Rebel Blade

Pandemonium breaks out in the city of Bezim in the enthralling conclusion to Evans’s Burnished City trilogy (after Shadow Baron). Sorcerer Siyon Velo is on the run after illegally returning all magic to the plane of the Mundane, an action that has allowed mythical monsters to ravage Bezim. Grappling with his enormous responsibility and power, Siyon is desperate to understand how he can wield his magic to set things right before he’s captured and charged for his crimes. Meanwhile, Siyon’s friend Anahid struggles to balance her azatani heritage and class status while secretly running a card house in the Flower District, where a rebellion is brewing, while her sister, Zagiri, works fiercely to rebuild Bezim and increase representation of different classes on its council. With both otherworldly monsters and fraught human politics to contend with, the trio must fight on all fronts to keep their city from being subsumed by chaos. There’s a lot going on, and it’s occasionally difficult to follow the thread as Evans toggles between the protagonists. Gratifyingly, however, the breakneck plot leads to a thrilling climax where all three story lines beautifully converge. Series fans will be well satisfied. Agent: Kurestin Armada, Root Literary. (Dec.)