The Alchemist in the Shadows

This deeply satisfying sequel to 2010's The Cardinal's Blades sends Capt. La Fargue, half-dragon Saint-Lucq, and the rest of the elite team serving Cardinal Richelieu into a complex dance of court intrigue, plots, counterplots, draconic magic, and old enmities renewed. A beautiful Italian spy known only as La Donna offers information about a plot against the French throne, in exchange for the cardinal's protection from both the law and the drac mercenaries of the Spanish secret society the Black Claw. Pevel lets each of his fascinating characters shine in turn while weaving them together in a rich plot with just the right mix of inevitability and surprise. The storytelling is wonderful, but some of the overall feel of this magical alternate Paris has unfortunately gotten lost, and while fans of the first book will enjoy this installment, new readers will struggle to catch up. (Apr.)