A Galeborne Resolve

The Deliberia Chronicles #3

by S. Lynn Helton

When a desire for greater magics becomes a betrayal and pursuit, what happens when the hunter finally catches up to the quarry?

As a child, Alorsha dreamed that she might one day work magic, a dream she had in common with her dearest friend Jarthan. Delighted when their hopes became a reality, and together with their new friend Devrand, they worked to perfect and strengthen their magic, eventually dabbling in unsanctioned methods to gain even more magic.

When a strange magic imperils the kingdom, the three mages are called upon to face the threat. But something goes dreadfully wrong, transforming them into hunted, captive, and hunter. Through magical portals with an enchanted ship, the ensuing worlds-spanning chase trails upheaval in its wake and ensnares others in transit.

This last book of The Deliberia Chronicles tells the story of what happened with the magic, how it all came about, and what went wrong to turn friends into hunter, hunted, and captive.

362 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 2, 2024

About the author

I'm Lynn, an author who lives in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, U.S.A., with my family and a couple of crazy cats. I write fantasy books. ( I also write as Lynn Helton. )

I enjoy the mountains, playing games, learning new things, and crafting. I'm also an avid reader (various genres, but fantasy and science fiction are favorites). And I enjoy writing, of course!

THE DELIBERIA CHRONICLES


WILD HERITANCE
_

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Reviews

[Gary Stringer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book of two halves, both of which are excellent.

I love a prequel, and an author who tells a story in an interesting non-linear way. This book gave me both and I was invested from start to finish...almost.

The first half of this book explores Alorsha, Devrand and Jarthan when they were young magic students. Seeing their early relationships gave us new insight into the characters and how they got to where they were in Book 1.

Seeing how their magic developed on different lines was both intriguing and heartwarming, especially the way Alorsha underestimated her own abilities. The change in Devrand was well-handled, happening so gradually that it would be hard to pinpoint the exact moment things started to go wrong.

As we get past the halfway point, the narrative takes us past that prequel stage to touch on other adventures as Alorsha and her crew continue to chase after Davrand and the captive Jarthan. Characters come and go, battles are won and lost, but through it all, Gya - posibly my favourite character - remains a steadfast and loyal presence. His abilities quietly growing all the time.

Everything about this book was 5 stars all the way, for me...until the end. I had to re-read the last few pages to see if I'd missed something - I hadn't. I even checked to confirm this really is the last book in the series - it is.

I think I understand what the author was aiming for with their writing choice, but to me it just felt too abrubt. It was just finished without the true resolution I was looking for.

That disappointing end meant I had to think long and hard about the rating. It's a 9 out of 10 book, for sure, but 5 stars doesn't allow for such nuance. In the end, I decided to stick with 5 stars.

In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns of this trilogy, even if it didn't quite nail the landing.

[Seth Hobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helton is a great author, and while this series is a bit different than her Wild Heritance Series, it offers enough excitement in a magical world to keep the reader intrigued. This is the third installment in the Deliberia Chronicles, tidying up a few tales within this world of magic, friends, tragedy, fate, ship, and portals. It is really interesting to follow the backstory of what goes awry with this fantasy world, and more importantly, what goes awry among good friends or colleagues. I usually don't like my fantasy worlds with too much heavy magic and magical systems, but this one has a nice touch, largely focusing on other relatable issues that affect humanity. Without giving too much away, I think most readers who enjoy magic and fantasy realms, with tragic stories and rich backstories of characters, will find something to like in this offering from Helton. While this isn't my absolute favorite by the author, it will certainly explain a good deal of events and keep you entertained until the final chapters.

[Arriah Kiprujistho · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Deliberia Chronicles" concludes with a deep dive into the past, illuminating the roots of Alorsha, Devrand, and Jarthan's fractured bond and their descent into a magical chase across worlds. The first half of the book masterfully establishes their early camaraderie and the subtle shifts that lead to their eventual conflict, offering crucial context to the events of the previous installments. Alorsha's underestimated abilities and Devrand's gradual transformation are particularly well-crafted, creating a compelling narrative. The engaging plot, filled with magical portals and ship-bound adventures, is further enhanced by the steadfast presence of Gya, a standout character. While the book excels in character depth and engaging plot twists, particularly with Gya, the abrupt ending leaves a sense of unresolved closure, detracting slightly from an otherwise strong series conclusion.

[Eric Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third installment cleverly bookends the Deliberia Chronicles by starting as a prequel and ending with the final confrontation that has been building over years and across worlds. Jarthan and Alorsha's childhood together and their friendship with Devrand deepen all three characters, making his betrayal all the more tragic. On the final voyage in pursuit of Devrand, we do get a couple more worlds and hints of new magic systems, which has always been the biggest draw of the series for me. Much like the ending of the first book, though this story concludes with a certainty, a multitude of worlds remain if anyone is brave enough to explore them. The mix of soft and hard magic systems makes for an interesting setting, and I recommend it for fans of the magical odyssey. Well edited without noticeable typos.

[J.R. Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was charming magical story featuring Alorsha, Jarthan, and Devrand. The first half of the book focuses on the beginning of their relationship at mage school. The second half focuses on a series of magical adventures they get involved in. I particularly enjoyed the first half, as I liked the camaraderie between the three of them, how their magic developed and how this eventually evolved. Overall, this was a good conclusion to a series I really enjoyed.

[J.A. Freely · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magic permeates every page of this story. How it is derived, strengthened, used, lost, mishandled, and how the ability to use magic is practiced and developed. Without magic, nothing happens in this story. No escape, no rescue, no traveling to other worlds, and no ability to pursue a kidnapped lover. If you enjoy magic, adventure, fantasy worlds, and an unexpected ending, you will probably enjoy this story. It's my favorite of the three books of this trilogy.