I got to read an early draft of this, so take my comments with salt since I don't know what the final's . But that's OK, because I loved it and I can't see how any final edits could have diminished that! In this episode of Days of Our Draconic Lives, Moon's more or less settled into life at Indigo Cloud, although he's anxious because he and Jade haven't managed to make a clutch yet despite lots of enthusiastic attempts. But before Stone can slap him in the head and tell him to chillax, gasp! Visitors arrive with stunning news! The mystery of Moon's birth-court has been solved! But, er, there's a problem (of course). They want him back. And by the vagaries of Raksuran custom, Moon has no choice but to leave Indigo Cloud and go meet the people who may well have deliberately abandoned him to die as a child.

This was probably the most emotional of the Books of the Raksura, which is probably why it's my favorite so far of the three. Moon -- not the most emotionally together guy at the best of times -- has to muddle his way through a morass of his feelings for Jade, his fears about the future, his anger about his past, other people's hatred of him, and more. As if that's not enough to deal with, the Fell are back with a vengeance... along with something worse. Along the way, though, Wells treats us to the same wonders and horrors that make us love and fear the Three Worlds: amazing ancient cities, magical airships, genteel monsters, breathtakingly badass women, obnoxiously badass grandpas, and truly heartrending moments of pain and beauty.

If you even slightly d either of the two preceding books, make sure you read this one. Seriously.83 s Phrynne3,542 2,398

This was so beautiful and definitely the best out of the first three books. Since I gave the first two a perfect five each this one must be at least a six - or even a 10.

The world building continued on a level of its own. Wells has a particularly vivid imagination and the ability to draw perfect word pictures so the reader can visualise the scenes too. The final chapters in the Depths are a great example of this. I felt as stressed as the Raksura were in and under the water.

Best of all of course are the characters. After three books I love them all! Moon and Stone are extra special as is their relationship. When Moon reached his lowest point and suddenly Stone was hammering on the door to get in and help him I actually cried a few happy tears! This book turned out to be an emotional roller coaster

A really memorable book - and from the same author who gave us Murderbot. Amazing.34 s Mayim de Vries583 956

The Raksura series is just a perfect bedtime story for grownups. A book that you can read at the end of a trying day.

Before you ask: no, it is not about sirens.

The book is once more centred on Moon, a Raksura consort. After discovering who he really is in book one and embracing this belonging in book two, the third instalment in the series deals with the mystery of MoonÂ’s bloodline. On the forefront of the story surrounding this issue, the difference between what he is and what he is supposed to be is the most pronounced problem. Again, the Raksura culture serves as a springboard for a broader tale.

In the series, we see the Raksura through MoonÂ’s eyes, and it is not a situation where everything magically makes sense for the hero and is seamlessly reconciled with his previous experiences.

“I think you just managed to insult your entire race and culture in one sentence.”

On the contrary, Moon must enquire about the simplest things and while on the one hand, he would to conform and belong, on the other, he is aware that he will never be a typical Raksura male brought up in a colony. Simultaneously, he knows that he cannot and does not want to bend too far and in a consequence sacrifice who he is for the sake of a compromise. Moon’s otherness makes it difficult for him to settle down in a new, “familiar” context, but it is also an asset as previous experiences and a different approach to the world might be a hindrance in court’s daily life, but turn out to be invaluable when the Raksura face an external threat. Ms Well's decision to make Moon an adult man with considerable experience and a set character, not a rebel teenager, was an excellent idea.

This, sadly, was also the most problematic aspect of the whole series for me, and a one that brought the rating down to three stars. In my previous of the series, I have lauded the exceptional matriarchal culture of the Raksura and the marvellous queens. But matriarchy means also weak and coddled males that are as biddable as a Play-Doh.

This instalment, in particular, made me realise that we Moon precisely because he is not a typical Raksura consort, gently raised and protected, and indulged. But then, if every consort was Moon there would be no Raksura culture so it made me uneasy to admire something that is really a cultural antithesis. Moon is endearing because he is unique but the moment his traits were to be picked up by others, the whole Raksura culture would crumble.

All this made me think about the whole matriarchal design and I just could not understand why on earth in the Three Worlds a specimen stronger and smarter than your usual warrior needs to be sheltered. I can accept the anti-biological fact that RaksuraÂ’s males get stronger and bigger as they get older but after the whole life in a bubble of comfort and being constantly conditioned to defer to queens, they have no psychological right to grow snarky, deadly and violently independent.

The thing is that consorts are not taught to fight, they are taught to look pretty and talk to their queens in a placating way. Ember is a typical consort. Ember is everything what Moon is not. And just something that starts with Ember and ends up with Stone is not plausible for me in the tiniest bit. How to explain this dramatic renouncement of socialisation, habit and custom? I simply donÂ’t see it. This is a flaw in the societal design that I just cannot wrap my head around.

Luckily for me (and the book!) in The Siren Depths, secondary protagonists gain more prominence. Malachite MoonÂ’s mother dethroned Stone as my absolute favourite. The worldbuilding is even more astounding than before. Not even once did Ms Wells opt for a casual worldbuilding solution and the places and races she creates are off the amazing scale.

The Books of the Raksura may not be groundbreaking series that will change the fantasy genre forever, but it is a first-class entertainment that kept my interest for a total of nearly nine hundred pages and is perfect for binge-reading.

___
Also in the series:

1. The Cloud Roads ?????
2. The Serpent Sea ?????
4. The Edge of Worlds ?????
5. The Harbors of the Sun ?????27 s Justine1,216 335

This was just so good. Somehow these books manage to just keep getting better, and this was probably my favourite one so far. I am just thoroughly attached to the characters, which is a credit to the very rich development they receive from Wells.

This one is going on my favourites-2018 shelf; probably the whole series should be on there, but you get the picture.2018-read favourites25 s Mimi721 209

A fantastic, emotionally charged end to the trilogy.

* * * * *

Rereading on audio with the Flight of Fantasy group

* * * * *

Now that the Indigo Cloud court has settled into their new home, Moon and Jade focus their attention on making babies, but conceiving proves to be more difficult than either had anticipated.

