Ashes of Onyx

Skorkowsky (the Valducan series) channels heavy themes of guilt, grief, and addiction into a bloody quest for revenge in this explosive, world-spanning urban fantasy. Sorceress Kate Rossdale has spent years in a drugged-out haze, blaming herself for the accident that killed her friends and made her lose her magic. Then she meets the mysterious Richard Harcourt, who reveals to Kate that the tragedy was the result of a curse placed on her by a fellow sorceress named Candace in an attempt to steal Kate’s magic. Harcourt, who has also been wronged by Candace, offers to remove the curse and restore Kate’s abilities if she agrees to help him track the evil sorceress down. As Kate, Harcourt, and the allies they make along the way pursue Candace across multiple worlds, they discover that she has stolen the magic of many more sorcerers, making herself an impossibly powerful opponent. Gruesome fight scenes and wildly imaginative, richly described alternate worlds lend an epic feel to their adventure. Dark fantasy fans will relish this magical thrill ride. Agent: Patty Carothers, Metamorphosis Literary. (Feb.)