But a dark, sinister magic has crept close to the young man and seized hold of the kingdom. Nothing is as it seems, and the bonds of family strain against the powerful forces that would see them undone. It is up to an embattled four...Elfwyn; his half brother, Aewyn Marhanen; Cefwyn; and Tristen'to unmask and destroy the dark forces that threaten to unhinge the king's peaceful and fragile reign.
Cherryh's prose is as razor-sharp as ever; keen as the shards of ice that wait for the unwary traveler in these pages. -- Edward Carmien, SFRevu
C.J. Cherryh provides a fabulous tale testing the loyalties of the two teenage brothers. -- Harriet Klausner's Review Archive
Although the Book's plot is thin, the richness of the characters keeps the reader turning pages. -- Lois H. Gresh, Scifi.com