A complicated tale of power and faith unfolds from the talented pen of Fallon.The first of a planned trilogy, this is a complex, epic adventure that leaves the reader entirely immersed in another world. There are many threads woven through the story, including a huge cast, but Fallon keeps them from tangling with deft plotting, strong world-building and stand-out lead characters.

Searing heat, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes plague the people of Randon, due, they believe, to the divine will of the Goddess. When one such eruption shipwrecks a mysterious sailor on the tiny dukedom of Elcast, old secrets and rivalries bubble to the surface: The sailor is none other than the exiled king of Ranadon. His return threatens the current rulers, who use the name of the Goddess to commit atrocities and gather even more power.

As political and religious rebellion threatens, Dirk Provin, apprentice physician of Elcast, is caught up in the looming storms. As he and others begin to suspect that their way of life is based on a lie, they work to dismantle the religious myths that hold the country together and the rulers in power. (Apr., 576 pp., $6.99)
Reviewed by: 
Jen Talley Exum