From Publishers Weekly
Tchaikovsky's fourth Shadows of the Apt installment is that rarest of gems in series fantasy: an intermediate book in which genuinely decisive events occur. Despite the best efforts of resistance leader Stenwald and his allies, the Wasp Empire seems fated to conquer the entire known world, forcibly assimilating the other insect-themed kinden into their brutal society. The empire faces its own doom in the form of vampiric sorcerer Uctebri, whose possession of the Shadow Box allows him to covertly dominate the empire's ruler. Vast armies clash, but in the end the conflicts are determined by individual choices. Tchaikovsky tests all his characters in the full knowledge that many will fail, some heroically and others in despair. Readers who like their military fantasy to come with real consequences will be completely enthralled.
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From
This, the fourth book in the series, continues to unravel the mysteries of the insect-kinden, and the magic that was unleashed years ago. Stenwold Maker is still doing his best to stop the advance of the Wasp-kindenΠ²Πβ’s empire. Now, however, his former operatives are mostly pursuing their own destinies, which may or may not aid Stenwold in his aims. Each characterΠ²Πβ’s individual story line is masterfully woven into the ongoing war, and questions arise as to their motivations. Fantasy readers will continue to enjoy the emotional turmoil and growth as each of the characters pursues their dreams. Even secondary characters are granted some depth, rather than just providing background, and this allows for some interesting plot twists. The ending is not completely unexpected, and a window is left open for a continuation in future stories of this world. The history of the kinden is explored a bit further, but still is shrouded in many unexplained mysteries. --Rebecca Gerber