The Reckoning

Monday, May 31, 2010The Reckoning, book 8 of Canadian Author Month.
I'm sitting here, this 29 degree, 31st day of May 2010, in Toronto, ready to wrap up my very enjoyable Canadian Author Month. I've just finished book 8 and despite some turmoil at work and the loss of a dearly beloved pet I've

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covered all the books I intended, met one of the authors, emailed with three more, and hope I've inspired you to consider checking some of them out as well. I can assure you, we have many JK Rowling/Stephanie Meyer/Rick Riordan caliber authors of our own out here who are very worth your reading time.

So on to The Reckoning!! Be advised, as before, the content is inevitably going to contain spoilers for those of you who haven't gotten to The Summoning or The Awakening yet, so move ahead with caution (or save this review for when you've caught up!).

If book 1 is primarily about being captured, and book 2 is about being on the run, then book three is about plotting revenge with the rebel group. Now that I've finished the arc it looks to me, in retrospect, like acts in a play. Kelley has written this book, as the others, with the type of finesse you'd expect from an already successful author who has many books under her belt already. But by the last 20 pages I was freaking out thinking, wait..isn't this a trilogy???? How can she possibly wrap this up??!
The exciting news? There's more; the even more exciting news? This series, and this world is carrying on into a new trilogy, about kids from one of the Edison Groups other experiments.
I, of course, discovered this while madly fishing around on Kelley's website after finishing The Reckoning (after a bad experience on an authors site I don't touch author sites until after I've finished the book), wondering if this had turned into one of those more than three type trilogies. There I found a sub site for Chloe filled with fun stuff one of which was Kelley talking about the new series and Chloe's ending
"Those who have read The Reckoning know that there were several minor plot threads left unfinished. This is a good indication that I’m not done with Chloe and the others. The Darkest Powers trilogy told the story of their first adventure together. I’m hoping I’ll have the chance to write more!"
Yay!! I love great big sprawling fantasy series'.

In this same sub site you can find some short stories and a novella that tie into the first trilogy told from either Derek's or Simon and Tori's perspectives. I haven't gotten to them yet but I'm very excited!

So to summarize, loved the book (you will too if you like either of the first two at all). The love story finally came all out which was a tad disappointing, though gratifying that it wasn't your average girl meets gorgeous guy, surprise, surprise he actually likes her too type. The action and reveals keep coming and the ending is exciting in that too be continued way. I thoroughly enjoy the evil scientist organisation, and I can't wait for Kelley Armstrong to dive into it even more in the next trilogy.

If you liked the books as much as me, you might want to check out Kelley's tour schedule (she was a great speaker when I saw her last month), on it you'll also see two classes she's teaching this summer which sound uber exciting for aspiring writers.

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This is one of those series that I have to read all in one sitting. It's very sweet. Plotwise it's really just one long escape, but the character development really makes it fascinating for me.

Maybe it's just me, but this book didn't seem finished at ALL! The cover said it was the exhilarating finale to the Darkest Powers trilogy, but really, when the book ends, there are just too many unresolved issues for this to be the end. First of all, they're still on the run and there's no plan

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and no end to the running in sight. Secondly, the budding romance between Chloe and Derek hasn't really taken off, and other than a few kisses, there's still much needing to be said, if you ask me. I found this a very disappointing conclusion to what was a great first novel..
Now... there's another book advertised in the back of this one; The Gathering featuring two new characters. Is it an entirely new book OR is it going to be part of the same series, just focusing on another group of supernaturals? Yes, I'm curious, cause as I said, this one just did NOT seem finished to me.

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When I find out a book will continue in more than one book I get a little wary. What if I don’t enjoy the first book? It’ll put me off next two, which I could possibly enjoy? Or I don’t enjoy the second, but am forced to read the last to see how the whole thing ends (because I will, it’s

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impossible for me not to).

Even the fact that this series was written by one of my favourite authors didn’t lay rest to my fears and when I grabbed a copy of The Summoning I actually left it for a while before I started reading. I’m just sorry I left it sitting on my shelf for so long before getting around to it! Armstrong has crafted a totally original idea spun inside the world she’s already created with the Women of The Otherworld series.

This review may be a little vauge, it’s simply because there’s no way of writing much without giving away key factors of the book and I don’t want to spoil anything for those who haven’t read it or haven’t read the first two either.

