When I first picked up this book something worried me..... the words "Romantic Novel of the Year 2000 WINNER" shining up at me from a glossy gold sticker. Hmmm, was this book going to be the kind of thing usually reserved for my mother to read?

Nope!

The story revolves around the invasion of a kingdom, self-sacrifice, love, betrayal and magic and is told through the eyes of the two main characters, T'Imoshen (one of the last survivors of the legendary T'En race) and General Tulkhan, a Ghebite military leader and conqueror of T'Imoshen's kingdom.

The fact that the story is told from two opposing perspectives is unusual and adds to the enjoyment, particularly when one of the main protagonists misconstrues the actions of the other. The story is well paced and beautifully crafted and had me gripped until the very end. I am so glad that I had the second of the trilogy ready and waiting when I finished.