The mask falling

As the brutal Scion empire extends its relentless conquest of Europe, Paige Mahoney, the young Underqueen of the viciously persecuted Unnaturals (clairvoyants), continues to lead the gutsy, ragtag resistance. The fourth book in Shannon's keenly imagined Bone Season series, following The Song Rising (2017), takes place in Scion-occupied Paris. Grievously injured and PTSD-afflicted after prolonged torture and under the care of her powerful and immortal ally, the rebel Rephaite Arcturus, Paige is intent on infiltrating Scion's latest stronghold. Shannon makes atmospheric and unnerving use of the city's underground tunnels and famous catacombs as Paige takes outrageous chances and pushes herself to the brink as she deploys her extrasensory powers, struggles to fathom increasingly treacherous levels of intensity with Arcturus, and seeks fresh alliances. Once again, the predicaments are complicated and suspenseful, the new and returning characters are intriguing, and Paige continues to be haunted by her lost Irish childhood and tormented by her desire for Arcturus. For all its superbly choreographed action and paranormal inventiveness, this is, at heart, a gripping tale of trust and love, valor and sacrifice, and equality and justice.

Shannon's gripping fourth Bone Season novel picks up where The Song Rising left off, with Paige Mahoney on the run after escaping imprisonment and torture. It's the year 2060, and Paige is hiding out in the Scion Citadel of Paris, recovering both physically and mentally from her trauma. Paige finds work with the Domino Programme----a top-secret organization that seeks to overthrow the Scion branch in Paris----using her gift of dreamwalking to infiltrate the government and discover devastating secrets. Accompanying her is Warden, her former enemy turned bodyguard. Paige's arc is deeply emotional as she works through painful memories, encounters fresh betrayals, and maintains her sense of duty to complete her missions no matter the cost. Shannon expertly blends genres to create a story that is at once a political thriller, a dystopian epic, and a paranormal adventure. This bold series installment will leave fans eager for more. Agent: David Godwin, David Godwin Assoc. (Jan.)

Paige Mahoney and Warden, aka Arcturus Mesarthim, take refuge in Paris after escaping the evil clutches of Nashira and the Rephaim rulers of Scion. Paige frequently flashes back to being waterboarded by the Rephaim, but doesn't let that stop her from trying to build an alliance with the resistance. Much harder, though, is fighting her feelings for Arcturus. They must work together on honing Paige's dreamscaping powers, which may be their only defense against Scion. As the fourth entry (after The Mime Order) in a projected seven-book series, this volume does suffer from the inevitable middle-book syndrome. Paige's bold risk taking starts to come across as making foolish decisions and jumping to conclusions. Important plot developments only lead to more questions. However, Shannon's worldbuilding remains strong, and Paige is still an appealing heroine. VERDICT Existing fans will cheer, while those new to the series should absolutely start with book one.--Laurel Bliss, San Diego State Univ. Lib.

The Pale Dreamer is back after narrowly surviving torture at the hands of the clairvoyant-hating Republic of Scion in The Song Rising (2017). Scion would prefer you to think the Pale Dreamer is dead. And the dreamer herself, Paige Mahoney, is OK with that. The girl from the clairvoyant underworld of London is no more. Since defeating her previous mime-lord, Jaxon, and becoming Underqueen of London's clairvoyant community--turned-rebellion, Paige has molded herself into the leader known as Black Moth. And while Black Moth has gained a vast following for the rumor that she single-handedly destroyed the clairvoyant-detecting system Senshield, she has barely escaped that victory with her life. After Paige is forced to flee London, the start of this long-awaited fourth installment of Shannon's Bone Season series finds her with her battle armor off, convalescing while in hiding in Paris alongside Arcturus Mesarthim, her controversial guardian and supporter. For those with rusty memories, Arcturus belongs to an immortal race known as the Rephaim, who were forced to leave the Netherworld as their home fell to ruins. Scion's biggest secret is that it's run by the Rephaim behind the scenes, most notably by Nashira Sargas, who seeks to control the world's clairvoyant community to serve the Rephaim. Arcturus defied Nashira to help Paige seek rebellion, and now this oddly matched pair are bound to one another. Paige barely has time to rest when a new underground group, the Domino Programme, comes knocking. This network of free-world spies wants her help as they attempt to undercut Scion--which is planning to invade the Iberian Peninsula--from the inside using Paige's gift as a Dreamwalker. Not used to taking orders, Paige balances risky operations within the inner circles of Scion leadership while trying to establish connections with the Paris clairvoyant syndicate. Between her duties as an agent as well as Black Moth, coupled with the exhausting will they, won't they bit with Arcturus, it's enough to make Paige literally out of breath. The constant slew of injuries, action scenes, and near-death escapes, which further shift the series' genre from fantasy toward the dystopian realm, distracts from the excellent worldbuilding that is the tale's beating heart. Sticking with Paige to the end will leave you with new secrets about the Rephaim and Scion's future plans, along with an emerging threat that is sure to surprise--and will give readers hope that we have yet to learn everything about the potential of human clairvoyance. Thrilling, indeed. A tantalizing, strategic setup for the next installment, which has all the ingredients to be a knockout. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

