The Last Battle of the Icemark - Stuart Hill

Rating: 4 1/2

Last Battle of the Icemark is the last of the Icemark Chronicles, so be warned from reading any further if you have not read the first two! The Icemark Chronicles are the stories of Queen Thirrin and her battle to keep her tiny kingdom safe from enemy hands, and maintain her tenuous alliance with the werewolves, giant snow leopards and vampires.

Following the events of Blade of Fire, the Icemark is safe from the Polypontian Empire, which lies in ruins following the death of Scipio Bellorum. But there is a new threat which Thirrin and her family must face, a legion of Hypolitan warriors determined to wipe out their enemies, including every person in the Icemark, and all their allies.

Meanwhile, Medea, Thirrin and Oskan's daughter, has been banished to the Underworld, where she is bent on revenge, attempting to form an alliance with the most powerful sorcerer, Cronus, her grandfather and King of the Darkness. Oskan Witchfather is chosen by the Goddess, and tasked with saving the world from Cronus, who is determined to wipe out all creation, but Oskan finds it difficult, faced with possibly having to destroy his own daughter and the price of saving the world may be too high.

I have loved this series since the beginning, finding it absolutely impossible to put these books down once I have started reading them (which has caused numerous problems!). The allies are quite the motley crew, each with memorable and likeable characters, perhaps even the vampires. It has been quite a journey following Thirrin and Oskan from their youth, to their reign as Queen and Consort, and then to the birth of their own family. Oskan has always been my favourite character, especially when he allows himself to delve into the darkness, while attempting to remain good. I have also found myself intrigued by Medea and her conflicting desires for power and the love and acceptance of her father. Cronus himself is a little 2-dimensional, but his army of Ice Demons are fabulous! Sharley, as usual, irritated me a lot in this story, but luckily he is reduced to a minor role, leaving the bulk of the story to Thirrin, Oskan and Medea, with Cressida also having her own, amusing, sideline.

With lots of action and typical Norse style drinking celebrations, The Icemark Chronicles are fabulously inventive stories, and I would recommend them to anyone who enjoys children's fantasy.