Talon of the Silver Hawk: Conclave of Shadows, Book One

Evil has come to a distant land high among the snow-capped mountains of Midkemia. Razing village after village — slaughtering men, women, and children without mercy — an exterminating army wearing the colors of the Duke of Olasko puts a small nation to the sword. And when the carnage is done, one — and only one — survivor remains: a young boy named Kieli, who is a youth no longer.

A life has been eternally altered, and now there is but one road for Kieli to travel: the path of vengeance. He will not be alone on his mission. The rescuers who discovered him wounded and near death are sworn to aid Kieli's revenge: Robert de Lys, a man of wealth and authority; Magnus, a sorcerer of uncommon — and unsettling — abilities; and Caleb, who, though scarcely older than Kieli, is already a hunter and a warrior without peer. Under their tutelage, Kieli will be molded into a sure and pitiless weapon, and shed completely his former name and existence to accept the destiny that has been chosen for him as Talon of the Silver Hawk.

But the prey he so earnestly stalks is hunting him as well, and their numbers are many. And his mysterious benefactors have a secret agenda, for their fates — and Talon's — are inextricably bound to the Conclave of Shadows, an inscrutable society of magicians, assassins, and spies. Now Talon must swear allegiance to the same mysterious cause, of which he knows little, for it is shrouded in the shadows of his name. If he falters he will be abandoned, left to battle his enemies alone. And his mission, his honor, and his life will be lost forever.

"Feist specializes in the careful and accurate portrayal of the thoughts and feelings of young men going through tumultuous life changes, and this effort is one of his best yet." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"A prolific purveyor of solid conventional fantasy....[T]his book...stands well alone and is noticeably smoother reading than a goodly portion of Feist's other work." Roland Green, Booklist

"The author of the Riftwar Legacy novels and other tales set in the fantasy world of Midkemia begins a new series featuring a young man's search for justice and honor. A good choice for most fantasy collections." Library Journal

Young Kieli is the sole survivor of a murderous attack on Midkemia, and he's out for revenge. Under the tutelage of a wealthy man, a sorcerer, and a warrior, Kieli accepts his destiny as Talon of the Silver Hawk. But his benefactors have a secret agenda, and the prey he so desperately stalks is hunting him as well.

In a distant land, high among the snow-capped mountains, a peaceful nation is mercilessly put to the sword...yet one will survive. Little more than a boy, Talon of the Silver Hawk must carry on until, someday, he can take vengeance.

Leaving the icy vastness of his ancient home, Talon descends into the dangerous land of his adversary. Treading a perilous path, he must survive battlefields, court intrigues, treacherous enemies, backstabbing friends, and beautiful yet deadly women to discover the evil responsible for the annihilation of his people.

Raymond E. Feist's previous novels include Magician, Silverthorn, Faerie Tale, Prince of the Blood, and The King's Buccaneer, as well as the four books of his New York Times bestselling "Serpentwar Saga:" Shadow of a Dark Queen, Rise of a Merchant Prince, Rage of a Demon King, and Shards of a Broken Crown, and the first two books of his "Riftwar Legacy:" Krondor: The Betrayal and Krondor: The Assassins. He is the creator of the immensely popular computer game, Betrayal at Krondor — which won Computer Magazine's Best Game of the Year Award — and the follow-up game, Return to Krondor. Mr. Feist lives in Southern California.