I continue to adore this series. Though The Widow’s House has notable flaws (and note them I‌ will), it still has the delightful characters that I was glad to revisit and the interesting ideas that make this series unique.

Those ideas are even more relevant than ever. The way that false certainty (spread via ancient magic) has plunged the world into an unending war, and the same kings and priests that perpetuate that war can’t recognize the evil that they’re doing strikes a chord with anybody who has watched the endless pointless American wars of the last few decades.

Much of The Widow’s House shows us the consequences of that war:‌ it’s unsustainable, but the religion of the Antean Empire won’t let them see it. The Empire lacks the manpower to control all the territory its increasingly worn-out army is conquering, and famine looms. Meanwhile, the religion itself begins to fracture as it spreads to new cities and their dogmas diverge. It’s clear to everybody except those who matter that this holy war is about to turn into a civil one.

It’s always a pleasure to revisit these characters. The soldier and captain Marcus’s dry professional wit is the obvious star, but Cithrin and Clara are also compelling as they struggle to change the world using the non-military tools available to them. Geder has grown into a villain for our current age:‌ a man-child driven by insecurity and self-pity to acts of towering horror.

I greatly enjoyed the dragon Inys, who plays a large part. His disdain for humans and morose navel-gazing (if dragons had navels) contrast amusingly to the increasing desperation of the mere humans who need his help.

I’m less enthused about Cithrin’s grand scheme to (effectively)‌ invent a modern financial system as a bulwark against the Empire’s expansion. We have that in the real world and while its merits are debatable, prevention of wars and empires isn’t one of them.

The writing is even clunkier than the previous books. There were several passages that I‌ had to reread several times to parse. I‌ enjoy these books enough to soldier through, but it would have benefited from a closer edit.

Also worse than the previous books was the structure as a novel. The beginning feels like a continuation of the last book, and there isn’t much of a climactic ending. There is drama in between, but there’s nothing like the stinging cliffhangers of the previous books.

But that doesn’t matter too much, because I am certainly going to read the next (and final) book. I love the world and characters and the spin on fantasy tropes is still fresh four books in.