The Paths of the Dead — Steven Brust

Two hundred years ago, Adron's Disaster destroyed Dragaera City, killed the reigning Emperor, and deprived the entire Dragaeran Empire of the ability to use the simplest low-level sorcery.

Its been a rough Interregnum. The children of those great adventurers Khaavren, Aerich, Tazendra, and Pel (whom our readers may do us the honor of remembering from our previous histories) are growing up in a seemingly diminished world. They, and their elders, are convinced that the age of adventures is over, and that nothing interesting will ever happen (or happen again) to any of them.

They are, of course, quite wrong.

Intrigues abound. A Dragonlord, the Duke of Kána, plots to reestablish the Empire--with himself as Emperor, in violation of the Great Cycle. But the Gods are on the side of Zerika, the young Phoenix Heir. More to the point, so is Sethra Lavode...