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Hi Jeanette SPOILERS ................... SPOILERS................... I think I do remember him! Thanks for your kind words and for your reaction to the ending of Goddess. Ending trilogies is probably the hardest job for any fantasy writer. By the time we reach the last gasp of the book every reader has a vested interest in the characters and their expectations of how it should all conclude varies dramatically. Trust me on this. And because I cannot please you all, I have to please myself and take the path that most feels right for me as the creator of the tale. I too anticipated a huge, theatrical ending when I was about one third through of Goddess but because I don't plan anything as I write, I have to wait until each chapter unfolds to see where the story is going and where my characters are leading us. I cannot force a book to go anywhere - it just doesn't work that way for me and you would be deeply disappointed with the entire series if I tried to make an ending arrive simply because I thought it might be more satisfying to have a big fight at the end. How did you see the ending might go. Imagine it and then try and work out how that would occur. Now think about how it did end and tell me at what point you would have stopped where it was going and do it differently. You'll find it's harder than it sounds. As a reader I'm sure I have been not so much disappointed as surprised by how an author ended a story. But because I'm a writer I'm a lot more forgiving these days because I know how hard it is to please most people. I wrote one version where Lazar goes beserk internally but very calmly, while he's alive, hacks Salmeo into separate limbs. But you know when I'd finished it, I realised my Lazar wouldn't behave that way. I don't know if the Lazar you had created in your mind would? Interesting to learn. But my Lazar would remain controlled inwardly and outwardly. This was a man who was always disciplined with his emotions and his actions so I realised that him exploding out of character and behaving in such an erratic way would have drawn all sort of criticism from other readers who perhaps saw him as I did. In the end, the conclusion for the villains - Salmeo and Maliz - is really very quiet, I agree. Both are given almost dignified ends, which went against how I imagined it would be when I started the book. I really wanted both of them to suffer but Lazar was not a man who was cruel. Both needed to be dealt with. He dealt with both in the same measured way he would always deal with people. Besides, I never envisaged and all out battle between Maliz and Lyana. To me, the whole story was about cunning and I wanted cunning to resolve the tale. Lyana's cunning in the end outsmarts Maliz and that felt right. I'm sorry it wasn't perfect for you and I would be interested to know how you might have seen it unfold. I actually think all my trilogies end rather quickly, with a lot occurring in the last chapter or two. I reckon I've stayed pretty much true to form in this respect. It's a quirk - I don't plan it that way because I can't plan but it always seems to happen rather quickly. Thank you again for being so loyal to the books. Glad to know you're enjoying Royal Exile. That's great to hear. F

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Dear Fiona. Thanks for answering me so quickly, I really appreciate that. Lazar was perfect in everyway right through the story to the end. I guess I anticipated a bigger climax between the Goddess and Milaz. Please do not get me wrong, I love your books your storylines and wouldn't even dare to critique anything as I am not a writer just merely an avid reader of your fantastic talent. I wish I had just a whisper of your imagination...lol...As hard as it seems after being 'in love with Lazar' for soooo long I now have a new love.....Gav.....<sigh..heart skips a beat>..poor Darrin he is feeling a tad rejected at the moment as I scored the book before he got his hands on it. BTW the Glossary is a fantastic idea.

Regards Jeanette

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I know you weren't being critical but I think every reader who is generous enough to buy, read my books and then offer their reactions, deserves a response. And yours was a most valid insight that required me to at least try and give a balanced view of why the story went where it did. I didn't mind in the least and was happy to have the discussion. Now Gavriel. Dear me. I have picked you all wrong. I am helplessly fascinated by Loethar and I rather like Kilt Faris but the majority of readers are definitely favouring Gav. How interesting. You see, I can never stop learning from you all. Gav has been out of book two for a long time but fret not, he's re-emerging now and I agree, he's very likeable! F

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Hi Fiona, I'm new around here, and I just wanted to say that I absolutely adore your books. The Trinity and Percheron series were what really got me into adult fantasy and since then I've been a massive fan. Keep up the good work. I really enjoyed Goddess. I borrowed it from the library as soon as it realised it was out (I think that took me about half a year though) and one of these days I'll get myself to a bookshop and actually buy it. I have the rest of the series so I might as well. It was a good end to the series, and it tied up everything nicely. I especially like some of the character personalities that start to show through, though I miss Pez being himself, he's just not the same anymore. (I hope that wasn't too much of a spoiler for those who haven't read it, feel free to edit mercilessly if it was)

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Hi Lioness I've been answering your posts in order and now realise you have read Percheron so ignore my last suggestion. Thank you, it's brilliant to know that my books got you going on a massive fantasy read and I feel honoured by that. Keep enjoying the stories. Exile awaits you! F