Ash and Quill, by Rachel Caine

Ash and Quill is the third installment in Rachel Caine's The Great Library series. In these books, the world's knowledge is jealously hoarded by the all-powerful Great Library. Caine's protagonist is a book smuggler-turned-Great Library soldier named Jess Brightwell. Jess and his small band of allies have recently escaped from the Library's clutches, but soon find themselves in an even worse situation: imprisoned in an anti-Library city where the inhabitants despise them as Library agents, and under siege by the Library's actual agents, who view them as traitors.

I have always assumed that The Great Library series would be a trilogy, and am a little dismayed to discover that there will be at least one more volume. Ash and Quill is heavy on the wheel-spinning. Admittedly, it's well-written, dramatic, high-octane wheel-spinning, but there aren't many significant plot developments. The books' preexisting fans will undoubtedly enjoy themselves, but I can't recommend starting this series at this point—wait until the next (and hopefully final) book is released, because Ash and Quill would be far more enjoyable if you knew another installment was right around the corner.

Review based on publisher-provided copy.