This final book of the series dragged a bit in the beginning and the middle, but the climax and ending sure made up for it.Still, it's interesting how my feelings about the characters have changed over the course of four books. I really liked Fawn in Beguilement and Legacy, but by the halfway point in Passage she started getting on my nerves, and in Horizon she was downright annoying. It's not exactly that she's a Mary Sue, though sometimes she comes dangerously close. Her saccharine nature, which I think was meant to endear her to the reader, just makes me want to reach in through the pages and slap her. It also has a lot to do with her taking on a much more passive role as the series progresses. Like I noted in the last book, the focus definitely shifts from her to Dag.
The books themselves shift their focus too. Whereas the first book was more of a romance than anything, the last couple of books are more about exploration and adventure. I don't mind this so much, as I can always appreciate a series that evolves. I also enjoy how more of the world is revealed with each book. The magic system is truly a unique one, not to mention the evil threat of malices and mud-men.
All in all, a decent and satisfying end to the series, with everything wrapping up nicely. Perhaps a little too nicely. But since these books are meant to be fun, feel-good reads, I guess I can't begrudge it that.