The Reckoning picks up from where we were left at the end of the Awakening. The foursome is still on the run from the Edison Group. But may not be as safe as they’ve been led to believe.

More is revealed of the Edison Group, and what they’re planning. We’re not given too much information, but enough to keep you hanging for the next installment to find out what else they’ve been up to.

The characters have all come a long way from the first book, and the growth is evident in the pages of The Reckoning. All four characters have changed and come to accept the powers bestowed upon them.

Oh, and there’s also the little matter of the love triangle involving one sorcerer and a werewolf.

Final Thoughts…

I was a little disappointed in the ending; I’m not going to lie. It doesn’t subtract from the rest of the novel, as I knew this would not be the end, just the end of the story of these characters. Kelley already has another trilogy planned for this series, The Gathering. Though I’m excited about this and know we’ll learn more through the next series of books. I do wish there would have been some closure on Chloe’s story than the open ending we were left with.

Now this is just the inner fangirl in me raving, but I would love to see a cross over of both of Kelley’s worlds meeting, or being aware of the other. I actually got the chance to ask Kelley this myself when she came through for a reading. Her answer (summarized) was that if the ‘adults’ found out then they would just come in and take over, leaving the kids to the side. I agree with her completely, but it doesn’t stop me from wishing Chloe and Jamie would run into one another!

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The Reckoning picks up right where The Awakening left off. It's hard to say much about the story without giving away spoilers from the previous books. However, I can say that more is revealed about the Edison Group and Chloe & her friends learn they must be careful about who to trust, especially

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when it comes to the people helping them. Throughout this trilogy, it has been so much fun to see the characters develop. You can see how much they have grown since the first book, The Summoning. The story is well-paced with lot of twists and turns along the way. I liked the ending; it was satisfying, while leaving threads loose for the next trilogy to pick up. Overall, The Reckoning was a fun, exciting read, and definitely my favorite of the Darkest Powers trilogy!

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Great conclusion to the series! The action and intrigue never stopped. Chloe makes a choice between the boys and not without some heartache. The teens in this story have all grown throughout and it's most obvious here. The climax doesn't disappoint and I like how the tale's ending was a

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happily-ever-after type deal. It felt more realistic that way. Don't worry though, of course the heroes come out on top.

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Kelley Armstrong is one of my favorite authors and I am a devoted fan of her Otherworld novels. I have enjoyed reading all three books in her young adult Darkest Powers series immensely as Kelley Armstrong can always be counted upon to combine interesting, believable characters, with entertaining

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and spooky plot lines. As the protagonist, Chloe is extremely likable and through Kelley Armstrong's well written descriptions I have been able to imagine Chloe in vivid detail as she grows and develops as a character through each novel. In The Reckoning, Chloe is beginning to show more confidence in her abilities as a Necromancer, despite the myriad of unanswered questions regarding the genetic tampering that was done to her and the mystery of her mothers involvement with the Edison Group. Numerous times throughout this novel I had goosebumps appearing on my arms and shivers running down my spine as Kelley Armstrong describes Chloe's encounters with the ghosts and zombies that she knowingly and purposefully brings back from the dead to protect herself and those she cares for. A few questions raised in the previous novel were answered in this one while leaving many more unanswered. The death toll in this novel is rather large and I felt the novel was over far to soon for my liking. Kelley Armstrong reveals a little more information about the background of the Edison group throughout the novel and the mystery of it all really sucked me in and left me wanting more. A love interest that began to develop in the previous novel is a major focus throughout The Reckoning and I was pleased to see how it progressed in a sweet and age appropriate way. As an adult reading a novel targeted for young adults I was very aware of the age group it was written for and despite it being slightly young for me I was able to connect with the characters and be entertained by the story. In all my years reading novels by Kelley Armstrong I have never been disappointed by her. Readers who have read the previous novels can expect the same level of excellence in the newest addition and those who have yet to read the book should give it a chance.

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This was a pretty good book. The ending was very predictable, and some parts were kinda boring, but over all, I liked it. Chloe, Derek, Simon and Tori are now safe at Andrew's house, or are they. The longer they stay, the more their suspicion rose. But is it just a side-effect of being on the run

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too long? Sadly, when I read this, I haven't read the other two in so long, I forgot a lot. So I had to Google it. But it was still a really good book, though not THAT good to be an ending.

