The Infernal Battalion

January 1, 2018
The finale to Wexler's gripping Shadow Campaigns series (which began with The Thousand Names, 2012) pits indomitable characters against a seemingly invincible foe: the Beast, an ancient demon capable of absorbing its victims' minds. Genius military strategist Janus is one such victim, unbeknownst to his allies. Queen Raesnia and General Marcus are enjoying a rare peace when their kingdom, Vordan, is thrown into chaos by the report that Janus has declared himself emperor. Soldier Winter leaves her mountain sanctuary to help, but the long trek back to Vordan is fraught with danger from the Beast's ever-expanding thrall army. Winter, host to the demon Infernivore, is the only one who can destroy the Beast. Raesnia, Marcus, and Winter narrate, with brief chapters from Janus' point of view to hint that he, as usual, has a plan, even if it is a desperate one. Wexler closes out his epic military-fantasy series with panache, relaying an extensive war campaign in nail-biting detail without losing sight of his charismatic characters' individual stories. Fans will be pleased by this suspenseful, emotional, and extremely gratifying finale.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)