Maya and the Lord of Shadows is the third and final book in the Maya and the Rising Dark trilogy; it is preceded by Maya and the Rising Dark and Maya and the Return of the Godlings.
[Look out—there are spoilers ahead for books 1 and 2!]
The veil is breaking. The war with the Lord of Shadows has arrived. And though the celestials think they know what his plans are, Maya isn’t so sure—he’s been one step ahead of them the whole time, and she doesn’t think that’ll change now. Not when underestimating him is the whole reason the Lord of Shadows was able to break through the veil in the first place, something Maya’s still sure is her fault.
With her friends Eli, Frankie, Eleni, and Zeran by her side, Maya sets off to learn the truth about the Lord of Shadows’ plans—and stop him before he destroys the human world. But his deceptions go deeper than she knows, and stopping him may not be possible. Particularly since he’s willing to do whatever it takes.
Maya and the Lord of Shadows was a fun, fast-paced series closer that left me fully satisfied. I really love all the characters in this series; Barron has mastered the art of quirky character interactions, and they helped this story truly shine. I particularly love the plotting in this series. I don’t usually struggle to figure out where stories are going to go next, but the twists and turns of Maya and the Lord of Shadows often left me without a clue, which made Maya’s consternation about the Lord of Shadows’ plans feel much more convincing. I also really liked the worldbuilding—as in previous installments, Barron creates a palpable contrast between Earth and the celestial’s homes, adding to the feeling of magic in the narrative. I recommend the Maya and the Rising Dark trilogy to readers ages nine and up who like fantasy adventures and satisfying series.