Some men are forged in fire.
Quentin d'Arcy may have survived a showdown with a god, but now he faces something far more terrifying: falling in love. And the secret he's hiding from Laurence could burn them both.
Kane Wilson says he wants to make a better world--one in which psychics are out and proud without fear of reprisal or hatred--but there's a trail of bodies buried in his past. Kane's power is his words. When he commands, everyone obeys. They have no choice.
Everyone except Quentin. As the only person in San Diego immune to Kane's mind-control, he is the psychic community's last line of defense against Wilson's murderous schemes.
The fire has been foreseen.
Quentin's survival hasn't.
Though there’s much here that will appeal to fans of both urban fantasy and paranormal romance, the two halves of the story are never fully integrated. The early part of the novel is devoted to Laurence and Quentin’s relationship, with plenty of sexual tension (including some awkward erotic scenes) and romantic banter. The action side of the plot only really takes off in the book’s final third, when Quentin gets in too deep with Kane’s schemes and Laurence joins Quentin’s brother, Frederick, to rescue him.
Faulkner has a host of creative ideas that deserve further exploration—Laurence’s backstory, the relationship between Quentin and his family, the telekinetic safe house and its history—and what readers glimpse of them is intriguing. The prose sings when the plot’s stakes are high, and the book’s inventive premise does ultimately pay off in fine style. This isn’t the best installment to start with, but fans of the first novel will find this one a satisfying continuation.
Takeaway: Readers with a taste for both action and romance will find plenty of both in this mid-series tale of love, sex, and superpowers.
Great for fans of Lisa Edmond’s Alice Worth series, Max Gladstone’s Bookburners series.
Production grades
Cover: A+
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: -
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
An energetic urban-fantasy sequel that skillfully expands the saga’s worldbuilding and cast.
