Beneath the Twisted Trees (The Song of the Shattered Sands #4)

Beaulieu follows A Veil of Spears with a tangled tale of warfare, demons, and intrigue. Many of the evil kings of the city of Sharakhai are dead, but the survivors continue to hold power and battle the forces arrayed against them. In the Great Shangazi Desert, Çeda, her former Blade Maiden sisters, and Shieldwives from the tribes struggle to free damned souls from the kings’ enslavement. Elsewhere in the sands, Brama needs the help of the demonic ehrekh, Rümayesh, to heal the invading army of Mirea from a plague sent by the kings, while Emre travels the wastes to expand the alliance of the tribes and make peace with the Malasani troops who sail to attack Sharakhai. In the city itself, magic wielders Alina, Davud, and Ramahd make plans to defy the kings as King Ilhsan plots against his fellow monarchs for his own purposes. Beaulieu richly imagines several multifaceted societies, a variety of arcane systems, and a host of supernatural entities. Series fans will delight in these passionate characters and their continued fight to liberate their city. (July)