Talon & Arrabella
The Last Thread
In the intriguing fantasy novel The Last Thread, heroes near the end of a centuries-long battle with an unstoppable living storm.
Focused on heroic figures facing an enemy who cannot be placated, and who is surrounded by mythical entities, The Last Thread is Patrick Dandrea’s musing fantasy novel.
Though Talon and Arrabella endure countless battles and numerous victories, one threat remains elusive. An entity born out of a storm, Mystyx, craves an ancient relic that Talon worked to hide. Talon shares the clues he left to its location with Arrabella, though, through a series of stories. He also shares what he was doing across the centuries.
After Arrabella’s death, Talon mourns. Still, he continues to watch for the return of Mystyx. A final battle seems certain to come; Talon fights when he can, learns, prepares, and waits.
Talon often narrates, and his longevity is apparent in his voice. He mentions the passing of time, noting “Seasons, when they’re happy, don’t rush.” He recalls happy moments as well as dark periods. But the exact range of time that his story represents is kept vague, aside from a few mentions to specific years. Indeed, despite the book’s grand scope, too much within it feels static.
The book’s short chapters function as vignettes, between which there are loose connections. Their sentences are short and clipped, using punctuation and spacing to add a visual boost to dramatic moments. But such stylistic choices do not always serve the epic narrative well. Indeed, the story moves at too brisk of a pace, rife with sensory details and emotive reactions that are too rushed through to be fully impactful.
While Talon and Arrabella are focal, Dug, an ally, is fleshed out in fascinating form. A guardian of memory who appears in the form of a bear, despite being older than bears, he has lived even longer than Talon. The two have a close relationship, with Dug functioning as an endearing father figure. Dug also appears when people die and guides them to the Elysium Fields.
However, much must be inferred throughout the book, as too little context is provided internally. In this series-continuing volume, excess space is also given to Talon’s goodbyes to others as they move on to other fantastical realms or die; their importance to Talon and his story is kept vague. The setting and its ethereal beings are glimpsed but underexplored in this volume too. Those not familiar with previous series volumes may find it inaccessible.
In the series-continuing fantasy novel The Last Thread, a heroic ranger who’s lived with magic and in the face of countless storms offers a bevy of farewells.
Reviewed by
John M. Murray
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
