"Will appeal to romance and fantasy readers"

In the Wyrling Forest live many humanoid races that regard humans as their enemy. The short green Vaarblog use their claws to dig tunnels that connect their lairs and are the most powerful of the inhabitants of the forest. Klarshk, the warrior shaman of the clan has united all of his species into a fighting force. He will use magic as well as mundane battle techniques to take control of Wyrling Keep and from there conquer the rest of the Eightfold Kingdoms.

Teris Rathden and Syrena Marsena, royals in their respective countries, are getting married as part of the peace treaty. As soon as the vows are pronounced the Vaarblog and their allies, the grayskins attack, forcing the wedding party to retreat into the fortified keep. Teris is pleased with his bride, a warrior woman who can fight as well as any man and who helps the soldiers and the healer during the siege. During the two day battle the pair falls deeply in love even though they are surrounded by danger from within and without the keep. In a daring move that could mean his death, Teris and his allies strike deep in the enemy camp in the hope of killing the one being whose death will end the battle.

John Helfers has created an imaginary realm so detailed and believable readers will believe it actually exists. The battle scenes are so intricately described so that the audience can see it in the mind's eye while the romance between Teris and Syrena is used as a tension reliever. This novel will appeal to romance and fantasy readers who like reading fantastic cross-genre novel. It would be a joy if the author places future books in the Eightfold Kingdoms.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted September 15, 2005