Well, the first half of this was really a continuation of the 2nd volume, with nothing happening other than a description of inconsequential adventures in a new scenario.
In the latter part, it took off and in many ways, the main story came to a conclusion. It was good to have meaningful stuff happening again.
And I am pleased to say Mr Williams confounded my expectations and did not kill Sam / Patroclus, so for that, I'll be reading the next one.

Best one of the series so far.

Continues the story from the second book, but feels a little bit of a cheat. At the end it almost feels like it should be about to end, but instead of concluding they just get another set of strangeness thrown at them in the Otherland.
While it does give is more time to find resolution to all the hanging threads, the "main plot" in the virtual world is starting to feel a little drawn out. Still interesting, but not as gripping as on the second book (or even earlier in this book)

5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish

DNF at 62%. The thought of continuing this another eight hours makes me groan. It's as tedious as my current job with nothing going for it.

I love his writing style, don't get me wrong. But this book meanders. It manages to say a lot without saying anything at all and the plot crawls forward. I just...maybe I'll come back to this. We'll see. But for now, DNF.

This book is massive and, for me, dragged a bit in the middle. However, it dramatically picks up in the second half and the ending gets rather exciting, forcing the reader (me) to pick up the next book right away (another 1000 pages). The characters are richly drawn in the Otherland series, and the 3rd book is no exception. The reader is drawn closer and closer to the characters, and Williams delves deeper into their minds and psyches. It is rather impressive how many different voices are present in the series, with each having a separate and unique personality.

The series presents chaotic situation and baffling scenario after chaotic situation and baffling scenario, yet the story as a whole continues to move forward, answering some questions and leaving more in its wake. The series shifts a bit into a more fantasy-like genre for much of book 3, but the sci-fi is still definitely present, and I am continually impressed with the depth of Williams' thinking and exploration. Although Book 3 lagged a bit in the middle for me, I am still overall very pleased with the series.

I am not saying more because ... any discussion of the plot of book 3 would be spoiler. :)
But a few thoughts for those who've read them already:

Spoiler

I absolutely love the developing personality of the Other. It is interesting how child-like he seems and I get the feeling that he is protecting the children that have been taken hostage, even if he needs them to operate.

I also am very interested in the developing relationship between Dread and Dulcie Anwin... and the developing case that Calliope is working through. I love that it is culminating in Sydney.

I am pleased that Jacoubian and Wells' stories developed the way they did... even in the apparent death of Jacoubian. And it's sooooo interesting that the ceremony didn't work for any of the brotherhood except partially for the one guy (whose name is evading me right now). BUT I wonder if the brotherhood may actually somehow be revived at some point in book 4 --- after all, they are, at this point, "merely code" anyway.

There is definitely more to !Xabbu than meets the eye.. his response was interesting when Renie said he was back in his real form (or however she phrased that)... and he didn't respond as expected.

Ooooh, and I loved who Emily was. But 2 questions remain at this point... if one of her other selves killed her... why was the baby she may have been carrying such a central point of her character for so long? Maybe something will develop where the presence of the baby was crucial... And the 2nd question is ... Dread said he "left something behind" with Martine when he was killed (when in Quan Li's body).... I don't think we know what that is yet... If so, I completely missed it!

Mmmmm... that's all for now. :)

This book gets another .

Definitely more plot oriented than the second book and it does feel as though it will be coming to a satisfying conclusion.

i have no words to describe what happened at the end of this book.