Please Note:  I received an advance audio copy of this book from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Picking up just a few months after A Reaper at the Gates left off...

The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning.

At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list? The Blood Shrike and her remaining family.

Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory--or to an unimaginable doom.

And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life--and love--he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save--or destroy--all that he knows.

Review: 

This whole book series, beginning with An Ember In The Ashes, and concluding with A Sky Beyond The Storm, is an epic tale of empires, slavery, ancient wrongs, and how they continue from generation to generation.  But it is also the saga of the individuals who get caught up in these larger conflicts.  With rich world-building, unforgettable characters, and a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat, A Sky Beyond The Storm is a worthy ending to a wonderful series.

What I Liked:

Narrators:

If ever there was a book series to listen to, this is it!  Book one began with two viewpoints:  Fiona Hardingham as Laia, and Steve West as Elias are the perfect voice actors to bring these characters to life, and quickly became some of my favorite narrators for any novel.  Book two added Katherine Lee McEwan as Helene.  You could hear the anguish in every sentence as she pines for Elias and is outmaneuvered  by the Commandant.  The final two books add Maxwell Caulfield as The Nightbringer.  With such a deep commanding voice, it may surprise you to know that this is a British actor best known for starring in Grease 2 back in the 1980's!  But he does an amazing job bringing this character to life, and maybe even forcing the listener to empathize with him.  As an added bonus, there is a short chapter where The Commandant, voiced by Nikki Massoud shares her point of view.

World-Building:

With each successive book, the world of the Martial Empire becomes more and more complex.  In this book, we finally learn much more about the Jinn, and the origins of the conflict between the Scholars and the Nightbringer.  Why is he so hell-bent on revenge?

Since the world of An Ember in The Ashes is modeled on the Ancient Roman Empire, this book showcases the many areas of this world.  We see several of the city-states, such as Marin, and the various cultural differences between each place. This not only adds to the richness of the setting, it also shows how challenging (and unsustainable) it is to maintain such a sweeping realm.

Characters:

I loved learning more about the Nightbringer.  In the previous books, the Nightbringer was more of a two-dimensional bad guy.  But, with A Sky Beyond The Storm, we get to hear his whole backstory.  He had a full life as a benevolent king, with loves, struggles, children, hopes and dreams.  The author never excuses the Nightbringer's actions.  But we see him as a whole person, which makes the story that much stronger.

Story:

So much of the series has lead up to this point.  You know there will be a "final" showdown between the humans and the Jinn.  The story focuses on how the humans build up the cooperation needed between the various cultures in the Empire.  As Elias is now the Soulcatcher,  Laia must find a way to reach Elias's last speck of humanity.  He's a great leader, but no one is going to follow him if he can't empathize with people. 

Helene, as the aunt of the baby emperor, must protect little Zacharias from the Commandant.  Her journey is to discover Keris Veturia's backstory, in order to find a way to defeat her.

All the elements come together for an epic (of course) final battle.

Ending of the Series:

As with any grand tale, the ending is both fulfilling and bittersweet.  As the author has hinted at, not everyone makes it to the finish line (get your kleenex box ready)!  But we also get to see how other characters will live out their lives.  This is so satisfying, which makes leaving these characters easier. But, "Skies, readers!",  I will still miss them.

Rating: 

Release Date:  December 1st, 2020

Author:  Sabaa Tahir

Genre:  YA Fantasy

Audio Publisher:  Listening Library

Narrators:  Fiona Hardingham, Katherine Lee McEwan, Steve West, Maxwell Caulfield, Nikki Massoud

Audio Length: 17 Hours, 10 Minutes

Print Publisher:  Razorbill

Page Length:  516 pages

Source:  Penguin Audio

Format:  Audiobook

Recommendation:  A worthy ending to an epic series.   This was so satisfying and emotional.  If you are reading this series, I highly recommend the audiobook version.