When going to war, hire allies stronger than your enemy. Not stronger than you. Otherwise getting rid of them can be a problem. That was how the Horse Lords came to Alba, and how they came to rule it. That was how Bayrd ar'Talvlyn rose from a mere captain's rank to become lord of his own clan. And that was how the Art Magic became a part of life and death for the Horse Lords, sowing the seeds of conflict for years to come. Later chronicles sought to cast the newcomers' deeds in a better light. They didn't mention how an entire country had been stolen from its rightful owners at sword's point and any resistance crushed in the invaders' iron fist. And most of all they didn't talk about why a haughty people who'd at first disdained the Art Magic then started to use it like any other weapon... or how this new development triggered the terrible Clan Wars that followed. This is the tale the Book of Years dared not tell...

The tides are turning… Life for Bayrd Talvalin has never been so easy. He has a home, a wife, children, a faithful Bannerman, and much more. What else could a clan-lord wish for? Yet Bayrd still feels uneasy. Since one fateful day six years ago, Lord Gerin’s cries of treachery (and subsequent threats of fighting and war) have hung over his and his family’s head. Time may have passed, but Bayrd knows the resentment festers deep within his heart. As Bayrd serves the people over which he is clan-lord, moves are being made that will change life as he knows it. Within the clan, cracks are beginning to show… The old ways of the Albans are no longer suitable for life at Dunrath hold. And there are many prepared to stake their claim. Meanwhile, a treacherous, powerful wizard, Kalarr cu Ruruc, has entered the fray. Soon, Bayrd must learn the true test of fate, as he navigates a perfidious gameboard of lies, magic, and maneuvering to try and save his family, friends, and people from destruction. As the second installment of the Clan Wars series, Widowmaker continues Peter Morwood’s impeccable fantasy tradition of thrilling pace and wonderful world-building in a tale that will draw readers deep into the world of the Albans.