The Reaver: The Sundering, Book IV by Richard Lee Byers

Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Series: The Sundering, Book IV

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Anton Marivaldi was a reaper of dubious reputation. Stedd Whitestone was a boy of a faith for a long dead god. When Anton was dispatched to find and abduct the boy, he never imagined that the mission would be one to change his life. Thrown together in the worst of moments, the two scrambled to find a way to fulfill Stedd's mission while staying alive.

The Chosen of the Sea Goddess also wanted Stedd for his own purposes. When he failed to recover the boy after a few futile attempts, Evendur had no choice but to do as his goddess commanded. His companions and followers prepared to wage war on the towns which could be helped the most by Stedd. Will the boy survive to fulfill his mission? Or will the darkness win again?


Review:
Thanks to NetGalley, I've been able to enjoy the series of books in The Sundering series offered by the publisher, Wizards of the Coast. Being the fourth book in the series, I had a lot of questions and a few expectations. All the previous books were packed with action, adventure and prophecy. This book was a perfect addition to the series because all those things and more were written in its pages. In the opening chapter, Anton Marivaldi battled his way through a village in order to apprehend Stedd Whitestone for the highest bidder. Unfortunately for Anton, Lathandar had bigger and better plans for his Chosen.

Not only were there plenty of fighting between those protecting Stedd and those wanting him for darker purposes, but other gods were after the poor boy as well. Pirates, demi-gods, elves, vampires and so man more are swept up in the battle of light and dark. There were several points in the book where those who started as bad guys became good and the good guys betrayed their own. Without giving a lot of the surprises away, I will say that the characters were complicated and yet I was able to connect with them. Their inner battles often mirrored the ones waged upon the seas or land to achieve their goal.

Because this was the fourth book in the series, I kept my eyes open for any threads tying the books together. I was happy to find word of previous deeds reaching the lands featured in this book. I also noticed that the previous books had an underlying elemental theme to them. Earth, Air, Fire and now Water for book #4. Since these were covered, I'm wondering what the next two books in the series will revolve around. Legends and myths played a huge part of the previous books. It was the same for this one as well. With each book, the day of Judgement grows closer and I'm worried about these characters we're come to know.

All throughout the book the action kept a steady pace. There were moments of reflection and pondering about the next step each of the characters needed to take. For the most part, a sense of urgency came through the pages as the characters moved into position for the final battle. Not just the characters within The Reaver, but many characters from the previous books were mentioned as well. I'm excited to see how it all comes together in the end and how the Morninglord is going to reclaim his proper place.

Overall, the book was a great read. I found there to be as many touching moments between the characters as there were battle scenes. With the way things are shaping up, the final two books of the series look to be an exciting, well-informed thrill ride. If you love action, adventure and heart, this book is definitely one that you should pick up (and the rest of the series as well).

The Reaver: The Sundering, Book IV by Richard Lee Byers is currently available for purchase at many retailers. You can choose between hardcover, paperback and Kindle formats. Click the link below to purchase from Amazon.
The Reaver: The Sundering, Book IV by Richard Lee Byers