Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Caller by Juliet Marillier Narrator: Henrietta Meire
Series: Shadowfell #3
Published by Tantor Audio on June 23, 2020
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Length: 14 hours, 17 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Amazon, Audible, Libro.fm, Barnes & Noble, Apple
In the final book in this gripping, romantic fantasy trilogy perfect for fans of Robin McKinley, Kristin Cashore, and Shannon Hale, the band of rebels reach their climactic confrontation with the king.
Just one year ago, Neryn had nothing but a canny skill she barely understood and a faint dream that the legendary rebel base of Shadowfell might be real. Now she is the rebels’ secret weapon, and their greatest hope for survival in the fast-approaching ambush of King Keldec at Summerfort.
The fate of Alban itself is in her hands. But confidence is stretching thinner by the day when word of another Caller reaches the rebels: a Caller at Keldec’s side with all of Neryn’s power and none of her benevolence or hard-earned control. As the days before the battle drop quickly away, Neryn must find a way to uncover—and exploit—her opponent’s weaknesses. At stake lies freedom for the people of Alban, a life free from hiding for the Good Folk—and a chance for Flint and Neryn to finally be together.
The Caller concludes the Shadowfell series, a YA fantasy in a world that a small force of humans and fae must join together to defeat the evil ruler. Juliet Marillier is one of my favorite contemporary authors to write fairytale like stories but I must confess I do like her adult fantasy much more than the Young Adult.
Nyren still needs to train with two of the most powerful fae in the land if she is going to be able to control her gift enough to call the Fae to fight with the resistance when the time comes and time is running short. She still has the Guardian of Air and Masters of Shadows to go before she can hope to live through the battle to come. The road of rebellion is fraught with dangers and sacrifices along the way.
I liked that Nyren stays pretty positive and tries to always think about the fae creatures she is going to call. She is a little bit Mary Sue but not in an unlikable way. Nyren cares for the Fae creatures and doesn’t really want to put many in danger if she doesn’t have to. She is clever and patient and eventually finds a way to be in the right place at the right time even if it wasn’t the original plan.
This is the showdown we have been waiting for and I will say The Caller is a satisfying conclusion to the series. Both the King and Queen were easy to hate and I did like the addition of another adversary into the mix. Most of the threads were tied up and we see the path ahead that Alban will start to take. I did get a little bored in a few spaces but the ending was worth it.
Narration:
Henrietta Meire has the perfect voice for this series. The slight accent she has works very well for some of the otherness of the series. There were a few times I couldn’t tell who was talking but overall a solid performance. I listened to this at my usual 1.5x speed.
Listen to a clip:Â HERE
About Juliet Marillier
Juliet Marillier was born July 27, 1948 in Dunedin, New Zealand and grew up surrounded by Celtic music and stories. Her own Celtic-Gaelic roots inspired her to write her first series, the Sevenwaters Trilogy. Juliet was educated at the University of Otago, where she majored in music and languages, graduating BA and a B Mus (Hons). Her lifelong interest in history, folklore and mythology has had a major influence on her writing.
Juliet is the author of twenty historical fantasy novels for adults and young adults, as well as a book of short fiction. Juliet’s novels and short stories have won many awards.
Juliet lives in a 110 year old cottage in a riverside suburb of Perth, Western Australia. When not writing, she is active in animal rescue and has her own small pack of needy dogs. She also has four adult children and seven grandchildren. Juliet is a member of the druid order OBOD (the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.)
| Rating Breakdown | |
|---|---|
| Plot |
|
| Writing |
|
| Characters |
|
| Dialogue |
|
| Narration (Audio) |
|
| Overall: | |
Friend me at Goodreads.
- When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi @scalzi.com @torbooks.bsky.social @RobinBridgeFour @scalzi @torbooks - March 24, 2025
- A Haunt for Owls by Matt Posey #MattPosey‏ #RedemptionPress @SnyderBridgeFour #KindleUnlimited - March 17, 2025
- Queen of Shadows and Ruin by Nisha J Tuli @nishajtwrites.bsky.social @bookouture @SecondSkyBooks #KindleUnlimited @RobinBridgeFour @NishaJT‏ - March 10, 2025
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
- Robin Audio20
I’m also a big fan of this author but I’m not as much a young adult reader as you are.
I don’t read nearly as much YA as I used to but there are still gems to be found in the YA world.
It’s an author I’m quite curious to try but I had another series in mind
She has some really good ones. I especially liked the Blackthorn and Grim series along with Seven Waters.
Glad to hear you enjoyed the conclusion. This is a new author for me.
She is a modern day fairytale writer. Some of her stories seem timeless.