Book description
The stunning conclusion to a powerful epic fantasy from the worldwide
bestselling author of the Saga of the Pliocene Exile.
For sixteen years King Conrig Ironcrown has ruled High Blenholme,
battling both to preserve the Sovereignty he ruthlessly established over
the four provinces of the island kingdom and to repel the invading Salka
monsters that threaten them all. His hope for the future is his heir,
Prince Orrion, whose betrothal to a princess of the province of Didion
should assure the future peace of High Blenholme. But Orrion has no
interest in the girl, and is determined to marry instead his childhood
sweetheart, Lady Nyla.
Orrion's madcap twin, Corodon, dreams up a scheme to keep Orry and Nyla
together by asking the supernatural Beaconfolk, who appear as lights in
the sky, for a magical intercession. The twins are unaware that the
Beaconfolk are fighting their own battle with others of their kind; to
them all humans, even princes, are but pawns to be used in their own
conflict. Their granting of Orrion's wish comes in a manner the twins
far from expected, and precipitates chaotic infighting amongst the folk
of High Blenholme.
As battles rage both on the ground and in the sky, the only hopes for
peace can be found deep in King Conrig's murky past. His former spy,
Deveron Austrey, has secret magical powers and no love for the
Beaconfolk. And while many of his subjects no longer remember the King's
first wife, Maudrayne, she has never forgotten that her son is the true
heir to the throne of High Blenholme. 'A gleefully complex festival of
skulduggery, plotting and intrigue … a cast of deliciously selfish
characters … a story that is essentially about how power - both
political and magical - corrupts … rollicking fun' DeathRay
Praise for Julian May:
'A demon's delight of high fantasy to lighten the darkest day' Northern Echo
'A writer of exceptional perception and power' JEAN AUEL
'Julian May has irrevocably placed herself among the greats' Asimov's magazine
'A certain crowd-pleaser' Kirkus Reviews Julian May is the author of
the Saga of the Pliocene Exile (The Many-Coloured Land, The Golden Torc,
The Nonborn King), The Galactic Millieu Trilogy, Black Trillium (with
Marion Zimmer Bradley and Andre Norton), Blood Trillium and Sky
Trillium, and most recently The Rampart Worlds. The author lives in the
state of Washington.
