Another excellent read by Donaldson. The book never gets dull and it's great to see the development and growth of many of the main characters as the story progresses. Donaldson states on his website that a large chunk of this story had to be cut and revised to reduce costs for the publishers. The story is still well done but it's somewhat apparent that some short narratives of what you can imagine to be grand scenes may have replaced some full chapters in the original manuscript. Some might applaud this, as the book is already 700 pages (my copy is actually 686), but I'd much prefer to read the author's complete and original vision. Well, I highly recommend it if you want the climax a great fantasy story. The first book in the series is much shorter and has a different feel to it, while second book is as good as this 3rd and final book. ( )

War. War and more War. The end is nigh! Pretty much the whole book is the machinations of war, the tactics and the battles. Unusual for Donaldson.

The Great God Rile has arrived to fulfil his promise of peace - by the forceful coercion of all who oppose him. It hadn't previously been clear how divine (or untouchable) Rile is, but now he's seen for the first time incarnate and carried by his slaves. The strategy of the defenders changes to suit. The 'Final Decimate' is also eventually revealed and explained. Somehow I'm disappointed that there were only ever 9, each coming in useful in their own way, but I'd have expected 10 to round out the decimation. Pacing was as slow as you might expect a Donaldson to be, and I would have benefitted from re-reading the first two again to refresh myself of the characters their interactions and importance. It did all come back to me and by about a quarter of the way in I was back in the reading groove fully immersed in the depth of world that's been created. It's still not a Covenant - the Land is not as rich. The characters remain as unsure of themselves as always, but manage to overcome their doubts when action is required. I never really warmed to any of them though. The King Bifult, remained particularly weak even as he was leading his solders in desperate manoeuvres.

I'm not a huge fan of the details of warfare, preferring the cleverness and intrigue beforehand, and this is not Donaldson's strongest book, but it's far from terrible either. ( )

If I ever finish the dragging joyless pointless book I may change the rating, but why I'd want do such a thing currently escapes me. ( )

The Killing God is a fitting conclusion to this excellent series. The third book is a series of battles, something I don't always like, but there were just enough wins and losses to keep me interested. The stakes are high, and Donaldson doesn't believe in plot armor, as those who've read his other books know.
The writing style reminded me of his duology Mordant's Need, one of my favorite fantasies. It's not quite as dense as his later Covenant novels, yet it conveys the anguish of Estie, Bifalt, and the other characters as they struggle desperately to defeat the Great God Rile.
A central theme in the series is where magic fits in this world. Bifalt hates sorcery for good reasons, but he struggles as Estie awakens her gift and becomes a sorcerer. The Magisters have always stayed behind the lines, protecting themselves in previous wars and allowing the soldiers to take the brunt of any assault. Finally, they are united, and I liked how they learned to work together, just as Belleger and Amika did in previous books. There are some fantastic characters involved in the fighting - too numerous to mention - but each one contributes to the war effort.
There's another theme regarding religion. How many of Rile's people worship him freely, or is it the result of his Decimate of coercion? It's an interesting debate.
As I mentioned, the characters are varied and so likable. Their sacrifices are immense, but they unite to save the Last Repository, despite traitors and other obstacles. I've really enjoyed this series and I can't wait to see what Mr. Donaldson comes up with next. ( )