Synopsis
The second book in the Regency-flavored fantasy trilogy of magic and manners from the author of Darkborn.
The Darkborn aristocracy has rejected magic, viewing the pursuit of science as the only worthy goal. But Lady Telmaine Hearne does not have that luxury. She has kept her own powers secret, fearful of being ruined in society...until her husband Balthasar draws her into a conspiracy to protect the archduke and his brother against a magical enemy. But who will protect them from her?
Publishers Weekly
The Lightborn, allergic to darkness, and Darkborn, allergic to light, uneasily face the threat of the mysterious Shadowborn in the complex and challenging sequel to 2009's Darkborn. The previous book's heroine, Darkborn Lady Telmaine Hearne, makes way for her husband's first love, Lightborn Floria White Hand, to take center stage. After Lightborn Prince Isidore is murdered by magical means, his successor, Fejelis Grey Rapids, accuses Floria of the evil deed. The Darkborn grant her asylum, but intrigue in both the light and the dark, including an attempt on Fejelis's life, make it clear that Floria and her allies are far from safe. Sinclair's sometimes stiff Regency prose style and large cast can be a struggle for readers, but the promise of an exciting confrontation will encourage them to persevere through the trilogy's conclusion. (June)