Book description
Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Italian Renaissance this
alternate history takes place in a world where real faith-based magic
exists. Our hero is Damiano Dalstrego. He is a wizard's son, an
alchemist and the heir to dark magics. But he is also an innocent, a
young scholar and musician befriended by the Archangel Raphael, who
instructs him in the lute. To save his beloved city from war, Damiano
leaves his cloistered life and sets out on a pilgrimage, seeking the aid
of the powerful sorceress Saara as he must walk the narrow path between
light and shadow, accompanied only by his talking dog. But his road is
filled with betrayal, disillusionment and death, and Damiano is forced
to confront his dark heritage, unleashing the hellish force of his
awesome powers to protect those he loves. The further volumes of this
tale are Damiano's Lute and Raphael. R. A. MacAvoy is a highly
acclaimed author of imaginative and original science fiction and fantasy
novels. Her debut novel, TEA WITH THE BLACK DRAGON, won the John W.
Campbell Award for Best New Writer. She has also written the DAMIANO
trilogy, the chronicles of a wizards young son, set during an alternate
history version of the Italian Renaissance; THE BOOK OF KELLS, and
TWISTING THE ROPE, the highly acclaimed sequel to TEA WITH THE BLACK
DRAGON. She is also the author of the beloved and much-praised LENS OF
THE WORLD trilogy.
