Circle of the Moon

By Barbara Hambly. The sequel to Sisters of the Raven.

Oddly enough, the description on the back of the paperback is even more inaccurate than usual. What it says never happens at all, to my recollection.

I enjoyed this one more than Sisters of the Raven; perhaps because there were fewer characters, or perhaps because most of them were already introduced in the previous book. Many questions were answered. The reason magic changed is also given, although in a form that may only be meaningful to the reader, if that, and I suppose the djinn who gave the answer. Funny!

So we learn more about the characters and magic and other matters that have been hinted at, but on the downside the plot doesn't seem all that cohesive. The conflict is really a set of smaller issues that all end up concerning the people: the king's upcoming trial by ordeal for fitness to hold the throne, the green mist that spreads madness, and the sick children of a faraway people. The obvious romance heavily foreshadowed by book one goes on mostly behind the scenes.

I don't know what to recommend about this one. It's decent, but not really excellent in my mind. However, I may just be tired. It is not as banal as other books I've felt dubious about recommending.