The Immortal Crown

The second installment in bestseller Mead’s Age of X series (after Gameboard of the Gods) follows secular Republic of United North America (R.U.N.A.) religious investigator Justin March and his bodyguard, super-soldier Mae Koskinen, as they travel to R.U.N.A.’s deeply religious neighbor, Arcadia. Not surprisingly, Justin and Mae find little to like about the rigid, authoritarian society where women—including young girls kidnapped from R.U.N.A. and other lands—are bought and sold as property. While Justin pursues his investigation, Mae searches for her long-lost niece, who may be one of the “stolen” girls. Things are complicated by the gods who’ve attached themselves to Justin and Mae, and by rumors of a “war of the elite”. The main story is bracketed by ongoing intrigue between bickering deities. While the plot isn’t terribly original, there’s enough action to keep fans entertained. (June)