I Finished "The Ibis Trilogy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                    It began with "Sea Of Poppies."  Then continued with "River Of Smoke."  Now, Amitav Ghosh brings things to a conclusion with "Flood Of Fire."  The titular phrase if part of a n almost hundred page climax. culminating in deals, extortions, storms at sea, death, two suicides, until the Ibis sails smoothly out to sea.  All in the most exotic of locales--the Far East of the 19th Century, as romantic a time as any!!!!!!!!!  Which gives one an idea of how this 600 plus novel moves; it is sweeping, epic in scope, but better written than chroniclers of this sort from an earlier day.  Ghosh matches his meticulously crafted descriptions with carefully drawn out characters, whose destinies, are, of course, all inter twined, and whom the reader cannot get enough of.

                                     Indeed, when I reached the end, part of me wanted more.  Or, at least more Amitav Ghosh.  Where can he go from here?????????? 

                                       I don't know, but I am willing to find out.  If Ghosh can be this engaging and compelling in three volumes, how will he do with just one?  I wait to see.

                                        Besides, I am not quite sure he is willing to let the Ibis go, yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!