October 1, 2023
The band of thieves pull their biggest job yet in this trilogy closer. After the events of Seekers of the Fox (2022), the mysterious Eye continues to give Cal bossy orders--and obeying is the only way to get its voice out of his skull. While the young thieves travel to a new city--one that prides itself on progress and embraces technology over the Weavers' magic--Cal also starts to have strange dreams that turn out to be more than just dreams. There's a bit of a slow build-up as the team finds their footing in the new town (which includes interacting with the dangerous local head of the Breakers), only to learn that the Eye's mission for them--finding the Hollow Man--actually requires a jailbreak from the kingdom's most secure prison. To give weight and stakes to following (or disobeying) the Eye, there's plenty of lore, which, while clearly well thought out, does sometimes get in the way of the convoluted cons and heisting that the team must pull off. Though the lore is important for the final confrontation, the story is stronger when it stays closer to the young protagonists. The ending thoroughly wraps up the mythical, magical storylines but leaves numerous plotlines relating to human threats dangling. Most characters read white. A trilogy closer that provides partial answers, resulting in a conclusion that feels incomplete. (Fantasy. 8-12)
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