Every book in Lindsay Buroker's Emperor's Edge series is a delight. Protagonist Amaranthe shows courage as she leads her motley team in defense of the deposed Emperor. Buroker's characters are well rounded, consistent and complement each other. The steampunk world and the politics of power-mongering become clearer as the stories progress. Action and reflection balance and ground the plot, and the pacing is just right. As well, the romance between Amaranthe and the Assassin shows up just enough to twig our interest but does not take over the whole story, and this love relationships moves through reasonable and heart-warming developments as time goes on. I heartily recommend this book and the entire series to those who love a good story and care about the clash of good and evil.