A nominee for the British Fantasy Award.
Wen Olha is heir to two worlds.
A tradition of serving the divine Sien Emperor is passed down through his father’s lineage, and it is expected that Olha will take his exams and master the approved magical arts. If he succeeds in his service, he could rise to become the Emperor’s Hand, thereby adding honor to his family.
But from his mother he inherited a tendency to disobey, along with knowledge of wild gods and magic beyond the reach of the empire’s sorcerers.
Facing the choices life offers, Olha realizes that resistance to the empire—and resistance itself—is only the beginning of a larger war spanning heavens and earth, gods and mortals. He has the power to change events in favor of those who will recognize him as their own…