Gifted & Talented

Succession gets the dark fantasy treatment in this riveting standalone from bestseller Blake (The Atlas Six). Thayer Wren, longtime CEO of Wrenfare Magitech, has died, and his three children vie for control of his magically backed empire. Each also deals with their own individual struggles. Meredith, the oldest and the owner of her own “magitech” company, fears being exposed by her journalist boyfriend for committing corporate fraud. Middle child Arthur, a congressman, is on the brink of divorce and faces public mockery for his floundering political career. Finally, there’s Eilidh, the magnate’s youngest but most beloved daughter, who’s devastated after her promising ballet career is cut short by an injury. Before their father’s spirit can rest, the three must settle their differences. Blake keeps the vaguely delineated magic in the backseat, there to provide atmosphere, not to move the plot along. Instead, the focus is on the siblings’ complex relationships with their deceased father, their friends, their partners, and society. Though hardcore fantasy readers may be disappointed, it’s just the kind of deliciously toxic interpersonal miasma that Blake’s fans have come to expect. Agent: Amelia Appel, Triada US. (Apr.)