So...I would be telling a lie if I claimed that I didn't understand the disappointment of readers regarding this conclusion to the Immortals quartet. It's not that this book wasn't good overall. However, it's just not the conclusion that I had expected or hoped for. The reason is that it feels disjointed from the other three books of the series.

In my review for Emperor Mage, I mentioned something similar. Due to the change in location, the story seemed different from its predecessors. Since we weren't in the familiar and beloved setting of Tortall, the stakes didn't feel as high. But one thing that remained consistent was Daine's development of her powers and her communication with animals. So, even though the setting was different, at least it felt like part of the same series.

In Realms of the Gods, though, Daine is almost completely cut off from her powers, except for the occasional shift into animal form. And even that isn't described with the same vivid detail as in the previous books. True, she gets to communicate with the gods more now, and the descriptions of them in her dream-visions are quite cool. But I really missed the animal interaction from the previous novels, which I think readers also miss a lot. Don't misunderstand me. I really liked the journey through the immortal realms. But it just felt like part of a different story, one that I didn't anticipate when I first got interested in the idea of "a girl who talks to animals".

As a conclusion, it's quite definite and does have its exciting parts. So, really, my dissatisfaction with it is more a matter of personal preference than anything else. But it does affect my overall rating. It's definitely a book that I would re-read along with the series as a whole. But I have to say that it isn't the best ending that I would personally prefer.

Now, to rank the books of the Immortals quartet in order of my favorites from "best" to "least", here it is:
1. Wolf Speaker
2. Wild Magic
3. Emperor Mage
4. Realms of the Gods

All in all, I highly recommend this series to all Tamora Pierce and adventure fans!

Rating: 3.6 / 5

In light of how much I adored Emperor Mage, I found myself a bit disappointed with this particular book.

To begin with, a significant portion of this book seems so distant from the events in Tortall. By the time one reaches the end, it's like a sudden realization: "Oh yeah, there's a war going on there." It felt as if a large part of the book was merely filler, with quite a number of plot threads that seemed rather useless. While it was indeed interesting to read about the gods and catch a glimpse of the realms they inhabit, the pace in this final book of the series felt excruciatingly slow.

Secondly, by this stage in the series, there are numerous great characters. However, a vast majority of the book is centered around Daine and Numair. That's it. With such a wonderful cast, it seems rather limiting that we only get to follow two of them.

Thirdly, and here I'm about to break a rule and add a spoiler... Daine and Numair?? I don't usually have an issue with most age gaps, but in this case, he's twice her age. The romance seemed to come out of nowhere and was, quite frankly, creepy to me. Couldn't they have maintained the tutor/student relationship or perhaps even a father/daughter kind of connection?

Overall, I did like the conclusion of the story. Nevertheless, for the most part, this book was rather dull for me.

I have a deep love for Pierce. Although none of her subsequent books can surpass the first series, namely "Alana: The First Adventure". In this story, a girl disguises herself as a boy to become a squire and ultimately a lady knight, a feat that hasn't been achieved in hundreds of years in the world of Tortall. I also have a great fondness for this series. Well, I liked the first book in the series so much that I would rate it a 4. However, the second book wasn't as outstanding. The third one was a little better. This served as a rather lackluster conclusion to the series.

Also set in Tortall, the protagonist is a "Wild Mage" who has the ability to call upon unusual powers, mainly communicating with animals, controlling them, and transforming into them. These books are targeted at an adolescent audience but are also popular among adults.

Pierce is indeed a great author. Nevertheless, life in Tortall is sometimes a bit too idyllic, like a prancing pony. Everyone gets along perfectly, the Queen is the most beautiful woman in the land, and every protagonist ends up marrying her favorite friend or mentor in the final book of the series. Overall, I don't recommend reading this book.

In the three years since we first met Daine, she has experienced remarkable growth.

She has delved deeper into her magic, formed stronger bonds with her new friends, matured in many aspects, and yet maintained her stubbornness.

To survive not only the war that is raging across Tortall but also a perilous journey through the realm of the gods, where every creature and thing is a god, she will need all that she has learned and more.

Daine's story unfolds with such speed when I read it, and yet it is filled to the brim with so many elements: action, emotion, discovery, and loss.

Even though it has probably been nearly 20 years since I last read it (showing my age, eek!), I can still vividly recall the feelings I had the first time I read it.

Even today, as likely as then, I can relate so strongly to Daine: her emotions, her stubbornness, her unwavering desire to help others, her courage, and much more.

She serves as a brilliant role model in how she conducts herself, how she acts, and how she reacts to and grows with the world around her.

And of course, all the magic, wonder, and danger of the realm of the gods, from the marshes to the cliffsides to the Dragonlands, not to mention finally learning the identity of her father, create a rich and vibrant tapestry for adventure and growth.

The darkings are especially welcome additions, along with the duckmole god Broad Foot and the dragon Ancestor Rainbow (gotta love old people's snark and their willingness to speak their minds!).

Some of the highlights include seeing how far Daine has come in her feelings towards Stormwings, notably Rikash - from initially believing all are evil to realizing that she basically considers him a friend.

Getting to see Daine's father and the sense of fulfillment that it brings to her to meet him and see her mother Sarra again is also a memorable moment.

And yes, I would be remiss if I didn't mention her budding feelings for Numair.

It is still largely not uncomfortable, and that is for two reasons.

Perhaps the main one is that we see her feelings for him first, even though they are subtle yet clear, and there is nothing to suggest a romantic desire from him.

The second is when we finally catch a glimpse of Numair's feelings, it is because Daine has narrowly escaped death.

He then makes it very clear that he was not going to act on anything before Daine took the first step.

Even though he becomes a little more affectionate in general after that, it is clear that Daine enjoys it and that she probably just never thought to initiate it - after all, she is only 16 and very new and innocent when it comes to the ways of courting.

There is definitely an understanding that consent will be a crucial factor for them, and that Daine will continue to be true to herself and not be "tricked" into anything she doesn't already want.

All in all, I can't believe Daine's story has come to an end already - it passed by so quickly, and I relished every single minute of it.

You can be sure that I'll be looking for her in Kel's story in the next quartet, Protector of the Small.

Typo: These now shimmered and glowed, throwing off light, but no heart. - page 226 - "heart" should be "heat".

There was also a missing period at the end of a sentence, but I didn't note it this time around.