End of Fame

THE TRUTH IN MASQUERADE

No one was more revered by the mysterious Kanalist movement than their rebel playwright, Evan Larkspur. But that was long ago, before Kanalism was driven underground by the repressive Column dictatorship. Believed dead, Larkspur was now a fugitive, surviving as an actor and changing identities as often as he changed roles.

Then the Column decided that the unknown actor would make a perfect—if unwilling—spy. And his target was a playwright who claimed to be none other than Evan Larkspur, returned to lead a Kanalist revolution at last.

On the decadent waterworld Venezia, Larkspur the spy auditioned for Larkspur the Pretender's propaganda play—and snagged the leading, autobiographical role. But who was playing whom? The Pretender was unbalanced and in no shape to lead a revolution—but he believed he was Larkspur, and the evidence backed him up. As the spy played his parts, onstage and off, he began to wonder which was truly the leader returned and which the deluded imposter...