Meanwhile, a powerful court with a powerful reigning queen on the other side of the Reaches makes a claim on Moon. She thinks he is the son she lost during a Fell attack on her colony many years ago. These events line up with Moon’s age and his vague memories of that time and Sorrow, the Raksura he thought was his mother. According to Raksura law, if a consort hasn’t fathered a clutch yet, then his birth court still has claims on him. Once a “feral solitary” with no known ties and a muddled bloodline, Moon now has two courts that want him.

The Siren Depths is about lineages and bloodlines, of both the Raksura and the Fell, and theyÂ’re explored through Moon, his birth queen, her court, and what happened to their home in the East all those years ago. In short, Moon finally knows where he came from. Revealing any more would spoil the rest of the story, but I will say that itÂ’s a great story full of surprises. It had me glued to each page; a few meals were missed and phone calls went ignored. MoonÂ’s birth mother is such a great character, and her court and her side of the story are an intriguing addition to the narrative and MoonÂ’s arc. They not only add interest and tension, but a whole heaping amount of history and heritage and so much more depth to an already rich vibrant series.

I will never get tired of rereading these books or singing their praises. They are, hands down, my favorite kind of fantasy and exactly what I had been looking for at the time to revitalize my love for the genre. If youÂ’re tired of the same old fantasy books and want to try something new and different, give this series a go. Martha Wells never disappoints, and these books will take you on an unforgettable journey.


Complete review of the first three books at https://covers2covers.wordpress.com/2...2015 2018 fantasy ...more23 s Kristalia 394 643

Final rating: 5/5 stars

So much things happened in this book I just don't know where to start. Many things are explained, many things have happened here. And the most important - we finally found out what happened to Moon's family.

But it wasn't just that, this book was really and so much emotional. It had me smiling many times, and crying just as much. I sobbed at 3 am in the morning, and then I decided it would be the best idea to calm down and continue after I wake up, because, damn, it hurt that much. I didn't sob this for weeks, maybe months, and this had pulled out my heart (and put it back there again, thankfully, which is very much appreciated).

Not just that, but the plot was great, the world building was amazing as always and characters were fantastic. I love most of the side ones who appeared. Especially Chime, he is my favorite along with Balm and Stone. But now I have added Shade (especially him), Celadon and Malachite too to the harem of favorite characters - especially kick ass heroines Jade and some of the other queens and warrior females - but I really loved Jade in this one.

So, what do we have in this book: Action? Yes. Cuteness? Yes. Plot twists? Yes. Court intrigue? Nice amount. Appearance of other courts? Yes. Finding out more about the Raksura and Fell races? Hell yes. Angst? Oh yes. Great new kick ass characters? Yes.

Talking to my aunt made me understand something. My aunt asked me what I read now and I told her a general idea of their races. And she was unexpectedly interested in Raksura so much she started asking me questions about them. Which is rare because she is not really fan of high fantasy. But the questions she asked had so much sense and I realized that I could answer all of her them: How do they reproduce? What are their classes? Can someone else transform into other class? How do Queens rule together? What are their rules on claiming of their mates? Can they be with more than 1 person and does this count for Consorts as well? Can anyone be with the same gender person without being scorned about it? What are consorts ? Which qualities Moon has that he shouldn't express because he is a Consort? How do the children look , do they shift too? How are they born? Are they born from eggs or live? How many of them are born at once, are there twins? What is their opinion on family relationships, how do they see mother, or siblings relationships? What is the relationship between the courts in general? How do they bury their dead, how do they deal with their dead? How do they deal with traitors and the ones who do unspeakable things and do they kill them or exile or imprison them? Where do they live? On trees? How does that work out? Do they take records and have their own language? What do they trade with others? Do they trade at all? What are they eating? Do they have sense of value and what is their currency? How do they treat outcasts and other races? And I could answer all of these questions and more she asked. And this is what I call a strong world building.

Also I love how this book changes gender roles. Females here are kick ass, beings of action and rulers or high positioned or just kick ass warriors or whatever they are.



? STORY:

*uh, oh, slight spoilers for this book and spoilers for book 1 and 2*

Stone went with few others and Niran to return the ship to Golden Islands. Chime believes Stone either won't come back or will go for another consort. In the meantime, Moon is still having hard time figuring out Consort roles, and he and Jade are trying to make a clutch but there are no signs yet.

One of the good things Moon had discovered was that teaching fledglings was acceptable work for consorts, and he thought he was fairly good at it. Though he would feel a lot better about his efforts if he could just get Bitter to fly.

And everything is going more or less well (when they aren't attacked by creatures or almost fall to death), when the embassy of the Emerald Twilight comes to visit for the second time... No one knows what they talked about the first time, but Jade and Pearl weren't happy about it. And this time, Tempest is coming with another queen from another court bearing very disturbing news.

One of the queens recognized the possible bloodline of Moon and sent a message to the court she believes is his birthplace. Which is a big problem, because every single fact - 40 or so years, disappearance of consort called Moon and other things seem too accurate to be a mistake. Now Moon's birth Court Opal Night wants him back and Jade can't protest. If they had a clutch together she and Pearl would be able to avoid this. But since they haven't, they cannot claim him if they know that his birth court - which is also one of the oldest and most powerful and biggest, has a claim on him for his bloodline. It gets even worse because Tempest brought another consort, Ember, as an apology for Halcyon's errors. But Opal Night has a secret of it's own... a big secret that will change things for better and worse. And not just that, Fell have returned... and they are not the worst thing out there.

? CHARACTERS:

*Slight spoilers for this book and spoilers for book 1 and 2 - MY ADVICE is don't read this section at all if you want to fully enjoy reading this book. *

? Moon is finally settling in his new home - after his help with returning the seed he finally believes he could stay here, be with Jade and Chime and enjoy their life together.

The artwork everywhere in the mountain-tree never showed Raksura in their soft-skinned groundling forms, something else Moon didnÂ’t understand. Even though he had grown up alone, outside of a Raksuran court, he had known in his blood that both his forms were him, that he didnÂ’t belong in one body or the other but both.
YouÂ’re still here, he reminded himself. Considering his past record at trying to fit in to settlements, this was an achievement.

He got very attached to Frost, Thorn and Bitter who shared unforgettable moments with him, as well as other kids.

What Moon had was a narrow shelf in the wall, holding the things that the fledglings and the Arbora children had given him on his visits to the nurseries. These were usually shiny rocks or pieces of wood, or intricate little sculptures made out of twigs or twisted scraps of cloth.

