The Sundering has turned out to be an excellent way to jump back into the world of Forgotten Realms. The series is serving as a quick update of what's going on with some of the major characters of the world and is setting up a bigger event that I'm guessing will spawn some new and unique adventures like nothing in the setting's history.

The Adversary is the third installment and primarily follows the Tiefling Farideh and the twists and turns she faces as she continues to navigate the pact she made with a devil, Lorcan, and begins to learn more about her family history. The book is well-written and is up there with [b:The Companions|16142151|The Companions (The Sundering, #1; Legend of Drizzt, #24)|R.A. Salvatore|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1372353196s/16142151.jpg|21974017], which opened the series. One thing that did make me struggle a bit is that the beginning seems to move very quickly compared to the rest of the book, so it felt a bit jarring, but once things smooth out a bit, it really flows nicely. I'm definitely looking forward to the 4th installment.

(eGalley provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.) ( )

"I should have stayed with her."
"She gets out, and you're going to be looking back from the afterlife a great fool."
"And if she doesn't?"
"Then I think she'll forgive you for waiting a few days," Dahl said, "if you're going to be a great fool and join her. Come on."

3.5? Look, this really was...a Dungeons and Dragons book. And as someone who doesn't read much of the lore, never read the first 2 books in the Sundering series, nor anything in the Brimstone Angel series...I could follow along (more or less) comfortably, and really bought into all the characters even as I showed up halfway through their arcs. I really commend Evans on being able to tie in old plots and arcs from her previous books, and yet give new readers enough foundation to be invested in them even if I didn't see their beginnings. I still got a ton of satisfaction from all the pay-offs and great character moments.

This was delightfully complicated - if not a touch convoluted. I especially loved how she worked with the nonsense that shows up in like every campaign - "but uhh, what if I just kill this character who is kinda sorta in my way?" She threw all these characters together who didn't care for each other, and were pretty trigger happy, and constantly had them outsmart each other, negotiate logically, and find a ton of ways to settle each encounter without the stabbing you would expect :p

I don't think I'll continue with the Sundering series for the sake of learning about the Sundering...frankly, when we get into the really big picture nonsense of epic fantasy, I stop caring - but I will keep Farideh and Havilar's future adventures on my to-read list! ( )

I am giving this 3 stars, and would give more since I didn't read the first two books, so I was quite lost for the first 100 pages. Overall I enjoyed the book. ( )

Loved loved loved. Took me awhile to get involved, but once I did, it was consuming. And it left me wanting more of the story. That's always a good thing!!

Loved loved loved. Took me awhile to get involved, but once I did, it was consuming. And it left me wanting more of the story. That's always a good thing!!