Publisher's Weekly Review
The gutsy heroine of the second stand-alone high fantasy in Doore's Chronicles of Ghadid series (after The Perfect Assassin) embarks on a heart-pounding adventure through an inviting, richly imagined world. Thana Basbowen is a young assassin in the city of Ghadid, working her first contract with her cousin Amastan, the protagonist of the previous book. Their assignment is to take down Heru Sametket, an ambassador sent by the Mehewret Empress, who claims Ghadid as her territory but whose command has never been acknowledged by the city's ruling Drum Chiefs. Machiavellian to the core, Heru wields blasphemous magic and will stop at nothing to consolidate the Empress's power. When Thana and Heru are attacked by zombies of unknown origin during a confrontation, both turn to a young healer named Mo to patch up their wounds. The three lurch into a reluctant, squabbling collaboration to figure out why the dead are rising. Though the fight scenes and gradually accumulated team of allies create a role playing game--like feel, the tension between characters keeps the story grounded. New readers and series fans alike will be hooked by this triumphant fantasy adventure. Agent: Kurestin Armada, P.S. Literary (Nov.)
Library Journal Review
Given the opportunity to prove herself as an assassin, and in so doing, step out of the shadow of her mother, the legendary Serpent of Ghadid, Thana Basbowen takes a high-profile--and high-paying--contract against Heru Sametket, ambassador to the Empress of the Mehewret Empire. Success would prove she is a worthy successor to her mother; failure could cost Thana her work. But Heru is a marabi, wielding power that is blasphemous to Thana, and all of Ghadid. It also turns out that Thana is not the only one trying to end his life--hideous undead are pursuing him, too. This leads to a cat-and-mouse chase to the heart of the empire, with Thana accompanied by healer Mo, who is looking for truth in the turmoil. That truth will not only damage the burgeoning relationship between Thana and Mo but also unleash old secrets and magic that could destroy Thana's work and all of Ghadid. VERDICT Doore's second novel (after The Perfect Assassin) continues the lush worldbuilding and inclusive characters of the first, while establishing exciting action- and emotion-filled sequences that will keep readers engaged.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton
