Paths of Shadow Books in Order

Paths of Shadow is a fantasy adventure series centered on Meralda Ovis, the newly appointed Mage to the Crown of Tirlin. She is young, brilliant, and determined to prove she deserves the job. Unfortunately, her first major royal assignment is to move the shadow cast by an ancient tower so the king can hold a speech in the sunlight.

That simple order turns out to be anything but simple. In All the Paths of Shadow, Meralda discovers that the tower carries secrets from Tirlin's distant past, including a curse with the power to threaten the whole kingdom. She has to rely on careful thought, magical skill, and the help of Mug, her blunt and loyal houseplant companion.

Meralda is not a sword-swinging adventurer. She is a mage who works through problems, experiments, engineering, and stubborn persistence. The magic has a practical side, involving calculations, devices, coils, and tools, which gives the series a gentle steampunk flavor without losing its fairy-tale sense of wonder.

The world grows larger as the books continue. The novella Saving the Sammi sends Meralda and Mug into a dangerous rescue high above Tirlin. In All the Turns of Light, they travel aboard the airship Intrepid on a risky crossing of the Great Sea, where storms, sea creatures, and political pressure make every decision count.

Then Every Wind of Change pushes Meralda toward an even stranger mystery. A huge structure suspended over the sea sends a message that must be understood before it becomes a disaster. The journey brings old family questions to the surface alongside ancient machines and new threats.

This is a warmer, more hopeful series than the Markhat books, though it does not avoid danger. The tension comes from big magical problems, uneasy diplomacy, perilous travel, and Meralda's struggle to carry responsibility without losing herself.

Begin with All the Paths of Shadow. From there, Saving the Sammi works as a short bridge to All the Turns of Light, and Every Wind of Change continues the larger story of Meralda, Mug, and the changing Realms.