In the Hendees’ complex and bloody third Noble Dead novel (after 2006’s Traitor to the Blood
), powerful and ambitious Noble Dead vampire Welstiel is in a desperate race with his dhampir half-sister Magiere to find a mysterious orb. As he builds a force of vampire minions to assist in his journey, Magiere travels though elven lands, where she is hated and feared for her semivampiric nature, determined to find and protect the artifact. The elven patriarch called Most Ancient Father offers resources to aid her on the quest while planning to steal the orb from her later. Magiere’s friends and allies have a long and dangerous journey ahead of them. Interspecies distrust, grand ambitions and the lure of dangerous secrets protected by the undead drive the action in this neat mix of horror with more traditional fantasy elements. (Jan.)
