Crusader: Book Six of the Wayfarer Redemption

At the start of Douglass's powerful conclusion to her Wayfarer Redemption saga (after 2005's Pilgrim ), the surviving people of Tencendor have taken refuge in Sanctuary, where they are under siege by star-traveling demons, the TimeKeepers. When treason threatens the resistance, DragonStar, the swordswoman Faraday and other fighters leave Sanctuary in an effort to defeat their opponents through attrition rather than pitched battle. Along the way, the defenders confront any number of knotty ethical dilemmas. Faraday resolves the ambiguities of her feelings for DragonStar, and a host of secondary characters (headed by DragonStar's father, Axis) all play roles that most long-standing readers of this complex fantasy series will find satisfying. Given the large cast and a narrative broken into many short scenes, a glossary is particularly useful, even for those with a good grasp of the backstory. (May)