Choir of the Damned by Steve McKinnon (The Raincatcher's Ballad #3)

9/10

The final entry in The Raincatcher’s Ballad continues the trilogy-long trend of every action scene more bananas than the previous. Did someone say fire tornadoes?

Not only was it an exciting page-turner, but I was impressed at how deep the lore of the world was explored this time around. We were previously only given hints of what the outside world looked like, and we got to spend most of this story deep-diving into new cultures and settings other than Dalthea and it’s allied nations.

There are many characters to run with since book two’s conclusion. Serena tries to safeguard her home by finding a peaceful path forward but discovers she must first learn what happened before, while Gallows and Damien carve a bloody trail of missions through land and air, each more mad than the previous. Valentine and Tiera get their hands and blades awfully dirty. We’re introduced to a new, Eastern European-inspired hulk of a character who steals scenes with his humor and gusto. And scores that have been percolating since book one are finally settled — and not all have the ending you’d expect.

Imaginative chaos bleeds through every chapter, and while this story is sadly at its end, there’s ample reason to hope for future volumes of this world to explore. Fortune find us all!