The Merchant Emperor

Haydon’s long-awaited return to her Symphony of Ages series (picking up where 2006’s The Assassin King left off) is a brilliant tapestry of familial sacrifice and adversity in a land of music and dragons. Skysinger Rhapsody and half-dragon Ashe, leaders of the Cymrians, are preparing for war against the demon-driven Emperor of F’dor. As their enemies draw closer, Rhapsody magically severs parts of her spirit in an effort to hide her son, the prophesied Child of Time, from the emperor, who is bent on seeking immortality through consuming the baby’s heart. The dragon Anwyn, Ashe’s grandmother, who once ruled the Cymrians, is no less bent on destroying Rhapsody and her family. Rhapsody must both engage in dangerous combat and fight for a sense of self that she has already begun to forget. With taut plotting and unforgettable characters, Haydon’s latest will easily enchant new readers. [em](June) [/em]