Steel Time

Gribble’s capable, sometimes ponderous fourth Steel Empires fantasy (after Steel Blood) introduces a new element to its alternate-history Earth: time travel. While exploring the ruins of Nacostina, a former British colony decimated by war almost a century prior, powerful mage Toria Connor accidentally stumbles upon an artifact that flings her back in time to just months before the city’s destruction. To her dismay, she learns that the artifact may not take her home again. At first, separated from everyone she loves and determined not to alter the timeline, Toria lies about her identity and second-guesses her every action while battling loneliness, adapting to the era’s sexism, and grappling with the dreadful knowledge that she cannot save anyone around her. As the stress and hopelessness begin to eat away at her, she finds solace in a romance with an elf, Liamacorin; unfortunately, Gribble rushes through their relationship development. Series fans may be surprised by the change of pace from the action-packed earlier books, but they’ll still want to read it in order to keep up with plot developments. Other readers should take a pass. (Sept.)