Once again, Brett brings us a excellent fantasy novel. It had been so long since I read Daylight War (before The Skull Throne was released) that I had forgotten quite a bit of the characters and some of the minor plot points, but it didn't take too long before I remembered why I gobbled up the first three books so quickly.

That being said, I feel like this was the first book of the Demon Cycle series that was a set-up book. Usually this takes earlier in a series, but The Demon Cycle had so many different characters and view points that were introduced that I didn't feel that way in any of the previous three.

Not that this book was poorly written or uninteresting, it is just that the two major characters we've had in the previous books, Arlen and Jadir, are almost minor viewpoint characters here with only a couple of chapters worth of Deliverer action.

Still, this was a great ride and if you loved the previous three you're gonna enjoy this one. Just don't expect too much action on the Demon War front.

This book, as some of you may know, was actually the book I had been most anticipating this year. After picking up the previous 3 books in very quick succession way back in 2012/2013, I was left with a massive desire to have more of the characters, and world where everything took place.

I believe one of the things I most enjoy about Brett's works is his ideas and the way that he manages to get these wacky, crazy demons to seem slightly less crazy than some of the humans in the book. Basically this is set in a world where every night demons attack and the people of the world know a few precious wards that will keep the demons away, but there's often deaths, lots of accidentally misshapen wards can lead to this or being out after dark, and the nighttime is a place of terror for all.

In the first few books we see the world begin to adjust and develop against the demons but this book really takes the focus away from the demons for the majority of the story and actually focusses a whole lot more on the politics and intricate plots of this world.

I love the magic within this world. I think magic systems which are strong and interesting combined with great characters or plot is fantastic, but when you consider that Brett not only achieves this but he also manages to involve complex characters, wonderful world-building and fast moving, tense plotlines, it really is an achievement!

There are so many extremely wonderful moments within the book. We have moments of sorrow, sadness and heartache juxtaposed alongside hatred, happiness, deceit and corruption. There's moments where I got a little teary (for various reasons good and bad) and there's moments where I was (literally) on the edge of my seat needing to keep reading and finding out what was going to happen (with a slight demon-crazed madness to my aura!)

I love the different cultures we see within this. There's always a clear distinction in the names, customs and habits of the Krasians and the Thesians. Whilst the Thesians seem like a more primitive version of the Western world, the Krasians have a very foreign feeling to them, yet both interest me for their uniqueness. They're very believable cultures and seeing the clash which is created when these two (vastly different) sides collide was wonderful and very tense or action-packed at times!

So many amazing characters take leading roles in this book but for a large part we are focussed on Rojer; (who is featured on the UK cover) a young musician, Leesha; a herb gatherer's apprentice and Inevera; a very powerful woman. Each of these three characters have their own wonderful plots which weave various different people in and out of the story and each character is complex and exciting in their own way, bringing their own energies to the story.

Amanvah and Sivah were two characters who we've met before in previous books but actually we didn't know all that much about until this one and I enjoyed exploring their loyalties and their temperaments. They come from the Krasian race which is vastly different in custom to those who come from the Free Cities of Thesa and seeing their reactions to the customs of the Thesians (and vice versa) was highly amusing and sometimes awkward or entertaining.

Ashia's story was another which I knew a little of prior to reading this, but which was thoroughly developed and fleshed out in this volume with some very brutal and very touching moments of her past laid out bare in some of the chapters. I have to say up until now she wasn't one of the characters I cared for or looked out for particularly but after reading her sections my opinion was certainly tested on that!

Briar is the character who we meet in the novella called Messenger's Legacy (and Mudboy in the Unfettered Anthology) and I really enjoyed seeing him integrated into the plot of this story too. He's a very sweet and somewhat naive and innocent character despite being exposed to the harsh realities of the world at a young age.

This book was GREAT. I don't know how I can physically give a 6* rating to a book on Goodreads (as it's not possible) but if it had a 6* button I would be pressing it. For a book where I had huge expectations and which I have been waiting to own for so long, it really still managed to blow my mind with some of the things which are revealed and happen and I know that book 5 (the final one) is going to push the boundaries and be even more explosive (with that ending it must be!)

A MARVELLOUSLY written book which is a fantastic addition to the series. I would HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this series as it's one of my all time favourites! :) A massive 5* rating :)

I understand that the writer is very engaged in the world and wants to share all the politics and wars, but I am far more interested in the demon timeline. Leesha also fell in love with a guy that she took advantage of in the last book, so I wasn’t feeling that. All the central characters in the first book just found other lovers that I didn’t feel the chemistry between. Rojer happened to find three wives that I didn’t see the chemistry. Then he died…does that mean my theory of his hand is dead too? (Where I think he has his magic playing because a demon bit half of his hand off).

Not enough Arlen and Jadir.

The first two books were good, but the third and this one haven’t been doing as well…

It's lost some of its draw over time unfortunately.

This was probably my least favourite book from the series. The beginning and the end of the book were amazing like the others, but the middle really lacked tempo and speed and it felt that it was dragging on for ages or hovering over certain stories for unnecessary amount of time. I am still looking forward to the next book and can't wait to read it. I know some people really enjoy a lot of story and description but I do like books where stories develop fast, so I think that's why I found it slow. Overall the story is still captivating and characters are still great.

Just finished the book and I am nothing short of traumatised. I feel like I've been fighting for my life there's so much adrenaline coursing my veins. After my frustration at the manner in which The Daylight War told the origin story for a third time from yet another perspective I was delighted to see next to no backtracking in this. Amazing pace, well-rounded characters with a depth and variety rarely seen in fantasy epics and heart-stopping twists. An absolutely stellar continuation/rejuvenation of a series I was starting to fear for.

A difficult book to rate at the end of the day and that whats the book does. Leaves you conflicted. For most of the book, the 2 lead characters are hardly present. Characters whom we have been following all the way and have invested quite a bit. Instead the focus shifts to other characters and the politicking that goes on. The stakes are upped, no character is sacred and the pacing is awesome. The story does move forward in a few regards but the overall conflict is still up in balance. Cant wait for the 5th book to see how it all ends but not really scaling the heights of the 1st 2 books

Finally.

The Skull Throne was not great. It got better right at the very end for maybe one or two chapters but other than that it was quite boring and there was a lot of unnecessary filler. The only reason I kept at it is that I'm a completist and want to know how the story ends in this series. One thing I liked were a couple of surprising deaths of major characters. And they were characters that I liked! At least their deaths made it a bit interesting for a moment or two. Wow, does that make me sound like a psychopath... I need to read a good book now! lol