Freedom's Gate
-
- $8.99
-
- $8.99
Publisher Description
From the acclaimed author of Fires of the Faithful comes the tale of an impetuous young woman, freeborn in a world of slavery and magic.
Twenty-year-old Lauria is the favorite aide to Kyros, a powerful military officer. On his authority, she is messenger, observer, and spy. But now she is entrusted with a mission more dangerous than any that have come before. . . .
After years of relative peace, word has come to Kyros’s compound that the bandit tribe known as the Alashi is planning an offensive. It is up to Lauria to infiltrate the Alashi by posing as an escaped slave—a charge that requires she serve in the household of a neighboring officer. From there, she will stage an escape and continue on in her guise as a runaway.
But posing as a slave—a virgin concubine, no less—may prove the least of her troubles. For even if she does escape and the Alashi do accept her, how can this freeborn woman convince them she is slave, not spy? And, worse, what if her own views are gradually changing, calling everything she believes about her world into question?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The first book in Kritzer's new Dead Rivers trilogy is set in a fantasy version of ancient Earth, where the vanquished Greek Empire has risen again to ruthless power with the aid of the witch-like Sisterhood of Weavers and their captive djinni. When the mysterious and possibly murderous Alashi threaten the Sisterhood, 20-year-old Lauria, chief slave-catcher to Greek commander Kyros, is sent to infiltrate the nomadic rebels by posing as a slave escaped from another commander's harem. Though the subservient role chaffs the proud young lieutenant, Lauria gradually finds herself questioning not her enemies, but her alleged allies and her own false freedom. Sword and sorcery enthusiasts will find plenty of physical and magical action here. Unfortunately, the plot is conventional, and Kritzer fails to provide a convincing connection between her ancient faux Earth and the present-day world. Although this is a competent fantasy yarn, it may fall short of some readers' expectations, particularly fans of Kritzer's earlier, more inventive works (Fires of the Faithful, etc.).
