Hero, Quest, Completed

[bibliogramma]

When Darkness Falls by Mercedes Lackey, James Mallory

When Darkness Falls is the last volume of Lackey and Mallory's Obsidian Trilogy (previous volumes in the series briefly discussed here) and it certainly brings a thoroughly enjoyable heroic, sword and sorcery, elves and dragons, good vs. evil epic to a fitting and satisfying end. With wiggle room and enough loose ends for another volume or two if interest and sales figures warrant - and should that happen, I'm definitely up for another visit to this particular universe.

There were some very nice touches, particularly in the depictions of the elven way of life. Lackey has a fondness for the trope of the willing sacrifice in her work (see the Last Herald-Mage trilogy and Brightly Burning for just two examples) but here it is done particularly well, and with strong but harmonious echoes of C.S. Lewis's iconic narrative of Aslan at the Stone Table.

And the unicorn has the last word.