Requiem for the Sun by Elizabeth Haydon

The Symphony of Ages series rolls on in book four! Once again, we follow our intrepid heroine Rhapsody as she tries to bring peace to the fractured Cymrian peoples. Achmed, the Bolg king, is busy working on a brand new device using panes of colored glass, searching far and wide for the best artisans the continent has to offer, but maybe also inviting a serpent into his house. In the neighboring land of Sorbold, a new power is rising built on the backs of slave labor and the undermining of sacred relics. If that weren't enough, one of Rhapsody's old enemies has learned of her survival and is bringing his F'dor-touched presence to the shores of Roland.

Personally, I found that last subplot an annoying waste but it does serve to set up books five and six. One of the really nice things about this series is how absolutely nothing is left adrift. Everything connects and informs on everything else, truly weaving a tapestry of stories that feel like a real history. Events have consequences which in turn cause a ripple effect through the characters' lives. It's storytelling at its best.

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