Filipe Faria - Oblívio

The Gauntlet of Karasthan brought them together. The Children of the Scourge united them. The Dark Tides branded them. The Essence of the Blade tore them apart. The Waves of Fire gave them hope. The Fate of the Shadow destroyed it. Battered and weary, the companions now face their biggest challenge yet, as Oblivion threatens the foundations of existence itself, just as it seems to be its last hope at survival. In Allaryia’s darkest hour, the shadow rises triumphant, but all is not as it seems, and The Scourge has yet to play his final card…

Comment: This is the last book in this Portuguese series I've been following for the last years. Here's the place where every blurb is and that explains a bit about the books: http://www.allaryia.com/pearnon/?page_id=420
This series is done and I'm equally sad and glad it is over. Finally something is done, completed and the reader can have closure over it. On the other hand, there's no more to entertain us.

In this final installment, the characters we've accompanied since book 1 reunite again and we get to understand why the villain acted the way he did, especially in the previous book. I think I had said the bad guy acted strange and did things that weren't expected of him and in this final book we understand why, although rationally it's a bit unbelievable - I guess because of that the whole is so much more amazing too.
Considering this is the conclusion of the group's adventures, we see many loose ends getting solved. Of course this is a goos thing and despite many things had started to be explained before, in this book we get so much more and it's very nice to see how logical they are.
In the previous books the original group got separated to pursue different purposes and things happened to all of them and not always good ones, so part of the thrill in reading a final book, one with the bad vs evil theme too, is to see their triumph in achieving some goals and happiness.
I was surprised over some details but in general, I got what I expected and hoped for.
This is high fantasy, not exactly my favorite genre, but once in a while is great to dream like this. I'll pay attention to future things by this author but right now I just feel at ease I managed to start and finish another series.

Filipe Faria - The Fate of the Shadow

The gods are dead, and their fall leaves Allaryia on the brink of a spiraling descent into chaos and destruction. The seeds of the Scourge’s plans are now bearing fruit, and Aewyre Thoryn and his companions are the only ones aware of the insidious threat, as well as the only ones with any hope of fighting it.
The race against time has begun, as renegade servants of the Scourge scheme towards Ul-Thoryn’s downfall. A threat from times immemorial approaches the Pearl of the South, threatening to nip the resistance against the Scourge in the bud. This is the turning point of the Eight Age, after which nothing shall ever be the same again in Allaryia.

Comment: For those who didn't read the other post I have about this author, he is portuguese and writes fantasy books. He recently finished the series Chronicles of Allaryia, a tale about a group of people from different races who start to look for what happened to the father of one of them and end up fighting to save the world where they live in.
It's very fun to read and I've been a fan since the first book. However I like to space things in order to not become bored and this is why I only read this book now.

This book is the 6th in the series and everything looks bad for the group. I knew this book would be darker because of what happened in the last one and also because the villain is alive and we're not very clear on what he really intends to do. After this one, there's only one final book in the series.
In this one we finally see most of the group reunited again after their private journeys end. Only two of them are still away and..well, they have to be. But I hope to see them in the final book together again.
In this story Awyere still has to find a way to get the power of the essence of the blade from Kror and now he has to worry about this brother too, all because of the terrible actions Dilet has done. I hate Dilet, how annoying he has managed to live throughout so many books. Anyway, things don't work out as he thought and only with the help and support of Liannah can he go on. Allumno, another member of the group says goodbye to his master and tries a plan that doesn't work out the way he wanted. I felt sorry for him.
Aereth also does something completely surprising that I never, ever, imagined would happen to him, I still can't quite understand it. Quenestil and Slayra are still at odds with each other and after she confessed her children aren't his, I just...it's so unfair, he loved her and now is holding on to the belief everything in his journey was a test to his ability to be a great warrior and it just...ahh I wanted them to be happy, I hope they still can be.
In the end two things happen that can change the whole fate and I'm not sure what it will mean to the group.
I liked reading this book a lot, even despite all the bad things in it, the only thing a little bit annoying is the extensive battle scenes and descriptions. Apart from this, the series is great.
I'm going to read the final book next year...in a way I can't wait to see how it all ends, but it makes me a bit sad to know it will be over. Let's see how it ends.

Filipe Faria - Vagas de Fogo

The armies of the Scourge have awakened at last, and now rage across the continent. The Citadel of the Blade has been leveled, Sirulia has been put to the sword, and birds of ill-omen now fly over Nolwyn, as Ul-Thoryn readies itself for war against Vaul-Syrith.

The companions are separated or lost, and largely bereft of hope. Unbeknownst to many, the sole hope resides within Aewyre Thoryn, but each and every one of the companions will have a role to play in the coming conflict, even if they can no longer count on the strength their unity provided them with. Chased by foes from their past, lost in unknown lands or surprised by enemies once thought of as allies, the group now faces the imminent immersion of Allaryia in the darkness that all had believed dispelled long ago. Seltor, its harbinger, has learned from his past mistakes, however, and his intentions no longer seem to be the same; or at least, appear not to be what Allaryia had learned to expect from him…

Comment: I've finished reading this portuguese book last night. It's the fifth installment in a fantasy series where the main characters - a group - travells in a mutual help and discovery trip but is faced with the fact the old enemy of the worls is returning from his deep sleep and now wants to get revenge on those who are against him. So far, the previous 4 books have shown us how the protagonists separated to pursue individual goals and how that shaped them into what their are now. In this 5th book, some of them are returning home to battle the enemy and others are still away but close to returning as well.

The author is young and has started a trend, the fantasy one, written in portuguese. I still think some things could be done differently but the reader thinks this about all books anyway.
The writting has certainly changed for better and the emotional side too. I was actually sad to read some things and I'm now curious to see some redemption, I mean, I hope I'll see it.
For more details, you can see the author's page on the side..he has the option to read in english.
In February the last book was published. I can't believe after so long...well, I hope it's the perfect conclusion though.