The Black Jewels series and The Other series are definitely my favorite books by Anne Bishop but I think this series is a solid read. I find the characters to be the strongest part of the books. The story itself has define highs and lows but it is worth a read. ( )

I loved the first two Ephemera books. This one not so much. The story felt tacked on, rather than flowing naturally from what came before. Perhaps that is down to the protagonist, Lee. He seems a natural choice, as a bridge builder and brother to Belladonna, to headline the story. Unfortunately, the story was more about him "finding himself" and less about Ephemera. That said, his journey does expand the world somewhat. Lee has unresolved feelings about his sister and the state of the world.

Overall, Lee is is just not as engaging as Belladonna or Sebastian, and the story is left with unresolved questions. I enjoyed the book, but it was a disappointment compared to what came before. ( )

This is Lee's book. He has spent his life as a Bridge - connecting different landscapes - and as a support for his sister Glorianna Belladonna. However, the changes that have gone on in his sister's life have made him feel both jealous and unnecessary.

After an angry fight, he is determined to get away. But he is overtaken by wizards who want to use him to get to his sister. The only way he can think to save her is to deny her and travel a bridge to a place he has never seen. There he is tortured and blinded by the wizards until they put him in the asylum which houses those who are mentally ill.

Lee meets Danyel who is a shaman for his people and who, unknown to himself, is a Guide similar to Belladonna and Michael. Lee also meets Zhahar who is one aspect of a tryad who was sent to this new world - Vision - in order to form a connection for her world.

There is a romance between Lee and Zhahar that has also sorts of troubled - mainly from her end - since a tryad falling in love with a one-face is an absolute taboo on her world and has dire consequences for anyone who falls in love.

This had great world building as more parts of Ephemera are revealed and Ephemera itself has an entertaining role in the story. The whole idea of people who are tryads - three people sharing one body - was fascinating. ( )

82 points/100 (4.25/5 stars)

Glorianna Belladonna is back from sacrificing herself to save the world, but she didn't come back whole. Her brother, Lee, is upset because he doesn't quite have his sister back. He goes walking to check his Bridges when he is beset by wizards, and he sacrifices himself in order to keep them away from his home. He ends up in an asylum when Shaman Danyal finds he isn't quite as insane as thought, and helps him to recover. Then, there is something about Lee's Handler, Zhara, as well.

Bridge of Dreams wasn't needed in the Ephemera series, yet it is much appreciated. This comes five years after Belladonna, which leaves us with a satisfying ending. You can guess how things would have gone from there. Yet, this story is appreciated, because we like to see everything wrapped up in a tidy bow.

Ephemera has never been about the grand story. The series has focused more on life, and the family we have been introduced to more than anything. This doubly true with Bridge of Dreams, since there is no real big evil to defeat anymore, that is gone. Now it is just the little evils, that we face every day. The darkness in the heart of every man, woman and child. Sometimes, though, this makes for a bit of a boring story, like when Lee is taking a vacation in the Asylum.

Technically, there is a novella, The Voice, that comes before this story. It introduces a few characters. However, I don't feel like you need to read it prior to Bridge of Dreams at all. It is an amazing story, though, and I really do recommend it if you have been enjoying this series.

This is a much more harsh, dark book than the last two. Lee is struggling with his life, and the feelings he has for those around him. He is mad at everyone, but he is mad at himself, too. His entire family feels like they are losing him, and he feels like he is losing them. So what happens? He is taken from them, tortured, crippled, and locked away where he never knows what will actually happen to him long term. It is rough, and it is difficult to read. Anne Bishop does dark fantasy very well.

Bridge of Dreams adds something new to the Ephemera world, the Tryad. I find this race incredibly interesting (and sort of aggravating because not all my questions about how this race even functions is answered!). It is a race where there are three distinct people, who have their own likes, dislikes, and even looks, who share a common core body. How cool is that?? Also how does anything get done! I already feel like I don't have enough time for me, and there is only one of me! The book brings up some...interesting sexual questions, too. They aren't answered.

Sholeh Zeela a Zhara is part of this Tyrad race, yet she doesn't quite fit with them in the way sometimes just don't fit where they came from in Ephemera. The problem is, is that the place the Tryad come from is cast adrift from the rest of Ephemera, and their land is dying because of it. This is the first time we've come across any place in Ephemera that has no ties anywhere, and it has some interesting implications with it. Especially since their race is so biased against everyone else.

The Shaman Danyal is interesting, and we meet him in The Voice for the first time. He is a lot like Michael. Doesn't know what he is, exactly, until Lee tells him. He has changed into this new type of Shaman, he wasn't always this. It makes it harder to learn how to have the control necessary. Danyal is a very good man, who has to make some hard choices. Sometimes good men can be boring, though.

Ephemera is more of a character in Bridge of Dreams than the first two. It is adorable. It is like a small child that everyone has to look after and everyone loves. It is very mischievous. I loved the Eater of the World as a character, and I love Ephemera. Wonder what that says about me.

Overall, this is more a story of healing. It isn't about defeating some big bag anymore. That has been done, the Eater of the World has been contained once again. This is the aftermath. Glorianna has to heal, to become whole again. The world has to heal, from the evils it endured, even if they were only for a short time. Everyone to come together again to be a family. Plus, there are hardly any Landscapers left, so everyone left is having to take on more than they should and it is a strain. I wish more stories would focus on healing the aftermath, than pretending that everything is happily ever after right after it ends.

I really enjoyed Bridge of Dreams, and I really enjoyed Ephemera. It has been such an interesting, wild journey.

To read more reviews in this series and others, check out keikii eats books! ( )

This wasn't my favorite series by Anne Bishop, but it certainly moved up in ranks after her latest installment. She keeps you wondering through the end, even though I had hopes and guesses how it would play out.
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