Pevanese Mosaic

Nelson returns to the kingdom of Pevana in this uneven fourth installment of the Pevanese Cycle series (after The Poet King). Painter and tutor Jeril Tandori has been on the run from the Esdan Empire for 20 years, ever since his brother, Jorian, betrayed their family and took the throne for himself. Jorian is a cunning foe, and if Jeril pauses for even a moment, Esdan’s agents will track him down and slaughter anyone who dared to help him. After Esdan’s army burns the town of Piling—where Jeril sought refuge—Jeril is forced to flee to Pevana. Though Jeril is lulled into complacency as he makes himself at home in Pevana and gains the trust of its king, the reader knows early on that the kingdom will be the next target of Jorian’s forces. Nelson weaves in cryptic clues that portend a threat on Pevana, but the mystery feels obvious, leaving little room for surprise or suspense. The worldbuilding is dreamy and phantasmagoric as ever, but the predictable, unsatisfactory conclusion will disappoint. New readers will have no trouble jumping in, and series fans will be happy to revisit the world, but both will hope for some greater suspense in the next installment. [em](May) [/em]