The surprising thing in this book though was his relationship with Chime - it escalated and another level, which was a bit shocking, finding out that Moon is bisexual (actually it seems all Raksura are Bi, considering how they are so casual when it comes to sex) - and Jade is absolutely fine with the two of them being together. But there is no breach of trust when it comes to things such as relationships between them.

But everything changes when Opal Night claims him back - Moon falls into panic and figures out that this is a perfect time for him to see if Indigo Cloud wants him or not. And when Jade refuses to take a direct conformation, he feels betrayed - he cannot believe her because she lied to him about this before and he is torn between wanting to believe she would come to Opal Night to negotiate for him. Moon strongly believes she wants to get rid of him.

There is this one thing about Moon that is very interesting - he didn't change after being offered few months of security, companionship and place to stay. He just faked and lied about being able to trust any of them. Trust is a very serious thing for Moon - he survived 35 years alone because he figured out trust is hard to earn and he should not believe in anyone. And many people don't realize how he feels about this. But Flower knew. And because of this... flaw... Moon is prone to do some things, generally annoy others, because he is too torn to think straight anymore. Not to mention the fact that he doesn't dare to hope - it would hurt more because no one ever wanted him on the long roads and is sure he will feel an outsider again in the new court as well. Moon in general has to deal with a lot of things why they didn't have clutch yet, or is it his problem, he can't figure out what is happening anymore, why they want him now, do they want him back to throw him away formally because he is solitary and make it official or as a bargaining chip for making an alliance (aka selling him off to another court) to get rid of him, and many other things. He is not really in the right state of mind when this all starts happening chapter by chapter. But i really love that he is willing to save others and help when needed.

? Jade wants to be there for Moon, and she manages to break through his defenses for a while. And then all hell breaks lose and she is forced to fight for him. She allowed him to continue acting as himself - even when it's known Consorts don't behave he does. She is tolerating that because she loves him the way he is. But is she really willing to fight another court for him? She is. She fights for him all the way. And it makes me so damn happy.

“I told you, I’ll follow you there, and make them give you back. I won’t leave there without you.”

? Chime is getting more relaxed when it comes to his new warrior form. And him being with Moon is never played for drama in any moment. Actually, they care of each other and figured out they have more things in common than anyone else. Chime made me happy - everytime he was happy. And he wants to help Moon and others, no matter what the cost.
Chime groaned in dismay and stepped in after him. “Me, too. Let’s all go together. Then when—if we die, it’ll be less… lonely.”
This just smells of optimism, right?

? Others: New characters were great as well. Tempest, who tries to do the right thing and has to deal with everything thrown at her. The characters of Opal Night, of whom I won't talk because - spoilers - were very interesting to read about. But I mostly agreed with Moon's opinions of them (sometimes I didn't when he actually crossed the line (which makes him regret it soon after)). Not to mention the royal clutch trio - the way they tried to help Moon with everything, including Thorn helping Moon learn to read Raksuran, and later bargaining with him when he told them he must go because he has no choices left. They are unforgettable cuties.

? OVERALL:

Great great sequel. I'm just feeling so happy because there will be 2 more books. This has potential for a lot of great sequels. If you want to read different high fantasy read this book.


OTHER IMPORTANT INFO:
? Standalone: No. Part of a series.
? Point of View: Third POV, 1 character.
? Cliffhanger: No.
? Love triangle: Well... does a functioning one actually counts as a love triangle?
? Angst: 1/5 of the book is certain angst ride.
? Supernatural: This whole book is about supernatural and magical creatures - mostly shapeshifters.
? Explicit content: No. You know what happened but no explicit descriptions.
? Ending type: HEA

? REVIEW(S) RELATED TO THIS BOOK:

? The Cloud Roads (Books of the Raksura, #1)
? The Serpent Sea (Books of the Raksura, #2)
? The Siren Depths (Books of the Raksura, #3)
? Stories of the Raksura, Volume 1: The Falling World & The Tale of Indigo and Cloud
? Stories of the Raksura, Volume 2: The Dead City & The Dark Earth Below
? The Edge of Worlds (The Books of the Raksura, #4) be-my-heroes-please be-my-heroine-please cut-my-heart-out ...more20 s Alissa642 98

The one thing he hadnÂ’t expected to do was to miss Indigo Cloud so much. He had been leaving people all his life, to the point where all the turns seemed an uninterrupted progression of departures, and there had been people he had missed terribly. But this was a never-ending ache in his chest, and every thought of Jade, Stone, Chime, Balm, the fledglings, Heart, Bell, Merit, Rill, Bark, Bone, Blossom, the other Arbora, was an active pain.

YouÂ’ll get over it, he told himself. You always get over it.

But somehow, this time was different. read-ebooks19 s Milda Page Runner304 263

This series became my comfort read.fantasy20 s MrsJoseph *grouchy*1,010 83

Once again, Jade has to fight off all the bitches trying to steal her man.

;-)

That's not what the story is about at all, of course. But I love it that almost every book has Jade saving Moon. It's so par for the course in Fantasy AND Romantic stories...except that this time the Queen is doing all of the saving.

;-)

Sometimes - 3 books in - itÂ’s hard to understand why Moon is still so distrustful. During this re-read, I started counting the time - and I get it. ItÂ’s short.

So, word of caution: There are spoilers below! Read at your own risk.

From the start of The Cloud Roads to the start of The Siren Depths only about 6 months have passed. That must be rough for Moon - heÂ’s finally feeling he has a family and heÂ’s ripped from them. Yet again.

The beginning of The Siren Depths is simply heartbreaking. I totally understand that Malachite wasnÂ’t trying to hurt Moon but there isnÂ’t a way she could have hurt him more. MalachiteÂ’s anger about what happened blinded her to MoonÂ’s needs as well as his circumstances.

WellsÂ’ Patreon account has a couple of snippets that give insight into MalachiteÂ’s behavior as well as StoneÂ’s response to learning that they took Moon. Even knowing all of that, itÂ’s very hard to see MoonÂ’s distress and heartbreak.

