Summer Reading 2017 Mask of Shadows

Enter a world recovering from a brutal war, magic gone awry, and a new kingdom forged atop old animosities and fragile alliances. The queen who ended the war and united the people depends upon her Left Hand - 4 assassins each named for a jewel. Thief and street fighter Sal learns that auditions are being held to replace the recently deceased Opal. This means Sal has a chance to gain access to the nobles who allowed her people to be destroyed by the results of the twisted magic, and decides to try out. As Sal and the other auditioners struggle to stay alive and pass the tests set them by the other Jewels, we learn more of the history of Igna, of Sal's home in Nacea, and of how delicate the balance is that maintains the newly united lands.

The rich backstories of the individual characters and the kingdoms flesh out the world around the characters in believable detail. The characters themselves are all easily recognizable individuals with their own motivations and foibles. Sal, as a gender fluid character, offers another type of diversity into the playing field of fantasy writing.

For fantasy readers, this is the start of a series that will keep them coming back for more. The conflicts, both personal and political, are complicated and keep us thinking about ethics, responsibility, and the balance between what we want, what is right, and the difference between justice and revenge.

I won an advanced copy in a giveaway by the publisher.