REviews

“Jhared Denaban, a young soldier of the land of Avelos, lives under the Avelune Curse because he descended from a tribe that betrayed their land and earned themselves the label of Shorn. As Jhared labors under the strict laws forbidding the Shorn to hold public office or enter the priesthood, he discovers that Avelos faces not only enemies from without but also rivalries and deceit from within, and he suspects that the stories of his ancestors' shame may not be totally accurate. Niec Davila’s debut novel, the first of a planned four-book series, creates a fascinating world of rival clans and sacred rituals, tainted by a dark, shameful past and subject to predation from its enemies. This is also a coming-of-age story and belongs in most fantasy collections.” 

— Library Journal

“Larissa N. N. Davila has created a fascinating world, peopled it with vivid characters, and woven an epic tale of adventure and political intrigue with thoughtful themes of duty versus desire, bigotry versus acceptance, and the truth of history that hides behind the self-serving accounts written by the victors. She has also invented one of the more convincing religions I've seen in fantasy recently--no mere window-dressing of gods and altars and a priest or two, but a fully-rounded, psychologically convincing faith. An intelligent and captivating novel by a new writer of promise.”

— Victoria Strauss, author of The Burning Land

“Davila has created a compelling story with an original and complex hero torn between duty and desire, loyalty and freedom. She shows us a deep and fascinating culture, a believable world, struggling with issues of faith and power in ways that reflect our own fears and dreams. More please!”

— Ari Berk, author of The Undertaken Trilogy