cover image Magebane

Magebane

Lee Arthur Chane. DAW, $7.99 mass market (496p) ISBN 978-0-7564-0679-0

Chane makes a splash with this spectacular epic-feeling stand-alone fantasy debut. It has been 800 years since the Mageborn fled a Commoner revolution and retreated to the kingdom of Evrenfels, hidden behind the Great Barrier, where the culture never changes and Mageborn may still treat Commoners as slaves. On the other side of the Barrier, however, democracy and the industrial revolution have radically transformed the world. In a traditional twist, Prince Karl of Evrenfels is actually a Commoner, having been switched at birth with Brenna, the true heir to the throne. Now grown, they’re caught at the center of two rival conspiracies: one to invade the outside world, one to destroy Mageborn power right down to the roots. That’s when a young man from beyond the Barrier crashes his experimental airship in Evrenfels, upsetting everything. Double and triple crosses, fast-paced action, and powerful moral conviction will have readers hanging on every word. (Oct.)