to the editors at Del Rey & the author for bringing this wonderfully one-of-a-kind world to life. And I will absolutely be returning to Foundryside again.

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC.

I enjoyed the early stories so much but this one just didn't have the same feel at all. I struggled to get through it because I wanted to see how it all ended, but if it had been a stand alone I would have given up. Read the series in order. I think without the real time lag between books, I may have enjoyed it more.

I sipped at this book all month, and it was such a great time.

It gave the flying by the seat of our pants but we planned as best we can for all scenarios kind of time, and if that isn't the most relateable thing, then I don't know what is. In the author's note, RJB mentions that this is his pandemic book, and definitely gave the best sense of the turmoil we all went through. Not that this will give you flashbacks to then, but the general dispair of dealing with something so much larger than yourself is definitely there.

It was really nice to get another glimpse into the heads of Berenice, Sancia, as well as a reveal as to the big story that put them in the big mess they were in at the beginning of the book. I appreciated all storylines wrapped up and all questions answered. (Which lets be honest, not all series do, and I appreciate that they were so well tucked to bed).

I have been looking forward to this release for quite some time, and I was not disappointed, and a little sad that this is where it ends. Chef's kiss to RJB, thank you for such a lovely series and I can't wait to see what we get next from him.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. And thank you to Robert Jackson Bennet for bringing this innovative series to life.

I devoured the first two books in this series-- I read each in one sitting--and was so excited to recieve this e-ARC from netgalley and to dive back into this fascinating world. Unfortunately, this third book, which has a much larger scale than the impossible heist shenanigans of the first two, could not keep my attention. It took me about two months to slog through this novel, which has an *extremely* slow-build, though it did somewhat pay off in the end.

Locklands has the same exceptional writing as the first two books and remains one of the most wildly imaginative science-based magic systems I have encountered within the speculative genre. Where the third book lost me was in tedious descriptions of the now 8 years more advanced complex scriving technology. I think some readers will love this more complicated and descriptive scriving technology (what an amazing mind RJB has), but I found it distracting and boring to read. I also felt that the book, or perhaps its characters, lost a little personality in the choice to have most of the communication occur through twinning, and particularly mass twinning. Ultimately it concluded the series well, but was not as satisfying or enjoyable to read as I had hoped.

Lockland
I’ve looked forward to this third and final book of Bennett’s Founders Trilogy. Thank you to NetGalley for this opportunity to review Lockland.

The story reintroduces us to Sancia, Berenice, Clef and their team pursuing the gods Crasedes and Trevenne, who are at war with one another and have overrun the land, turning people into ‘hosts’ without agency to conquer and ruin city after city.

Sancia and co have established the floating country of Givia, a safe haven bordering on a utopia, taking in refugees while they try to untangle, and stop, the ongoing destruction.

Much of the book is an explanation of Bennett’s fascinating system of magic. Practitioners use symbols ‘scrivener’ into objects, convincing materials that their basic physical principles have changed. Throughout the battles to stop the war the team must rethink ways to use these principles to their advantage. This leads to many descriptions of ongoing problem solving. I found these ideas interesting and unique- no waving a wand or chanting a spell and ‘boom’ magic has occurred. Instead there is an intellectual decision to work through logically. The author takes this idea and even extends it to changing the way people communicate and understand each other. And while I liked this aspect of the book the explanations, mostly through dialogue, felt like it bogged down the story.

This war has aged and exhausted Sancia, whose comments are mostly weary complaints, but she soldiers on, partnered with Clef who serves lighter commentary. There are twists in the story- particularly Clef’s, that add an understanding/ insight into his history.

Those readers, like me, with a fondness for Clef and Sancia in the previous books will want to keep turning the pages toward the resolution of the story. Lockland is satisfying enough story to rate a solid 3 stars. (For me 3 star is a good read if not outstanding) I particularly liked the final story of Givia- the logical and happy ultimate end point of a city of scriveners.

4.5/5

CW: War, Death, Mass Killings, Violence, Gore (all extensive); Strained Family Relations, PTSD, slavery (moderate)

Includes: Found family, heist, sapphic main couple, diverse cast, villain redemption arc, grey morality

This book was much darker than its predecessors, and if you already read book 2, then you know that’s saying a lot. It was really interesting seeing how things all tied together, what moral conclusions were made, and what plot twists were left to be revealed. There were a lot of complicated things going on in this book, but I think I’ll start with the author’s note at the end. This was Bennet’s “pandemic book,” as he dubbed it, and it really showed in the tone of the book. While there were moments of humor in book one and even sometimes in book two, this book lacked any hint of levity and ended on a note that was supposed to ring as hopeful, but fell a little flat. Perhaps this is why I didn’t give it the full five stars, for while I think this book did a lot of terrific things, reader enjoyment should factor in a tiny bit.

While this book was extremely tense and at times very depressing, it also contained some great things. The stakes are high, the heists are exciting, but the most excitement was in unpacking Clef and Cresede’s back story and unraveling the truth of what really happened all those years ago. I loved the subtle hints at Clef and Cresede’s relationship and how flawed it was. Book two showed us that Cresede’s clearly treasured Clef, but only at the end was it revealed that Clef was in fact Cresede’s father. This provided such a contradictory view of Cresede’s that catapulted his “redemption” arc, something that Bennet handled like a pro. We sympathize with his plight and and that he wants to save the world in his own way, that he’s a monster not of his own creation, but we also are never allowed to forget the horrors he wrought upon countless innocents. We are teased throughout the whole book, and wow I wanted more.