Malachite is an incredibly sympathetic character, too. She feels as if she has lost everything: her court was attacked and destroyed, her consort killed, most of her children murdered. Suddenly, she gets a letter that one more of her children are alive - 40.Years.Later. And she canÂ’t even really have him - heÂ’s already "married" and not with her permission. (Side note - consorts are basically cloistered bower dwellers and require their birthqueenÂ’s permission to "marry" (unless he is stolen, of course)).

The more we get to know Malachite, the more we realize that Malachite must be where Moon gets his strength from - and his attitude. Moon, Malachite is still living in the past, still raging about the wrong done to her. I wish - I hope - that Malachite realizes that she won. She destroyed her enemies and she gave her children the strength they needed to survive. Moon survived. Celadon survived. MalachiteÂ’s line survived.


And Stone. OMG. Is it even possible to love Stone more?? The scene when Stone shows up (and Moon faints the delicate consort he is) I just cheered so hard. My husband is getting so tired of me telling him things , "Stone is the BEST! I love him so much! and Moon is the BEST! I love him so much! or Malachite is scary as fuck! OMFG I love her!


Beyond the beginning of the story, the rest of the action of the book is almost an emotional let-down: Real action takes place in that a huge group of Fell is heading straight for Opal Night (and a groundling city also in their path). Stone does not want Indigo Cloud involved as they are still struggling to reestablish themselves but Moon persists. Moon has dealt with the Fell and know they will destroy the groundling city in order to use it as food and a staging area. At the same time this is happening, Jade has managed to stick her claw in her mouth with Malachite – and Indigo Cloud has a lot to do to prove to Malachite they deserve her Moon.

I call this an emotional let-down only because the first section is so heart-rending. There’s a scene where Moon is talking to Jade about it and thinks something “…but you’re my family.” I almost died.

One of the things I love about The Siren Depths is the fact that Moon starts to become a bit more...reflective on his behavior. He's been hurt and discarded and abandoned so often that he couldn't really make himself believe that Jade would come for him... So when she does come for him, he begins realizes that it might be time for him to start rethinking some of his actions and decisions.

The rest of the book – the Fell, the fight with the Fell and the discovery of the underwater city – is quite amazing (lack of tears regardless, lol). I really can’t mention enough how…thorough, complete and logical Wells’ world-building is. It’s INSANE the amount of thought that went into this universe – and you can see it clearly in the second half (if I’m being honest, you can see it in the first half, too).

Man, Malachite is the epitome of badass. Jade says she is sustained by pure rage – either way, she is pure amazing right there on a platter.


The Siren Depths is one of my favorites because I love, love, LOVE the fact that prickly Moon has picked up blood family. I say "blood" because he already had family with Indigo Cloud.
2018 2018-reading-challenges 2018-tbr-challenge ...more17 s Fiona1,341 271

Nobody had been eaten, so Moon was counting it as a pretty good day.

Book three of the Books of the Raksura begins with so consequences from the discovery made late in the second; Moon, former wanderer, wasn't abandoned by his home court after all - and they still exist. Now it seems, they want him back.

It's a more emotional book than the last two were, and while there's a moment of "one conversation would have solved a lot of this angst", I'm giving it a pass. Mostly because it passes quickly, and the conversation is had, something Martha Wells always follows through on. There is also genuine reason for it - these are courts, there are long-standing traditions and formalities, and it's been well established in the previous books that this is absolutely how it would have gone.

But aside from Moon's plot, we also get huge advancements on the storyline of the Fell. They're such a great enemy and threat; they're genuinely chilling, without having to get all super-villain. That part of the story is so excellent - we get a lot of answers, they lead to a lot more questions - and I'm really hanging out to see where that goes.

And the rest of the series, these settings are everything I want in fantasy. It's all gorgeous imagination-fuel, and we always get a journey that takes us somewhere new (usually several somewheres). The variety and wonder of these places is another of my favourite things about this series.absolute-favourites fantasy happy-place18 s Gergana227 421


The Siren Depths is, sadly, the last of "The Books of the Raksura" and I actually had to force myself to pause reading it for a week so I can make the whole experience last longer!

When I first opened "The Cloud Roads" I was certain that the story will be too far fetched for me, but I was willing to give it a try, because one of my other top favourite authors of all time, N.K.Jemisin, recommended it. And although the synopsis didn't sound something I would typically look for I am so glad that it did not stop me!

Yes, the story was outlandish, but in the most positive and imaginative sense of the word, the world was wondrous and magnificently described, the settlements of the races - breath-taking, the fights - exhilarating! The culture and traditions of a Raksuran court are rich with details and history. But the best part were the characters! I will truly miss Cloud, Jade, Stone (especially) and the rest of the Raksura! But I am also looking forward to checking out "Emilie and The Hollow World", "City of Bones" and whatever I can find by the author! All I can say is a big big "Thank you!" to Martha Wells for sharing her rich imagination with us!

PS: The covers are so cool!
favorites science-fiction15 s Lindsay1,305 246

A wonderful conclusion to the first Raksura trilogy, deepening Moon's story by making him understand his origins and how invested he now is in Indigo Cloud.

The Indigo Cloud court is rocked by the revelation that Moon's original court had survivors and that they want him back, not recognizing Jade's claim on him at all. By Raksura custom Moon must return to his court of origin. This comes on top of Moon and Jade not being able to conceive a clutch and leaves Moon devastated, abandoned and on the brink of becoming a solitary again. But his new court has problems; problems that Moon is intimately familiar with: the Fell.

After three books this series only gets better. By this stage we understand a lot more about Raksura and Raksuran culture along with its limitations which has huge amounts of implied knowledge and almost no language to describe emotional bonds - in three books no Raksura uses the term "love". So by the third book, the reader really feels the depth of Moon's frustrations and desire to belong and his chafing at being a strong, powerful individual in a role that is usually a sheltered one.

It will be interesting to pick up the next duology to see how the author has re-conceived this culture after a substantial break.fantasy14 s Laura1,151 54

5 lovely stars!!
This is one book that brought tears to my eyes not only once, because it is so tender and emotional!

Told in an easy rythm and a gripping pace, Moon's tale will have you ride an emotional rollecoaster this time around. And you'll probably do it at the edge of your seat biting your nails!

Moon has to go home. After such a long time spent alone he finds out he has a family that wants him back. He is forced to leave Jade and answer the call of his mother.

