The covers keep getting worse in the original Del Rey paperbacks, but the story keeps getting better. Rowan lands in the sleepy town of Alemeth, where she searches the steerswoman archives for clues to the mystery behind the magician Slado. She also runs into an old friend, and embarks on what initially feels like a side quest—but it eventually overturns much of what we understand about her world. It really feels like Kirstein is expanding the scope of her story (perhaps even beyond her original intention), and if I have one criticism it’s that it feels like these books could be even longer, to let some of the clues and mysteries deepen. She’s dealing with some very rich themes, and I love how she continues to subvert my assumptions about who this story’s heroes are.