Well, that’s it. Six books finished, and if you’ve made it this far, I’d like to think they all did something right to keep you reading to the very end. I’m not going to pretend it went as I expected it all to go, and there were plenty of characters (Ghost and Zusa in particular) who threw me for several loops along the way. I guess that’s part of the fun, and the reason you go on the journey in the first place, right?
To those of you who have read the Half-Orc series, know that I did my best to keep continuity intact, but if there are any breaks or changes, treat this as the definitive version of that first battle in The Weight of Blood. The same goes for the fight in The Cost of Betrayal between Thren and Haern. Consider the ending confrontation here in Chapter 33 (and to a lesser extent, the final relationship between Haern and Delysia) to be what I’ve always felt these characters deserved. Hopefully they’re also far more satisfying to you longtime readers than what I delivered in the Half-Orcs. I guess I’d also be remiss if I didn’t at least address the potential question of “What the heck was up with the prophet?” The answer is in the Half-Orc books. I’ll try to just leave it at that.
Anyway, after Thren and Haern tore into each other near the end of the last book, having their confrontation finally come to a head here was awesome. Brutal, and there might have been a few tears in this writer’s eyes, but still awesome. No matter all he had gone through, a piece of Aaron Felhorn still remains, still wishing to be loved by his father. I’ve always thought of Thren as a monster, and there at the end, he finally reveals just how terrible a monster he really is. It’s a scene I have had in my head for years now, a scene I was terrified I would fail to make as powerful as it was in my own imagination. God I hope I pulled it off.
As for the ending… to stave off the (likely many) e-mails I’m sure to get: yes, I do have plans to use that twist sometime far down the road. No, I make absolutely no promises as to how and when we might eventually get to see Haern and Zusa’s child, nor in what manner, nor in what series. This is me leaving the door open the tiniest crack, just in case I ever decide to return. I hope you’ll forgive me for taking the luxury while I have the chance.
Real quick obligatory thanks. Thank you, Devi, for being a fantastic editor throughout all six books, helping me shape this series while also never letting me forget how much room for improvement there is in all aspects. Thank you, Michael, for handling all the publishing stuff so I don’t have to. Thank you, Rob, for listening to my rambling phone calls as I debate what the heck to do with Zusa or Alyssa.
Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank you, dear readers. Three-quarters of a million words later, you’re still here with me. For such an investment of your time, I hope I have given you an exciting journey. I hope I’ve given you characters you cherish, characters whom, whether they lived or died, you’ll remember for a long time after setting this book down and moving on to another. You came into my world, asking to be entertained, and I hope I repaid that privilege well with a damn fine story.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—I’m living a dream, and it’s because of you. There’s no way I can thank you enough. But just because I can’t, doesn’t mean I won’t try. So, from the bottom of my heart:
Thank you.
David Dalglish
July 2, 2014