War and Craft

Doyle concludes his contemporary military fantasy trilogy with this ambitious installment (after The Left-Hand Way). Scherie Rezvani, recently inducted into the secrets of the craft world as a profanity-powered exorcist, must work with the suspiciously helpful Left-Hand spirit Madeline Morton to develop her powers, save her friends, and stave off the apocalypse. The narrative sprawls to give most of the cast members point-of-view chapters, which is clearly meant to build tension but ultimately leaves the book feeling choppy and disjointed. Fans of the nationalism-driven magic system and worldbuilding will enjoy this installment, as both are further developed and deepened, with an interesting view into the global implications and sources of the magic and appearances by more than one new semisentient building. The volume hits many of the right notes for a satisfying conclusion, but it feels too muddied and rushed. Despite an uneven performance across this series, Doyle remains an author to watch. Agent: Robert Thixton, Pinder Lane & Garon-Brooke Associates. (Sept.)