The Cage of Dark Hours

by Marina Lostetter

Overview

The Cage of Dark Hours is the second novel in the epic fantasy trilogy from acclaimed author Marina Lostetter, where the defeat of a serial killer back from the dead has pulled the mask off the myths and magics of a fantastical city.

Krona and her Regulators survived their encounter with Charbon, the long-dead serial killer who returned to their city, but the illusions of their world were shattered forever.

Allied with an old friend they will battle the elite who have ruled their world with deception, cold steel, and tight control of the magic that could threaten their power, while also confronting beasts from beyond the foggy barrier that binds their world.

Now they must follow every thread to uncover the truth behind the Thalo, once thought of as only a children's tale, who are the quiet, creeping puppet masters of their world.

The Five Penalties Series:
The Helm of Midnight
The Cage of Dark Hours
The Teeth of Dawn

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250757470
Publisher:	Tor Publishing Group
Publication date:	02/14/2023
Series:	The Five Penalties , #2
Pages:	464
Sales rank:	345,624
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.60(d)

About the Author

Marina Lostetter is the author of Noumenon and Noumenon: Infinity. The Helm of Midnight was her first foray into fantasy. Originally from Oregon, she now resides in Arkansas with her husband, Alex. When not writing or drawing she can often be found reading spec fic, or playing it (she enjoys a good zombie-themed board game now and again). And she does it all while globe-trotting.

Editorial Reviews

11/28/2022

The second in Lostetter’s Five Penalties epic fantasy series (after The Helm of Midnight), this hefty, over-the-top volume—mercifully prefaced by a prologue reminding readers of the previous installment’s intricate plot—combines several story lines under “a grand scheme of wars and hidden magic.” Dark worldbuilding dominates much of the page count, detailing a magic system in which power springs from human bodies, a gift from a five-deity pantheon (though each god offers a gruesome penalty for rebellion), and positioning the city-states of Arkensyre on the brink of war, driven there by a so-called Savior whose teachings prevent the citizens from developing technology. Against this backdrop, Krona Hirvath, a Regulator responsible for keeping enchantments at bay, seeks to resurrect her dead sister De-Lia; Thalo Child, stolen from his parents to become an enforcing puppet of the Savior, experiences a tortuous maturing process; Mandip Basu, a potential Grand Marquis, learns the daunting price of leadership; and various distraught parents seek their missing infants. Lostetter creates a protracted mélange of shifting loyalties and bloody rituals wrapped in florid descriptions and foggy psychology. Even devoted fans may find this bloated outing exhausting. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

01/13/2023

Picking up loose threads and weaving in new ones, the second book in "The Five Penalties" trilogy begins three years after the events in The Helm of Midnight. Krona is now captain of the Regulators, investigating new mysteries—missing babies and a string of corpses bearing enchanter's marks—and facing a new threat when she is warned that someone will be murdered at the palace. Alternating with Krona's story is that of a young Thalo Child in training for the priesthood. Their stories intertwine as Krona investigates and finds herself part of a dangerous rescue plan. Krona and her companions also learn the dark truths of the monstrous varger origins and horrific time tax and begin to uncover a larger plot against the gods. While the book starts off slowly, Krona's story and the world of Arkensyre continue to be intriguing, and the action eventually picks up. Some, however, may find the Thalo training methods, which involve physical and mental abuse, disturbing. VERDICT Fans of the first book in the series will want to read this next installment as more myths are unveiled, building toward the final book.—Melissa DeWild

Library Journal

"Krona’s story and the world of Arkensyre continue to be intriguing. . . . Fans of the first book in the series will want to read this next installment as more myths are unveiled, building toward the final book."—Library Journal

"Presents dark and complex mysteries in a world nested with secrets like a matryoshka, only here, the conspiracies only get bigger as you go deeper. . . . A wild ride that left me breathless for the concluding volume."—Geekly Inc

Praise for The Helm of Midnight

"Marina Lostetter brings together a cast of relatable, remarkably human characters across three separate timelines to tell a beautiful story of struggle, loss and, eventually, triumph... Tears, smiles and surprise await any reader that opens this book."—Bookpage, starred review.

"Combines the engrossing worldbuilding of epic fantasy with the disturbing thrill of hunting a serial killer.... As the mystery unfolds, every reveal draws readers further into a highly original world, exposing secrets and injustice that go back to the mythical founding of their society. Lostetter has crafted an ingenious genre hybrid."—Shelf Awareness, starred review

"Transports readers to an intensely unique and creative world, with interwoven secrets and heart-pounding action. Bloody, ambitious, and absolutely riveting."—Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

"A mysterious and mind-ripping journey through the mystic depths of time and the darkness of the human psyche." —Matt Wallace, author of the Sin du Jour and Savage Rebellion series

"Beautiful and vicious, The Helm of Midnight will snare you with its intriguing mystery and then enthrall you with its rich characters and inventive world."—Megan E. O'Keefe, author of Velocity Weapon

"An utterly enthralling mystery of magic, masks, and murder. Marina Lostetter weaves together three stories to a stunning conclusion with a skill that will leave you breathless."—K. B. Wagers, author of the Farian War series

"A tense and atmospheric mystery in an inventive fantasy setting, Lostetter weaves three stories of trauma and grief together with skill and suspense to a thrilling conclusion."—Sam Hawke, author of City of Lies

"A firecracker.... What makes this book a captivating read is not merely the tight prose and exquisite use of language to create tension, but the master craft level of world building that offers much more to the fantasy genre than the usual fare. Don’t pass this one by, it’s too good.”—New York Journal of Books

"This tale has creative worldbuilding and an intense focus on the psychology of a killer."—Library Journal

"Just as riveting as the first, with a cast of relatable characters and multiple plotlines that Lostetter masterfully weaves together in her signature style."—Booklist

From the Publisher