Sulema, a desert warrior, must protect the people and safeguard their resources from the hostile intentions of slavers, raiders and thieves. Her mother, Hafsa Azeina, is the dream shifter for her people. She is a powerful and ruthless leader who walks the nightmare realms to seek guidance and to mete out justice to those who would oppose the best interests of her people, the Zeeranim.

They both, however, have a secret. Everyone knows that neither is a born Zeeranim, but no-one is aware that Sulema is the daughter of Wyvernus, the Dragon King. Neither of them knows that he is dying and that he needs his daughter to take her place on the throne as his heir.

In the meantime, the Emperor of Sindan is raising an army of demon-born warriors in the East to challenge the power of the Dragon King, and in the Seared Lands, a once beautiful region burned to the ground through the wrath of a previous Dragon King, the dangerous Cult of Eth is rising once more from the shadows to drag the world in to darkness.

This debut novel is full of rich characterisation and a strong sense of the world in which the tale take place. An engaging, interesting cast of characters sets the platform for what promises to be an exciting journey.

Reviewed by David Johnson