34 - ‘Dark Age’ Howler Mailbag Q&A

Set in a pre-industrial fantasy world with advanced technology like gunpowder and simple machines, The Black Prism is part of the Lightbringer series. The story revolves around Gavin Guile, known as the Prism, who has the ability to draft magic from every color spectrum. However, he is facing his impending death, having only five years left due to the magical constraints of his role. The narrative explores themes of conflict, resentment, and love, and introduces several key characters, including Kip, Gavin's illegitimate son, and Liv, a less-talented drafter whose father was a renowned general. The book delves into a richly detailed world with a complex system of magic based on the color spectrum and the consequences of exceeding one's magical limits.

This book tells the haunting true story of the elusive serial rapist and murderer known as the Golden State Killer, who committed fifty sexual assaults and ten murders in California during the 1970s and 1980s. The narrative is intertwined with the story of Michelle McNamara, the gifted journalist who dedicated her life to uncovering the identity of the killer. Despite her tragic death before completing the book, McNamara's work helped unmask the Golden State Killer in April 2018. The book includes an introduction by Gillian Flynn and an afterword by Patton Oswalt, and it has been hailed as a modern true crime classic for its atmospheric and meticulous investigation.