Skirmish

November 28, 2011
Jewel ATerafin returns home too late to see her mentor alive, but not too late to follow her as ruler of House Terafin. She collects magical allies and servitors: immortals Celleriant and Avandar, the white stag called the Winter King, and three giant, infuriating, talking winged cats. With the help of her den-siblings and a few other friends, Jewel battles threats to her House and city while negotiating hazardous political waters. The magic feels truly magical, luminous and confusing. Unfortunately Jewel’s lack of conscious control over her powers often makes her more deus ex machina than active heroine, and the magical creatures upstage the human interactions that were at the heart of earlier books. West capably handles the shift, which almost feels like a change in genre, but for fans who liked the House War series as “mannerpunk” more than epic fantasy, that may not be enough.

December 1, 2011

A demon from the Undercity has assassinated the head of House Terafin, the most influential of the Essalieyan Empire's ruling houses, and candidates for the vacant position now jockey for advantage. Jewell Markess, the strongest candidate and the late Terafin's personal choice as successor, prepares to announce her entry into the political arena, despite attempts on her life by demons seeking to control the surface lands. The war between the Undercity and forces of the Empire that had been building in previous volumes of West's panoramic epic (The Hidden City; City of Night; House Name) now breaks out in full force. VERDICT Strong characters, a resourceful heroine, and detailed world-building make for high-quality fantasy that should have a broad appeal, particularly for fans of Kate Elliott and Mercedes Lackey.

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.