Last First Snow

Set forty years after devastating God Wars, Max Gladstone's "Last First Snow" delves into the fragile peace of Dresediel Lex, particularly the impoverished Skittersill district. Haunted by the fallen gods' decaying edicts, the Skittersill faces a dual threat: the wards that bind it strangle development, yet their failure promises to unleash demons upon the city. The cunning King in Red enlists Elayne Kevarian, a formidable Craftswoman from the firm Kelethres, Albrecht, and Ao, to stabilize these perilous wards. However, Elayne's technocratic solutions clash with the will of the Skittersill's people, led by Temoc, a former warrior-priest turned community organizer. Temoc champions a future built on peace and self-determination for his community, his family, and his young son. As Elayne forces Temoc and the King to the negotiating table, old wounds from the war reopen, ancient gods stir, and new conflicts erupt. Amidst a brewing civil unrest and circling profiteers, Elayne and Temoc must navigate dark magic, dangerous conspiracies, and their own past demons to safeguard the fragile peace, or at least save as many lives as they can.