This series was one of my favorites in a very long time. Nielsen does a great job of developing characters who we don't want to say goodbye to when the story ends...: Jaron, Imogen, Mott, Tobias, Amarinda,...; I loved their unique personalities, the relationships between them, and their sense of humor, even against incredible odds. There are twists and cliff-hangers (literally!) at every turn, and the action and suspense propel you forward so you don't want to put the book down. I had to finish this one quickly anyway...: I have a student only a step behind me in the series, and he is begging to have the final book when we return to school on Monday!