Snyder's imagination does not disappoint!
This book picks up right where Magic Study leaves off. Keeps you guessing until the very end!

Good Plot, Poor Execution
After the complex characters and great writing of Poison Study, Fire Study can't hold a "light" up to it. The plot is fine, but the writing just doesn't flow like the first two books. The characters lose their depth, which makes them hard to connect to and to enjoy the thrill their adventures (since they don't seem to be experiencing much emotion themselves!). I also noticed as another reviewer did that the dialogue became more sassy and in my opinion, sloppy. Whereas in Poison Study, Synder did a great job of making every conversation charged with importance and emotion.

Intrigue, Magic and Romance
This is the final instalment of Maria V Snyder's refreshing trilogy, beginning with Poison Study, then Magic Study. It concludes the heroine's remarkable journey from condemned prisoner awaiting execution to exalted soulfinder with powerful magic. Along the way there is horrific violence, intimidation,a discovery of a family she never knew she had, and amazing intrigue which always keeps you guessing. I enjoyed the first two books so much, I had to buy the third from the US because it's not released in the UK yet. Well recommended.

Slightly disappointing end to a great series
--Some spoilers--

I have waited for the release of Fire study for a little over half a year after being thoroughly impressed by Poison Study and Magic Study. Maria Snyder is a great author and her character development was superb in the first two novels but Fire study had too many things going on at once.

Also, Tauno's character was not well-developed and his future betrayal was too obvious.

There were witty moments but at times the novel felt contrived...especially Valek's "death" and Yelena's time in the underworld.

Don't get me wrong this is a good book and the ending is sweet. But I can't help but feel let down after such promise was shown from the first two novels.

It's also a dilemma but so many things were repeated that readers of the previous novels already knew (Who opal was, Ferde, Cahil, Valek, The Commander, magic in general). This is necessary for new readers however.

A pale and sad ending to a great series.
Ok, this series started out wonderfully and had great and interesting characters and a super story line. The first two books, Poison Study and Magic Study were pretty much divine. But this one, not so much. It almost seems like the author gave up (in my own humble opinion at least). The only reason I even bothered finishing this book was because I hated to leave the series so close to the end, I also believe that I was holding out in the hopes that it would get better, but was sadly disappointed. If you are one of those people who just has to know how it ends then by all means, try it for yourself. But truthfully you can get away with reading the first two and knowing that eventually everything works out in the end.