Overall HEART OF THE SHADOW KING nicely completes this three-book series.  I do love the plot that the Troldefolk (or if you’re impolite, Trolls) get to play the valiant heroes in this tale. 

I was very glad that I was able to locate and binge the first two books of this series before reading the third.  The way the story progresses, it is very important for the reader to get a sense of who Faraine is and learn all about her history from the first two books.  As a reader, I understood Faraine’s almost obsessive desire to be ‘of use’ from the earlier books in the series.  This last book in the series jumps right in where the previous book left off.

The third tale moves along at a good pace as Vor (King of the Troldefolk) and Faraine  (Princess of a human kingdom) begin to understand one another better and develop trust in spite of the circumstances that have thrown them together.  They find they have a lot in common in that both have their people dependent upon them and both are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in ensuring the people of their respective kingdoms are safe and protected.

For me, the subplots make the story a bit murky as each of the protagonists, Vor and Faraine,  are challenged, as individuals, on what the right choice should be for the people who need them the most.  I do like that both main characters have relatable flaws, but I wanted them to pick a course of action and stick with it.  I felt like both Vor and Faraine would decide to go in one direction and then suddenly change course.

The supporting characters are depicted with very unique personalities that merge well with the personalities of the main characters of the book.  There's a bit too much ‘should they or shouldn’t they’ as Faraine and Vor struggle with ‘sealing the deal’ for their complicated marriage - a marriage brokered in order to form an alliance between Troldfolk and the kingdom from which Faraine hails. 

If you like battle and blood, destruction and mayhem at every turn, you will like this book.  I also really love the details describing the beauty of the Under Realm and the way the author compares the world of the Troldefolk with that of the surface where the humans live. 

As HEART OF THE SHADOW KING reaches its final conclusion, I am a bit disappointed that there are some loose ends like what happens with Faraine’s sisters and her father.  What happens with some of the other beings that are introduced in this final book?  I am, however,  very satisfied with the HEA for the series.