  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 02/01/2015 This final installment in the Books of Beginning series picks up the trio of once-orphaned siblings where The Fire Chronicle (2012) left them: newly resurrected Kate is still reeling from time-traveling with the boy who will one day become her enemy, and Michael, who brought her back, attempts to harness the powers of his own recently discovered Book. But Emma is on her own, captured by the evil (though perhaps not entirely so) Dire Magnus and his cronies, and her sister and brother are prepared to risk everything to free her. This is Emma’s story, and it is Emma and her quest for her Book—The Black Reckoning, or the Book of Death—that takes center stage in the narrative. It’s a journey that encompasses the land of the giants and the land of the dead, and each page sends the siblings hurtling toward a startling, sometimes somber conclusion. Stephens once again nails the sibling dynamic, and this end of a trilogy is both action-packed and introspective. Sure to please fans.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: This New York Times best-selling series already has a following, and the final volume is sure to draw interest. - Copyright 2015 Booklist. School Library Journal - 05/01/2015 Gr 4–7—In this series conclusion, it is young Emma's turn to take center stage and obtain the Book of Death, which the 12-year-old handles with bravery, imagination, and the willing assistance (nay, sacrifice) of beloved friends both new and old. There is high adventure: war with all its inherent idiocy (finding a leader is impossible when the witches, gnomes, and elves despise one another), the hunt for treasure, and an unsettling visit to the Land of the Dead. There is also humor, this time in the character of Willy the Giant, whose large body is easily matched by his wits and heart. Fear, frustration, and violence also feature in this story, as well as heartbreak. Ultimately, however, the lost are found, the world is saved, and love manages to win out in the end. With no guarantee of survival, the Wibberly siblings prove themselves to be worthy guardians over life and death. Readers will need to have read the first two books for maximum enjoyment. VERDICT A fine, if somber, end to an excellent fantasy trilogy.—Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library - Copyright 2015 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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