Les Forêts d'Opale #8

Two warriors — a cautious young man clutching a blade and a fierce blonde woman in battle-worn leathers — stand back to back amid the gnarled, almost living roots of an ancient forest, blades drawn against whatever the night may bring. This eighth volume of Les Forêts d'Opale, subtitled Les Hordes de la Nuit, promises a tense descent into shadow and wilderness, the oppressive tree-forms looming around the duo suggesting the forest itself is as much a threat as any creature lurking within. Arleston and Pellet deliver another handsomely crafted chapter in this French fantasy series, and this 2013 Soleil edition makes a compelling case for diving in.