MAPMAKERS AND THE FLICKERING FORTRESS

Young Mapmaker Alidade ventures deeper into unknown territories to finally unravel the Night Coats’ power in this trilogy closer.

Following the re-emergence of Peak—the Mountain territory’s Memri (or magical, peace-seeking being)—Alidade and her friends splinter off to free their land from the dreaded Night Coats. Searching for answers behind the Night Coats’ twisted magic, Alidade and Blue, the Memri of the Valley, surrender to Constable Atwater, who takes the pair to Nox City, a Night Coats stronghold. There, an alarming scene awaits. Alidade and Blue partner with Atwater to journey deep into Nox City and through a magical doorway, where a forsaken trail of thorny trees leads to an unexpected answer. Meanwhile, Peak, Mapmaker Cado, and Lewis, Alidade’s best friend, head to the final territory to resurrect the Memri of the Plains. The trio meets Ripley Range, a Mapmaker who resides in a farming town that’s unable to grow crops due to dark magic. Can the Night Coats’ control over the land be vanquished? The final volume of this endearing graphic fantasy series maintains the same level of allure and spirit, reinforcing themes of peace and strength in community and coexistence with the natural world amid a high-stakes battle between good and evil. The bucolic artwork remains a highlight, and the ever-growing cast of racially diverse heroes and villains provides plenty of opportunities to cheer and jeer.

A refined end to a rousing voyage.