And yes, I did ask myself also:
"I do not understand how they can take a man away from his wife when he does not wish to be parted from her. Especially when his wife has such big teeth and claws."

In case you're wondering about that too, Moon provided the answer. "My birthqueen has bigger teeth and claws"

Stubborn Moon, who you can't even argue with because that would be arguing with a rock needs to find his place among the ranks of his birthcourt but that would require a certain amonunt of trust. Trust he finds it difficult to grant.

This part of his journey is my favourite so far.

Check out this review and more over at The Magic Book Corner read-in-201812 s Choko1,310 2,641

Wow! What can I say about this wonderfully creative and tender story? I loved it!!! I was already in love with the characters, but Moon's mom, she just took over! What a bad-ass! A perfect match for Stone :-)

Overall I am sad that the trilogy is over, despite my belief that major fantasy of this type is best suited for the 3 book format. I will miss Moon, Stone and Chime and most probably will revisit them soon.dragons fantasy11 s TheBookSmugglers669 1,902

Original review posted on The Book Smugglers

Oh, what a pleasure it is to return to the Three Worlds and the Raksura! Such a rich world, such an incredibly fun and adventurous story, such a bunch of well-rounded characters!

In this third (and final?) book in the Books of the Raksura series, we continue to follow the long-term tribulations of the folks from Indigo Cloud court as well as the protagonist MoonÂ’s internal struggles.

Indigo Cloud court is still settling down in their new home when news arrive from far away: a rival court has laid claim on Moon and want him back. Moon is not happy about it, he has finally found a home with Indigo Cloud and even though he and its Queen Jade havenÂ’t had a clutch yet (is there anything wrong with him, he wonders), things are looking up. Plus, this other court didnÂ’t want him before, so why bother now. To his surprise, Indigo Cloud tells him to go and they explain that according to the Raksura way of life he must follow the order, that they have no choice and despite reassurances from Jade that she WILL get him back, Moon believes it is the end of the road for him and Indigo Cloud. In the meantime, there is danger in the horizon, as the Fell make their come-back with a vengeance.

This is the book where all threads present in the series so far come to an end. It is here that past and present meet in order to pave the way to the future. Both the Indigo Cloud court and Moon have to face their ghosts so that they can carry on.

For the Indigo Cloud court and even the Raksura themselves, it is time they understand more about their connection to the dreaded Fell and the things they have in common – as unthinkable as this might be. There are surprising revelations here that add an element of learning to the proceedings even as the characters are fighting for their lives in the crudest yet most exciting sequences of the novel.

For Moon, it is coming to grips with his childhood and how his perception of his own history might not be entirely true as well as coming to the understanding about how his life from before is affecting how he responds emotionally to his life now. If there was learning for the Raksura, there is all the more so for Moon. His arc finally reaches the point where he KNOWS everything: who he is, what happened to his family and why; and how this knowledge must be taken onboard to help him decide the person he wants to be.

This is the type of Fantasy series I absolutely love – and highly recommend as a worthwhile series to read and fall in love with. There is a wonderful balance between the personal and the collective, for example, with Moon having to understand the laws the Raksura live by and sometimes even question them; between different peoples and cultures; between character and plot (both drive the story forward). The world-building is unquestionably well-established and thought-through, the Raksura a wholly different species without being completely alien.

It also features a matriarchal society of completely badass women, a different type of Consort that doesnÂ’t mind being protected AND saved by his Queen but who wishes he can be more proactive, friendship bonds, reasoned and negotiated romance, as well as moments of pain and loss mingled with beauty and inspiration.

The Siren Depths closes the series really well – but with scope for more awesome adventures with Moon, Jade, Stone and co. I am hoping for more! fantasy fantasy-awesomeness favorites9 s Yune631 22

I was going to give this four stars, since it's not a perfect book, but given that I pre-ordered it, dropped everything to read it as soon as it arrived, finished it the same evening, then sat quietly with the book in my hands musing over how much I love this series... It deserved the upgrade.

I think one of the (several) amazing things about this series is how it doesn't flag. Everything that I thought marvelous about the first two volumes -- the vivid depiction of the non-human Raksuran culture (heck, several such cultures), the deft mix of aerial battle action and court politics and navigating personal relationships, distinct characters who act according to cogent reasons -- all of that is still here and strong. (And yes, the much-beloved disemboweling claws make another appearance.)

I suspect that much of the magic lies in how relatable the characters are despite their foreign outlook. I cheered when the powerful elder Stone showed up at a critical moment, storming angry; laughed when the reluctant warrior Chime volunteered to accompany others on a dangerous mission ("Let's all go together. Then when--if we die, it'll be less...lonely"); felt my heart catch when orphaned fledglings tried to bargain their rescuer into staying with them.

And, of course, there's Moon, the main character, who finally gets to confront his past from a destroyed court and what it means for the tenuous yet cherished ties to his adopted home. This could have easily been a tedious conflict with many other characters, under many other authors' hands, but here I completely understood Moon's lack of confidence in finding -- and holding on to -- a place where he belongs, and ached for him through his struggles.

And don't forget the Fell, the predator race that descends upon entire cities to ravage them, yet shares a heritage with the Raksura. I was pleased to see this explored more deeply here, complete with a scholar who questioned exactly why the Fell's behavior suddenly started changing. Along with all the emotional and martial turmoil, people do think about things.

It's just such a well-grounded, well-rounded fantasy read -- perhaps not a lofty work, but just thoroughly entertaining while being too solid to be counted as inconsequential fluff. If you enjoyed the first two, you won't be disappointed by this one. But do go read those first.

I (not-so-)secretly hope there will be more, but honestly? Even if these are the only three books, count me a very happy reader.fantasy non-human-characters9 s thefourthvine645 223

UPDATE ON REREAD: I was a fool! This is still the best book of the five, I think, but book 2 is the 3.5. This is, honestly, a 5 star book.

^^^

Huh. I think I actually d this book best of the trilogy, which is deeply unusual for me. (I hate endings.) I feel weird rating all three the same, but, well -- Cloud Roads is a 3.5, Serpent Sea is a true 4.0, and Siren Depths is probably a 4.5. So they all get a four.

