I haven't read the books and let me start by saying a huge amount of the strong reviews are coming from those who haven't finished the series yet.
The ending is AWFUL. So rushed, absolutely nothing is explained, and they try so many dramatic tricks at the end that you're left predicting everything simply by thinking "well it would be absurd if this happens too, so it will."
Let's look at the "prophecy" which can be summed up in one sentence: At the blood moon great evil will battle good and lose. That's it. That's all they ever say about the prophecy. No more details are given but everyone is acting like it's this epic poem that's shaken the world for centuries. Even the lengthened version doesn't even make a whole paragraph. There is no development of character backstories much less THE PLOT-DEFINING PROPHECY.
Tiuri doesn't have powers? Okay but why since he's the confirmed descendant of the shamans who do have powers. Lavina does have powers? Great, but why does she have powers when her father doesn't and her mother is never explained?
The start is strong and promises much but ends up with so many plot holes and absolutely no development. All this leads to the good versus evil "battle" where all I could think was "Is this it? Is this the great climax? Wow. This is crap. Where was the story?"
The ending is AWFUL. So rushed, absolutely nothing is explained, and they try so many dramatic tricks at the end that you're left predicting everything simply by thinking "well it would be absurd if this happens too, so it will."
Let's look at the "prophecy" which can be summed up in one sentence: At the blood moon great evil will battle good and lose. That's it. That's all they ever say about the prophecy. No more details are given but everyone is acting like it's this epic poem that's shaken the world for centuries. Even the lengthened version doesn't even make a whole paragraph. There is no development of character backstories much less THE PLOT-DEFINING PROPHECY.
Tiuri doesn't have powers? Okay but why since he's the confirmed descendant of the shamans who do have powers. Lavina does have powers? Great, but why does she have powers when her father doesn't and her mother is never explained?
The start is strong and promises much but ends up with so many plot holes and absolutely no development. All this leads to the good versus evil "battle" where all I could think was "Is this it? Is this the great climax? Wow. This is crap. Where was the story?"