The novel begins as Moira, princess of Geall, prepares to attempt the archetypal removal of the sword from the stone that will proclaim her the rightful Queen of the kingdom.  Although she has little doubt that she will succeed in this task, she is far less confident in her ability to lead her people into war against the evil Lilith and her legion of vampires.  For the past two months Moira has been preparing for the ultimate battle, along with the other five members of the Circle who were chosen by the Goddess Morrigan: wizard Hoyt and his wife Glenna the witch; shape-shifter Larkin and his betrothed Blair the Demon Hunter; and Cian, Hoyt’s brother and the only vampire to be fighting on the side of Truth and Goodness.  Although they’re strong and resolute, they’re vastly outnumbered by bloodthirsty demons.  

Moira and Cian have been circling each other since they first met in Morrigan’s Cross.  She’s intrigued by him, but he has done his best to intimidate and alienate her.  Vampires don’t have human emotions – and besides, even if he could admit that he has developed strong feelings for her, there’s no future together for a royal human and a scorned, feared immortal monster like himself.  But as the final fated battle at the Valley of Silence approaches, and death seems likely, Moira is no longer willing to play it safe.  Even if it’s only for a few days or weeks, she and Cian will be together.  She can overcome his honorable protests and the objections of her fellow Geallians.  But she can’t ignore the fact that in order to win the war, Cian may have to make the ultimate sacrifice.   

You can’t fully appreciate Valley of Silence if you haven’t read the first two books in the trilogy.  Moira was a shy, studious and insecure young princess when she was first introduced.  Now she has come into her own as Queen and ably leads her people, whether that means fighting alongside them or rallying them with stirring speeches.  She’s almost too good to be true in this installment, but it’s important to remember that her character growth has taken place over the past 900 pages.  Similarly Cian, who was the very embodiment of a tortured hero, is more gallant and less acerbic than he appeared in the first two books.  Re-establishing his relationship with Hoyt has helped soften his edges, and once he is ready to admit his love for Moira he’s truly a goner. 

  After the buildup from Morrigan’s Cross and Dance of the Gods, I have to admit a slight sense of disappointment in the final episode.  While Cian and Moira make excellent star-crossed lovers, their self-sacrificing actions are extremely predictable.  Because they have both become so noble, their relationship lacks the bite (sorry) of the lively affair between Blair and Larkin.  Ultimately the focus on the final intense battle, and the need to keep the reader updated on the other two couples, means that Moira and Cian don’t receive the full attention they deserve.   

Despite that minor frustration , it’s a glorious moment when the vampire and the queen finally achieve the happiest of happy endings.  After more than 150 published books, it’s amazing to me that Nora Roberts is still able to come up with new ideas and new directions for her remarkable storytelling abilities.    

--Susan Scribner