As the brutal Scion empire extends its relentless conquest of Europe, Paige Mahoney, the young Underqueen of the viciously persecuted Unnaturals (clairvoyants), continues to lead the gutsy, ragtag resistance. The fourth book in Shannon's keenly imagined Bone Season series, following The Song Rising (2017), takes place in Scion-occupied Paris. Grievously injured and PTSD-afflicted after prolonged torture and under the care of her powerful and immortal ally, the rebel Rephaite Arcturus, Paige is intent on infiltrating Scion's latest stronghold. Shannon makes atmospheric and unnerving use of the city's underground tunnels and famous catacombs as Paige takes outrageous chances and pushes herself to the brink as she deploys her extrasensory powers, struggles to fathom increasingly treacherous levels of intensity with Arcturus, and seeks fresh alliances. Once again, the predicaments are complicated and suspenseful, the new and returning characters are intriguing, and Paige continues to be haunted by her lost Irish childhood and tormented by her desire for Arcturus. For all its superbly choreographed action and paranormal inventiveness, this is, at heart, a gripping tale of trust and love, valor and sacrifice, and equality and justice. Copyright 2020 Booklist Reviews.

Paige Mahoney and Warden, aka Arcturus Mesarthim, take refuge in Paris after escaping the evil clutches of Nashira and the Rephaim rulers of Scion. Paige frequently flashes back to being waterboarded by the Rephaim, but doesn't let that stop her from trying to build an alliance with the resistance. Much harder, though, is fighting her feelings for Arcturus. They must work together on honing Paige's dreamscaping powers, which may be their only defense against Scion. As the fourth entry (after The Mime Order) in a projected seven-book series, this volume does suffer from the inevitable middle-book syndrome. Paige's bold risk taking starts to come across as making foolish decisions and jumping to conclusions. Important plot developments only lead to more questions. However, Shannon's worldbuilding remains strong, and Paige is still an appealing heroine. VERDICT Existing fans will cheer, while those new to the series should absolutely start with book one.—Laurel Bliss, San Diego State Univ. Lib.

Shannon's gripping fourth Bone Season novel picks up where The Song Rising left off, with Paige Mahoney on the run after escaping imprisonment and torture. It's the year 2060, and Paige is hiding out in the Scion Citadel of Paris, recovering both physically and mentally from her trauma. Paige finds work with the Domino Programme––a top-secret organization that seeks to overthrow the Scion branch in Paris––using her gift of dreamwalking to infiltrate the government and discover devastating secrets. Accompanying her is Warden, her former enemy turned bodyguard. Paige's arc is deeply emotional as she works through painful memories, encounters fresh betrayals, and maintains her sense of duty to complete her missions no matter the cost. Shannon expertly blends genres to create a story that is at once a political thriller, a dystopian epic, and a paranormal adventure. This bold series installment will leave fans eager for more. Agent: David Godwin, David Godwin Assoc. (Jan.)