Shattered Circle

Robertson’s lackluster sixth Persephone “Seph” Alcmedi urban fantasy novel (after 2011’s Wicked Circle) is rife with royalty. Seph herself may be the Lustrata, the prophesied witch messiah; her love interests are Johnny, Domn Lup, or king of the “waerewolves,” and Menessos, the outgoing Haven Master of Cleveland’s vampire community. The royal and the divine bump incongruously against the mundane, with Hecate name-dropped as casually as Ozzy Osbourne. This could be fun, but the characters get tangled in a slow-moving story about Seph needing to rescue her foster daughter as the menfolk fend off various supernatural and political threats. Multiple subplots appear with scant exposition and often go unresolved, and the writing borders on parody (“I’m your worst nightmare”) without any of the necessary self-awareness. Seph does little to distinguish herself as a protagonist, so this installment of her adventures will be of interest only to those who are already fans of the series. Agent: Donald Maass, Donald Maass Literary Agency. (Feb.)