Breakfire's Glass

Valenza follows Alexey Dyed in Red with a lightweight fantasy in which the action is gripping but the potential of other story elements remains largely unrealized. The Blue Emperor sends bitter and combative Darkrow (mage) Katerini Gorchev and her new partner, Nikolai Irini, on a dangerous winter trek. Katerini is the unwilling sister to demons Porfiry and Vasiliy; Nikolai is the emperor's heir apparent. They head across Zhakieve to track a Darkrow who vanished in the Svarinard mountains. Katerini initially can't stand Nikolai, but as they fight the elements%E2%80%94and as their trip becomes more than just a search for a missing Darkrow%E2%80%94she slowly warms to him. Soon Nikolai's goals and even his life rest in Katerini's hands. Katerini keeps most people at a safe distance, calling herself "heartless, nasty, and ill-tempered," and readers have few reasons to disagree early on. The high stakes of the journey will keep readers turning pages, but the fascinating world and characters never quite get the development they deserve. (Mar.)