Set in the far future in a complex multiethnic society, Constantine"s solid if slow-paced third installment in her Wraeththu fantasy series (after 2004"s The Shades of Time and Memory) focuses on the adventures of two half-brothers, Darquiel and Loki, both sons of the powerful and wise Tigron of Gelaming. Darquiel, the younger, is born of a pearl at a time when Loki is already a seasoned diplomat. When Darquiel enters the realm of the Tigron, he also enters into an intense rivalry with his half-brother for success in diplomacy and magic. Action fans won"t welcome the long dialogues that advance diplomatic rather than military solutions to the relations among the various human factions and nonhuman races. Most will appreciate the intelligent handling of telepathy, dreams and ghosts in setting the gothic tone of the book, but a shortage of female characters and the gay sex may turn off some readers.