This Eternity of Masks and Shadows

When 18-year-old Cairn Delacroix’s marine biologist mother, secretly the latest reincarnation of the Inuit goddess Sedna, unexpectedly dies by suicide, Cairn is rocked by grief. Then she learns that her mother was part of a group of vigilante gods who policed their own kind, until a fateful mission tore them apart two decades ago—and that Sedna’s death may have been orchestrated by an unknown enemy who is targeting the others in murders mimicking “ancient myths involving divine punishment.” Teaming up with the Inuit polar bear god Nanook, now known as Detective Nook Bedard, Cairn sets out to find the killer as she uncovers her late mother’s darkest secrets. In this action-packed urban fantasy, loosely connected to his debut Wildefire trilogy, Knight draws from myriad traditions and myths to create a world where gods exist as superheroes, politicians, ordinary citizens, and larger-than-life personalities. While Knight’s cherry-picking from such a wide variety of beliefs, including Egyptian, Maori, and Haitian vodou, comes without context or weight—a significant issue given the rich field of culturally informed fantasy—an ambitious premise, memorable characters, and a fast-paced plot show that Knight knows how to structure a tale. Ages 12–up. (Self-published)