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I can't really discuss this without spoilers, so you should read these books. :) I think this is probably the weakest of the three, but that's probably because I wanted it to be longer. (Or, better, not end. Ever.)

I'm really going to miss Chloe, Derek, Simon and yes, even Tori.

Love this series, keeps me on the edge of my seat and shouting for more.

Title: The Reckoning
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Publisher: HarperCollins
Length: 400pgs Hardcover
Rating: 4.5/5
To say that I loved this series right away would be an overstatement. When I first picked up a copy of The Summoning I was actually frustrated with the writing, and wasn’t a fan of the main

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character. But things started changing when I got through The Awakeningand by the time I finished The Reckoning I was completely smitten with the characters and the manipulated realistic world that I was sad when it came to an end.

In the world Kelley Armstrong constructed there is more to some people than meets the eye. There are people with special abilities such as being able to raise the dead, talk to ghosts, work with magic, levitate things, or even become a wolf. Of course, no one really knows of these peoples unless they’re one of them, other than the mad scientists that is.

The series follows the main character, Chloe Saunders, and her friends on their quest for freedom. In The Summoning we are introduced to Chloe and her power are awoken in her – she’s a necromancer. This is also the novel we are introduced to her friends. In The Awakening the group escape from some mad scientists and try to find a place that would be considered safe – which is anywhere where there isn’t someone trying to kill them, or experiment on them.

In the series finale, The Reckoning, it picks up where The Summoning leaves off. The gang is still working their way to safety and they find it with a supposed friend. They go through some trying times and work through problems. By the end of the novel I was very attached to Chloe, which I had never expected, especially after how I felt about her in the first novel.

This novel has a great pacing, the action ebbs and flows correctly, questions are answered, and it leads up to an ending that finishes the story so readers will feel that sense of completion, but it also leaves writing more an opportunity.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a little urban fantasy, looking for a relatively quick read. This novel kept me turning the pages, and by the end I was extremely glad that I had kept with the series rather than giving up.

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This is the third, and final, book in the Darkest Powers series by Kelley Armstrong. It was an excellent conclusion to the series and I actually liked it a lot better than the previous two books.

This book starts with Tori, Chloe, Derek and Simon with Andrew at the house they are hiding out in.

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Andrew is part of a rebel group that is focused on shutting down the Edison Group. Chloe and her friends want to go back and rescue Rae and Chloe's aunt from the Edison Group; while Andrew and his crew want them to be patient so that the rebels can stage a larger coup. Chloe is again running into evil ghosts, as she finds out that the house they're staying in has its own violent past. Chloe and crew finally get some training in their powers, but there is a still a question of who they can really trust.

I thought this book was much better than the previous books in this series. We are finally getting some insight into how the characters' powers work and we get to watch them test their abilities. The characters gain more dimension (especially Tori) and are more interesting to read about.

I thought that the chemistry between Chloe, Derek, and Simon was awesome in this book. You can just feel the heat between Chloe and Derek as an undercurrent to every action they do. Derek struggling with his werewolf abilities (which we saw a bit of in the last book) really adds depth to Derek's character and shows some vulnerability that makes him a character to cheer for. Chloe is finally taking some initiative and learning how to use her necromancer powers to defend herself (although she still spends some time whining about how little she helps in battle situations).

A lot happens in this book. Chloe and Derek are being hunted, there are more betrayals, and more revelations. It was a very hard book to put down, I ended up reading it all in one day. It was hard to catch your breath at times.

The ending is satisfying and I really enjoyed it. There are a few questions left unanswered and the future of the characters is uncertain.

Overall this was an excellent close to this series. I thought it was, by far, the best book of the series. It is exciting and the characters really mature. I wasn't a huge fan of the first two books in this series, but after reading this book I agree that this ended up being a pretty good series. As far as reading more of Armstrong's works, I am not sure. I read her Women of the Otherworld series for a bit but didn't love it, same with this series. We will have to see what future works she writes.

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Chloe Saunders and her friends think they have finally found a group of adults willing to help them escape from the Edison Group, the scientists who genetically altered their supernatural abilities. However, things become more complicated as they struggle to figure out who they can really trust as

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they try to rescue their friends who were left behind.

