ZODIAC LEGACY

Following the events of Zodiac Rising (2024), a vampire fights to reclaim her position as leader of the Descendants of the Chinese zodiac and destroy the curse that befell them.

Not only does Evangeline Long have to compete with the brutish Marcus Niu, who currently occupies the position of Chancellor of Earthly Branches Academy, but she must also compete with her traitorous older brother, Julius, who faked his own death and believes the Descendants are better off as supernatural creatures. After Evangeline and her team infiltrate Faerieland to find the relics needed to recreate the Circle of Twelve, the source of the Descendants’ powers, Julius and his henchmen sabotage their mission and take Alice Jiang—a mind-reader of human, faerie, and Descendant heritage—as their hostage. Meanwhile, the Collector, lord of the monstrous Wrathlings, is watching the Descendants’ every move and plotting their demise. Evangeline, thieving werewolf Tristan She, cunning fox spirit Nicholas Hu, and fugitive shaman Lei race to rescue Alice. They hope to restore the Descendants to their former glory and ensure they’re strong enough to defeat the dark forces threatening their very existence. Uneven writing, a rushed resolution, and shaky story elements hinder this sequel’s ability to fully satisfy. But readers will be enthralled by the action-packed battle scenes, complex relationships, and alternating points of view, which include characters other than the protagonists.

An energetic but uneven duology closer.