Air Logic

April 8, 2019
Marks brings her much-loved, long-unavailable Elemental Logic series (most recently 2007’s Water Logic, and all recently republished by Small Beer) to a superb finale in this fourth novel set in the world of Shaftal, where the four primary elements determine allegiances among the people, inspire magic, and create turmoil when thrown into imbalance. Karis, the G’deon leader, is striving to unite her kingdom in the wake of the cruel occupation of the Sainnites when the Death-in-Life, a rogue militia that takes exception to her rule, attempts to assassinate her. This precipitates a suspenseful pursuit across the kingdom when the assassins flee with Karis’s paladin, Emil, in their clutches. As in the previous books, Marks keeps the expression of the magic subtle, grounding her story in human drama. The vivid characters include Zanja, whose intimate relationship with Karis subjects her to visions that may be potentially ominous portents, and Chaen, a failed assassin whose punishment estranges her from her air witch son, Maxew. The fullness with which Marks has thought out the particulars of her world and its characters, and the logic by which her story’s events proceed, complete an extraordinary fantasy saga that’s well worth revisiting or exploring for the first time.

March 1, 2019

An air witch has gone rogue, ignoring the laws of the land of Shaftal. After an attack on their home, Karis the G'deon, Zanja, and family travel to Hanishport to investigate the witch's identity and followers. Once there, Karis negotiates the donation of a drug from the powerful Lora family to help the city's sick and addicted. Tashar of house Lora ran away because he disagreed with his clan's practice of importing drugs. Now he's come home again and is following the conniving sorceress. Assassin Chaen, who is also following the witch, has been waiting a long time in Hanishport for someone who isn't coming. Then a fortune teller draws cards for Chaen on the day of her mark's arrival into Hanishport and tells her to leave the city immediately. But Chaen isn't going anywhere. VERDICT Marks (Water Logic) draws a satisfying conclusion to this quartet of novels perfect for readers of K. Arsenault Rivera and previous fans of the series. Newcomers will want to start with book one.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from May 15, 2019
The long-awaited final volume of Marks' Elemental Logic series (after Water Logic, 2007) returns to the land of Shaftal, a world where those born with the four elemental talents possess powerful magical abilities. Several decades after the Sainnite invasion, Karis, the powerful G'deon, or earth witch, and her loose family continue to attempt peace between the Shaftali and their former invaders. However, a mysterious air witch, whose abilities allow him to manipulate and shape minds, is leading a group that claims that the half-Sainnite Karis could never be the true G'deon. When one of their closest advisers and friends is kidnapped, only Zanja, Karis' fire-blooded wife and the last of her tribe, can help, even if it means slipping deeper into her own troubled past. Meanwhile one of the members of the insurrection must come to terms with her own possibly misplaced loyalties. While making no concession to new readers, this final volume is a fitting conclusion to Marks' diverse and exciting fantasy saga. The entire series is highly recommended to anyone looking for a series that presents not only a queer fantasy world, but also one of the most well-wrought and engaging fantasy worlds out there.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)