A young smith with healing talents, exiled from the land of Recluce for his desire to work with the stuff of chaos, becomes the fulcrum for a war between the forces of chaos and order. This latest novel in Modesitt's "Recluce" series demonstrates the author's subtle storytelling, as the everyday lives of her characters intertwine with events of epic proportions. Grand fantasy on a small scale, this intelligently crafted novel deserves consideration by most libraries.