In Armstrong-Jones’ fantasy sequel, heroes must confront interpersonal conflict as they rush to the aid of a friend.

It has been three years since the swordsman Nico and his wife, the sorceress Veras, returned from the Great Quest to “defeat the warlock.” Now Nico and his friend Joul Zann battle enemies of the crown at the kingdom’s border. Nico is gravely injured, and he convalesces and then travels with a troupe of other injured men heading to Espri. They stop in the town of Edgewood to drink at the Hound’s Tooth pub; after Nico drinks too much, he ends up in the barmaid Nara’s room, where he enjoys an extended stay. Meanwhile, in Espri, Veras frets over her husband’s whereabouts. She also worries that her surprise pregnancy will upset him, as his last wife died soon after giving birth to a son with whom he has no contact. Then Veras receives an anonymous note about Nico’s infidelity. Meanwhile, the Witch of the Great East Wood is dying, and she releases her “tears in the wind,” a magical summons for help acknowledged by Superior Creda, the sorceress from the Tower of Giefan. When Nico returns to Espri, he and a heroic band—including the sorcerer Xyron, Veras’ former lover—travel to the witch’s cave to help. In her latest novel, Armstrong-Jones focuses on a nuanced portrayal of Veras and Nico’s relationship while also illustrating the perils of a natural world out of balance. Creda, who can experience the perspectives of forest animals, is key to the band's learning what ails the Witch. Indeed, many witches care for nature, but as the Witch of the Great East Wood explains, “Despite our best efforts, selfishness and greed are destroying the balance in our world.” Fantasy elements, such as a dragon and dueling spells, are used sparingly to maximize their narrative punch. Although the author’s environmental message is a valuable one, it’s the emotional give-and-take between Nico and Veras that readers will find most engaging. Those hoping for a traditional confrontation between good and evil, however, may need to wait for a subsequent series entry.

A thoughtful tale that eschews bombast in favor of measured storytelling.

In this third volume of a fantasy series, a plague causes strife in a magical realm.

Four years ago, Nico set aside his warrior ways for good. He and his wife, the former sorcerer Veras, have been living in Espri and raising their daughter, Justice. But the city, despite being home to powerful sorcerers in the Tower of Geifan, is no longer safe. A deadly plague approaches from the south, the news of which many people in Espri have chosen to ignore. Nico is determined to vacate the city to protect Veras and Justice, as the loss of his first wife and child 20 years ago remains an unhealed wound. Nico and his family plan to head north to the city of Turning Point. The sorcerers in the Tower are torn between attempting to magically safeguard Espri and leaving themselves. Superior Xyron decides to travel south with Giever, a young acolyte whom he cares for like a son, to check on the lad’s parents. While traveling, they meet Creda, the Witch of the Great East Wood, who hopes to investigate the source of the plague with her magical skills. Meanwhile, the loyal warrior Ferren goes north with Joul Zann, an adventurer,and his family. Yet with the roads congested and travelers vulnerable, new tests await the heroes. Armstrong-Jones’ latest installment of her emotionally satisfying series skillfully commiserates with readers about the global struggle against the Covid-19 pandemic. People in the author’s magical world have grown restless in isolation, and a social chilliness has crept into the air, as when Xyron shudders at witnessing a man cough and wipe his mouth on his sleeve. The enjoyment of normal life is often emphasized over magic, though sometimes the two merge. One beautiful scene depicts people dancing beneath auroras in the sky as “the lights shifted...almost as though the radiance was trying to travel from one place to another.” When Superior Aislinn’s research points to the previous plague being healed by the combined efforts of the Tower sorcerers and the Witches, the core message of unity in unprecedented times is unmistakable. Nico’s lingering familial pain is also sweetly resolved.

A hopeful and cathartic entry in a warmhearted fantasy series.

Heroes strive to fulfill a prophecy and defeat an evil warlock in this fantasy debut.

Sister Creda is a sorceress from the Tower of Giefan. While traveling to the Hidden Caves of Abufan for her magical Tests and Completions, she plans to visit Carlida, her sister who lives with a nomadic tribe. On the trail, however, she finds a slain nomad. Using her amulet, she “reads” his blood and learns that raiders attacked Carlida’s tribe and took prisoners. Creda must reach the Tower, in the city of Espri, before dark and before she stumbles on the raiders herself, but her donkey isn’t cooperating. Luckily, a warrior named Fornico (nicknamed “Nico”) approaches and agrees to escort her. At the Tower, the Four Superiors summon the Great Seer for advice on confronting the “ruthless man of magic” who commands the raiders and supposedly drinks his victims’ blood. The Seer says that “No man can defeat this warlock! But there is a One.” Prince Yurmar asks for volunteers to hunt the warlock down. Nico signs up, as do Creda, Superior Veras, and several soldiers, including a young woman named Ferren. From the Witch of the Great East Wood, the group learns that pieces of a talisman must be retrieved to overcome the warlock’s power. But if the One is not a man, who among the heroes can deliver the killing blow? Armstrong-Jones offers a debut fantasy that plays with and subverts the genre’s tropes while never trying to break the mold of heartwarming fantasy classics such as The Hobbit. She wryly portrays Nico, who represents decades of Conan-style heroes, as a “blasted, arrogant man” who’s never wrong. Creda, who’s ostensibly the protagonist, cares little about possibly being the One. She instead develops her power to psychically commune with animals, which brings Baru, a wolf, into the group. Although the prose is suitable for teenagers, much of the action is interior—such as Creda’s and Veras’ energy exchanges—and younger audiences may be rooting for an ending with “Prince Yurmar himself kissing [the One’s] hand in gratitude.” Armstrong-Jones delivers a finale that’s pleasantly unexpected, and the fantastic last line blows readers a final kiss.

A sweet, genuine fantasy novel about finding family in unlikely situations.