Throne of Darkness is Douglas Nicholas's third book set in 13th-century England and featuring the Irish queen Maeve and her consort, Jack, and her granddaughter Nemain and her husband, Hob. The merry quartet of musician-warriors once again face an evil that threatens to swallow the inhabitants of the English countryside. Maeve is approached by Monsignor Bonacorso da Panzano and his right-hand man, Sinibaldo. Da Panzano tells Maeve, "You may think of me as the shadow of His Holiness [Pope Innocent III]: I do his bidding, sometimes in the dark places of the world, to exert the Church's influence." He wishes to hire Maeve and her family to fight an evil wizard, employed by King John of England, who has conjured up a group of men able to shapeshift into wolf-like creatures--but working with the Pope's men will be close to treason.
What unfolds in this fast-paced read is another delightful story rich with descriptions of old England and swirled with action-packed scenes as Maeve and Nemain use their magical Art to foil the plans of the king. Nicholas intersperses fetching details of Hob and Nemain's love affair throughout the book in just the right proportions, along with specifics of the group's ability to create wondrous music on their Irish instruments. Throne of Darkness is best read as a follow-up to Douglas's first two books, Something Red and The Wicked, but it is also a great introduction to the fantastical world Douglas has created, which spins with magic and mystery. --Lee E. Cart, freelance writer and book reviewer