The reckless pursuit of honor exposes an empire to demonic invasion,
in this epic fantasy novel of duty and warfare, set in the extraordinary
world of Legend of the Five Rings.
Striking Dawn Castle defends the mountains between the Rokugan empire
and the demon-haunted Shadowlands. When a mythical city is discovered in
the forbidding peaks, Hida Haru, heir and sore disappointment to his
family, seizes the opportunity to prove himself. His rash expedition
ends in disaster - just one samurai returns alive, and Haru is lost.
Before a power struggle can break out, Striking Dawn's battle-hardened
commander, Ochiba, is dispatched to rescue Haru. She succeeds against
supernatural horrors, but Haru is... changed. Now, mysterious deaths and
ill fortune plague his family. Something evil is loose and must be
stopped, at any cost.