I think this book fulfilled the promise of the series, being about home and family and history and the scars the past leaves on you. It also has a truly compelling plot, and some of my favorite secondary characters of the series. Chime has always been one of my favorites, but here he's joined by Shade, the consort of another court, and Moon's mother. This book is worth reading just to meet Moon's mother. Jade tells Moon at one point, "Your mother is sustained by pure rage," and she is, but she is also incredibly smart and focused and just super awesome.

And the worldbuilding remains my favorite part of this series. I would love to read books set in almost any of the many cultures of the Three Worlds.

Basically, I loved this, and I wish there was another book in the series, partly because I'm not ready to be done with it, and partly because I want to see if it just keeps on getting better.airships dragons magic ...more9 s Kat HeatheringtonAuthor 4 books28

Martha Wells is amazing. The 3rd book in the Raksura series fully delivers on the promise of the first two. It's poignant enough to make you cry, thoughtful and thought-provoking, funny, fast-moving and action packed as always. I am delighted by Moon's personal growth and the deepening of his relationship with his culture & society. And Jade! also: i continue to absolutely adore the inverted gender dynamics of Raksuran society. i love it that Moon spends some time worrying if he's pretty enough. and stuff. some of it's bold and funny, and some of it's subtle, and all of it is a nice mirror to the assumptions we live under.

And the lush descriptions of this highly original world are simply breathtaking. i want to go live in a mountain-tree now. and have wings. of course.9 s Mitticus1,056 222



A new adventure and journey through the Three Worlds. Why Moon ended alone in the woods, and why the Fell are so interested in the Raksura? well, read this book to find out ;)

-RTC--adventure-and-or-action aerial-shapeshifters beware-of-the-queen ...more9 s Ian441 121

3.4?
The third installment of Martha Wells' Raksura saga and a good one, imho.

Our hero, the Raksura prince ( consort) Moon has a troubled past. Orphaned and abandoned at young age, he's had to make his way in the violent and often chaotic Three Worlds without the knowledge of his people or his pedigree.

So when he finally reunites with the Raksura of Cloud Indigo Court he's seen as unusual, uncouth, " feral". The first two books detail his own gradual acceptance of what he is, and his acceptance by the other Raksura ( flying, shape shifting lizard people).

Suddenly, that's all undermined by the arrival of a messenger from the far off queen of another court who claims Moon as family.

So this book contains Moon's origin story, the usual high adventures in mysterious lands, the now mandatory Lost City, and the usual wranglings and schemings by the irascible Raksura.

Wells displays her usual skill with characters and settings (aka ' world-building'). It's a fun, fast story, best suited for those somewhat familiar with the series, though Wells tries hard to provide background and context and includes a number of helpful appendices ( a pro touch, that I wish more serial authors would consider these days).fantasy guilty-pleasure-sci-fi8 s1 comment Zoe Artemis Spencer Reid552 128

What a satisfying wrap up to this terrific series! The Siren Depths was also the best in the series, it explored in depth the culture, psychology, socio-politic in and between the Raksura courts. And we also got addition of new characters which was splendid, especially Malachite that was even way cooler than Stone! Wells finally gave much expected answers about Fells and their seemingly contradictory sophisticated crossbreeding invention with their parasitic-animalistic nature. The greatest strength of this series was the creative, outlandish, amazing world-building that was never ordinary or expected. The only thing that I found to be disappointing was the fact that no one died after that many fights. Other than that, The Books of the Raksura was simply the definition of lots and lots of fun.fantasy7 s Seregil of Rhiminee591 47

Originally published at Risingshadow.

Finding originality and true talent in today's overcrowded fantasy market is difficult, but fortunately there are still authors Martha Wells who write quality fantasy for adults. The Books of the Raksura series can be seen as a proof of her writing talents, because it continues to get better and more complex with each new book. Each time I've read a book by Martha Wells, there's been one question on my mind: How does she manage to write so original and absorbing stories? I don't know the answer to this question, but I think that it takes a lot of courage and determination to write a book series about a totally different culture and race, because this is seldom done in fantasy literature.

When you read this review, you'll probably notice that I love The Siren Depths very much and I'm not afraid to praise it. The Siren Depths is one of those books which deserves all the praise it gets, because it's an excellent book (it's a pleasure to read this kind of well written adult fantasy).

The first two books, The Cloud Roads and The Serpent Sea, were excellent fantasy books, but in my opinion The Siren Depths is an even better and more satisfying book, because it takes the series to a whole new level of depth.

In the first two books the readers were introduced to a world called Three Worlds, the shapeshifting Raksura and their enemies, the Fell. The author created an amazingly vivid fantasy world by writing about strange beings, new cultures, love, loss, loneliness and relationships in an entertaing and fascinating way. She added politics, cultural differences and fascinating characters to her world and the result was a stunningly original fantasy world. All these things and other things that the readers have to come expect from this series can be found in this book, but this time with more depth and style than before.

Here's a bit of information about this book:

In this book Moon has settled to his life in the Indigo Cloud court, but things still aren't as easy as they could be. He has found a place for himself, but things having babies with Jade cause him problems. When another court, the court of Opal Night, sets claim on Moon and wants to take him, things become difficult, because Moon isn't sure if Jade will fight for him. This is just one of his worries, beause the Fell make a return and are just as deadly and dangerous as before. The Fell are trying to crossbreed the Raksura for their own purposes...

One of the most intriguing things about The Siren Depths is that Martha Wells focuses on writing about the court of Opal Night. The court of Opal Night is Moon's birthcourt and the rulers of this court have shameful and disturbing secrets, which they try to keep hidden from outsiders. The atmosphere at the court of Opal Night is a bit tense because of these secrets. It was interesting to read what happened when Moon found out about the secrets.

I enjoyed reading about what happened to Moon when he was young. The revelations about his childhood and heritage were interesting, because they explained many things and were a great way to show readers what kind of tragic things had happened at his birthcourt and how they affected everybody.

I the way Martha Wells writes about the court politics and plots of the Raksura, because these things aren't to Moon's liking. It's good that the author explores court politics through the eyes of Moon, because Moon is used to being a solitary being and several things seem complicated to him. He has just recently come to realize what it means to be a Raksura and he's still learning new things, so his observations about court politics are often sharp and others may not feel the same way about things.

