The realms of the gods

Gr. 6^-10. The fourth and final book in Pierce's The Immortals fantasy series, following Emperor Mage (1995), proves a fitting conclusion. The evil Stormwing, formerly Emperor Ozorne of Carthak, and Uusoae, the Queen of Chaos, are in cahoots--the Stormwing wreaking havoc on mortal lands and Uusoae on the realms of the gods. Although gods pull Daine and the mage Numair into the realms to save their lives, the two feel they must return to earth, where they are needed in the desperate battle raging there. After a danger-filled trek to the land of the dragons, they enlist the aid of the dragons, who not only return them to earth but also join the fray, along with other immortals and, in the end, the gods themselves. Daine's wild magic continues to develop, and some of the best scenes involve her interaction with beasts of various kinds. The fast-paced, violent action is leavened by bits of humor as well as the blossoming romance between Daine and Numair. All in all, a satisfying ending to an appealing saga. --Sally Estes

Gr 7-10-In the final installment (Atheneum, 2003) of Tamora Pierce's Immortals quartet, Daine and her mentor/friend Numair are pulled into the Divine Realms by Daine's mother, now the Green Lady, a minor goddess, and her divine father. There, Daine helps the gods realize that chaos threatens not just the mortal realms, but also their own. With Ozorne as a major pawn in Chaos's web, Daine and Numair feel they must take part in the ultimate war. Full of exciting battle scenes, touching friendships, romance, and imaginative, previously unexplored realms, this is a wonderful conclusion to an exciting series about a strong female character. Narrated by the author, a full cast brings the story to life. All the characters are distinctly voiced. Though not an essential purchase, libraries that already have the other titles in the series should consider purchasing this audiobook.-Jessica Miller, New Britain Public Library, New Britain, CT (c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The final book of the quartet finds Daine reunited with her deceased mother and meeting her father, Weiryn, the god of the hunt. The gods decide to take part in the earthly war, to foil their sibling, Chaos. Good triumphs, and Daine and the mage, Numair, discover their love for each other. There are too many characters and subplots for a cohesive story, but the book will be of interest to fans of the series. From HORN BOOK 1996, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 7-10-In this final installment in the series, Daine and her mentor, Numair, are about to be killed when Daine's parents, both of whom are minor gods, sweep the pair up into their domain. Their lives are saved, but both Daine and Numair desperately want to return to mortal regions to help their country, Tortall, fight against the deadly foes introduced in the earlier volumes. The only way for them to do so is to seek the help of dragons, who owe Daine a favor for raising one of their young. Although the young woman is able to shape-shift and communicate with animals, and Numair is a powerful magician, the journey to the Dragonlands is fraught with dangers. Along the way, they discover unlooked-for allies and their love for one another. Arriving in Tortall at last, Daine faces her bitter enemy, Ozorne, with whom she struggled in Emperor Mage (Atheneum, 1995). A bloody battle wraps up both the series' earthly struggle and the divine battle at its root between the evil Queen of Chaos and the other immortals. Daine, now 16, can look forward to a normal existence, at last. She is an ideal heroine-adventurous, intelligent, and gifted with magical powers, yet down-to-earth and kind to anyone who is not an open enemy. Some of the animal characters are a little precious, especially the young dragons. However, the dream sequences, in which Daine is able to see what's going on in mortal lands, are intriguing. Fans of the earlier titles will appreciate this satisfying conclusion.-Mary Jo Drungil, Niles Public Library District, IL