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.