Shadow Baron

by Davinia Evans

Overview

“A firework of a fantasy novel: vibrant, explosive, deliciously dangerous, and impossibly fun.” ―Tasha Suri

Strap in for a thrilling adventure in the sequel to Davinia Evans's wickedly entertaining debut fantasy that follows our favorite irreverent alchemists, high society ladies, and swashbuckling street gangs as they wrestle with the nature of reality itself. 

Siyon Velo might be acknowledged as the Alchemist. He may even have stabilized the planes and stopped Bezim from ever shaking into the sea again. But that doesn’t mean he has any idea what he’s doing—and it won’t be long before everyone knows it. 

To make things worse, mythical creatures once confined to operas and myths are spotted around Bezim. A djinn invades Zagiri’s garden party, and whispers of a naga slither across Anahid’s Flower district card tables. Magic is waking up in the Mundane. It’s up to Siyon to figure out a way to stop it, or everything he’s worked so hard to save will come crashing down.

Praise for The Burnished City: 

"I loved getting lost in this dazzling debut." ―Shannon Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

"Sheer, glorious fun!" ―Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light

The Burnished City
Notorious Sorcerer
Shadow Baron
Shadow Baron
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316398237
Publisher:	Orbit
Publication date:	11/14/2023
Series:	The Burnished City , #2
Pages:	464
Sales rank:	197,194
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Davinia Evans was born in the tropics and raised on British comedy. With a lifelong fantasy-reading habit and an honours thesis in political strategy, it was perhaps inevitable that she turn to a life of crafting stories full of sneaky ratbags tangling with magic. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, with two humans (one large and one small), a neurotic cat, and a cellar full of craft beer. Dee talks more about all of that on Twitter as @cupiscent.

Editorial Reviews

09/25/2023

The overly ambitious second installment of Evans’s Burnished City series picks up where The Notorious Sorcerer left off, with charismatic but unpracticed sorcerer Siyon Velo named the Power of the Mundane, the only alchemist who can restore balance to the increasingly unstable planes of existence. Despite his new title, Siyon is still widely regarded as “a walking advertisement for carelessness” who can only “dazzle with empty spectacle.” When the baron-mark of Midnight, an assassin, urgently but enigmatically informs Siyon that “the awakening is upon us,” Siyon is thrust into a new mystery. He slowly begins picking up on the rising mystical energy that is causing mysterious events around the Mundane, like djinns and angels from other planes appearing out of thin air. Though Siyon doesn’t have the first clue what he’s even capable of, he must find a way to stop the magic before the awakening tears the city apart. Evans’s character development remains masterly, and Siyon is an easy hero to cheer for, but the nebulous plot maintains its suspense by keeping readers and characters alike in the dark, raising myriad questions and delaying their answers as long as possible. Devoted series fans will stick around for the payoff at the end, but others may lose interest before then. Agent: Kurestin Armada, Root Literary. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

"Evans’s character development remains masterly." —Publishers Weekly on Shadow Baron

"Evans consistently entrances readers with real people and their problems in this fantasy setting with despised yet understandable antagonists, juggled secrets, and plot twists."—Booklist on Shadow Baron

Praise for Notorious Sorcerer:

"Very rarely do I read a fantasy city so wondrously realized as Bezim. From the razor-sharp social climbing to the glimmering alchemist's library to the hidden realms beneath it all, I loved getting lost in this dazzling debut." —Shannon Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

"A delightful and fast-paced ride full of flashy swordplay, high society, and thrilling magic. Reading Notorious Sorcerer made me feel like I was ten years old again and discovering adventure fantasy for the first time. Sheer, glorious fun!" —Freya Marske, author of A Marvellous Light

"A brilliant alchemical recipe! Notorious Sorcerer is a delicious melange of my favourite things, remixing historical magic with class consciousness. I couldn't put it down." —Olivia Atwater, author of Half A Soul

“Notorious Sorcerer feels like a dream you don’t want to wake from, with beautiful and broken people chasing elusive magic along a knife’s edge in a beautiful and broken city. I devoured it and want more!" —Melissa Caruso, author of The Tethered Mage

"Notorious Sorcerer has everything I want in a fantasy novel: a picaresque hero to make my heart sing, a refreshingly new kind of magic, and a waggish sense of humor. If you like a healthy dollop of rollicking fun with your epic fantasy, this is the book for you." —Megan Bannen, author of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

"Notorious Sorcerer is a real delight, with compelling characters and wonderful worldbuilding that sucks the reader in and keeps them engaged from beginning to end." —Mike Brooks, author of The Black Coast

“Notorious Sorcerer is a firework of a fantasy novel: vibrant, explosive, deliciously dangerous, and impossibly fun. A must-read debut.” —Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne

"[An] energetic epic fantasy debut...Evans trusts readers to untangle the rules of her expansive world with minimal exposition...the witty prose, endearing characters, and sense of playful whimsy throughout keep the pages turning. This is a charmer." —Publishers Weekly

"Intricate and fascinating—I would eagerly read more tales of the city of Bezim." —Marie Brennan, author of The Memoirs of Lady Trent series

"Evans’s debut is a high fantasy full of excellent worldbuilding, with an enjoyable magic system and strong characters." —Library Journal

"Notorious Sorcerer’s unique magic system adds to this delightful fantasy setting, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the next book in the Burnished City series." —Booklist

From the Publisher