The Reckoning is the final book in the Darkest Powers trilogy. This is NOT a series that can be read out of order as each book picks up essentially where the last one leaves off and it is a continuous storyline throughout the three books. All three of the books are filled with non-stop action as the teens must contend with a variety of obstacles to their freedom.

Just looking at this book individually, I loved it. Chloe and her friends all continue to grow as they learn more about their powers and how they were altered. They learn a bit more important information about their larger role in the experiments and who is really behind the Edison Group. Their relationships within the group continue to evolve as each teen takes on new roles as necessary. There were a few times when I thought I knew something that was happening only to find out a bit later that it wasn't exactly the way I thought. This kept me a bit off balance which is exactly how the teens felt most of the book. The things they thought they understood were constantly shifting.

However, as much as I loved the book, I did not think it was a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. There were many loose ends and unanswered questions. After reading a bit more on Kelley Armstrong's website, I do now understand why she left things this way. The Darkest Powers trilogy is actually the first in a series of trilogies. While the next set of books will focus on a different group of characters, Armstrong says we will see Chloe and her friends again at some point in the series. The next trilogy is called Darkness Rising and will begin with The Gathering (Spring 2011). I can see how using another set of characters will be useful for approaching information about the Edison Group from a different direction. I do have one question about Chloe specifically that I wish had been answered because there was an obvious significance to another character but it is never explained fully. Knowing that Chloe and friends won't show up until at least the third book in the next series is an awfully long time to wait and I hope this question won't get lost along the way. (Yes, I'm being intentionally vague because I don't want to give away anything in the story.)

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way too many threads left unaccounted for - enjoyable but if this was a trilogy it missed its mark on a conclusive third novel

I started this series with the second book,THE AWAKENING. Got confused, but enjoyed the story. Listened to the first one, THE SUMMONING, refreshed and ready for this--the third (and best) one.
Each of the teens, especially Chloe, are getting more assured in their abilities and powers, much to the

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dismay of the people who take them in to shelter them from the Edison Group. Derek is having issues with being a werewolf, but dealing with them as best he can with Chloe's help. Simon is bummin' about his slowly coming along magical powers while Tori's are smokin' right along.
What I really like about this series is how it shows the growing pains of being a teen as well as being a teen with uber abilities. Each has to mature emotionally as well become stronger in personality and powers.
The blurb above from the back of the BOCD states that this is the last of the trilogy, but I looked it up on fantasticfiction for Kelley Armstrong and it posts that there is one more, THE GATHERING, coming out next year. I really hope so.
Five growing powers beans.....

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I absolutely loved this book! Out of the three this one is my favorite. I honestly don't even know where to begin.

Tori and Simon were hilarious as usual. Chloe became stronger, more powerful and finally decided who she wanted to be with. Derek...again I don't know where to begin. He is one of my

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favorite characters and not just in the Darkest Powers trilogy.

This book is impossible to put down and is probably the best book I have read so far this year. I want to pick it back up and reread it right now.

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I’m still a little indecisive about The Reckoning. It started off very slow for me, almost to the point where I didn’t become excited at the idea of picking it up anymore. But towards the middle, when the action started, I was instantly hooked again.

A lot more is revealed about the characters

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this time. Tori has surprising connections to someone in the gang, there are betrayals that you wouldn’t see coming and Chloe learns a lot more about her ability to speak to and raise the dead. I think Armstrong did a fantastic job at building the intensity (especially between Derek and Chloe) but somewhere near the end, it just kind of fell flat for me.

The book ended and I literally sat there gaping. I loved the scene that it ended on (*squeal*), I just don’t think it was the right scene to close it. Nothing seemed to close. Instead of answering questions that were still there from the first book, it just kind of left us hanging, as if there’ll be a fourth book. I know that a new series that takes place in the world of Darkest Powers is coming out, but I was disappointed that I wouldn’t get closure on these characters and these stories.

Overall, it had its ups and downs, but The Reckoning was my least favorite of the series. While I very much enjoyed the new developments in Chloe an Derek’s relationship, the rest of the book lacked enough answers and information for me to really appreciate the ending. Regardless, it was a good book and if you’re a fan of the first two, it’s basically a necessity for you to check this one out!

