Daughter of Redwinter
A dark and atmospheric epic fantasy that’s rich in folklore
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
'A real page-turner, one that kept me guessing, and pulling the rug out from under me' Novel Notions
'A glorious reconfiguration of classic fantasy' David Wragg, author of The Blackhawks
Raine is seventeen-years-old and still on the run. She can see the dead, a secret that could get her killed. Seeking refuge with a deluded cult is her latest bad decision but rescuing an injured woman in the snow is soon revealed to be a horrific mistake. Hazia endangers not just Raine, but the whole world: she's escaped from Redwinter, fortress-monastery of the Draoihn, the warrior magicians who answer to no king or queen of the land, but to their own Grand Master. They will stop at nothing to retrieve what she's stolen.
Raine must survive by her wits, and her skill with a bow in a world turned upside down. A battle, a betrayal and a horrific revelation finds her herself inside Redwinter, where anyone caught communing with ghosts is put to death. As conspirators plot to release an ancient enemy, Raine's ability to see the dead might be their only hope, but to use her power would see her condemned.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This uncommonly vivid and vigorous sword and sorcery novel from McDonald (Blackwing) follows Raine, a rootless young woman whose only certainty is that she must never reveal that she has "spirit-sight," the ability to see ghosts. It's a mortal crime in her society, where people fear both the unknown and, especially, invasion by the dead. After Raine innocently aids the mysteriously ensorcelled Hazia LacFroome to rouse one of the ancient wizard-kings, she hastens to correct her mistake and is taken under the protection of Ulovar LacNaithe, head of one of the clans that make up the Draoihn, elite warriors of the "fortress-monastery" Redwinter. Inside Redwinter, Raine must navigate relationships with Ulovar's heir, the indecisive Ovitus; Sanvaunt, a forbiddingly grim swordsman; and her new, dear friend, Esher. Then there are "Those Who See," the skulking rabble who share Raine's spirit-sight and who insist that the Draoihn are murderously wrong. Meanwhile, the ghostly Queen of Feathers hovers enigmatically behind everything. Raine must use all her wits, not to mention her skill with bows and arrows, to survive in this world and to find her place in it. McDonald makes familiar story and character beats come alive with imagination and energy. The result is a superior start to a promising new saga.
