The third – and final – book of Findel’s Embrace trilogy closes the story of the main characters, but leaves a lot unsaid, as is the case with the author’s other books.

The second book concludes shortly after Jareen gives birth to her son, and settles on the edge of the Mingling area along with Coir, the human scribe, and a mysterious elf Vireel, who has been quite reclusive for ages and instead has the quth beasts as a company and protection.

The third book starts 33 years later – quite a large jump I haven’t expected. By that time, Jareen’s son, Faro, is a grown, even though still barely considered a young adult by the race’s standards. And while Vireel has been training him in combat, Jareen has been adamant that he should not use magic, lest she brings the attention of both sides on the conflict towards them.

Jareen gets some ideas, and her old habits as a Voiceless Sister resurface, working to create a cure against the magical affliction spreading among the elves, while Coir catalogues along with becoming a companion among the quth beasts. Who turn out to be less beastly than the first glance suggests, even though they’re a primitive tribal society with their language having merely a couple of hundred words.

Vireel, though, has her own agenda, formed by her long life between two warring groups of elves, and Faro is a key to her plans – but he isn’t willing to be used as a pawn and runs away, ending up washed ashore and saved by a group of dwarves. Despite being the third book, this is the first direct connection to the Dwarves of the Ice-Cloak series as this group settled in the area after the events of The Mouth of Fire.

Faro spends some time with the dwarves, building an unexpected friendship despite the language barrier, and learns that the dwarves are also facing their own struggles. Eventually, Faro becomes the middleman in a trade deal between those dwarves and the Canaen elves, which also allows him to return home, but things won’t be as simple. Soon, he’ll need to confront not only Vireel, but also Findel’s Synod, who’d like to see him gone as a threat to their power.

Meanwhile, as Jareen works on curing the elves, more flock to her, seeking hope. With Faro gone, she eventually decides to seek the gate of Vah, rumored to be a place of peace where the struggle between Findel and Isecan didn’t reach.

I will not say more to avoid spoilers, of course.

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Read date: 2.-12.2.2026
Published: 20.8.2025
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As I mentioned, the book leaves at a point where the characters’ stories are finished, but it still leaves questions unanswered. That’s something I’m not exactly fond of (and I mentioned that before) and prefer a more thorough wrap-up, but it’s the author’s choice to make.