golden city

Well... I was hoping for a crushing, blow-out, take no prisoners, kind of ending to this trilogy, but I didn't get it. What I got was pretty good; not like the ending of the The Firm, for instance [cough-stinks-cough] but a little tepid for my taste. I mean, this is the powers of virtue and light against the powers of evil and darkness--and Vast Machinery-ness--right?

I guess it kind-of ended, but not really. So I guess we're looking at a fourth book in the trilogy. Twelve Hawks kept up the action and the plot twists throughout, I have to say, and I enjoyed the story. Its clear that Twelve Hawks's ideas about the Vast Machine aren't the only things he's been thinking about. Organized religion gets a taste too, a little more directly in this one, than in the first two. I don't think he's opposed, per se, but obviously sees a different route.

So will we see a battle of the Realms Royale, or will Twelve Hawks just let this storyline die with a whimper? I know where my money is; with the money.

A note on the binding: I read the first edition hardcover, and the front cover is embossed with the Harlequin's lute symbol. Which I am all for, by the way. I read with the book jacket off, and having something on the cover lets me know which side is the front. But it looks to me that the lute was embossed upside-down. oops.

wait... maybe its a signal...