The third “Quarters” novel is a direct sequel to Fifth Quarter, picking up all the unfinished business left behind last time. I certainly wouldn’t recommending starting here as we’re in the middle of a mess of unlikely proportions.

The good news is it is about as good as the previous book. The action starts in Schkoder, and largely happens there, so it also ties into the first book much more solidly, and we see a lot more bardic magic this time. The second book could largely be read on its own, but this one would certainly benefit more from having read both of the first two, even though plot-wise it’s just a follow on to the second book.

The plot is only a bit trimmed down from Fifth Quarter‘s fairly complicated one, with three major elements that all come together for the ending climax. The pacing also holds up, along with characters with complex motivations. Together, these two books make for a very solid reason to get into the series, and Tanya Huff’s writing.