THE DIAMOND OF FREEDOM (THE UNALTERED)

Angell’s fantasy series continues in this installment, which finds the hero fighting multiple threats against herself and other magic-wielders.

Calli Courtnae has narrowly escaped a disaster that led to the deaths of three magic clan leaders. Now, she is on the run with Chris Harding, fleeing those who believe her to be responsible for the leaders’ deaths. Joining the pursuit is Freedom, a rogue Diamond Bearer (one who harbors a magical diamond shard in their heart that grants superhuman abilities) determined to possess the diamond shard lodged in Calli’s heart. Freedom carries a mysterious black stone that cancels any Bearers’ magical powers; Calli and Chris learn that the stone is a special type of obsidian from the Yellowstone National Park, and that many other stones have protective qualities. Armed with a plethora of stones, Calli, Chris, Maetha (Calli’s mentor), a mercenary named Deus Ex (who may not be fully on their side), and other Diamond Bearers gear up for a fight against Freedom, who has teamed up with the U.S. government to destroy all cosmic-energy bearers. If all that wasn’t enough to contend with, the diamond shard puts Calli’s heart at risk—giving in to her feelings for Chris could kill her (“His proximity is all it takes to bring me to the edge of death”). This action-packed entry in the author’s Unaltered fantasy series maintains a brisk pace. Unfortunately, most of the magical information is relayed via big exposition dumps, which can be hard to keep track of when they’re not connected to the action. Calli sometimes feels like a side player in the story, despite being the protagonist (Maetha determines most of the strategy). Because Calli’s health is threatened, other characters frequently make decisions for her, sometimes even keeping her unconscious so she can heal; this makes the narrative feel a bit remote. The previous books in the series offered fuller portrayals of the characters—in this installment, the plot moves too quickly for their dynamics to breathe.

An exciting, fast-paced yarn that skimps on satisfying character development.