Avenging Fury

By John Farris
The final book in the series is extremely difficult to review without giving away many things that have happened in the previous books. In an effort to not spoil any mysteries (there were quite a few moments during reading the book where I found myself saying “no way”), I will try and give my subjective opinion the best I can. Hopefully my summary will also be sufficient.
We catch up with Eden just after the previous novel. Half of Mordaunt is “in disposed,” while Gwen is searching for his feminine half trapped in the past in an alternate universe. Tom Sherard is on a boat on a mission to dispose of Mordaunt’s physical body. We also meet Harlee Nations, a Fetchling who works with Mordaunt. A demon with the body of a sixteen year old girl, and girlfriend of Bronc Skarbeck (from The Fury and the Terror), Harlee is actually the main focus of the book. We follow her and the other Fetchlings as they try to find Eden, and hope to assist Gwen in reuniting Mordaunt with his feminine half. Eden meets Cody Olds, who remains as her protector even after she spills the beans about her abilities. With Gwen’s ultimate return, and the fast paced action of the Fetchlings (their constant meddling), we are brought to a final showdown between the Avatar and Mordaunt.
This book is incredibly hard to review, just like all the other books in the series. I would have to say that this was the worst, however. It’s the worst to review, and the worst of the series. While it has been a little while since I actually read the book (it’s taken a bit to summarize it sufficiently for a review), I found myself struggling to remember what exactly Eden did in the book. And really, going back through it and skimming for some action, she did nothing. Eden was a secondary character in her own book. Even Tom was secondary. The book mostly revolved around the Fetchlings, their desire to help their boss and various situations they involved themselves with, and less about the main conflict. There weren’t many surprises, and the few that existed were dull just the same. The ending was also dull. For a four book series, you expect quite a few pages leading up to the ultimate resolution, some drama and suspense and then a lengthy conclusion. Instead, we are left with a kind of “this is happening, then good and bad meet up, now it’s all over.” It was sad. Following the same characters for so many pages (over 1000 over the 4 books, and more than that if you count the original book) to be left with such a dissatisfying conclusion. I think the only thing that made the end satisfying was the finality of it. I wasn’t left with a lot of questions about what would happen to this person, or that person. The conclusion was certainly conclusive, but unsatisfying. This was my least favorite book of the series.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 Bunsen Burners
Up Next: Last Man Standing by David Baldacci