ASCENDANCE

Billed as the first entry in a new Demon Wars Saga (The Demon Apostle, 1999, etc.). Apparently, perhaps appropriately, the publishers have forgotten about Mortalis (2000), which somehow doesn't count; maybe soon we'll wake up and find it was all a dream. Anyhow, the saga of gemstone-magic-powered Jilseponie "Pony" Wyndon continues. She's now being ardently wooed by King Danube (no, he isn't blue and he doesn't waltz), while Pony's son Aydrian, raised by the elves, trained as a ranger, tutored in magic by Lady Dasslerond, is being inveigled by a shadowy presence that claims to be his (late) father. If you're already hooked—go to. If you're not, and desperate to learn all about the Demon Wars Saga, consult the first entry in the original series.