‘The Endless War’ by Danielle L. Jensen
Title: The Endless War
Genre: Romantic Fantasy
Series: 4 of 6 book series
Synopsis: Newly crowned King Keris scrambles to rescue his imprisoned love, Zarrah, from Devil’s Island while navigating political alliances and rebellion, only to discover their fiery passion might be the greatest threat to peace .
Content Warnings
General Rating: Adult (18+ / TV-MA)
Spice Rating: Severe
Open-door explicit content including oral sex descriptions in chapters 17, 47, 58, 59
Violence Rating: Severe
Cannibalism, war, blood, physical abuse and torture, death
Profanity Rating: Severe
Moderate use of f*ck
Book Review
Overall rating: 4/5 stars
What I Liked
The Devil’s Island was an incredible location. Jensen soars when she writes descriptions of her fantastical landscapes. It’s intense, dark, and gripping. Zarrah faces the darkest capabilities of humanity there; Jensen creates an atmosphere of intensity while not celebrating the darkness. It’s clear that survival results in people doing terrible things to one another and she does not shy away from this, nor does she laud it.
The same is true for Zarrah’s eventual showdown with her aunt, the Empress (Usurper) of Valcotta. The final fight scene was a page turner!
Keris undergoes tremendous character growth. His need to control Zarrah and ‘keep her safe’ is transformed throughout the story—thankfully so, or I would have thrown the book against a wall.
A vicious cycle of behaviour where the ends always justified the means, yet he couldn’t step clear of it. Couldn’t accept the consequences that would come with being anything other than a villain. (97)
What I Didn’t Like
Zarrah and Keris still seem to filter everything through their sexual desire for one another. While the intimacy is woman-centred and reflects mutual respect for one another, there’s still a lot of it for the sensitive reader. Use the content warnings above to avoid graphic scenes, but be warned that they are sprinkled throughout the chapters and are sometimes difficult to avoid.
Major Themes
The never-ending cycle of violence, revenge, and hate: Keris and Zarrah fight to break free from this. Generational violence is near-impossible to break, and some simply can’t let go of their hate or prejudice.
The importance of letting go in healthy relationships: Kerris struggles with letting Zarrah be who she is. They have different ways of approaching the problem of their nations, and they disagree with one another. Both learn to let the other person be themselves and how to love them as they are, not who they want them to be.
Writing Style
The political machinations ramp up between Valcotta, Maridrina, and Ithicana. Jensen writes a tight tale with many moving pieces, but the emphasis is always on the main characters and their love for one another, keeping the reader (mostly) emotionally invested.
Tropes
Battle of wills
Political intrigue
Rebellion and revolution
Rescue mission
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A romantic fantasy about an arranged political marriage, a forbidden love, and courtly scheming