The Night River 

by E.C. Hibbs 

4.5 out of 5 

Synopsis 

As the light returns, darkness will fall...

Spring is coming to the Northlands, but even as winter fades, an icy terror spreads. The three Worlds are on the brink of collapse, and ancient monsters rise from the earth, their wicked eyes set firmly on the mages.

Tuomas, still reeling from his defiance of the Great Bear Spirit, must finally face the reality of who he is. Mihka is furious with him, Elin refuses to speak to him, and the people do not trust him. As the villagers drive the reindeer back into the south to safety, he must set out with Lumi one final time to right his wrongs and keep the Worlds from falling apart.

​But this quest shall bring the greatest test of all, for it will take him into the Deathlands: a place where no living person has ever stood...

Review 

Tuomas has to discover why the trolls have awakened, and why they are attacking his people. With the help of his sister, they also have to fix the tear between the worlds they have caused.

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Tuomas has saved his people from the soul plague, only for a new threat to chase them away from their usual summer grounds.

The trolls are supposed to be a myth, creatures turned to stone by the sun long ago. But someone has awoken them, and is targeting the villagers, many of whom are still physically and emotionally drained from the plague.

Tuomas can't ignore who he is now. In an effort to save him at the end of 'The Mist Children', the Great Bear has given him some features of fox spirit he is, making him stronger than his normal human body was.

If Tuomas thought the alienation was bad before, it is even worse now. Those closest to him have all been lost, some have severed their connection to him, blaming him for his choices; and others have died.

Tuomas only has his sister by his side, and sometimes his mentor Lilja (who is going through her own drama, being ostracised by the community).

Tuomas and Lumi must face the consequences of their actions, and repair the damage that is done to the veils between worlds.

First though, Tuomas must travel across the Night River and into the Deathlands with young mage Aki, and release the souls that were trapped because of his rash actions.

I've really enjoyed this whole trilogy. I love the world that the author has created, with the way the different layers interact. The spirits are wild immortals that are treated like deities, but they too have their rules and reasons.

I like the community of the migrating villages that somehow thrive in the harsh Northlands, where there is snow all year round, and spring can bring avalanches and changeable conditions.

The not-so good.

Compared to the other two parts of the trilogy, this book is less action, more contemplation.

The author's style of writing is often poetic and very effective at getting across Tuomas feelings of grief and isolation; but then it is repeated throughout the book, hammering the message home unnecessarily.

In the middle portion of the book, we spend a lot of time in Tuomas' head, the same distressing thoughts on cycle. It became a bit repetitive, and I felt disconnected from this book.

It finished strongly though, with just the right amount of emotional kick.

Overall, this was a 4.5 out of 5 for me. I look forward to reading more of the author's work.

Amazon