The University of Maradaine is bustling with activity as the Grand Tournament of High Colleges is in progress and visiting university students are flooding the campus. Unfortunately, that also means there is ample opportunity for the drug, effitte, to be sold on campus- and someone is taking full advantage of it. Meanwhile, the neighborhood outside of the University, Aventil, is experiencing its own issues. It appears the Thorn is taking out the last of the Rabbits... except the real Thorn knows something is amiss. Veranix Calbert, aka the Thorn, has his hands full as he tries to stop the drug flow on campus while uncovering the Thorn impersonator.

I've been secretly hoping that Marshall Ryan Maresca would begin to merge together the various Maradaine series, so I gave a tiny squeal when I read the description of THE IMPOSTERS OF AVENTIL. THE IMPOSTERS OF AVENTIL is the third book in the Maradaine series but pulls in characters from The Maradaine Constabulary series as Inspectors Minox Welling and Satrine Rainey play a crucial role in the story line. THE IMPOSTERS OF AVENTIL is best appreciated by those familiar with both of the Maradaine series because of the depth of the world building and character development.

Marshall Ryan Maresca has outdone himself with THE IMPOSTERS OF AVENTIL. We get to see deeper pieces of each of the various aspects of the world we've been exploring in the various Maradaine series. The changing situation with the street gangs is fascinating and has me excited about what's in store for the future, particularly since we're starting to see more camaraderie building between those opposing the gangs.

I love Minox and Satrine and their involvement with Veranix was all that I had hoped for! Marshall Ryan Maresca merges together his various Maradaine series into one heck of a great fantasy read with THE IMPOSTERS OF AVENTIL. If you love fantasy with solid world building and intriguing characters, then don't hesitate to give THE IMPOSTERS OF AVENTIL and Marshall Ryan Maresca a try.

Book Summary

Blending vigilante justice with epic fantasy, this third Maradaine novel finds student Veranix Calbert returning to fight crime • “Veranix is Batman, if Batman were a teenager and magically talented.” —Library Journal

Summer and the Grand Tournament of High Colleges have come to the University of Maradaine. If the heat and the crowds weren't enough to bring the campus and the neighborhood of Aventil to a boiling point, rumors that The Thorn is on the warpath—killing the last of the Red Rabbits—is enough to tip all of Maradaine into the fire.

Except Veranix Calbert, magic student at the University, is The Thorn, and he's not the one viciously hunting the Red Rabbits. Veranix has his hands full with his share of responsibilities for the Tournament, and as The Thorn he’s been trying to find the source of the mind-destroying effitte being sold on campus. He’s as confused as anyone about the rumors.

When The Thorn imposter publicly attacks the local Aventil constables, the Constabulary bring in their own special investigators: Inspectors Minox Welling and Satrine Rainey from the Maradaine Grand Inspectors Unit. Can Veranix find out who the imposter is and stop him before Welling and Rainey arrest him for the imposter’s crimes?