A Kingdom Lost Paperback – April 15, 2014

I would actually give this book four stars, but my criticism with the endings of Barbara Ann Wright's series holds me back from really granting it that. Those who have read the first two books know that Wright always ends her books at a high point, and personally I don't think her stories deserve it (and I mean that in an entirely complementary sense.) I'm not saying this as a disgruntled fan who doesn't like being left on the edge, though I did feel that way when I initially finished this book, which was why I waited a few days to write my review.In my opinion, huge cliffhangers are a desperate means to keep the reader interested in a story and willing to buy the next installment, and this series really doesn't need it. The world-building and characterization are well done and highly engaging. Even without being left in suspense, I would still want to learn more. I'm curious about the countries, the politics, and the structure of the fantasy world; I care about the characters, their feelings, needs and desires. There's no need to leave me in suspense in order to keep me entertained. And there is a downside to using cliffhangers, especially when they are used repeatedly as Wright is doing. People may stop reading the series until it is finished, or drop it altogether just to avoid being left hanging; some people even resent the feeling.It is my belief that Wright could do her talent and her stories a lot more justice by letting them end on a more subtly suspenseful note. She's leaving the last few steps of the traditional story arch out of her equation, going straight from climax to "About the Author." Instead of leaving her reader cursing at her information page and turning back to the story thinking they missed something, I think she has the talent to end it on a still suspenseful but less desperate note, one which would rather leave us thoughtful, contemplative, and curious.Waiting on the next one. Keep up the good work. :)

Im glad the series is finished or else i would go nuts waiting for the next installment. There is a lot more in this book...more fighting, more trickery, more hearache, just plain more!

I love this series. I highly recommend them. They are well written and engaging. I quickly become immersed in the story and care about the characters. Waiting with anticipation for the next installment.

Really knocked it out of the park. Not sure where Wright will go from here, but I know that I'll be along for the ride.

Fantastic third instalment. Just as good as its predecessors and has me wanting for more. Can't wait for the next book!

It's another engaging installment! Lots of actiona nd great characters that pull you into their lives. Recommended!

A super talented author. Superb world building. Compelling storytelling. The characters leap of the page they seem so real. You wish you were reading 4 of the author's titles every year.A wonderful story in a complex and fascinating world, though it didn't work well as a standalone. I hadn't read books 1 and 2 in the series, but Barbara Ann Wright is a fantastic writer and the characters engaging enough that I want to read it! Setting was incredible, engaging all five senses. I took off some points because I was lost for a while about the characters, and the cliffhanger ending. Otherwise, definitely recommend this author and series (if starting at book 1).I hadn’t read the previous books in this series, but I will be after this one. Wright’s world building made me feel as though I was right there with the characters. As is common with the fantasy genre, there are a lot of characters, but there aren’t so many that you lose track of who’s who. Honestly, the only complaint I have is the cliffhanger ending. Not nice, Ms. Wright, not nice at all.

With Starbride and Katya separated most of the book, we get to see some awesome character development, where Starbride learns to take a position of power, and expands on her skills while standing on her own, and Katya must continue her gruesome fights, while learning about the culture next door. I really enjoyed the introduction of more Allusian characters, some of which I enjoyed grumbling at under my voice *grumbleRedtruegrumble* And because the lovers were fighting their own separate battles for so long, the lovey-dovey, when it came, was like a sigh of relief.So many of Wright's chapters end with that damn last page- you know the one- where you MUST go to bed and get at least 4 hours of sleep, but you just want to read ONE MORE CHAPTER. That is exactly how this book ends. It feels like you should be turning the page and continuing onto the huge end of book battle, only, IT'S GOING TO BE THE ENTIRE NEXT BOOK. Which, because of the MUST-READ-ONE-MORE-CHAPTER, is sure to be awesome. Can't wait to read on!

2nd book in this great series.

I like that this is a series, the story continues and I'm loving it all the way

These books don't take a breath do they, good storytelling.