The Omen Machine

“Hannis Arc, working on the tapestry of lines linking constellations of elements that constituted the language of Creation recorded on the ancient cerulean scroll spread out among the clutter on his desk, was not surprised to see the seven etherial forms billow into the room like acrid smoke driven on a breath of bitter breeze. Like an otherworldly collection of spectral shapes seemingly carried on random eddies of air, they wandered in a loose clutch among the still and silent mounted bears and beasts rising up on their stands, the small forest stone pedestals holding massive books of recorded prophecy, and the evenly spaced display cases of oddities, their glass reflecting the firelight from the massive hearth at the side of the room.Since the seven rarely used doors, the shutters on the windows donwn on the ground level several stories below stood open as a fearless show of invitation. Though they frequently chose to use windows, they didn't actually need the windows a any more than they needed doors. They could seep through any opening, any crack like vapor rising in the early morning from the stretches of stagnant water that lay in dark swaths through the peat barrens.The open shutters were meant to be a declaration for all to see, including the seven, that Hannis Arc feared nothing.”

Sounds intriguing but um...“acrid smoke driven on a breath of bitter breeze”?

I enjoyed the premise however the end felt very rushed to me.

I have devoured this series and I really it. However, this last book is utter crap. I'm giving two stars because I think the narration is what truly saves this book. Only one day has passed and everyone has lost their damn minds? I can understand people wanting to do their own thing after time has gone by. However, it's only been one day!!! You're really going to turn on the man who saved you just one day earlier? I have other issues with this book that aren't worth writing, so I'll just leave you with the above.

Decent story, seemed much shorter than most of his books, definitely seems to be a setup for more to come.

Not quite as painful as Pillars of Creation and almost as good as Soul of the Fire, and that's saying something. TG has a maddening habit of repeating everything over and over and over until you just want to reach in and smack someone. Richard is, at times, a stubborn idiot. I'm so glad I'm done with this one. I may not bother picking up the next one.