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.

Compared to the Chronicles of Elantra, this book has a relatively straightforward plot as you are reading it. Describing it, on the other hand, is quite complicated. Robin found himself a homeless orphan at a young age. Afraid and alone he simply accepted the strangeness of the girl who sometimes helped him hide or steal food, etc. and tried not to think about what happened to his family. At the Academia he has found himself a new home and wants to share that with Raven but now that she's there it's painfully obvious that she isn't human. At first it appears that story is about Raven and her strange abilities but as we gradually get to know her better we see that the real mystery is Robin and his past. The murders simply provide a framework as one child comes to terms with who and what he was and the other decides who and what she wants to be in the future. Along the way we learn a little bit more about the Ancients who created the worlds and more importantly other things they left behind than the Shadow that Kaylin Neya and her friends are fighting.

For fans of the main series, no, Kaylin isn't in this one so they had to find a different way of solving their problem. But like Kaylin, Raven interacts with the magic of the world in a unique way so there are some similarities. I also liked seeing Llannagaros, the dragon formerly known as The Arkon, in his new role as Chancellor of the Academia. I suspect we will see more of Robin and the Academia in the future.