The Arch Mage: An Epic Finale to This New Fantasy Series

From the author of the epic fantasy series, The Ebon Knight, comes the thrilling conclusion to an alluring journey. Here, the forces of Light and Dark rival each other, only to discover a more sinister force that could be the undoing of them all, and the entire world…

Spoiler-Free Plot of The Arch Mage

A dark princess with a homicidal family. A noble knight with a murderous sword. And a suicide mission that could lead to the end of everything.

Ava, Princess of the Dark and widely known as the Dark Witch, gets incapacitated and kidnapped by her own sister, Jesslyn, the Spider. Saving her means breaking into the heart of the Dark Court and facing down Ava’s cunning family.

Kelso, the Ebon Knight of the Light, knows it’s a near-impossible feat. Even with his murderous, sentient weapon, Argenta, and a band of incredibly skilled warrior Furies at his side, Kelso is willing to sacrifice everything to save Ava. Even his own life.

Meanwhile, a scary evil known as the Other is dangerously closing in. This corrupting force seeks to wreak absolute havoc by possessing and twisting any host it can find, threatening to consume both Dark and Light alike. In this final book of the series, The Arch Mage, these ancient rivals might just have to forge an uneasy alliance to defeat their common enemy once and for all.

My Take on The Arch Mage

What a satisfying conclusion to this enthralling fantasy series!

Okay, so if you love suicide rescue missions with impossibly high stakes, this one is absolutely your cup of tea. Breaking into the most fortified stronghold in the realm? No problem. Rescuing a dark princess from a bunch of crazy, homicidal siblings and parents? Yeah, sure. Saving the world from a malicious entity that has both the Dark and the Light completely on their toes? Why not? The book leans into its own audacity, and it’s a blast.

Moreover, I loved how the author uses such untraditional lore for his world-building. We get more incredible depth on the creation of the Furies (those amazing skilled warrior ladies), the tragic origin of Argenta (the sword that drives its bearer into a bloodlust frenzy once unsheathed), and all the classic monsters like Goblins and Ghouls reimagined in fresh ways. Not to mention the enigmatic three sisters who govern the aspects of life, death, and fate. James Wood introduces a uniquely creative style to an already heavily tested genre, and he does it with a flair that readers are bound to enjoy.

In fact, win or lose, you are the last Ebon Knight. Your battle dance will be unequaled and remembered, and none will again hold me after you pass.

Now, coming to the characters. As I mentioned in my previous reviews of this series, I absolutely adore how powerful and multi-dimensional James’s female characters are. They are forces of nature in their own right, driving the plot forward with their own agendas and strengths. Moreover, it’s remarkable how seamlessly the narrative builds up these complex relationships. Characters can be trading witty barbs and genuinely messing with each other in one moment, only to face brutal, sudden consequences in the next. It creates a wonderful but dark tension where no one ever feels truly safe.

You’ll easily fall in love with the entire cast because they feel so relatable and are fueled by backstories that make you desperate to know them more. The plot relies on their interconnected histories and conflicting loyalties to create a rich, compelling drama that goes far beyond a simple good vs. evil tale.

That said, I did notice a little bit of plot armor for Ava in a few key scenes, where the danger didn’t feel quite as imminent for her as it should have been, given the circumstances. And I wish we got more page time for Cassandra—I really liked her fierce personality and wanted to see her arc developed just a tad more. Although these are small points in an otherwise fantastic book.

I am an evil and pitiable creature, she thought, cursed to wander eternity with only my two sisters as companions. They are as stained as I am by our unending existence.

Brimming with fantasy creatures of all kinds, including ghouls, goblins, and more, I truly loved the deep and intricate lore of the Ebon Knight Chronicles’ world. James Wood has built something special here, and The Arch Mage provides a finale that is both explosive and deeply fulfilling.

Recommended for fans of the epic fantasy genre, The Arch Mage provides a fantastic escapade to readers of Brandon Sanderson and Mark Lawrence.

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