Septimus Heap, Book Seven: Fyre
The Two-Faced Ring imprisons powerful Darke warrior wizards and can only be destroyed by burning in the great alchemical Fyre, a fire forbidden for hundreds of years because it nearly destroyed the castle and all in it. Chief Alchemist Marcellus Pye secretly reignites the Fyre in preparation for destroying the ring, but the two wizards have escaped their prison, the ring has gone missing, and Princess Jenna and her kingdom are again in great danger from the Darke Domaine. Sage is a master of her created world, paying devoted attention to the smallest detail; the world and the characters in it are as vivid and engaging in this final installment as they have been throughout the Septimus Heap series. Multiple plotlines are nimbly plaited, characters from throughout the series are integrated seamlessly, and the ending is as satisfying as a warm sweater. There is even a thread spun out from an incidental character, tying this set to a forthcoming series called TodHunter Moon, something Heap fans&#x2014;new and old&#x2014;will anticipate with delight. Grades 5-8. --Cindy Welch