Once again Modesitt (Colors of Chaos, The Spellsong Cycle series) returns to the fantasy world of his popular Saga of Recluce series, now with the first book in a new story line set in Recluce's past. The only thing standing between the Empire of Cyador and destruction is the power of the Magi'i, who wield the energies of chaos to defend the land against invading barbarians and the ancient dark forces of the Accursed Forest. Lorn, the son of a high-ranking Magi'i, finds the magical order's many rules too constricting and is sent off to join the Lancers and fight Cyador's countless enemies on the borderlands. That distance doesn't remove him from the constant intrigues and power struggles back home in Cyan, however. While Lorn battles to survive barbarian raids and attacks from the Accursed Forest's worst nightmares, his lover, the merchant Ryalth, works to build her business despite threats from unscrupulous rivals. Though Lorn survives and, by the end of the book, manages to take Ryalth as his consort, it's clear that Modesitt has much more in store for his characters. True to form, the author delivers a complex plot wrapped around finely textured settings and intriguing characters. Fans of previous Recluce novels will find this new series darker in tone--and Lorn is quite a bit more ruthless than the usual Modesitt hero--but they won't be disappointed.
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