A Conjuring of Light

The superb conclusion to Schwab’s Shades of Magic trilogy picks up shortly after the events in 2016’s A Gathering of Shadows. A ball is in full swing in Red London (one of several parallel Londons). The partiers are celebrating the conclusion of the Essen Tasch, a competition where the most powerful magicians (called Antari) fight each other for the win, but a shadow falls upon the kingdom. Osaron, a being made of powerful magic, wants to take over Red London and make it his own, but first, he’ll need a vessel, and only an Antari will do. Prince Rhy of Red London; his brother, Kell; the thief and Antari Lila Bard; the tormented Holland; and Rhy’s lover, the pirate Alucard, must band together to defeat the relentless, evil Osaron. Lila is still coming to terms with her own wild, untamed power. Kell must do what he can to save the day without hurting Rhy, to whom he’s magically bound. Holland still reels from the torture he endured in White London, and Alucard aches for Rhy but must stay focused on battling Osaron. Flawless prose provides the canvas against which Schwab’s complex characters battle, love, and die, and the bittersweet conclusion is a fitting one for a fantastic, emotionally rich series that redefines epic. (Feb)