High Maga

Eolyn is a powerful high maga, a female mage, living in a maga community she founded in the peaceful town of Moehn. She assumes that she will never again see her onetime love, Akmael, now Mage King of Moisehén and married. But the ruthless young Rishona of the Syrnte Empire launches a war that forces Eolyn and Akmael to reunite in both love and battle. Gastreich’s sequel to Eolyn takes a while to find its feet and repeatedly undermines tension by telegraphing important plot points. War propels the book forward, and the characters are at their best when the events engulfing them are at their worst. Most of the shine comes from secondary characters like the musician Adiana and Mage Corey. Fans of Gastreich’s previous work will want to catch this continuation of her story. (May)