The storylines in Maresca's four Maradaine series come together with plenty of mayhem in City of the People. It isn't all that unique for an author to pull together various threads, but in this case Maresca pulls together threads from four different series, spanning twelve novels, in an absolutely masterful way. The main characters from each of the series are thrown together as they battle necromancy, cultists, magical constructs, complicated contraptions, and a dragon in their efforts to save the missing children. Can vigilante college students, honest constables, criminal masterminds, and brave knights survive the betrayals and plotting of the Brotherhood of the Nine?

There's a lot of action in what Maresca describes as the final book in the Maradaine storyline. Its fun to see our favorite characters fighting together at last but the constant action leaves little room for character development. There are a few bits here and there but not enough to wrap up the loose ends from the individual series. The Brotherhood is making its move and the lives of innocent children and even Maradaine itself is at risk. Luckily our heroes count an insane berserker and master gadgeteer among them because an army of cultists and the undead guard an elaborate contraption feeding power to a godly avatar.

This is clearly not the final book in the series, or at least it shouldn't be. The reader is aware of other conspirators that the heroes have not yet discovered and there are many small plot points from the individual series that still haven't been addressed. Fortunately Maresca says he plans to continue writing about Maradaine. City of the People is much like the Avengers movies. The heroes are thrown together and working for the common good. Its fun and entertaining but doesn't add much to the individual characters and they will still face off against their personal villains on their own.

The Maradaine books are still making their way into audiobooks so only the first few are available on Audible and City of the People isn't on there yet.