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Treason Keep finds heroine R'Shiel on the border between life and death—quite literally. The god of healing and Death himself are locked in a battle over who will ultimately claim her, leaving fellow half-breed Brak with a terrible decision: who will he give Death in her place? Meanwhile Tarja and Damin Wolfblade plot the next move in their uneasy alliance against the Kariens. In this book, we get a better look at the notorious Kariens and their devotion to Incidental god Xaphista through the eyes of new character Adrina, princess of Fardohnya. The alliance created as a result of Adrina's marriage to Karien prince Cratyn threatens to complicate matters for Tarja and Damin.
Even though this is the second book of a trilogy, Fallon makes it accessible to new readers by introducing new characters and plunging right into the story without falling into the recap trap. Necessary details for newcomers come out naturally in the story and dialog. As in Medalon, Fallon combines many of the old standards of classic fantasy with some new trends. Fans of classic magical adventure will find many beloved characters and themes: feisty princesses, fickle gods, ill-fated and unlikely romance. Fallon combines these fantasy favorites will well-drawn characters and cultures, as well as the backstabbing and uneasy alliances from the modern trend of political fantasy.
Fans of magical fantasy will delight in Fallon's fresh twists on this classic genre. Returning readers will be pleased with the middle installment of this trilogy.
S.K. Slevinski is senior editor for ARWZ Literary Magazine and a long time reader of alternative reality fiction. She is currently a graduate student, specializing in folklore.
