Synopses & Reviews
The Archipelago is still plagued by dragons and its peoples live in terror of their coming. Kheda, Risala, and Velindre chase rumors of a water dragon, as they alone have gathered secrets of how to repel these fearsome beasts. Yet this has won them no friends as they are forced to travel incognito, their lives at risk. The delicate political balance of the islands teeters as rival factions spar and warfare threatens. Kheda is reluctantly drawn into the fray as his dragon fighting powers become a powerful political toolbut he and his companions are tainted by the suspicion of forbidden magic. This not only places them in great danger but also has wider implications for the power structure of the islands. Khedas contact with northern magic has caused him to doubt the very foundations of his peoples ancient beliefs, placing his future as a warlord in doubt and the making the succession of his realm a dark and bloody question. The Archipelago was first established in McKenna's previous series The Tales of Einarinn.
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"Brimful of magic and adventure." —Starburst
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"Written with verve and style, they're all ripe and juicy and ready for picking." —SFX
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"McKenna creates real tension and her battles . . . are unique and excellently done." —Time Out
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"An original and intriguing setting, impressive world-building and compelling writing set McKenna's work apart from a field thick with far less ambitious fantasy works." —Publishers Weekly on Southern Fire
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"When a talented writer makes fiction seem like history, the book becomes an event. The world Juliet McKenna has created within the Aldabreshin Archipelago is carefully developed, layer upon layer, giving it the reality which is the hallmark of outstanding fantasy. She writes very visual prose, enabling the reader to see every scene in great detail. Her characters are colorful and believable; love them or hate them, you won't forget them. I certainly won't. Kheda, Risala, Dev, and many others linger in my mind, awaiting the continuation of their story." —Morgan Llywelyn, author, The Greener Shore, on Southern Fire
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"[McKenna's] the thinking fantasy reader's writer, and the stuff she writes is dangerously addictive." —Charles Stross, author, Missile Gap
About the Author
Juliet E. McKenna is the author of The Tales of Einarinn series and three previous titles in the Aldabreshin Compass series: Southern Fire, Northern Storm, and Western Shore.