In addition to being the twelfth book in the series, this is also the final instalment of Alex’s adventures. So as well as providing yet another gripping adventure, Risen has to provide a fitting and satisfactory ending to this popular, long-running series. I would add that if for any reason you haven’t read any of the books, or have missed out a few – please don’t tuck into this one unless you’ve at least read Fallen and Forged, or you won’t fully appreciate the enormity of what Alex has gone through. Unlike many books in a series, I cannot claim that you won’t understand what is happening – Jacka is very adept at ensuring the reader does know some of the backstory to what is going on. And as a result, this one took a bit of time to get going. I didn’t find this a problem, as I felt this was also in line with Alex’s character development. After all, he is facing his imminent death due to a lethal magical infection – so it makes sense that he is thinking about how he got to this stage and who is responsible for the mess he’s in. I’ve always been impressed with Jacka’s characterisation of Alex as a divination mage – the way his ability to see into the future very rapidly wanes as the possibilities multiply is spot on. And while it does give him some advantages in a fight, given he often has lacked the weaponry of other mages, avoidance and nudging others into making mistakes has generally been his only way to survive. So how can this play out in a massive pitched battle against some truly terrifying beings – his former girlfriend being one of the most lethal adversaries? By now, Alex has become equipped with some mighty tools of his own. And his first-person narration as someone who now has the ability to wreak revenge upon the disturbingly long list of people who have badly twisted his life in the past, is masterful. Alex has never been the cuddliest of protagonists – and this time around, his aloof persona that tries to keep everyone at a distance rings absolutely true. So that by the time it all kicked off, I was completely invested in the story and desperate for Alex to be able to succeed – though that seemed to be an impossible dream. I was also very aware that Jacka doesn’t flinch from killing off established characters, if it serves the story – and there are losses during the battle that made me wince. So in addition to providing a gripping, action-filled plot – does Jacka also bring this series to a fitting conclusion? Yep. It completely works for me. I’m sorry to see the end of this classy, well-written urban fantasy series – but so glad to see the story safely landed. Very highly recommended for fans of the series. While I obtained an arc of Risen from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own. 10/10

lex Verus has led us a long dance over the last twelve books, from a low-level magician hiding in plain sight selling cheap magic tat in a shop in Camden to the linchpin between the light and dark mages. Now, in the series finale can Alex foil the Djinn which possesses the body of his girlfriend Anne and save the girl? It's going to take an unprecedented alliance between the Council, the Dark mage Richard Drakh, and Alex and his small but trusty gang. But when no-one trusts anyone else how will that work? I can't tell you any more about the plot - suffice it to say that the action starts immediately and never seems to stop for the entire book. Alex, as ever, uses his brains to persuade, coax, blackmail, threaten and force everyone to follow his plans. For me this was a fantastic end to what has been an engrossing series. All the loose ends got tied up to my satisfaction and the end was totally satisfying. Obviously not for anyone who hasn't read the previous eleven books, but if you don't like to start a series without knowing that it ends satisfactorily (and we can all thank the TV series Lost for that particular paranoia) then rest assured, your time will not be wasted. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

It’s two days after FORGED. Increasingly under the control of the djinn she made a deal with, Dark Anne continues to seek revenge on those who wronged her, taking the most powerful magic users so that other djinn can possess them. Alex Verus is certain that Variam (who was captured by Dark Anne at the end of FORGED) has been similarly possessed, but despite following Anne to Sagash’s castle he can’t find where she’s keeping him. Meanwhile the Council has finally woken up to the threat that the djinn pose and are even prepared to team up with Richard Drake to defeat them (not that they have much choice given that Richard has something that they need if they’re to beat her). The Council is prepared to include Alex in their plans and cut him and Anne (if Alex can rescue her) a permanent amnesty provided he deals with Richard for them. Alex knows that they will turn on him the second they don’t need him but he’s also long over due for his own reckoning with Drakh and with the fateweaver’s affect on his body accelerating each time he draws on its powers and getting every closer to his heart, his time is running short. Somehow Alex has to find a way to stop the djinn, rescue Anne, rescue Vari and defeat Richard once and for all. No pressure then. The 12th and final book in the ALEX VERUS SERIES packs in a lot of action, ties up loose ends, and sees some long-standing characters die (sob) and while I had some nitpicks about the closure re Richard and Anne and Alex’s relationship never convinced me, the book finishes on a bittersweet note that’s a fitting end to one of my favourite fantasy series and leaves open the possibility for Jacka to revisit this world should he want. The book plays out over a tight timeframe of only a few days, which plays to Jacka’s great strength as a writer given his ability to tie in a lot of action while also juggling various plot lines and exposition. Although there are hints and suggestions as to the direction events will go, this is not a predictable book and Jacka throws in a couple of twists that I certainly didn’t see coming. That said, while there are some deaths here of characters who were established in the series (some of which were predictable, others more of a surprise), they are not major characters, which did feel a bit too safe. Equally, while I enjoyed a revelation about the djinn possessing Vari and the resolution to that storyline, again there wasn’t enough doubt over the outcome for me to totally be hooked by it. Also the confrontation between Richard and Alex needed a bit of zing to it and I think part of the reason it seemed a bit rote was that Richard has always been a bit of a distant, mysterious character throughout the series and although some discoveries about him were really interesting he never has much of a personality and while that is undoubtedly the point - he is just another a-hole dark mage bent on power - it felt like there should have been something there to give it some oomph. The other main issue for me is that I just don’t feel the relationship between Anne and Alex and as such I was less invested in the ending of that plot line and the resolution itself was just a bit flat for me. To be fair, it’s been a problem for me with the series in general just because I don’t think it was developed enough on the page for me to find it believable and also because Dark Anne is just more vividly drawn and more interesting than ‘normal’ Anne and I did miss her when she wasn’t on the page. However, I do know that I’m in a minority on this and it’s more of a personal thing than a deal breaker. If this sounds like I’m down on the book then I’m not. Jacka keeps the plot coming at a cracking pace and the scenes where Alex uses his diving magic are great, especially given it’s been souped up through his merger with the fate weaver. The way the fate weaver is slowly transforming his body also gives events an added sense of urgency and I liked the way it gave his character a more reflective quality. In fact there are a number of conversations between Alex and Luna that I thought worked particularly well in terms of showing how much Alex has changed as a character and how that’s affected his own view of himself. One of my favourite scenes in the book combines Alex’s new ruthlessness with his souped up divinity magic as he deals with a problem in a way that definitely does not meet with the approval of his friends, even though it’s to their benefit. I enjoyed the nods to loved and missed characters like Arachne and I really enjoyed the increased presence of Landis in this book (I would happily read a spin off about Landis should Jacka ever feel an urge to write one). Also interesting is new character Ji-yeong, former apprentice to Sagash and a life mage - I liked her dry asides and wished she’d been introduced a book or so earlier given the rapport she has with both Alex and Luna. The book ends on a fitting bittersweet note but if you’re willing to turn the pages, there’s a good epilogue that provides all the closure you’d need. All in all I thought it was a fitting end to the series that gives the reader closure but leaves open the possibility of Jacka returning to this world if he wants to explore other aspects at a later date although the author’s note at the end says he’s working on something new which is totally cool and I will definitely check it out.