Breath and Bone

Replete with magic-powered machinations, secret societies and doomsday divinations, the emotionally intense second volume of Berg’s intrigue-laden Lighthouse Duet (after 2007’s Flesh and Spirit ) concludes the story of Valen, a sorcerer who finds himself at the center of a looming conflict that could cast the realms of both humankind and the feylike Danae into a nightmarish dark age. Caught between the maneuverings of the enigmatic Osriel, bastard prince of Evanore, and apocalypse priestess Sila Diaglou, Valen must determine which perceived villain is less evil. Although billed as an epic fantasy, this duology is more accurately an intimate, character-driven journey of redemption and self-discovery. Valen’s heroic quest to unlock the secrets of his heritage and save a world from destruction suffers from languorous pacing throughout and may discourage readers who like their fantasy fast and furious, but fans of Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Avalon sequence and Sharon Shinn will be rewarded. (Jan.)