"Having narrowly saved the metropolis of Tevanne from destruction, Sancia Grado and her allies have turned to their next task: sowing the seeds of a full-on magical-industrial revolution. If they succeed, the secrets behind scriving--the art of imbuing everyday objects with sentience--will be accessible to all of Tevanne's citizens, much to the displeasure of the robber-barons who've hoarded this knowledge for themselves. But one of Sancia's enemies...