The Goddess Worldweaver is the third and final novel in a stunning trilogy by Douglas Niles. This is the story of the threat of war, and an actual war, that has loomed over the Seven Circles for decades. In Goddess Worldweaver, the enemy has finally decided to strike out against Nayve, the fourth of the seven circles, thereby forcing the normally peaceful creatures of this circle to violently protect their home. The stakes are high for if they lose, the Deathlord will rule all circles, promising misery for all inhabitants. The only hope rests with the powers of the mystical druids. Miradel, a druid that was prominently featured in the previous two books, makes a return appearance in this novel in order to save her world and discover how to end the darknesses that encompass the Seven Circles.

This novel, though somewhat intriguing, is extremely difficult to follow without familiarity with Niles' previous works. The storyline is predictable and, as a result, unsatisfying. I was, however, very impressed with the author's grasp of military history and his deft use of famous historical characters in weaving this fantasy novel. His ability to discuss these characters' accomplishments in real life, while bringing them to life within the pages of this novel, was impressive and perhaps the one saving grace of the novel.

Should one care to read this book, make sure that you read the first two novels in the trilogy before picking up this one; otherwise, you are sure to be lost in a thoroughly predictable book that assumes that you already are familiar with the history of the world and its inhabitants.

- Rambles
written by Melissa Kowalewski
published 26 July 2003