A Veil of Spears

This whirlwind third Song of Shattered Sands fantasy (after With Blood Upon the Sand) moves at a breathtaking pace through battles and schemes as Çedamihn Ahyanesh’ala and her allies seek to destroy the cruel kings of Sharakhai. The tale begins with Çeda in the desert, accompanied only by Kerim, an asir that she has freed from the kings’ control. The asir are the souls of her lost tribe; they were enslaved and transformed centuries ago into monstrous servants and guardians of the kings, and Çeda is certain that freeing them all is the key to victory. She is quickly captured by Onur, the King of Spears, who is also in the desert, attempting to raise an army to strike against his fellow kings. Other kings plot among themselves, the remnants of the Moonless Host resistance attempt to regroup in the desert, and the queen of Qaimir seeks power for herself. Beaulieu’s worldbuilding is impressive—he fills his creation with detailed history, unique gods, terrifying creatures, and blood magic, nodding to the myths and history of the Middle East and northern Africa while developing extensive original elements. New readers shouldn’t start here, but this is a powerful continuation of a great series. (Mar.)