The author writes fluently about how the Raksura deal with the groundlings and their way of life. Things concerning the groundlings are interesting, because the cultural and racial differences between the Raksura and the groundlings (and the problems caused by these differences) add quite a lot of depth to the fantasy world. Certain groundlings fear the Raksura, because they think that they are Fell who want to kill and eath them, but others are used to the Raksura and are friendly to them.

Reading about the enemies of the Raksura - the Fell - and their plans is also interesting, because they have tried to crossbreed with the Raksura. What makes the Fell interesting is that they're related to the Raksura, but are totally different kind of beings and have a different kind of culture. The scenes with the Fell are intriguing, because the author reveals what kind of plans they have - what the readers will find out is truly riveting and unexpected.

The worldbuilding is once again excellent. The author created a solid fantasy world in the previous books and now she continues to write more about the world and the Raksura. I have to admit that I've been very impressed by the author's worldbuilding since the beginning, because she reveals bits and pieces of the world as the story progresses and the readers learn new and exciting things all the time. The worldbuilding culminates in this book, because the author keeps on revealing more things - and especially important things - about the world and the beings which inhabit it.

The character development is one of the best things about this book. The shapeshifting Raksura are fascinating characters, because they aren't human beings, but their feelings are totally similar to human feelings (this is one of the reasons why I love these books so much). I think it's possible that readers will be able to identify themselves with some of the characters and especially with Moon, because he is the protagonist of the story.

Because I've been fascinated by the Raksura and their extraordinary way of life and biology ever since I read The Cloud Roads, I was impressed by how easily the author wrote about Moon's present situation and how he felt about his birthcourt and Jade. The moments between Moon and Jade are handled admirably, and so are the moments between Moon and the members of his birthcourt. I especially enjoyed reading about how Moon felt about Malachite and Shade (the dialogue between the characters is fantastic and at times delightfully sharp).

Martha Wells has already explored what it means to be different in this series by writing about Moon and his problems. In this book she takes things further by writing about Shade and how he differs from other characters. I won't reveal who or what Shade is, but I'll mention that he is a complex character and he has an unusual past, which will be a surprise for the readers. His unusual past makes him a kind of a "recluse", because he doesn't exactly fit into the court. The dialogue between him and Moon is fantastic.

The Siren Depths is probably the most emotionally challenging and beautifully written book in this series, because feelings are explored with a heartfelt pain and clarity - the characters have powerful and believable feelings of love, hate, shame, jealousy and fear (how Moon, Shade, Malachite, Jade, Stone and other characters feel about things is handled perfectly). Writing about feelings can be difficult and several authors tend to write sugary prose, but fortunately there's no sugar coating in this book. For example, when Moon arrives at the court of Opal Night, he feels alone and unsure about his future - his feelings are fully believable and it's easy for a reader to understand what it feels to be alone in a strange place.

The prose is just as good as in the previous books, if not even better than before. Everybody who s good prose will enjoy reading the author's sharp, but touching prose. I the author's writing style very much, because she has a talent for compelling storytelling.

I sincerely hope that Martha Wells will at some point continue to write more books about the Three Worlds, because the world that she has created is astonishingly original without any kind of artificiality. I'm sure that I won't be the only one who wants to read more about the Raksura and Three Worlds. If the author decides not to write more stories about the Raksura, it's great that she has given readers three original fantasy books, which stand head and shoulders above other fantasy books.

I've noticed that some readers have categorized these books as science fiction. There are certain science fictional elements in these books, so it's possible that readers may feel that they're sci-fi books, but I wouldn't categorize them as science fiction, because they're clearly fantasy books.

Before I finish my review I'll mention briefly that this book contains appendixes, which are useful to readers (it's nice to check what the terms mean, if you happen to forget them). I'll also mention that it's good to read the first two books before reading this book (if you've read the first book, you may understand certain things, but I strongly recommend reading both books).

The Siren Depths is a brilliantly complex, absorbing and original fantasy book. If you're tired of clichéd fantasy books with shallow characters, do yourself a favour and read this book, because you'll be impressed by the complex characters, the originality of the story and the poignant prose. The Siren Depths is one of the best and most original fantasy books of 2012, so make sure that you'll read it as soon as possible.

Highly recommended!
favorites6 s Athena240 44

Oh my, this was a tasty read! The third and final volume of the immensely satisfying Books of the Raksura, The Siren Depths is every single bit as good as the two preceding books and marks the end of a terrific trilogy. It's a brilliant conclusion to an extraordinary tale, visionary and realistic at the same time.

Wells' writing is compellingly well-crafted and the three novels that make up the series work beautifully together. Each of the three books has a great plot with interesting characters and a fulfilling conclusion, and then the next book presents further plot developments that grow naturally & organically from the preceding novel.

In Siren Depths the Indigo Court 'tribe' of Raksura, and Moon in particular face new challenges. Moon is claimed by another court, Opal Night, and in the course of this some astounding secrets are laid bare. Adding to the tension, Opal Night is near the edge of the Raksuran Reaches not far from a city of non-Raksura that has gotten itself on the lunch menu of the ever-lurking Fell, while the Fell themselves have formed some even more fiendish plans than is at first apparent.

One of the intriguing things about the Three Worlds, as it's inhabitants refer to it (meaning creatures of sky, land & sea), is that its abundant life-forms tend to default to some degree of sentience resulting in an astonishing array of intelligent life-forms. Wells' doesn't waste time trying to bring all these disparate creatures into evolutionary order, aside from the Raksura focal species and their enemies, the Fell, and it works better because of that choice.

There is an implied depth of history to this planet which provides an interesting background but Wells never over-explains. There are ancient ruins scattered across the world that the Raksura traverse: the ruins are wondered at and used, when possible, but they don't deflect from the pace of the story. This makes the story a lot more realistic, because until the 1900s most people on this planet who lived around ruins also made use of them and wondered about those people who had built them: archaeology is not an old discipline. Wells' presentation of the Three Worlds feels very natural.

The implied background/history of the planet also adds a wonderful whiff of reality to this world. Could this possibly be the Earth in 1 or 5 or 10 million years? Why not? Homo sapiens has only been around at most a couple hundred thousand years Â… what might evolve so long after us? With climate changes and continental drift we probably wouldn't recognize our world if we caught a glimpse of it from 5 million years in the future (or the past, for that matter). I don't think it's supposed to be Earth Â… but it could be Â… and it could be somewhere else, too.

