The Aldabreshin Compass

Series · 4 books · 2003-2006

By Juliet E. McKenna

Books in series

Southern Fire

2003

Their coming had not been written in the stars, and no augury had foretold the terror they would bring. The first sign was the golden lights of the beacons, a clear message from every southern isle that a calamity had befallen them. Daish Kheda, warlord, reader of portents, giver of laws, healer and protector of all his many-islanded realm encompasses, must act quickly and decisively to avert disaster. But the people of the Aldabreshin Archipelago not only fear magic, they've abjured it. So what defense can Kheda offer against the threat of a dark magic that threatens to overrun every island of his domain? A new tale from the writer who has already gathered many fans with the five volumes of her Tales of Einarinn, Southern Fire is an engrossing epic of magic, intrigue, culture, and politics, in a fantasy setting as colorful as the south seas, as bracing as the ocean wind, and as alluring as the hint of spices in the air of an exotic port.

Northern Storm

2004

The second book in The Aldabreshin Compass following SOUTHERN FIRE - a brilliant new epic of empire and intrigue. The Aldabreshin Archipelago has been ravaged by war, its fragile alliances sundered by new enemies - enemies wielding forbidden elemental magic and spreading terror throughout the scattered southern realm. Warlord Daish Kheda has vowed to reclaim his people's land. Exiled from the kingdom and separated from his family, Daish journeys north to seek answers. The wizard Dev has pledged to assist him, hungry to discover the secrets of this powerful dark magic. And it is Dev's obsession that will lead the men to further conflict and into a political battle where strength in magic is key to the highest rank of all.

Western Shore

2005

Warlord Daish Kheda has been building political alliances, working to consolidate power over his new realm. Although he has saved his people from the twin evils of wizardry and dragons, he feels tainted by association with forbidden magic and fears he may bring great ill-fortune to his people. So Kheda resolves to once more join his Northern wizard allies in the hope of removing the dragon threat once and for all, and to seek whatever purification he can find. Only time can tell whether he will be condemned for his actions, or whether magic is less a sin than he was brought up to believe ...He tells his son in secret that he may not return, and sets his face to the future.

Eastern Tide

2006

The Archipelago is still plagued by dragons and its peoples live in terror of their coming. Kheda, Risala, and Velindre chase rumors of a water dragon, as they alone have gathered secrets of how to repel these fearsome beasts. Yet this has won them no friends as they are forced to travel incognito, their lives at risk. The delicate political balance of the islands teeters as rival factions spar and warfare threatens. Kheda is reluctantly drawn into the fray as his dragon fighting powers become a powerful political tool—but he and his companions are tainted by the suspicion of forbidden magic. This not only places them in great danger but also has wider implications for the power structure of the islands. Kheda’s contact with northern magic has caused him to doubt the very foundations of his people’s ancient beliefs, placing his future as a warlord in doubt and the making the succession of his realm a dark and bloody question. The Archipelago was first established in McKenna's previous series The Tales of Einarinn.

Author

Juliet E. McKenna

Author · 25 books

Juliet E McKenna is a British fantasy author living in the Cotswolds, UK. Loving history, myth and other worlds since she first learned to read, she has written fifteen epic fantasy novels, from The Thief’s Gamble which began The Tales of Einarinn in 1999, to Defiant Peaks concluding The Hadrumal Crisis trilogy. She's currently writing modern fantasy rooted in the ancient myths and folklore of the British Isles. The series so far consists of The Green Man's Heir, The Green Man's Foe, The Green Man's Silence, The Green Man's Challenge and The Green Man's Gift. She has also written an Arthurian novel, The Cleaving, to be published in 2023. Juliet has re-issued her backlist as ebooks in association with Wizard’s Tower Press as well as bringing out original fiction. Shadow Histories of the River Kingdom offers readers a wholly new and different fantasy world to explore. She reviews for the web and print magazines notably Interzone, and promotes SF&Fantasy by blogging on book trade issues. She also teaches creative writing from time to time. Her forays into shorter fiction include dark fantasy, steampunk and science fiction. Who’s to say what will come next? Learn more about all of this at julietemckenna.com and on Twitter @JulietEMcKenna