A Conjuring of Light

Starred review from March 20, 2017
The superb conclusion to Schwab’s Shades of Magic trilogy picks up shortly after the events in 2016’s A Gathering of Shadows. A ball is in full swing in Red London (one of several parallel Londons). The partiers are celebrating the conclusion of the Essen Tasch, a competition where the most powerful magicians (called Antari) fight each other for the win, but a shadow falls upon the kingdom. Osaron, a being made of powerful magic, wants to take over Red London and make it his own, but first, he’ll need a vessel, and only an Antari will do. Prince Rhy of Red London; his brother, Kell; the thief and Antari Lila Bard; the tormented Holland; and Rhy’s lover, the pirate Alucard, must band together to defeat the relentless, evil Osaron. Lila is still coming to terms with her own wild, untamed power. Kell must do what he can to save the day without hurting Rhy, to whom he’s magically bound. Holland still reels from the torture he endured in White London, and Alucard aches for Rhy but must stay focused on battling Osaron. Flawless prose provides the canvas against which Schwab’s complex characters battle, love, and die, and the bittersweet conclusion is a fitting one for a fantastic, emotionally rich series that redefines epic.

September 15, 2016

As the battle among four magical Londons reaches its climax, friends, foes, and the balance of magic itself shifts precipitously. The wrap-up to the New York Times best-selling "Shades of Magic" trilogy and an LJ Editors' Fall Pick (LJ 9/1/16, p. 27).

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 15, 2017
The action-packed conclusion to a rich and absorbing fantasy trilogy.Kell has been taken prisoner in White London, trapped in a collar that dampens his magic. His magical connection to his brother, Prince Rhy--the connection that keeps the prince alive--is weakening. Alucard Emery is helplessly watching Rhy, his former lover, fade as that connection begins to break. The White London magician Holland is being slowly taken over by the dangerous, powerful, Black London -shadow king- known as Osaron. And Osaron has his sights set on devouring the magic-rich prize of Red London. But Lila Bard is ready to do the impossible to save Kell and the world--starting by crossing the barrier between worlds by herself, using her own newfound power, for the first time ever. This third and final book in the Shades of Magic series begins where A Gathering of Shadows (2016) left off and keeps up a breakneck pace as our heroes struggle to find a way to stop a magical demon/god who can possess almost any human host. Schwab has created an apocalyptically powerful villain, and the stakes couldn't be higher. Desperate gambits, magical battles, and meaningful sacrifice make this a thrilling read--and there's even a little time to further complicate and deepen some of the series' compelling characters. Fans will gobble up this final battle, in which the characters they love fight desperately to save everything they hold dear. Schwab has fully delivered on the promise of this inventive and captivating series.

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February 15, 2017

Fans of the series that began with A Darker Shade of Magic and continued with A Gathering of Shadows will be eager to read this concluding volume. Still unknown are details on how this excellent story of four magical Londons will wrap up, but count this columnist in!--MM

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.