Blood Over Bright Haven: A Novel By M. L. Wang

In The High Magistry, a standalone dark fantasy novel by the author of The Sword of Kaigen, Sciona embarks on a groundbreaking journey as the first woman admitted to the prestigious High Magistry at the University of Magics and Industry. For two decades, she has relentlessly pursued her dream of breaking through the barriers of a male-dominated field. Now that she’s achieved her goal, she finds herself facing an unexpected array of challenges.

Despite her remarkable achievement, Sciona is met with hostility from her new colleagues, who undermine her position by assigning her a janitorial role instead of a lab assistant. Her assistant, a reticent figure with a mysterious past, was once a nomadic hunter who lost his family to the very forces Sciona is now trying to master. His journey from the wild plains to the city has left him with deep-seated resentment and a burning desire to understand the magic that shapes their world.

As Sciona and her assistant’s initially strained partnership evolves, they uncover a hidden conspiracy with the potential to revolutionize the practice of magic. Their investigation reveals dark secrets and powerful truths that could topple the existing order—and put their lives in grave danger. The High Magistry is a thought-provoking tale of power, magic, and societal upheaval, exploring themes of inclusion, privilege, and the quest for knowledge.