Review by Frank Plowright

Why doesn’t this complicated fantasy series feature a recap page, as even more so than previous books any new readers don’t have it easy figuring out what’s going on.

The Dark Times ended with a disaster, an accident at sea, and A Place Between starts with Cad washing up ashore and awakening alone. He starts walking, following the coast in the hope of coming across others who’ve survived and instead arrives at a meeting of the spirits, which is immediate danger because as seen earlier in Lightfall, they’re powerful and unpredictable.

Tim Probert is a magnificent artist. Time and again the lush pages and engrossing scenery take the breath away, and new characters continue to be thoughtfully designed and visually interesting. When we eventually catch up with Bea she’s in the city of Pellydir. Probert provides a location map to start the collection, and designs an eccentric and foreboding place with many novel features, such as the lighting seen on the sample art.

So much work ensures the visuals impress, and this has additional puzzle moments with Probert designing a new alphabet for the conversation of Pellydir’s residents so young readers can translate their conversation, but he still proves a frustrating writer. He seemed to have hit the correct balance last time, but A Place Between takes too long to supply too little. Key moments occur moving the series forward, with Cad especially affected, but Probert is in desperate need of an editor advising on what to cut. Picking up the pace would not only improve Lightfall, but it would save Probert so much work when it comes to the illustration. The slower section features Cad, and events move a little faster when Bea is the focus from halfway.

Given that the absence of light has been a theme throughout, perhaps it’s redundant to point out the reflected narrative gloom, but even by series standards this is a dark volume. The sample art shows a defining moment for Cad, but it comes at a terrible cost, and that’s just after he’s found out that despite his hopes, he is the last Galdurian. Meanwhile there’s not the same certainty hanging over Bea, but she’s hardly in a comforting situation.

A Place Between looks amazing, but it’s a slow read.