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An enjoyable blending of spy and fantasy genres, Imperial Spy follows the fortunes of Femke, an exceptionally gifted young spy who attempts to negotiate the intricate web of plotting and counter-plotting that threatens the Shandese Empire after an ill-advised incursion into a peaceful neighbouring kingdom. Imperial Spy makes entertaining reading for fans of derring-do; it is packed with precisely rendered descriptions of surveillance techniques, military tactics, armed and hand-to-hand combat and the politics of conflict. Interestingly, the existence of magic in Femke’s world is referred to repeatedly, but not shown (unless you count the rather neat alchemical ‘sting’ that features at the end of the book) and the same could be said of the obscure fate of Femke’s mentor Lord Ferrand. Therefore, plenty of loose ends and intrigues to carry over into the sequel Imperial Assassin, due to published in November 2006.
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