A review by apostrophen
Wit'ch Star by James Clemens

4.0

This is the final (fifth) book in the Banned and the Banished series, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Clemens is not afraid to put his characters through the wringer, and his early-on death of some of the major characters in earlier books leaves you astounded at the fragility of it all. Given that the story is also being told by someone else, many many many (like, immortal-many) years later, you also know that something semi-bad happens at the end already, but it might be the narrative voice's bitterness showing (and who is the narrator, anyway?).

Clemens' world is one where elemental magicks are fairly common, and a dark corruption force is taking those with elemental abilities and turning them into dark mockeries of themselves. One woman, a wit'ch (Elena) has been given the task/fate/ability/curse of trying to stop it all from happening. As the good guys blur greyer and greyer, things get harsher and harsher for all of the characters you've grown to love, and you're sure it's all going to end with a bang and a whimper, but I didn't see the end that came coming. It was that good.

If you enjoy George R.R. Martin, and/or are sick to death of Robert Jordan's complete apathy for his fans, then these are the books for you!