The Shadow Glass

In 16th-century England, Rosalind, a young woman whose masculine attire and rapier skills mark her as “different,” discovers that the man who raised her is not her father. Her actual sire, a colleague of John Dee (one of history’s great occultists), is a magician who seeks to summon and control Lovecraftian entities via the titular arcane implement. Upon meeting him, Rosalind is entangled in a web of deceit, murder, and darkest sorcery. Fantasy artist Fell creates an engrossing and skillful marriage of quality scripting and superb illustration, bolstered by an interesting female protagonist whose journey will keep the reader turning the page. It’s clear that Fell did a lot of research, as each panel evokes a lived-in, realistic world from which the story’s supernatural elements can spring in sharp, baleful contrast. It’s a quick and fun tale for mature readers, and over all too quickly, but the narrative leaves room for a sequel and readers will certainly hope for one. (Jan.)