The victory against King in the first book is short lived, and the evil Dreadlords are determined to seek retribution in a very personal way. After their rebirth, Ash Angels keep their distance from their former family members and acquaintances; however, the Dread follow no such rules. Aclima warns Helo that he does not understand what lengths Cain will go through to exact revenge, and as events unfold, her warning is spot on. Helo and the Ash Angels are not prepared for what comes their way, and Cain is always one step ahead of them. Aclima becoming an Ash Angel provides access to an amazing wealth of Dread knowledge, but not everyone trusts her intel. Will her unprecedented turning to the good side make the difference or is it all just part of Cain's plan?

After surviving the horrors of humans and robots corrupted by alien ruins in Network Effect Murderbot is more than ready to take it's humans back to Preservation where they belong. Sadly it's humans, along with ART's humans, are determined to save the colonists from the greedy corporation trying to lock them into labor contracts in return for resettling them on a safer planet. Translation: the corp is trying to lock them into slavery and get them out of the way so it can exploit the planet's resources and sell the illegal alien material on the black market without disclosing the horrible corruption of bots and humans it causes. If only the idiotic colonists weren't still determined to disagree with anything another faction wants. At least they've quit killing each other so now it's only the remaining corrupted bots that Murderbot has to fight until the idiotic colonists finally remember that there might be another settlement hidden on the planet in yet another potentially infected pre-corporate bunker. Somehow life continues to live down to Murderbot's expectations.

I'm not into most urban fantasy, and heaven vs hell is also not a genre that usually grabs me, but I am a sucker for a well defined magic system. In Dread Uprising, if someone gives their life for another, then there is a chance they can be re-awakened as an Ash Angel. If their ashes are spread at the location where they were killed during the summer solstice, then there is a chance they will return as an Ash Angel. This is exactly what happens to Trace and he finds himself thrust into the eternal struggle against the Dread, who are created in a similar but opposite way. A Dread must have killed someone else while alive, and then the dust of their remains must be taken to the location of the murder. Ash Angels earn divine gifts known as bestowals, which are powers they may use against the Dread, and after 7 bestowals they ascend into heaven. Despite these powers, for the first time in history, the Dreads have the upper hand and the Ash Angels now find their numbers greatly reduced.

Shards of Glass is set in the same world as The Chronicles of Elantra and shares some characters, but it is set at the Academia , which appeared in the fifteenth book, Cast in Wisdom. It isn't necessary to have read Cast in Wisdom, but it would be very helpful. Robin was homeless and living on the streets of Elantra's worst slum when he was kidnapped and thrown into the Academia. Now that the Academia is a school again, he wants his friend Raven to join him. Robin loves the Academia, but Raven isn't sure it's safe, especially when a third student is found dead on her first day there. These deaths are disturbing because the Academia's spirit, Killian, did not "see" what happened. Two of the dead students were immortal and found without a mark on them to indicate cause of death. Even stranger, Raven alone can see a piece of the glass she collects under the body. Robin should be more surprised, but he's always known Raven was peculiar. Maybe he can accept that his best friend isn't human, but if he wants to stop the killings and save the Academia, Robin will have to accept that he's not an ordinary human boy either.

Ascendant gives off strong YA vibes right from the start, as it focuses on two young characters destined to change the world around them. Koren, a young peasant boy that could be the most powerful wizard the kingdom of Tarador has ever seen, and Crown Princess Ariana, who will become queen of Tarador on her 16th birthday. Unless, of course, the acting Regent allows the kingdom to be conquered before then. So when Ariana is ambushed by the enemy, it just happens to be Koren who saves her, thus setting up the inevitable desire for a romantic relationship that can never be. This also allows Koren's unknown wizard powers to be discovered by the court wizard and he is instantly pegged to be the savior the kingdom needs. But before that can happen, the adults in power need to screw everything up so the kids can save the day, and that can take a while.

Despite being the most capable warrior the trolls have seen in generations, Tryton was never comfortable with the war-like ways of his people. He took it upon himself to change that, and he has managed to forge peace for his people. Now the rock trolls play the role of protectors instead of killers, inspiring respect instead of fear. Rock troll society has also drastically changed and children are now raised by their parents. This was important to Tryton and he has now raised 3 children of his own since the last book. However, despite the new peaceful existence he has created for his family, Tryton has still trained all of his children for war. They are all capable warriors, which is good because as they come of age the ugly specter of war returns. A war that threatens all races, not just the trolls, but only the martial prowess of the trolls can save them all...

This story is all about the question of how and why an alien species might divide a planet so that one half remained in its natural state while the other half was terraformed. With help from scientists and her own imagination Czerneda pulls together threads of cryogenic colony ships, strange worlds, artificial intelligence, and alien minds so different from ours that every interaction is a puzzle. Even the human civilization of New Earth, the first and only known settlement of Original Earth, has some unexpected aspects. The characters and plot tend to take a backseat to the unique and strange possibilities of the universe in this speculative sci-fi story.

It is the way of the rock trolls to advance in rank by challenging those above them in combat. When you win, you get the rank of the defeated troll, and this process extends all the way to the top. It also means that when a troll is killed, those that remain may fight for the vacated position. It is within this system that newly named King Sybrik assumes power, and that bodes ill for Tryton. The former king saw potential in Tryton's new belief system for troll society, but Sybrik absolutely does not. In fact, Sybrik is so full of contempt for Tryton and his followers that he feels they have no place in troll society. Tryton knows he can beat most of his superiors in combat, but he also knows he cannot beat Sybrik. So it should be no surprise that shortly after Sybrik ascends to the throne, Tryton finds himself and his followers exiled from the only home he has ever known.

Although this edition of The Wandering Inn does check in with Erin and friends, most of the story focuses on some of the other Earthlings we've only had brief glimpses of before. Geneva was a third year medical student when she got ported to Baleros and took a job with one of the many mercenary companies. Physicians are almost unheard of in this world, since potions can heal almost anything, but when the company lost its potions Geneva was the only hope the wounded had and so they called her The Last Light. The Blind Emperor Laken has been quietly living his life as Doreen's boyfriend but an avalanche forced him to claim the village to save people so the word is out. There are also a pair of twins caught up in the court of The King of Destruction as well as a group of twenty stuck on the frontlines of a demonic horde.

Rock trolls train for war from birth and are raised by a blade master in place of their parents. As they kill, they express their martial accomplishments through their sundering - the markings they put on their skin for every kill. Some trolls have thousands of markings all over their body, and it is the type of kill that determines the location. The face itself is reserved only for the biggest accomplishments and the most noteworthy of kills. Rock trolls are feared and hated across the land by all other races, and they are always in a perpetual state of war. It is within this bloody environment that Tryton is born with his inquisitive nature to question things. As he is taught to kill, he starts to wonder why. He bears a sense of honor that the rest of the rock trolls lack, and that makes him a bit of an outcast with his elders, but not with his peers. It also enables him to see that his race is facing extermination and that they need to change their ways if they want to continue to exist.