In Nancy Springer's enthralling fourth volume of the Book of Isle, two
young princes set out to destroy their own father and the pervasive evil
that poisons the kingdom
An epic saga set in an ageless island stronghold of magic and mystery,
Nancy Springer's Book of Isle series is considered by many to be among
the most accomplished offerings in all of fantasy literature, as lyrical
and inventive as the classic works of J. R. R. Tolkien. In this
unforgettable novel, a violent rift in a royal house threatens to tear
an entire kingdom asunder.
The next in line to rule the troubled realm of Melior, Prince Tirell
gave his heart to the gentle and beautiful peasant girl Mylitta. But she
died at the cruel whim of Tirell's father, the king, who insists on a
more politically expedient match for his rebellious son. Since the
murder of his love, Tirell's heart has hardened, and now, with the aid
of his younger brother, Frain, the healer, he seeks an army that will
help him defeat the evil, unrepentant monarch. All hope for victory in
the war to come awaits the brothers somewhere deep in the mysteries of
the Vale, where a beautiful goddess also dwells. But a sinister presence
is spreading its malevolence throughout the land--and Melior can never
again be truly whole until the kingdom is rid of the terrible scourge of
the Black Beast.
