OVERVIEW: The world has turned upside down. Literally. The Third Internecion ( time of violence ) is upon us and the Cenarans are planning to wipe out other nations. The problem? Armageddon, of course, but to make matters worse, no one except our protagonists believes any of it. Other nations view the Cenarans as petty savages with unsophisticated beliefs.

The Third Internecion delves deep into the mythology of Matteo's Lands and introduces new monsters and revelations. I liked the complexity of the world and Otto's focus on exploring the way religions and governments control people through misinformation and prejudice. The mechanisms he shows are not so different from the cultural and theological constructs of our own society.

Once again, Otto switches POV characters to offer a fresh perspective on events. As before, the new POVs are related to protagonists from the first two books.

Timothur (The General) is an army general and a brother of General Granth. In the beginning, he's obsessed with capturing Darian (The Imbecile) and killing him for... well, that would be a spoiler. As the story develops and he interacts with Hella (The Traitor ), he begins to see the broader picture of the world and upcoming events. I liked his story arc. He's torn between the need for vengeance, desire to discover the truth, and his social obligations.

Paulo (The Purveyor) is a scholar who is passionate about understanding the faith of others, their motivations and beliefs. He is probably the most sympathetic of all the characters, albeit politically naive. His efforts to save the world lead to a fascinating climax. His final conversation with Sebastian (The Truthseeker) offers revelations about missing parts of The Book of Canons and Matteo's lands religious authority (“The Shepherd”).

Aisha (The Commander) is Hella's sister who doesn't care for etiquette. She's pragmatic and blunt. She sees the truth and fights for it. She's a great character.

All nine POV characters featured in the series have grown and changed. Not all of them make it to the end, but their journeys are rewarding for the reader. I enjoyed following the epic plot through a different perspective in each volume. In the end, all arcs intersect and the characters influence each other and their decisions in meaningful (and sometimes spectacular) ways!

While the book offers enough battles and political intrigue to keep readers interested, its main strength lies more in its exploration of religious/cultural themes. I don't want to deprive you of an intellectual adventure, but Otto's perspective on events and society is thought-provoking and worth considering.

CONCLUSION: The Third Internecion concludes the trilogy on a depressive note. It ties up most of the plot arcs, and resolves mysteries but offers no real sense of closure. The final reveal is devastating for the protagonists, and makes the readers ake themselves what happens after THIS?. I have no idea if Otto will return to this world, but this book gives the feeling that it is the end of the first trilogy, not the end of the series. If he ever publishes more stories set in Matteo's Lands, I'm here for them!