Kyralia is facing threats at home and abroad, as a rogue killer stalks its capital's streets, while the neighbouring kingdom of Sachaka is breeding a rebellion that could destabilise the entire region. High Lord Akkarin and Sonea's son Lorkin has a legacy of heroism to live up to, but despite his good intentions, his incarceration in Sachaka's rebel Traitor stronghold could destroy the tenuous peace between the two countries. Angered by Lorkin's seeming defection the Sachakans blame the Kyralian ambassador, Danny - and they are a savage people when roused. And back home, in the University, two young novices are about to remind the Guild that sometimes their greatest enemy comes from within . . .

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Trudi Canavan
Canavan was born in Kew, in Melbourne, Australia and grew up in the suburb of Ferntree Gully. From early in her childhood she was creative and interested in art, writing and music. After deciding to become a professional artist she completed an Advanced Certificate in Promotional Display at the Melbourne College of Decoration, where she received an award for Highest Aggregate Mark in Art Subjects in 1988. In 1995 Canavan started The Telltale Art, a freelance business specialising on graphical design services. In that same year she began working for Aurealis, a magazine of Australian Fantasy and Science Fiction, working a do-it-all job as art and cover editor, reading manuscripts, creating web pages and stuffing envelopes. By taking on this job she was able to start writing in her spare time. Canavan states that until the age of 25 she dreamed of writing a novel but lacked the focus to do so. When she turned 25 she took several writing courses, worked on refining her fiction writing skills, while she fought her way through several rejections. In 1999, Canavan's writing career took off when she won the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Short Story with Whispers of the Mist Children. In 2001, she further established herself with The Magicians' Guild, centering around Sonea, a slum child who is hunted for her rogue magic. All three books in the series entered Australian top ten SF bestseller lists. The trilogy is now rated by Nielsen BookScan as the most successful debut fantasy series of the last 10 years, and in 2006 had sold over 275,000 copies in all editions. Canavan's second trilogy, Age of the Five, was also well received by her readers.