Adrian Tchaikovsky is one of the hardest working men in fantasy fiction. How he is able to produce such high quality books is beyond me. No sooner have you finished the current book in the Shadow of the Apt series than a new one is ready and waiting for you to begin.The Scarab Path is book five in the series and a lot has happened since it began. The war with the Wasp Empire has ended in a unsatisfying stalemate with implications for both sides. On the Wasp side the first ever Empress is trying to consolidate her [power, while on the other side political machinations look to over-through everything they were fighting for. As well both sides find themselves looking for the forgotten city of Khanaphes which may hold answers to their problems.
This is another great entry in what is becoming a genre-leading series. Tchaikovsky's characters are strong and well written and possess believable motives. As usual there is action, intrigue and enough mystery to ensure that the next volume can't get here quick enough.
