An Epic Conclusion
The Last Lies of Ardor Benn
To be honest, I wondered how
best to introduce this, the final book in the Kingdom of Grit trilogy, and couldn’t make my mind up. So, here’s
the back cover blurb to ease you in:
**********
Ardor Benn
has takes his lies to a new level, infiltrating high society so he can steal a
priceless resource. But now that he's on the inside, he finds himself poring
over ancient texts, searching for answers to his deepest questions. He
discovers something is coming. Something world-ending.
Now, an old enemy is extorting him for one last
job. Steal a live dragon. He doesn't know how, and he doesn't know why. But
he's got a feeling that it's a job he has to take. Only problem is, Ard's
running short on time and shorter on lies. And his personal ambitions are
alienating all of his allies.
With no one else to rely on, he'll have to trust
the one person nobody else does: himself.
**********
As you can see, the blurb
doesn’t give away a great deal. And that’s perfect. Because this isn’t just
another book. It’s not just the finale to another trilogy. It’s a tale about
the ruse to end all ruses. And only one person in existence stands a chance of
pulling it off: Ardor Benn.
There’s so much I want to
say, because this is a wonderfully complex and intricate story. But how to do
that without dropping hints and spoilers everywhere?
I’ll be guided by the blurb
itself.
The story unfolds a couple of
years after the events of The Shattered
Realm. Ardor Benn has been pardoned for his crimes and is now a studious
man, trying to live a quiet life as he picks apart clues to the Chain’s future
from ancient texts. The trouble is, his former enemies are making that rather
difficult. The Queen may have exonerated him, but many of the people Ardor has
scammed in the past are less willing to forgive and forget. In fact, a few are
downright hostile!
Even worse, one of those
disgruntled associates knows things. Things he shouldn’t. Quite how, neither
Ardor, Raek nor Quarrah can fathom. What follows is a complex caper, fraught
with mystery, intrigue and danger, where Ardor is expected to steal a mature
dragon while avoiding the authorities and determined individuals out to murder
him. And if they weren’t already, things get complicated when Ardor discovers
that his small band of misfits are being guided by, of all things, Urgings. And
when he then realizes just where those Urgings are coming from? Wow! Hold on to
your collective hats, because THAT’s when things take off for real.
I enjoyed The Thousand Deaths of Ardor Benn. It
was an explosive introduction to a brand-new world where anything was possible
if you were only prepared to go out and make it happen. That enjoyment was
compounded by the second book in the series, The Shattered Realm of Ardor Benn, which went on to reveal ancient
secrets as to the origins of mankind and the other beings that populate the
Greater Chain. And here, in The Last Lies
of Ardor Benn, the story comes full circle in a way you won’t anticipate;
in ways that will delight as much as frustrate you. Because make no mistake,
the world is ending. . .
And THAT’s what makes this
weighty tome of a trilogy so exceptional. Tyler Whitesides’ ability to sweep
you along in a roister-doister riot of a yarn, while tripping you up with
unexpected twists and turns when you least expect them.
The Last Lies of Ardor Benn. An exceptionally sad, but oh so satisfying conclusion to
an epic trilogy that ensures you’ll want to see the ruse through to the
bittersweet end.
