Four Roads Cross

In the fifth installment of the Craft sequence, two-time Campbell Award%E2%80%93finalist Gladstone returns to the city of Alt Coulomb and the adventures of Craftswoman Tara Abernathy. A year after the events of Three Parts Dead, Tara%E2%80%94now in-house counsel to the Church of Kos Everburning%E2%80%94continues to negotiate the consequences of the near-death of the god Kos and the resurrection of his lover, the moon goddess Seril. As the goddess struggles to consolidate her power, a magical and financial crisis looms amid doubts over Kos's solvency; its resolution depends on Tara and her allies%E2%80%94technician and reluctant saint Abelard, policewoman Catherine Elle, and gargoyle Shale%E2%80%94and also upon the working-class men and women of Alt Coulomb's market. Gladstone's storytelling, worldbuilding, and character development are always singularly enjoyable, and that pleasure is enhanced here by the reunion with the richly drawn cast of his first sorcerous legal thriller. They, along with Gladstone's writing, have grown, matured, and become even more interesting. This is a splendid continuation of a fascinating series. Agent Robert G. Diforio, D4EO Literary. (July)