"The much-anticipated stand-alone prequel to the bestselling Queen of the Tearling trilogy tells the story of a decadent kingdom descended into darkness, alliances forged under fire, and a battle over a prophecy that will change the course of history"--

Alain becomes caught in the middle of an ancient conflict between humankind and the Cursed Ones, while Liath is kidnapped by strange alien creatires and forced into a difficult trial in a land of exile, and Sanglant, mourning the loss of his wife, Liath, struggles to warn King Henry of a deadly conspiracy of sorcerers.

At a time when royal infants are marked at birth, a royal advisor makes a terrible misstep, and an infant princess must be secreted away to save her life. Named Sarah by Miranda, the woman who agrees to raise the child as her own, the girl is unaware of her royal heritage, even though Miranda has done all she can to pair Sarah with the king's nephew, Lord Chad. But unexpected events prevent the expected betrothal. Determined to fulfill her devoted...

King Henry's kingdom has been ravaged by internecine warfare, in a conflict that has been both long and bloody. The bitter in-fighting within King Henry's court and the ceaseless attrition of raiders has weakened his reign and saps his strength. Yet brute force alone will not be enough to stay the darkness that has been foretold as the shadow of the Cursed Ones has fallen. The spell holding the exiled from the land is failing fast and Liath's wild...

Liath and Alains' world is breaking apart as King Henry's kingdom is savaged by earthly and supernatural forces. The Eika warriors thirst for the King's land and power, their enmity sealed by generations of blood. Bitter in-fighting within King Henry's court and the ceaseless attrition of raiders also weaken his reign. Those who remain true must stay strong as the shadow of the Cursed Ones falls, and the spell holding the exiled ones from the planet...

"When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she's lived by one rule: don't let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city. Mortem, the magic born from death, is a high-priced and illicit commodity in Dellaire, and Lore's job running poisons keeps her in food, shelter, and relative security. But when a run goes wrong and Lore's power is revealed,...

Four contend for power over the Iron Throne and the Land of the Seven Kingdoms; alliances shift, and betrayal is always an option. House Lannister's head, Joffrey, rules uneasily. Joffrey's enemy, Lord Stannis, is disgraced and enthralled. Robb of House Stark still rules the North, implacable in his enmity towards his Lannister foes, even as they hold his sister hostage. And the exiled queen Daenerys, mistress of the world's last three dragons, makes...

This is the story of Lady Jessica, mother of Paul, and consort to Leto Atredies. The choices she made shaped an empire, but first the Lady of Caladan must reckon with her own betrayal of the Bene Gesserit.

For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the "Sliver of Infinity," reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Rulerś most hellish prison. Kelsier "snapped"...

The year is 1546, and Suleiman the Magnificent, the feared Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, issues an invitation to every king in Europe: You are invited to send your finest player to compete in a chess tournament to determine the champion of the known world. Thousands converge on Constantinople, including the English court’s champion and his guide, the esteemed scholar Roger Ascham. Seeing a chance to enlighten the mind of a student, Ascham brings...