Gathering Darkness (Falling Kingdoms #3)

Gathering Darkness. Morgan Rhodes. Young Adult/High Fantasy. 2014. 416 pages. 5 stars. [Source: eBooks]

“Hatred is like fire. It burns the one who harnesses it. It’s also extremely hard to see more helpful truths through its flames.”

NOTE: Aside from the plot synopsis, there are no spoilers for any book in the series here. 

In GATHERING DARKNESS, book three of the New York Times bestselling Falling Kingdoms series, the stakes have never been higher as three teams push forward on a race to find the Kindred, the four elemental crystals possessing ancient all-powerful magic, first:

Prince Magnus has just witnessed torture, death, and miracles during the bloody confrontation that decimated the rebel forces. Now he must choose between family and justice as his father, the cruel King Gaius, sets out to conquer all of Mytica. All Gaius needs now are the Kindred – the four elemental crystals that give godlike powers to their owner. But the King of Blood is not the only one hunting for this ancient, storied magic…

• THE KRAESHIANS join the hunt. Ashur and Amara, the royal siblings from the wealthy kingdom across the Silver Sea, charm and manipulate their way to the Kindred, proving to be more ruthless than perhaps even the King of Blood himself.

• THE REBELS forge ahead. Princess Cleo and vengeful Jonas lead them, slaying with sweetness, skill, and a secret that can control Lucia’s overpowering magic – all so they can use the Kindred to win back their fallen kingdoms.

• THE WATCHERS follow Melenia out of the Sanctuary. They ally in the flesh with King Gaius, who vows to use Lucia’s powers to unveil the Kindred.

The only certainty in the dark times is that whoever finds the magic first will control the fate of Mytica… but fate can be fickle when magic is involved.

K:

Just when I though that the world couldn’t get any bigger. It did.

We are introduced to a whole new land, more characters, and new concepts. Morgan Rhodes has managed to surprise me and kill me again.

Everything that’s been set up in books 1 and 2 gets more complex in Gathering Darkness. Each character’s situation gets messier. Friends are made. Friends are lost. Death. Death. DEATH.

I’m being vague for a reason, but you should keep this in mind: this is a praiseworthy sequel. You NEED to read this book. It is phenomenal. It’s definitely a book you won’t forget.

I rate this book

P.S. MY SHIP HAS SAILED I AM FREAKING OUT

 

N:

In the prior review, I mentioned that I finished Book 2 at 6am and immediately started Book 3. Book 2 left me like this

Book 3 left me like this

(if you’ve read this series, you’ll understand how ironic this is lksjfkadjsfjklds)

Just when you think you’re catching a break, no, this book doesn’t know such things. It leaves no one alive. This is a bloodbath (figuratively and literally).

As the plot deepens and the characters develop, it gets harder and harder to know which one is worth trusting since this book follows 4 main characters. Betrayal. Loss. New beginnings. Forgiveness. Love. Everything happens in this book. A lot of the characters’ ‘destinies’ are interwoven. So many ships form in this book. Careful, though: don’t get attached 😉

This book:

Me:

I apologize for the excessive use of gifs but they are the closest things that accurately represent me. Kidding aside, this book has shed light to what the characters are mainly fighting over. Each has their own motive and I can see how this would go into play in the next books.

I can’t wait for Book 4 to be published. I am beyond excited to see more of Magnus, Cleo, Nic, Jonas, and Lucia as more secrets are kept, more blood gets spilled, and more feelings are revealed.

With its prior books, Gathering Darkness has been added to our Recommendations Page and my 10/10 book list.

BONUS!
Favorite quote from the book

“In the shadow my father has cast over my entire life, you are the only light I can see anymore. And, whatever the cost, I refuse to let that light be extinguished”
― Morgan Rhodes, Gathering Darkness

“You don’t cry when someone pushes you down. You get up. You get up and you fight back. And pretty soon nobody’s going to shove you anymore because they’ll see it’s not worth it.”
― Morgan Rhodes, Gathering Darkness

“Her cerulean eyes widened.
“You dream about me?”
His gaze snapped back to hers.
“Nightmares only”
― Morgan Rhodes, Gathering Darkness

“Her plan for vengeance began with the edge of a smile.”
― Morgan Rhodes, Gathering Darkness