Next, I loved how it was all resolved. The theme of slavery has been woven throughout all three books and it was the problem that even Cresedes Magnus couldn’t find a good solution to, and I thought Bennet’s solution was interesting. It gave a strangely satisfying closure to Cresedes’ own arc that felt like justice. And after reading his author’s note, I can see how it mirrored what has been going on in our own world, and this is probably why the book felt so heavy. If people could understand each other as individuals with feelings, desires, hopes and dreams, then maybe the human issue of slavery and a desire to oppress would simply disappear. Too bad we don’t have something like Scriving to help us do that.

Locklands is the concluding volume of the Founders Trilogy, and the stakes have been raised. Sancia, Clef, and the others are facing a force spread across most of the globe— one that can control not just time and gravity but also human minds.

I think the Founders Trilogy is one of the best and most interesting fantasy series to come out in recent years, and I’m so glad the third volume wrapped it up so well. The innovative, complex magic system was mind-bending from the first book, and it has expanded dramatically since then. As it did in the beginning, it makes me think about modern technology and trends, but this one really explores the dark side of connected systems. Highly recommended.

I've used the term 'epic fantasy' to refer to a style or genre of fantasy before, but Robert Jackson Bennett's Lockland, the conclusions to his The Founders Trilogy, is truly epic in style and heart - not just as a genre description.

Note that you won't want to read this as a stand-alone novel. It requires prior knowledge of the characters and the world. Being already familiar with this world, I'm not 100% certain how it reads to a newcomer, but just based on how much I needed to recall in order to not feel completely lost, I pity anyone coming fresh to this final volume.

Our heroes are Sancia, Clef, and Berenice. They've worked and fought together before, but this time they take on not just petty criminals and the occasional ruler, but someone with the power of a god.

Trevanne is our antagonist. He is powerful and growing more so. He has been using scrivings to control not just the inanimate objects, but the people around him as well. His goal now is to completely reset all life. To do that, Trevanne needs to open the reset door and Clef is the key (yes, that's a pun, for those of you who've read the other books).

This book doesn't waste any time and jumps right into some action with our heroes apparently on a heist (like their early days), but we sense there's more to it. The section heading, "The Scriving Wars" lets us know what we're getting in to.

If you know what scriving is.

Here is one of those areas where Bennett relies on prior knowledge of the world. The details of this world were described so clearly in the previous books - it's part of makes a reader want to return, but this book focuses more on the story than the world. Which makes sense, of course, being the third book in the series, we aren't likely to learn too much new about the mechanics of the world. (We do learn some new tricks and new strengths for Clef.)

But despite my perceived shortcomings to the book, my attention was rapt. If anything, this made me want to go back and read the trilogy, start to finish without years between publications.

Bennett builds truly remarkable worlds with strong, unique characters caught up in epic ... yes, epic ... struggles where the outcomes will determine the path for entire worlds. If you like fantasy, you must read Robert Jackson Bennett. If you think you don't like fantasy, you must read Robert Jackson Bennett to really understand what the genre can be.

I would rate this book a 4.5. But on Goodreads, do I give it five stars or 4? It's not a 5 star book, but it's definitely better than 4. You read it and decide.

Looking for a good book? Locklands by Robert Jackson Bennett completes The Founders Trilogy. This is sad for readers because there is so much we still want to explore in this world, but it's also a joy because we finally get to read more spectacular Bennett writing.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This is my absolute favorite series of all time and this third book has only compounded that love for me. I won't give too many plot details because this is the third book in the series, but you should absolutely check this book out if you loved the previous two books in the series! You won't be disappointed, I promise. The world building and the characters, as well as the amazingly intricate plot, has won this series a golden spot at the top of the list for me. Please give this one a read, you won't regret it! I have pre-ordered a physical copy of this book as well because I just need to physically add this gem to my collection!

Thank you, Del Rey, for allowing me to read Locklands early!

Robert Jackson Bennett concludes his acclaimed Founders trilogy with another astounding book. This book is more than 500 pages long and still I craved more and more and more.

LOCKLANDS by Robert Jackson Bennett

Berenice and Sancia are, again, battling to save the world. The villains are the same and yet not. The daunting power of the being they battle is overwhelming. The development of the hive mind added a new variable to the battle.
Bennett has created an intricate and convoluted environment to stage is morality play. The power of “magic” is inexhaustible and infinite in capabilities. Knocking on god’s door asking for change is not unique but Bennett has provided the door knockers with their own quirky characteristics.
The illustration of sacrifice for the common good is moving and well written.
I enjoyed the book and the series.

4.5 stars

I am so happy that my friend pulled me into this series! It's unique, exciting, funny, and emotional and I loved it. The world is so cool and the scriving is a fantastic element that really elevated the story. Sancia, Berenice, and Clef are great characters that have gone through a lot of development over the series. Clef and Sancia's friendship is my favorite part and after they were apart in the last book, I was ecstatic to have them back.

I will say that this is a long book and reads a bit slow. It has plenty of action and wasn't boring, there's just a lot going on and several point of view characters. I liked getting into people's heads and seeing memories of what the world was like thousands of years before. The ending was pretty perfect and did an excellent job of wrapping everything up. I'll miss this world, but I'm glad I experienced it!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Del Rey Books and NetGalley for the copy