Doesn't matter - this is a terrific creation and I can hardly wait to reread the entire trilogy! The Books of the Raksura are in my top ten fantasy reads, ever. READ THEM! :)classics fantasy-sf great-reads6 s Amy Aelleah887 7

I think this might be my favorite to date. It's really difficult for me to pin down why, though. I guess I just the story line. And a couple of the new characters. (Malachite and Shade especially.)favorites genre-fantasy quiltbag-poly7 s Anastasia1,114 21

I really enjoy reading about Moon. He is the equivalent of a princess in a female dominated society. Martha Wells does a good job of flipping the patriarchal society into a matriarchal one.5 s Clinton151 21

I guess ima have to be "that" guy again and not a book everyone else s. I honestly cant see why anyone would or love this book. What redeeming qualities does it have? What does it do right? If you can answer Nothing, to both of those questions, congrats your just me.

Everything I have to say in this review can be reflected on the series as a whole.

The main character, whatever his name was, has to be one of the most infuriating characters Ive ever had the displeasure of reading about. As a matter of fact there is only one character who can rival my hate for this character. There is only one character that has annoyed me on higher levels than "main character" has managed to pull off, even in his finest hour. That character is Rose from the Vampire Academy series. If you know who im talking about than you should know what I mean.
(I just checked, main characters name was Moon, no wonder i forgot.)

I mean Moon, he complains about everything. He yells, bitches and just goes off on damn near everybody. Even when people are trying to help him or be nice to him or save his life, he bitches. I couldn't understand it and it annoyed me to no end. Moon is one of the main reasons why i couldnt get into this series.

The other is the fact that these books are 65% annoying fluff descriptions.

"Do you want to come with me to the jungle" Dragon Girl says.

At that moment Dragon Boy felt the wind breeze through the halls. This wasnt an ordinary breeze, no this breeze was cold. This breeze was so cool that DB had to look up, and when he did, he saw the sun. This sun was bright, just a sun is. But this sun wasnt just any type of bright, it was really bright. The sun was so bright that DB had to look down and when he did, he saw the dirt. Oh this wasnt regular everyday dirt, it was light brown with a hint of lavender. The coarse texture of the dirt was so smooth when he ran his fingers through it that he knew it was indeed dirt.

"Yes ill come" Dragon Boy says.


Thats the type of bull you have to deal with throughout each book except that its actually 50X worst in the books. Simple conversations that should take up 4 lines end up taking 15 pages to get through.Without those two problems these could of been some excellent books, they had alot of potential.

So no I dont these books, I wanted to kill myself while reading them to put it nicely.

annoying could-of-been-better over-emotional-character-s5 s Saphirablue975 79

*sobs* It's over! The series is over. *snief* :(

I loved this book as much as the previous ones. The worldbuilding continues and even though it's the third book - there still have been added even more details and new things. *loves*

The characters? I'm so much in love with every single one. But Moon, Stone, Jade, Chime and Shade? There are very few characters I'm more in love with than them. I was literally squeeing out loud when the warrior at Opal Night said that an huge line-grandfather had just arrived. :D

All the backstory about Moon and how he became the lost Raksura that he was? Heartbreaking, thrilling and just wow.

I also loved to read about yet another court and how the politics are there and what that meant for Moon and the others at Indigo Cloud.

I'm also in love with Martha Wells writing style. The words and pages just flew away while reading and I finished this book way sooner that I'd have d.

A fantastic third book of a fantastic series!This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full reviewfantasy favorites friendship ...more5 s ChrystopherÂ’s Archive530 37

“‘About forty turns ago there was a colony in the east, and a warrior named Swift, who had to change her name to Sorrow…’”

IÂ’m not crying YOUÂ’RE crying SHUT UP4 s Stephen104 3

The Siren Depths is the third book in Martha WellsÂ’ Books of the Raksura series. The novel brings an interesting story and compelling characters together for a fitting end to the trilogy. But is it the end?

One thing I d about the story was how it tells a tale on two fronts. One one hand thereÂ’s the immediate story of what Moon is doing and where heÂ’s being forced to go. On the other hand, The Siren Depths ties in with the previous novels to finally reveal MoonÂ’s full backstory. Readers finally get to find out what happened to him as a kid, how he was separated from his court, the identity of his parents, and more. By the end, all of the loose ends are tied up which gives the book a feeling of completeness. However, the future is kept wide open and there are plenty of major stories that could be explored in future novels.

On its own, The Siren Depths is an enjoyable book. ItÂ’s certainly not something you would want to dive into without reading the other two books first. A lot of world building and character building is accomplished before hand. While you probably could jump straight into this book and enjoy it, you would be missing out on a lot. Regardless, this book fits in perfectly with the series. As part of the greater whole, it continues the fun, but it also ties things together nicely, answers lingering questions, and pushes the characters in intriguing directions.

the previous stories, there is a good mix of various story elements. It explores new, strange places and creatures. ThereÂ’s a new villain who turns out to be the driving force behind the Fell and their desire to crossbreed with the Raksura. ThereÂ’s a new groundling city discovered on the side of a cliff, built into a gigantic statue. It has harbors for flying boats and its citizens are armed with projectile weaponry. ThereÂ’s also a mysterious underwater city full of secrets thatÂ’s explored. ThereÂ’s a lot of court intrigue as Moon ventures to a new Raksuran court on the edge of the Reaches. Meanwhile the story of Moon and JadeÂ’s relationship continues into new territory. The only thing thatÂ’s not really explored yet is the raising of the Sky Copper royal clutch.

If you’re thinking about investing in the series, it’s worthwhile. The second and third books are on par with the first. It’s also a good way for Star Wars readers to see what Martha Wells’ storytelling is . She does a good job of balancing between characters and plot. The dialog and character development is excellent. She’s very imaginative and comes up with some really strange races, creatures, and places. Action is spread throughout the novel with various trigger points and mission points, but it’s never drawn out to the point of being tiresome. There also isn’t any graphic sex, and while there is violence, she doesn’t dwell on it. All in all, it’s a great mix for good storytelling that makes for addictive reading.4 s Melissa McShaneAuthor 68 books808

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