Over the course of five books, Sherwood Smith has enthralled listeners with the world of Sartorias-deles. First in the military action of the Inda series, then in the Time of Daughters duology, and finally in the magic-based cultural drama of Banner of the Damned, Smith’s books are a tour-de-force of deadly high politics, incredibly engaging worldbuilding, and nuanced examinations of power, love, and betrayal.

Listeners of all stripes have praised her for the master fantasist she is. Woven throughout these sagas is a sinister mystery: the dangerous, shadowed threat of Norsunder. With incredible powers only hinted at and rare appearances of enigmatic characters, Norsunder has loomed as the ultimate villain, at the very highest of stakes, and a foreboding battle to come: the great story listeners have been eagerly awaiting.

The Rise of the Alliance, a four volume arc, begins that story. The first installment, A Sword Named Truth, launched listeners into the non-stop action, politics, and magical threats leading to Norsunder’s return. Our heroes spanned continents and cultures, ambitions and desires, but share one characteristic: they are young leaders.

Some are rulers of unstable nations, growing into their power and themselves, but they are seeking ways to trust and bind themselves together—and find the strength to defend against a host that has crushed entire worlds.

In this second volume of the Rise of the Alliance arc, The Blood-Mage Texts, the alliance seems to be a thing of the past as everyone is dealing with the fallout of the abortive attack. Rel the Traveler arrives back home to a surprise that has been awaiting him since he was first adopted, launching him on a personal quest.

Jilo, the king who is not a king, finds what looks like dangerous magical texts and hands them off to his friend Senrid, young king of Marloven Hess, who is in the midst of wrestling with his warlike nation. When word gets out that these eight-hundred-year-old blood mage texts are in the ignorant hands of youngsters, all of Norsunder’s mages want them.

Meanwhile Siamis has gone renegade, hunted by both sides.

All the searches converge on Chwahirsland, furnishing new twists in the on-going saga of the alliance of young rulers . . .