ILLUSIONS OF DECENCY

Two magic-wielding enemies form an alliance to fight a greater nemesis in this fourth installment of a fantasy series.

Warrior/sorcerer Sarah scours cities and jungles in the Thirteen Kingdoms for evil runecrafters. She’s hunting one in particular: Morholt, who’s traveling with a small band of mercenaries. He aspires to be “one of the good guys,” and he insists that everyone in his group refrain from killing people. Sarah doesn’t want to murder anyone either, but she has questions she wants to ask Morholt, including why Finnagel, the chancellor in the Kingdom of Greenshade and her sorcerer mentor, gave the order to eliminate runecrafters. Morholt is racing to track down four ex-girlfriends, all of whom he taught magic and are in danger as a result. Sarah, meanwhile, gets help from the Temple of the Sky, whose knights are itching for a shot at Morholt. When the two adversaries’ clashes end in surprising casualties, both Sarah and Morholt shelve the no-kill rule. But as someone poses a threat to Keane, king of Greenshade and Sarah’s longtime friend, the two enemies will have to join forces against a mutual foe—Finn, the Temple, or perhaps something more powerful. Pettway’s latest volume is a brisk, uproarious fantasy. The story shifts through various third-person perspectives, with the brightest spotlights on Sarah and Morholt. Despite their flaws, these two immensely likable characters shine as this book’s leads. The players’ repartee provides much of the humor, such as Sarah’s assurance that she hasn’t killed someone: “He’s not dead, just a little dented.” The dialogue is unabashedly profane and oddly contemporary for the genre, though creative obscenities abound. Morholt’s apparent favorite is “toad dicks.” Readers just joining the series may want to start with the previous volumes, as this installment overflows with a huge cast and myriad nations and cities. While another entry is certainly possible, Pettway’s novel ends with a superb resolution.

An amusing, quirky romp set in a magical, faraway land.