Review: Inferno - Julie Kagawa

Inferno by Julie Kagawa, published by HarperCollins on 3rd May 2018

Goodreads synopsis:
Ember Hill has learned a shocking truth about herself: she is the blood of the Elder Wyrm, the ancient dragon who leads Talon and who is on the verge of world domination. With the Order of St. George destroyed, Ember, Riley and Garret journey to the Amazon jungle in search of one who might hold the key to take down the Elder Wyrm and Talon—if they can survive the encounter.

Meanwhile, Ember’s brother, Dante, will travel to China with a message for the last Eastern dragons: join Talon or die. With the stakes rising and the Elder Wyrm declaring war, time is running out for the rogues and any dragon not allied with Talon.

The final battle approaches. And if Talon is victorious, the world will burn.

Review:
'Inferno' is the final book in Julie Kagawa's Talon series which is based around the idea that dragons exist today and are living among us.  I have been a huge fan of this series from the very beginning and have been excitedly awaiting the finale for months.  It didn't take me long to get stuck into the book and engrossed in the ultimate showdown between the rogues and the Talon organisation.

The story was everything I was hoping it was going to be.  Fast-paced and high-octane, it was a thrilling roller-coaster conclusion.  Ember, Garret and Riley are determined to finally put a stop to Talon once and for all, especially now that Ember has learnt that she is the blood of the Elder Wyrm, The latter is after world domination and immortality and must be stopped at all costs. With most of the Order of St. George destroyed, new friends and allies have to be sought if they are to stand any chance of taking Talon down and freeing the world of them.  There are many who still don't trust the dragons but Ember, as always, is hugely persuasive and determined to do everything in her power to convince people to fight alongside her.

The narrative voice alternates between Ember, Garret and Riley, as they pull out all the stops in the run up to the final battle.  Riley has always been a huge favourite of mine and that didn't change the whole way through.  I must admit that I've always wanted to see him and Ember together but I will say that I really enjoyed the direction that Julie Kagawa took his character and I was ultimately very happy with how he ended up. I was also glad to see the end of the love triangle between him, Ember and Garret as I think it was getting a little tired and it was time that it was concluded at last.

Ember's brother Dante also gets his turn in the book as he begins to learn the truths that have so far been concealed from him.  On Talon's orders, he ends up travelling to China to the council of Eastern dragons to convince them to join their cause.  He gradually discovers that things are not as he had thought and that there may be a different fate in store for him. 

I thoroughly enjoyed 'Inferno' which was an exciting, action packed and high octane read.  Julie Kagawa doesn't take her foot off the pedal for one second as she plunges her characters into one life and death situation after another.  I was gripped from start to finish and was so happy that this epic series went out with a bang.