★★★★★ IHIBRP Award for Excellence in Writing 2020 ★★★★★ It is not a peaceful time in the kingdom ... especially when an old enemy returns from the past. Though King Lyall has won the battle for his ancestral home, rebellion still looms in the kingdom and danger appears at every turn. With the kingdom in turmoil, his brother Namir knows that peace is far from reach. So when the newly appointed Emperor Cornelius, summons Clan leader, Namir to sign a peace treaty—he knows the risks. For this new Emperor is hellbent on seizing the whole kingdom for himself—and killing anyone in his path. Surrounded and outnumbered by new enemies, Namir must call on all his skill and courage to survive, and prevent his beloved Durundal from falling into the wrong hands. Excerpt: 'On the other side of the world, some ten thousand miles away, a lone man sat in a small tavern, at a candlelit table, surrounded by darkness and drunken strangers. Golden streaks of tangled limp hair reached his shoulders while a heavy woollen cloak hung almost to the ground - covering a torn grey shirt and tired worn breeches. A paralytic lout on the street had lost his shoes to him, plus a handful of loose change. Under the growth of a few days stubble a handsome face was etched, though some would argue it didn't exist at all. The saturated straw didn't bother him either as he supped on his ale, and he barely noticed the pungent aroma of body odour and stale beer. Outside, was a maze of twisting alleyways and hidden corners - best to keep away from those places, people would tell him - but he wasn't scared of those places, nothing scared him anymore.' Pivotal ★★★★★ With a cast of characters that are pivotal in all nine books, this is perfect for fans of Outlander and Game of Thrones.