Cast in Chaos

Magic runs amok in this enjoyable sixth installment in Sagara's excellent "Chronicles of Elantra" series (following Cast in Silence). As a member of a skilled police force responsible for maintaining order in the City of Elantra, Private Kaylin Neya deals with mundane hassles daily, but it's the all-too-troublesome arcane problems that fall to her most frequently, thanks to her innate (and sometimes uncontrolled) magical talents. Now a magical surge has turned a neighborhood full of charlatans into actual sorcerers and seers, and it seems to be spreading. Kaylin is ordered to investigate, but no one is prepared for the startling secret she uncovers, one that threatens not just Elantra, but the very fabric of the world itself. With each successive novel, Sagara's world grows richer and more complex. Meanwhile, Kaylin herself continues to grow beyond her own troubled past in surprising ways. Altogether, this is another satisfying addition to an already vivid and entertaining fantasy series. (Aug.)