Description: Tor Leonne--the heart of the Dominion of Annagar, where the games of state are about to become a matter of life and death--and where those who seek to seize the crown will be forced to league with a treacherously cunning ally ... Tor Leonne, ancestral seat of power, where Serra Diora Maria di'Marano--the most sought-after beauty in the land, a woman betrayed by all she holds dear--may strike the first blow to change the future of the Dominion and Empire alike ... Averalaan Aramarelas--that most ancient of civilized cities, the home of the Essalieyan Imperial court, has long been a center of magics both dark and bright. And though the Empire won its last war with the Dominion, and survived a devastating, magic-fueled battle with a far deadlier foe, both those victories were not without their cost ... But now the realm is on the brink of a far greater confrontation, faced with an unholy alliance that could spell the end of freedom for all mortalkind.
Brief description: Michelle West is the author of three interconnected series: the Sacred Hunt duology, the six-volume Sun Sword series, and the House War novels. She has published numerous short stories and fantasy novels under her maiden name, Michelle Sagara. She was a two-time nominee for the Campbell Award. She works part-time at BAKKA Books, one of Toronto's larger bookstores, and writes a column for the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction.