Saint-Seducing Gold (The Forge & Fracture Saga, Book 2)
In this second installment of the Forge and Fracture Saga, magical metal-worker Joan Sands must aid her imprisoned godfather as he seeks to use his Orisha-blessed powers to reforge the pact that has protected mortals from the fae who have usurped the court of King James. Aware of Joan’s powers, the chief usurper, the fae queen Titanea, commands Joan to attend her as a lady-in-waiting. Titanea’s command is fraught with danger for Joan, but it is also an important opportunity for her to help her Orisha-blessed friends and family, who are forced to hide their powers to protect themselves from both the fae and the mortal aristocrats that rule in England.
Williams skillfully blends historical characters such as Robert Cecil and events such as the Gunpowder Plot with a bold reimagining of the multiple mythoi that infuse English culture. The creatures who struggle for power on both the mortal and cosmic planes are nuanced and distinctive characters. However, Saint-Seducing Gold depends heavily on being the second installment in a saga, and readers coming to the series for the first time may find themselves frustrated by the constant need to sort out the references to the back story from the previous book. But Williams has created a convincing multicultural alternative world, in which African and British magics collide with the harsh realities of Jacobean history.
