Middle volumes are tricky. With the notable exception of The Empire Strikes Back, it’s difficult to write a compelling middle-child story without the novelty of the first or the finality of the third to lean on. James Islington handles this challenge expertly in An Echo of Things to Come, deepening the mysteries of the first volume while providing enough resolution for the reader to feel satisfied at the outcome.

The qualms I had with the The Shadow of What was Lost have all been erased here. Islington has markedly improved his craft, something he attributes to his editors whose “input has been invaluable not only for making these books better, but in generally sharpening my writing skills for the future” (717). Islington handles the narrative with a level of subtlety that was only hinted at in the first volume.

Echo ends on a dramatic note. I’m thankful to have learned my lesson with The Wheel of Time and waited for this series to be completed before reading it!

Islington, James. An Echo of Things to Come. Orbit, 2017. The Licanius Triology.