Shadow Magic
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
Led to victory by its magic-fueled Dragon Corps, Volstov has sent a delegation to its conquered neighbors to work out the long-awaited terms of peace. Among those in the party are the decorated war hero General Alcibiades and the formerly exiled magician Caius Greylace. But even this mismatched pair can’t help but notice that their defeated enemies aren’t being very cooperative. The hidden truth is that the new emperor is harboring a treacherous secret—and once it is revealed, Alcibiades and Caius may be powerless to stop it.
With their only ally an exiled prince now fleeing his brother’s assassins, the countryside rife with terror, and Alcibiades and Caius all but prisoners, it will take the most powerful kind of magic to heal the rift between two strife-worn lands and unite two peoples against a common enemy: shadow magic.
BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett's Dragon Soul.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This entertaining sequel to 2008's fantasy epic Havemercy extends Jones and Bennett's successful blend of cultural diversity and social commentary into postwar diplomacy. After defeating the Ke-Han Empire, loosely based on Japan's shogun tradition, the kingdom of Volstov, reminiscent of imperial Rome, sends an odd peace delegation to the Ke-Han capital, which is reeling from defeat and the consequent ritual suicide of its emperor. Quirky magician Caius Greylace and brusque General Alcibiades present Volstov's view of the convoluted political intrigue that ensues, while the appealing young Ke-Han prince Mamoru and his ultra-loyal personal servant Kouje flee the wrath of Mamoru's brother, the insane new emperor Iseul. Deft characterizations even of minor players, broad humor, convincing dialogue and sure-handed timing, especially in the dueling scenes, make this novel an outstanding example of world-building and good old-fashioned fun.
