Bringer Of Dust by J.M. Miro

 

This is the second novel in the Talents trilogy.  At the end of the first novel, the Talents Institute was in flames, many of the children dead.  Some of the survivors have gone to France, some to London.  The orsine between the worlds which came open has been closed at great cost and little Marlowe has been trapped on the wrong side.  Charlie has lost his talent in the closing.

But there is word of a second orsine.  The survivors know if they are ever to get Marlowe back, they must find it and find a way to get Marlowe through it.  There are new characters introduced in the novel.  There is a bone witch who starts as an enemy of the survivors.  Clacker Jack rules the underground of London, many of whom are like him, a Talent who lost their powers.  He is determined to get back that power by any means.  He has three feral children, a brother and two sisters, who will do his bidding and are deadly.  

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite fantasy series.  The plotting and writing is dense and intricate like a Dickens novel.  There are many characters and the reader can't help but emphasize with Charlie and the others trying to save Marlowe.  Charlie becomes more prominent in this novel and the last is set up to be an epic battle between good and evil.  This book is highly recommended for fantasy readers.