Volume 3 is a return to form after the redundant volume 2 of this series. There are revelations about the Sekoi, the mysterious aboriginal cat-like people of the planet, Anara. The plot goes to some unexpected places and, unlike the previous volume, the quest makes sense.

Two of the protagonists seem to develop; Carys and the Sekoi. The Keeper and his scholar seem much the same as when we first met them at least in terms of character.

There are various mutant/genetically modified creatures on Anara; one of them lives in water and is called an Avanc. This is an Anglicisation of the Welsh, Afanc, a mythical monster. There's a great sculpture of one outside the Betws y Coed Tourist Information Centre. Go look if you're ever there. (It's a picturesque village in North Wales.) The girl protagonist also has a Welsh name; Carys. So I think Fisher wanted to sneak some Welsh culture to Anara. Maybe one of the Makers was Welsh, or a group of the colonists?

The Galen/The Crow is interesting in the context of some of Fisher's later works. He's pretty unpleasant and deeply flawed, despite being driven towards goals that are good and unselfish. In [b:Corbenic|332756|Corbenic|Catherine Fisher|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173826666s/332756.jpg|1154839] and [b:Crown Of Acorns|7530025|Crown Of Acorns|Catherine Fisher|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327991132s/7530025.jpg|9771298] the main protagonists are similar but less sympathetic Galen. That trend started here I think. These flawed characters seem very realistic but limited sympathy for the protagonists weakens those books. So weirdly Fisher has got better and worse in the last decade or so.