BOOK REVIEW: The Core (Book 5 of the Demon Cycle) by Peter V. Brett

The Core is a wild ride and one hell of a Finale to Brett's Demon Cycle. This man does not mince words (well, he might have...at times...in other books), the story runs quick, though it is a BIG book.

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*4.5 STARS*
Dark/Epic Fantasy/Grimdark | October 2017 | Del Rey | 783 pages

The demons are getting ready to Swarm. The hive lacks the leadership of the Demon Prince, Alagai Ka. And while Arlen and Jardir sought to capture the leader to discover the secrets to destroy the demon threat, it has only set a deadly timer in motion that could decimate the human population in a feeding frenzy that man has not known for ages. So, as story threads come together, the demons rise in increasing organization, and the various human settlements are tested to the limits of their ability and far beyond.

Highly enjoyable for a fan of the series, Brett answers questions, showcases incredible new powers as both Arlen and Jardir push their own limits of understanding. My only complaint, at times, is this novel could have easily stretched to two... (And perhaps I wanted it to.) But Brett achieves the impossible by pulling off a satisfying close to an epic series, doing it timely, and sticking to one book.

Which, when you compare it to other series... What is there really to complain about? But there are story threads that are not so much tied off, as hacked short. Leaving potential there hanging, and a reader wondering. I would have liked to see them resolved, and certain storylines truly lacked a satisfying, well though out resolution.

In the end, The Core is an amazing book that delivers, and my complaints could be so much hot air, if that which is unresolved ends up as a spin-off series or one-off novels.