Author wraps up faery series with ‘The Iron Knight’

Hard days are few for faeries, but for Ash, every day seems to be pretty rough lately.

As a prince of the fey Winter Court, Ash cannot be with his true love, Meghan Chase, the queen of the Iron Court. To enter her world would result in his death. So, determined to do anything it requires to be with his beloved queen, the Iron Knight sets out on a journey to get the one thing he doesn’t have in order to live in the Iron Court — a soul.

With "The Iron Knight," the fourth and final book in the popular fantasy Iron Fey series, author Julie Kagawa brilliantly concludes her tale of the mystical realms of the faeries.

As Ash and his friend/enemy Puck set out on the quest to find the End of the World, they are joined by Grimalkin the cat; Airella, Ash’s former and thought-deceased girlfriend; and the Big Bad Wolf. Together, this band of unlikely warriors must endure a series of tests to get to their destination and survive the various wicked traps along the way.

Kagawa’s series, which includes “The Iron King,” “The Iron Daughter” and “The Iron Queen,” is set in the otherworldly realm of faeries, but also reflects a feeling of modern times. Her characters are fey, but also just as moody as any teenager or young adult.

Kagawa's fantastic storytelling pulls readers into a unique world of make-believe as the characters suffer arguments, battles and other hardships. Reading the books in order obviously would help readers understand the back story, but I easily picked up on the action in “The Iron Knight."

Though I started with "The Iron Knight," I fully intend to go back and read the previous books. While these books are directed at the young-adult and teen audience, as an older adult, I thoroughly enjoyed the magic and playfulness.