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Plot : In this final installment of the Darkest Powers trilogy, Chloe, Simon, Derek and Tori continue to evade the Edison Group that experimented on them as children and then locked them in a home for the mentally ill. They start to learn how to control their powers but it becomes quickly apparent

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that their powers go far beyond what their mentors could have ever imagined. They seem to be confirming everyone’s worst fears about them. They may not be able to trust the adults that rescued them either but they have nowhere else to go.

I loved this series. I bought and read this volume the day it came out. I found it a very satisfying ending to a great series. Chloe remains a great female lead. She is intelligent and powerful in her own right. And even though her powers are not always ideally suited to direct confrontations, she is always able to think her way out of a bad situation. All the characters are well developed with good points and bad. They are real people, with supernatural powers. The romance that has been developing throughout the series finally comes to fruition here. But this isn’t a sentimental novel. The focus remains on the action which is fast paced and exciting right up to the end.

I’m very curious to see what Armstrong will do next in this universe because she has written some of the best supernatural YA I have ever read.

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I loved this series and this last book rocked just like the first two. Chloe, Simon and Derek were great characters that kept me hooked through all three books. I loved the way this series ended and hope to see at least a little more of these characters in the next series. You should definitely

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read!

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Chloe leads us on an adventure in this Darkest Power Series. As a fifteen year old necromancer; Chloe is no ordinary girl. Talking to ghosts and bringing the dead back to life is more than enough for one young girl, but now she finds herself on the run with only her three friends. Simon, Derrick,

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and Tori are all superhuman with special abilities that landed them in the same mental instution as Chloe. When things being to unravel it is soon apparent that they are all in danger. All three books thus far have followed a timeline of just over a week. Chloe and her friends are continuing to run, but will find themselves at a dead end in this book. The entire journey seems to have made one huge circle that is still not allowing them any answers. With the list of enemies ever growing these four kids have no idea whom to trust or where to turn. Kelley Armstrong is a very experience author, and very talented story builder. I have followed many of her series, and her talents never cease to amaze me. After completing The Reckoning I was reading the description for The Gathering it seems that the next novel is about two new characters. I am interested to see if this novel was the end to Chloe, Derrick, Simon, and Tori; or if the next book is just a break that will add more amazing characters to this series.

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Four runaway teenagers with supernatural powers and barely any knowledge to control them can only mean one thing: trouble.

In the first two books of Kelley Armstrong's "Darkest Power" series, four teens, Chloe, Simon, Derek, and Tori set out on an attempt to find Simon's father and stop the Edison

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Group's cruel schemes to experiment on supernatural kids. However, the adventure only truly begins in this third book, The Reckoning!

The series left us off at Simon's father's close friend, Andrew's house, where the kids are staying until they figure out their next move. Relationships and feelings change (maybe for the best!), and so do the group's enemies. They learn that Andrew and his team might not be the ones to trust when it comes to seeking help.

Chloe's developing but already abnormally strong necromancy powers get out of hand, and she faces many unplanned, and definitely unwelcome undead bodies. Derek and Simon's relationships with Chloe definitely change, which I found somewhat surprising, considering how they all started off on their first encounter.

The ending was a little disappointing in terms of the epilogue, because there was no sign that the group of four's escape from the Edison Group ever ended.

All in all though, I think this book is a very good ending to the series, and is worth the trouble of finding.

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The third in Armstrong's Darkest Powers trilogy featuring Chloe Saunders and her friends. I strongly recommend reading these books in order as they make up a connected story and are not really stand alone books.

The Reckoning finds the four young supernaturals still hiding from the Edison Group and

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still unsure of who they can trust. The end leaves plenty of room for more adventures for these teens but there is a certain amount of resolution for their immediate problems. While this is definitely a YA fantasy I would place it at the upper end of the range for young adult books.

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Armstrong continued her "Darkest Powers" trilogy phenomenally in this book. I would have liked a bit more closure, but nonetheless I was left satisfied with the end of the series.

The Reckoning is by far one of my favorite books. The plot line moves well, the characters really pull on your heartstrings and every time I put the book down I wanted to keep reading. I would have liked more closure in the ending but all in all it was great and I wish it wasn't the end ore the

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trilogy.

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