The Dire King (Jackaby #4)

This review was originally posted on the Goldilox and the Three Weres blog.

I can’t believe that this is the last Jackaby book. I’m not ready for it to be over. I’ve adored each book in this series but this one was darker than its predecessors. It was so action-packed and full of twists that I was all in by page two and it was freaking fantastic! It was also an emotional roller coaster. I legit cried during most of the last 50-60 pages. And honestly, I’m still a bit shell-shocked from that ending. IT WAS AMAZING AND I AM NOT OKAY!

I’m not sure what else to say in this review without being spoilery. This book was kind of a reunion book where we see characters from the previous books. It was kind of awesome seeing so many familiar faces mixed in with the new ones. Throughout this series Jackabys motley crew has had their fair share of fights, but none have been as gruesome or as large scale as this final battle. All kinds of supernatural creatures pop up on both sides of the fight. There are some impressive weapons that combined with the paranormal add a colorful, kind of steampunk fairy tale vibe to the story and I need more of that in my YA books. The plot is not as light and airy as the previous books, but the characters and charm of the world that define this series are never lost in the mayhem.

Jackaby and the gang were just as awesome as always and I’m going to miss them terribly! I loved about this book and this series so much! I’m going to miss the quirky characters, the humor, and the mysteries. This book has several funny moments, often thanks to Jackaby, but it also was an emotional ride. I’m going to miss Abigail and Jackaby interacting where her down-to-earthness balances out his more eccentric ways. Storywise, this book just as good as the previous books and I quite liked the twist at the end of the book even though it almost destroyed me. It felt very suiting like everything had been leading up to it.

Overall, The Dire King was an excellent end to an amazing series. It was everything I hoped for and while the ending wrapped a lot of things up, there are still some open ends left. I’m hoping that this means that we’ll be getting a spin-off series. I just really, really want to see the characters again some day and I think that ending left it open for it. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for more Jackaby and the gang shenanigans.

If you haven’t read this series, go and get your hands on the first book ASAP! Believe me, you’ll thank me later.

*ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

I have really enjoyed this series and it’s bittersweet to have it end. It’s true that as a mystery series the Jackaby books are a bit lacking. Honestly even with the paranormal aspects the “twist” at the end of each of these books is predictable. But really is’t the characters that sell it.

Jackaby in particular is a delight. The banter between him and Abigail makes me smile every time I read these books. (Does anyone else think those two would have made an excellent couple? I like Charlie and Jenny but seriously, Jackaby and Abigail have so much chemistry!)

There were times while reading The Dire King I felt the plot was a bit rushed. Perhaps the book should have been longer to give the plot time to better unfold or maybe the pacing could have been spread out differently. It just seemed like important plot points were too briefly explained liked the first fall of the Dire King and the aftermath.

But the ending was all I could have hoped for! All the major loose ends were tied up, though not all the minor ones presented throughout the series. It would have also been nice to see more of what became of New Fiddleham and it’s residents after such world changing events. Perhaps there will be another book or maybe even a spin-off? *wink*

(By the way I’m the wife. I’m logged into my husbands account. Lol!)

William Ritter seamlessly weaves the dry humor and mystery of Sherlock Holmes with mystical creatures through his Jackaby series. The Dire King is the final tale in the Jackaby series, which is narrated by Jackaby’s assistant Abigial Rook. The novel is set in the Victorian era America where not only has Abigail sought refuge, but many mystical creatures have as well. Ritter does an excellent job balancing out his description of the world as Abigail and Jackaby see it with delightful dialogue that keeps the book moving quickly ahead. I was excited to see the hint of romance we were shown in the last novel continue with both Charlie and Abigail and Jenny and Jackaby. This novel is my favorite in the series because it speaks to deeper tones of persecution and racism that we are seeing today, showcasing a world at the brink of war due to lack of open mindedness. The parallelism between characters shows hope can conquer all to bring back the light in even the darkest corners, and how love can make us better even when we’re ripped apart. The Dire King is the perfect ending to the series, tying all ends together and leaving the reader with a sense of hope for a better world.

I know this is supposed to be a YA (Young Adult Book). I also know that I am the OA (Older adult) but I was riveted and finished all 4 books as fast as I could. The characters seemed so real and the setting was so well described that I felt I was inside this alternate world. Several times I forgot I was reading the book and not actually there. The author drew me into participating in the stories, not just providing a description of the stories. Yes there was magic, but it was so woven in with the plot, that it seemed plausible and I didn’t need an explanation of how it worked. I loved the plot and the book reminded me that even in tough times we can make it with with love, ingenuity and lots of teamwork. And in this case lots of different teammates! The end to the series was perfect. I feel this book would make a great TV series, or Movie Series. It is a magical adventure for any age.

Did I cry like a baby during those last 20 or so pages? Did I want to throw the book across the room? Did I cry like an even bigger baby in the final couple pages?
Yup. Yup! And YUP!!!!!

This was a truly thrilling conclusion to an excellent series. It was the most serious book out of the four but it was handled in a hauntingly beautiful way.
I found it to be action packed and non-stop exciting.

I really love how everything was handled and summed up in this book. I hope William Ritter writes more books! Hes a very clever and extremely talented wordsmith.

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