Dreams of Gods & Monsters

Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Book 3

By: Laini Taylor

Narrated by: Khristine Hvam

Length: 18 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Two worlds threaten to crumble in the face of a common enemy in the epic conclusion to the New York Times best-selling Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy—now with a gorgeous new package!

What power can bruise the sky?

Two worlds are poised on the brink of a vicious war. By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera's rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her.

When the brutal angel emperor brings his army to the human world, Karou and Akiva are finally reunited—not in love, but in tentative alliance against their common enemy. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people. And, perhaps, for themselves.

But with even bigger threats on the horizon, are Karou and Akiva strong enough to stand among the gods and monsters?

The New York Times best-selling Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy comes to a stunning conclusion as—from the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond—humans, chimaera, and seraphim strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy.

©2014 Laini Taylor (P)2014 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

*In the final book of the Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy, Taylor revives the strong interweaving of reality and fantasy that gave the first story such cross-genre appeal."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"[An] ambitious, gorgeously edgy drama lit up by its coruscating characters and prose."—Kirkus

"New revelations, characters, multiple love stories, and constant plot twists and suspense will not disappoint Taylor's many fans."—Booklist

wowza

loved it with all my heart so many new characters so many different stories very beautifully written and executed.

well done sequel

a little too much love angst for it to be a 5 star but female writers seem to go for that kind of thing

Fantastic Series Conclusion

Laini Taylor's trilogy is sweeping, majestic, engrossing, and it's among the best fantasy series I've ever read.

Dreams of Gods Monsters lived up to all my expectations. And its grandness is all the more impressive because as I was reading there were moments that I feared it would not. I would think, "Too many things are going wrong. It's like all the things that can go wrong are." Then the next day I would think, "Too many things are going right. Every time they get in a jam something miraculous happens to pull them out." In the end, I decided it all balanced out. There was also the case of the ending where for a moment there I was really, really worried that it was going to be unsatisfactory. Taylor kept me guessing until the end.

My thoughts on the narration were similar. I would think, "Wow. The reading is really over the top. She makes everything sound so dramatic." But then I would decide that the high-drama is what this book is.

The supporting cast of characters in Taylor's trilogy is just the best. I love Zuzana and Mik. Eliza is really fascinating. The Shadows that Live are creepily awesome. Liraz and Ziri steal the show.

Dreams of Gods Monsters is emotional too. I may have been crying and laughing along with a certain angel over a certain chimaera.

I love how the series bounces back and forth between our world and Eretz, and the additional mythology explaining the origins of the world. The book seems to end with an opening for a new Eretz series. I definitely wouldn't say no to that.

For now, just "WOW!"

I hope to return to give this series more fitting and detailed praise in a review. For now, I am reeling in wonder and emotion from the epic journey from which I have just returned.

Great action finale

Lani excellent closing to a great series, amazing world building that I have come to expect from Lani and an action pack finale to a great series. A must read

Love story everyone needs

Amazing to the end. It might have taken me almost ten years to finish this book cause I never wanted it to end but it’s truly the love story anyone would want.

The writing is poetry and the narrator is spectacular.

The story was good, but it definitely shines in that the writing itself is so much like poetry. The author doesn’t just describe something, she dives deep into the feelings of the moment, into the sensations and memories that moment brings. And the narrator doesn’t just read it, she voice acts it. She tells the story as if it were her own personal tale. It was wonderfully done.

4 stars

Kristine Hvam is a fantastic reader. I enjoyed her performance. I liked this third book better than book 2, but still not as much as book 1. I feel like the novel was too long for the small story it held. I would have appreciated more about the Stellians and Eliza, and instead I was given hours and hours of NOTHING.HAPPENING. Until suddenly, about ten hours into the novel, everythinghappenedallatonce. I don't know how Laini Taylor takes these fantastic ideas and drags them out so long that I have to listen to Ms Hvam on 2x speed just to get through it, but she does.

Absolutely in Love

I just can't believe it's over. I hate hate hate how Karou and Akiva just keep getting shoved away from each other. Like oh God stars! can you just let them be together! I love this book and all the other books though it drives me crazy. but that's how you know it's an amazing book. It drives you nuts and when it's over you feel hollow and empty. Either way I'm in love. also Zuzana I love you and all you niknik glory.

Utterly charming

It took me a long time to start this book because the last volume left me skeptical. This one, though, was wonderfully charming, and reminded me what I liked about the first volume.