The World Raven

March 20, 2017
The agents of Shub-Nillurath continue to pave the way for the Dead God’s return in Smith’s final novel in the Long War epic fantasy saga (The Red Prince). All across the land, the Seven Sisters—of which only two are left: Saara, the Mistress of Pain, and Isabel, the Seductress—have enthralled or ensorcelled the populace in the name of returning Shub-Nillurath to dominance over the other gods. The few who oppose the Sisters—exemplars of the old Gods, enraged warriors, and those who follow the Red Prince, Alexander Tiris—gather to fight back against what appear to be overwhelming odds. They are not alone, however. They are guided by Brytag (also known as the World Raven), shades of the dead, and what’s left of the declining power of their gods. Humans join forces with all manner of magical and non-magical allies to save their world from the tyranny of the Twisted Tree’s dominion and the Lovecraftian horrors directed by Saara. Told from a wide variety of perspectives, the greater story arc plays out among more personal stories of loss, friendship, and vengeance. Graphic, sweeping battles are interspersed with smaller-scale interpersonal interactions as readers are drawn to an inevitable, though perhaps not final, conclusion. Agent: Diane Banks Associates.

March 1, 2017
The Long War series reaches its epic conclusion in this fourth and final book. Saara, the Mistress of Pain, is certain victory and the resurrection of her Dead God is close at hand. The opponents of Saara, while outnumbered and weary, fight for the old gods and their own survival. Brytag, the World Raven, has remained strong, while the other old gods have slowly lost power. In a last-ditch effort to turn the tide of the Long War, he gathers the shades of the other gods and diffuses his power among them. But is it too late to stop the total takeover of the Dead God and his horrible creation, the Twisted Trees? Bloody battle scenes and page-turning action have been a hallmark of this series all along, and Smith does not disappoint in the final installment. While the character list is vast, each has a part to play in the final battle for Ro and for Ranen. Fans of the series will not be disappointed and will hope the author decides to revisit his richly detailed world in a future series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)