3.5. As I like the second book less and less in retrospect (especially as this book really hammered home the issues in that one), I didn't have high hopes for this but I was pleasantly surprised! The closing lines were perfect, though what immediately led up to them were a little rocky for me, haha. I just didn't quite buy any of that? Xiala was excellent this time around; she was such a shadow of herself in the second book so to get to see her have a thought that didn't relate back to Serapio was great. I really like them together but she was Serapio's wannabe-girlfriend rather than a character of her own in Fevered Star to the point where I forgot I liked them together so it was nice to get that back. (I could've done without the kid though; it felt like it was trying too hard for a "conventional" happy end rather than one that would've made these characters in this world happy.). I really liked Okoa and it did feel kind of inevitable where that would end up for him so he remained a solid character for me, though I feel like Naranpa (and Iktan by association) got shafted hard.