Bloodchild

Stephens closes her grimdark Godblind Trilogy (after Darksoul) in spectacular style, dexterously balancing heroism, savagery, and heartache. The city of Rilpor has fallen to the invading Mireces, led by King Corvus, but the loss of their evil god, the Dark Lady, leaves their victory a hollow and tenuous one. The Mireces’ only hope to maintain their power lies in raising the Dark Lady once again, using the baby that Corvus’s sister, Rillirin, carries. Meanwhile the surviving Rilporians plot to retake their city, among them the Fox God, who shares a body with human Crys, and his beloved Ash. All three race to eliminate the spirit of the Dark Lady forever in a battle that will decide the fate of all the warring races of mortals. Graphic violence and skin-crawling horror will put off the faint of heart, but Stephens’s characters are strong enough to bear the weight of the darkness. The story builds to an epic crescendo that gives way to a deeply emotional and unexpectedly hopeful ending. This satisfying finale is sure to fulfill series’ fans highest expectations. (Jan.)