The King Returns...

KING'S JUSTICE: THE KNIGHTS OF BRETON COURT VOL. 2 by Maurice Broaddus (to be released Feb, 2011 by Angry Robot Books / 416 pp. / mmp)
Broaddus' second KNIGHTS installment takes a deeper look at King James White: he's still trying to find his true calling, this time believing he's the one to try and unite all the gangs and crews in their poverty-stricken Indianapolis neighborhood. A parlay is called and the results are mixed: King's still trying to find out who is for their survival and who's out for themselves, although one hood makes it abundantly clear he's happier to be on his own.
Said hood, Colvin, is this episode's main villain, who's also one of the chosen few to harvest supernatural abilities (his own private, summoned army of cannibalistic dwarves provide a couple of great battle scenes).
As with KING MAKER, KING'S JUSTICE does a fine job of telling a gritty, realistic urban tale, with just enough well-done fantasy to keep the whole thing serious. A love triangle between King, his pregnant girl Lady G., and King's fellow Knight, Lott, provides a heart-breaking finale as well as plenty of fuel for the next novel; there's some great new characters (such as newbie gangsta Naptown Red) and many returning favorites (old Merle is just TOO cool). After introducing police captain Octavia Burke in MAKER, I was hoping to learn more about her this time out, but here she takes a backseat to detectives Lee and Cantrell (a great pair of anti-partners who, in one great interrogation scene, work well together). But with most of the cast in this second chapter, Broaddus is still getting the reader warmed up for what I'm hoping will be a killer third (and maybe fourth) book.
KING'S JUSTICE is a satisfying, fast-moving trip back to Breton Court.