The Edict

FANTASY:  The Reluwyn Empire is poised on the brink of a massive shift. Since the death of the King, the unscrupulous Regent Garesh has been ruling in the Prince’s stead. When Prince Trevisan comes of age, the Edict of Maidens is issued, drafting eligible young women for consideration as the Prince’s new bride. However, Garesh is not about to turn over the kingdom to the Prince, using blackmail to keep the restless young man under his thumb.

Kiara is a fiery young Laowyn who is fed up with her people’s pacifism and longs to join the resistance. Instead, she is forced to join the palace harem as one of the Maidens, coming face-to-face with the man she loathes – and the attraction is undeniable. When a new Edict is issued, authorizing the annihilation of the Laowyn peoples, can she use her new position to save her people, or is she doomed to die alongside them?

Ms. Keyworth uses the Biblical story of Esther to construct a powerful new fantasy world that is brimming with life. Kiara and the Prince are well-constructed heroes with believable backstories and the supporting cast is just as interesting and complex. While the plot is not original, the new setting allows the author to draw deeper into the human story. Intense and well paced (with an ending battle sequence that rivals Hollywood blockbuster movies), readers will be chomping at the bit waiting for the next book in the trilogy!

Janice Martin