Bingo 24 (I love this)
The Invisible Library series is just plain fun fantasy, with a sprinkle of literary humor. The basic premise is an extra-dimensional library where rare books from all over the various worlds and realms are kept. The Librarians who work there often go to great lengths to acquire new titles or versions, including theft and adventure of various sorts. The Library is supposed to keep balance in the universe, especially between the forces of Chaos (the Fey) and natural Order (the Dragons). Upon induction into the Library, a Librarian is given a tattoo which gives him or her access to the Language which functions similarly to magic, in that it can let the Librarian temporarily violate laws of physics or nature. The Library has many secrets and may not be as honorable or bound to do good as people think. Irene is beginning to wonder, and she’s been part of the library her entire life.
The Mortal Word is book 5 of this series, and it continues the fun with Irene the Librarian heroine, and it brings back Peregrine Vale, the Sherlock Holmes analogue from a few books ago, as well as the dragon prince Kai and the Fey libertine Silver. One thing I missed in some of the recent installments was the whole gang together, and here they are, getting on each other’s nerves, saving the world and occasionally each other. The series has started to build more into the worlds of the Fey and now the Dragons. Irene is brought in on a top secret peace conference between rulers of Fey and Dragons to help solve the murder of one of the key dragon ambassadors. Vale is brought in for the same reason; Silver is there as part of the Fey delegation. Kai’s other uncle Ao Ji is one of the main dragons in charge of things on his side, and through investigating Irene discovers more information about Dragon culture and politics. We finally even get to briefly meet Kai’s father.
Everything is going down in a version of Paris, and there are indications that no one is trustworthy, not even some of the Librarians. There’s also a rogue Fey involved and human anarchists. Irene of course has to figure out where everyone’s loyalties are, prevent any more deaths, and solve the murder in time to save the peace conference. There’s a good bit of action, wit, and entertainment to be had with this series, and there’s at least one more book to come, hopefully several. Totally recommended fantasy, literary fun.