«Souldrifter» by Garrett Calcaterra

The Dreamwielder Chronicles continue with an enthralling fantasy of a young queen’s struggle to rule an empire—and harness the magic within her . . .In the shadow of Emperor Guderian’s fallen empire, young Queen Makarria finds her throne—and her life—in grave danger. The Old World Republic has come, demanding that Queen Makarria bring order to the struggling Five Kingdoms by forming a new empire, one she would rule as the Old World’s puppet. When Makarria refuses them, the Old World threatens war and unleashes a nefarious spy to sow discord in her court. Before she knows it, Makarria’s budding romance with Prince Caile has been exploited by the spy, and Makarria finds herself embroiled in a complex game of power and lies in which she can trust no one.Betrayed and lost, Makarria is forced to shed all pride and discover the true nature of her power as a dreamwielder in order to recreate herself and face the sprawling threat that is the Old World Empire.“Fine writing, magic, epic intrigue, a great cast, and a central character . . . who mesmerizes—what more does a reader need to be happy?” —Bruce McAllister, author of The Village Sang to the Sea“The powerful follow-up to Dreamwielder . . . with stronger writing, more compelling characters, and the same awesome magic that I came to love in book one! I think fans of A Song of Ice and Fire will appreciate the vast political landscape and grit that this story includes, with a touch more magic.” —On Starships and Dragonwings