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 dp 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. In the fourth and final book of her overwhelmingly popular fantasy Iron Fey series, author Julie Kagawa wraps up her stories of the mystical realms of the fairies in a brilliant conclusion that will leave fans satisfied.

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 endure the various wicked traps and snares along the way. But as with any good quest, the ultimate prize is pure and everlasting love -- so in the end, the arguments, the battles, the hardship, and the aches and pains are worth the sacrifice.

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 reflect a feeling of modern times as well. Her characters are fey, but also just as angst-y and moody as any teenager or young adult. Kagawa pulls her readers into a unique world of make-believe with her fantastic storytelling skills, and ultimately leaves them wanting more by the end of each book.

It would be recommended to read Kagawa's previous books in this series to understand some of the back story that is going on, but I easily picked up on the action with a first- time reading of THE IRON KNIGHT, and feel first-time readers will be able to as well. But I fully intend to go back and read the previous book in the near future. And while these books are directed to the young-adult and teen audience, as an older adult, I thoroughly enjoyed the magic and playfulness of this book.

Book Summary

Unable to survive in the kingdom of his beloved due to his supernatural nature, a warrior prince sets out to turn himself human.