Books by Janny Wurts

Lysaer's unstable integrity lies under threat of total downfall, and as his determined protector, Daliana will face the most frightening decision of her young life. Arithon, Master of Shadow, is marked for death and still hunted, his critical quest to recover his past entangles him in a web of deep intrigue and ancient perils beyond his imagining.

Where there is light, there must always be shadow... The fifth volume in Janny Wurts's spectacular epic fantasy, now re-released with a striking new cover design along with the rest of the series.The wars began when two half-brothers, gifted of light and shadow, stood shoulder to shoulder to defeat the Mistwraith. Their foe cast a lifelong curse of enmity between them that has so far woven three bitter conflicts and uncounted deadly intrigues.It is a time of political upheavel, fanaticism and rampaging armies. Distrust of sorcery has set off a purge of the talented mageborn - none reviled more than Arithon, Master of Shadow. Through clever manipulation of events at the hands of his half-brother Lysaer, Lord of Light, Arithon's very name has become anathema. Now the volatile hatreds that spearheaded the campaign against Shadow have overtaken all reason.Those that still stand in Arithon's desperate defence are downtrodden, in retreat and close to annihilation. The stage is set for the ultimate betrayal.

BOOK ONE IN THE GROUNDBREAKING SERIES, THE WARS OF LIGHT AND SHADOWA powerful, layered weaving of myth, prose and pure imagination - Curse of the Mistwraith opens an epic fantasy series perfect for fans of The Dark Tower and Earthsea.Let each who reads determine the good and the evil for himselfAthera is besieged by the Mistwraith, which blights the land and dims the mysteries guarded by the last fugitives of the old bloodlines.But from a prophecy springs hope: the gifts of two brothers - one dark, one fair, raised on opposite sides of a relentless war - when paired may challenge the Mistwraith's invasion, though at brutal cost...Arithon, Master of Shadow, musician and mage, commands the power of illusion and darkness. Taken prisoner in battle, his fate falls to his half-brother, Prince Lysaer - a man endowed with the gift of light through the mother they share. Lysaer is the legitimate son of a king who was betrayed by his queen's choice to father Arithon by his mortal enemy but that does not save him:Vengeful fury drives the king to banish both Lysaer and Arithon from the world they know to the troubled realms of Athera beyond the Worldsend Gate.The two exiles are thrown together by hatred and spilled blood - then bound by destiny to champion Athera's sundered heritage. The highest stakes ride the backlash of their conflict - they must reforge their adverse ideals into balance, or destroy the etheric grace of a culture all but lost to antiquity.A subtle and intricate tale of morality and difference, justice versus compassion, told with epic scope and real magic, Curse of the Mistwraith remains a modern classic of the fantasy genre.

A powerful, layered weaving of myth, prose and pure imagination - The Ships of Merior continues an epic fantasy series perfect for enthusiasts of The Dark Tower and Earthsea.The second volume of Janny Wurts's incomparable series following Arithon and Lysaer, two brothers forced to take opposite sides in a relentless conflict.After defeating the malevolent fog that blighted Athera, Arithon and Lysaer battle the throes of the Mistwraith's insidious retribution: a curse set upon them at their moment of triumph compels them each to seek the other's downfall.Lysaer, the charming and charismatic Lord of Light, drives his brother out of hiding and hounds Arithon with a massive army at his command. Meanwhile Arithon, Master of Shadow, the sensitive mage who prefers music to violence, must take to the seas to evade capture and strike back against Lysaer's mighty war host.Locked into lifelong enmity, the brothers' pursuit of each other's destruction will test the foundations of human morailty, even as threat to the world's deepest magic rides on the outcome.THE SHIPS OF MERIOR weaves a rich and complicated tapestry, bringing readers deeper into the mystical world of Athera. Striking a balance between epic scope and intricate subtlety, the Wars of Light and Shadow is a must-read series for readers of intelligent fantasy.