It turns out that becoming one of the most powerful people in New Atlantis isn't exactly what Rune St. John expected. So far its mostly been about pouring vast amounts of his hard won money into reclaiming Sun Estate. With only three adults, four teens, one ten year old, and a few employees its barely worthy of the word "court". Still, they are forcing Rune to actually hold audiences once a week where his friends rate his performance while settling differences between the gardeners and such. He really needs a Seneschal. Both Brand and Rune are therefore delighted when Lady Priestess has an emergency at her posh rejuvenation clinic. Someone, apparently an anonymous lady who was disappointed that the rejuve didn't work, went on a murderous rampage killing dozens. Alas, while Arcana might act in emergencies, Rune is dismayed to discover that Arcana aren't allowed to investigate things anymore. Oh well, back to planning his Coronation and playing with his arthritic dinosaur. Luckily, the murderous lady crashes his Coronation party and makes dramatic threats.

The end of The Last Sun was action packed and hinted at several tantalizing secrets so the follow up entry could make or break the series. The Hanged Man not only fails to disappoint but focuses on the best elements of the first and builds on them. Before the fall of the Lovers' court Max Saint Valentine was contracted to marry Lord Hanged Man. Rune swore an oath to safely deliver Max to his day of majority, age 21 in New Atlantis, which means protecting the fifteen year old from the creepiest of the Arcana. Unfortunately, Lord Hanged Man is very old, very powerful, and has the law on his side. While searching for a legitimate reason to challenge the contract Rune is asked to help find the missing child believed to be abducted by the Hanged Man. Rune and his allies discover the darkest nature of the Arcana and a secret that threatens the fragile peace between New Atlantis and the humans. They have fought evil scions and a legendary lich but a hero can't force the Arcanum to act. It is time for Rune to take his rightful place as the Sun of Atlantis.

The revelation that Atlantis was real might have gone differently if humans hadn't realized that the Atlanteans were also manipulating the politics and economies of the rest of the world. Atlantis had powerful magics, including the godly Arcana with their strange Aspects, but humanity had armies, bombs, and fear on their side. By the time peace was negotiated the Island of Atlantis was uninhabitable, so part of the treaty included an island for them build New Atlantis. Not much else changed. The Arcana are still psychotic power hungry despots and Atlantis is still a dangerous place to live even for Atlanteans. The Arcana of Atlantis were the inspiration for the major arcana in a tarot deck but their Aspects may or may not be related to that concept. Lord Sun might become a ball of sunlight so bright it's literally blinding or appear as a man covered in flames. Lady Judgement on the other hand appears to be spider/woman hybrid descending from a web above the onlooker. It's a combination of personal power, self-awareness, and magical affinity.