Elizabeth Haydon returns to the universe introduced in the Rhapsody trilogy (Rhapsody: Child of Blood, Prophecy: Child of Earth, and Destiny: Child of the Sky) with this new, stand-alone volume. All of the main characters return, along with a few surprising additions, and there's plenty of the wry humor and plot twists fans have come to love and expect.

Requiem begins several years after the dramatic conclusion of Destiny. Rhapsody and Ashe, now wed, are settling into their roles as Lord and Lady Cymrian, and thinking about starting a family. Achmed and Grunthor are hard at work restoring Bolg society, and peace and prosperity have come to the land of Navarne.

Then, the Dowager Empress of Sorbold dies under mysterious circumstances, sparking off a potentially devastating battle for succession. Meanwhile, in Firbolg, Sergeant-Major Grunthor hears the earth itself screaming in agony, although what this might mean is yet unknown. And in Yarim, where a severe drought has crippled the economy and threatens the lives of the populace, the queen of the assassins' guild plots revenge after Bolg artisans restore a long-dry artesian well and interfere with her plans to control the land.

And if all this weren't enough, an old enemy returns from Rhapsody's past. Michael, the Wind of Death (or, Waste of Breath, depending upon whom you ask) has also survived the millennia and is bent on satisfying his long-denied lust for Rhapsody. Throw in a growing and risky pregnancy with Ashe's quarter-dragon child, and there's action, battles, and perils a-plenty for the Three, as Rhapsody, Achmed, and Grunthor are called.

Haydon does a good job of furthering the development of her main characters with this novel. In particular, the relationships between the male characters (especially the rather uneasy one between Ashe and Achmed) are explored in far more depth than in previous volumes. All of the characters seem to have matured since the end of Destiny, behaving more like responsible adults with complex and conflicting roles and desires. Only the villain, Michael, seems flat and stereotypical, a mere cardboard cutout of a menacing psychopath. Still, he is menacing, and therefore serves his purpose in the plot, but a bit more complexity would have been nice.

Requiem is rapidly paced, more so than Haydon's previous works. It reads quickly, jumping from event to event so fast readers may want to stop and catch their breaths. And that might not be a bad idea, since readers should resist the temptation to rush through this book. Haydon presents a richly defined world, full of well-chosen detail drawn from Norse and Celtic folklore and accented with her own considerable musical expertise, that just begs to be lingered over.

Haydon plans several more stories in this timeline, which represents the beginning of a new Age in her universe, the Rhapsody trilogy having detailed the ending of the previous Age. The Symphony of Ages is being used as an overarching title for the entire saga, which will encompass the original trilogy, its sequels (beginning with Requiem), and eventual prequels. The sequels, at least, are expected to continue in the format of Requiem, as interconnected, stand-alone volumes.

Although Requiem is technically a stand-alone volume, new readers would be well advised to complete the original trilogy before delving into this book. The plot threads involving Michael, in particular, require familiarity with the back-story to fully appreciate them. Also, the characters are already well established by the start of Requiem, and newcomers may find themselves bewildered by all the names, places, and relationships.

For fans of the trilogy, however, Requiem provides that increasingly rare treat in fantasy: a self-contained story that has a beginning, middle, and satisfying conclusion, all in one volume. When the last page is turned, there is a sense of closure, of a story well told but finished, along with anticipation for other stories hinted at in this one, yet left untold. Readers tired of being left with a major cliff-hanger at the end of a book, only to face a wait of a year or more for resolution, will find this a pleasant change of pace.

We give Requiem for the Sun 4 asterisks. Kudos to author Haydon, for yet another entertaining and well crafted read.