When we last left Elspeth and Edmund they were traveling into the mountain to attempt to destroy the trickster god Loki with the crystal sword.  I suppose it is a spoiler of a kind (but if you a reading a review of the third book you have to kinda suspect this) to say that they failed in that mission.

Instead, some treachery lead to Loki’s escape and wreaking of havoc on the world.  The whole gang is forced to flee and re-evaluate just how they can destroy the monster before he destroys them and burns everything to the ground.

The last book in the Darkest Age trilogy, The Circle of Stone,  finds them continuing on their quest and things are as bleak as they have ever been (and that is pretty bad in a series called The Darkest Age).

Despite temptations to go their different ways the group commits to sticking together.  With the hope that Ioneth, the spirit behind the sword, is still there (although very faintly) Elspeth is determined to somehow find Loki and destroy him.  But they have little luck finding anything but fire and destruction.  Loki has split himself up and is as elusive as ever.  Outside of the fires the only trace them seem to find of him is the growing cult of the Burning Man.

The challenge for Lake in this concluding book was to wrap up the story while at the same time keeping the reader guessing and provide an entertaining conclusion.  In this she succeeds.  The Stone Circle has plenty of twists and turns and ends with a powerful conclusion.

The focus in many ways remains on Edmund and Elspeth as it has throughout the series.  The story is about their quest and about their friendship.  With strong male and female characters, Lake continues to weave these two elements into a great story.

Every time the story is just about to bog down with the mundane nature of the quest (traveling, interacting with strangers, finding food and a place to camp, etc.) Lake throws in a twist.  There are some dramatic turns dealing with both Edmund and Elspeth’s family and Loki once again pulls off a trick that almost costs the kids their lives.

But Lake also uses the “Fay” background of Cluran and his mother to bring the back story of this alternative legend into the foreground again.  In this way Lake skillfully weaves in new characters and a new setting but also continues the theme of devotion and sacrifice that runs through the books.

In a dramatic and climatic battle scene you have Loki and Elspeth’s final confrontation preceded by a dragon of fire doing battle with both the mountainous Ice Dragon and the battered Torment.  But it takes an incredibly sacrifice to finally destroy Loki.

Thankfully, despite all the tragedy and hardship Edmund and Elspeth’s friendship remains.  And Lake gracefully ends the book and the series with this good news.

If you haven’t yet read this dark but powerful trilogy I recommend it.

Regular readers with good memories will recall that I picked up The Coming of Dragons (The Darkest Age Book One) in the grocery store of all places.  Having enjoyed it, I tracked down the sequel at the library as I was too impatient to order it when it was not available at the book stores I pursued.

When the first book left off, the two central characters – Elspeth and Edmund-  had been abducted by a dragon just as they were celebrating defeating their enemy Orgrim.  The Book of the Sword picks up the story but also weaves in the the much older back story: where the dragon comes from and who controls it; why the sword Elspeth carries was created and what gives it its power; what is this epic battle between forces of good and evil really all about, etc.

Lake introduces the book with prologue that sets up the story of the sword and each chapter with a flashback to the time when the sword was created and from the perspective of the characters involved in its creation.  In this way she weaves the past into the present.  We get to see the events that led up to the conflict that is playing itself out again; history repeating itself.

The ancient trickster god Loki has been chained under the mountain to prevent him from wrecking havoc and destruction on the world around him.  His capture was made with great sacrifice but the fear is that it is only a matter of time before he escapes again.

Elspeth feels compelled by the sword, and he own sense of duty and responsibility, to journey to his cave and kill him with the only weapon capable of achieving such a task.  Edmund and Cathbar insist on accompanying her despite their doubts about the wisdom of such a plan.  This leads them on a task not unlike Frodo’s famous trek to Mount Doom.  This is not to say that Lake’s story is derivative, just that there are some similarities in this trek: ancient weapons forged by the supernatural means, seeking the enemy in the center of a mountain, etc.  But Elspeth is out to destroy the evil one with this weapon rather than destroy his power by destroying the weapon.

The adventure takes them on a harrowing trek through the Northland and into the depths of the mountain.  They encounter wolves; angry natives and bandits; ghost like spirits out to sap their strength; a mysterious Fay (similar to elves or fairy folk) women who claims to want to help them; their nemesis the dragon Torment; and a giant ice dragon the size of a glacier.

Along the way they will learn the story behind the sword and the history of Loki.  They will also learn the identity of their previous guardian Cluaran.  But when they are face to face with Loki will they be able to destroy him?  You will have to read this exciting adventure to find out.

A.J. Lake has created a a gripping and gritty tale with strong characters and a nice blend of suspense and action.  Part re-imagined Norse legend and fable, part Medieval fantasy, this unique series is recommend for readers young (middle school and above) and old.