A WIZARD'S SACRIFICE

In this second installment of an SF/fantasy series, a wizard stuck in the past fights to return to her time period and her beloved prince without altering the course of history.

In the world called Knownearth, Victoria of Ourtown became a wizard by drinking from the Waters of the Dead, which kill most who consume them. Her resultant power was so intense, Vic “almost single-handedly” ended “a decades-long war” between Latha and Relm—forcing the latter to surrender. Now, the nefarious former Lord of Relm, Lornk Korng, is imprisoned in Latha, where Vic’s foster mother, Queen Elekia, reigns. Distraught over the many she killed in her war-ending massacre, Vic leaves behind Latha and the man she loves, Prince Ashel. Later, pirates hold Ashel captive and plan on breaking Lornk out of prison. Coming to the prince’s rescue are Vic and Princess Bethniel, who both somehow disappear into the past. To return to their own time period, Vic needs a device from sorceress Meylnara, who leads the giant-bug Kragnashians. This will necessitate killing Meylnara, but Vic may also need to sacrifice something—or someone—to fulfill a prophecy of sorts and ensure that the future she already knows doesn’t change. In this gripping epic, Justice’s worldbuilding is extensive. For example, Elesendar is an abandoned spacecraft orbiting the planet, both a hint at the humans’ origin on Knownearth and a god most characters worship. Despite the dense story, there are key reminders of earlier series events, like Ashel’s torture at the hands of Lornk, and Vic as the assassin Vic the Blade. Similarly, the time-travel plot is easy to follow, save for the ending, which some may find perplexing. The author fills the pages with striking passages, including “shrieks wove a bloody tapestry” and the indelible Kragnashians “swinging their mandibles like scythes and sweeping aside the troopers like grain.”

This riveting sequel starring a wizard should spark interest in the first volume.