The main epic arc is stretched between two polar opposites: Antonin Mairos and Sabele the Witch (you can also replace the “w” with the “b” and you’ll get the overall sense of this character). While being slightly confusing at first, I quickly got a grasp of the capabilities of each type of gnosis and how some mages naturally suit certain types better. Yuros is the western landmass hosting various nations that have a magical aspect to their theology and chief among the nations are the Rondians who form the empire to rule over the entire continent. Its saving grace is that it got mildly entertaining in the last third and I was irrationally invested enough to keep reading for more than fifteen minutes a stretch.

However some 500 years before the start of the novel in 927, magic - gnosis - comes to the West when the 1000 followers of a hippie-like prophet, Corineus, are touched by supernatural power in a terrible and unforgettable night.In short we follow three main characters - A training mage, a mercenary hired to spy on the royal family and a market girl greeted by an unusual man. This book had a blurb that promised a war that occurs every twelve years due to a specific tidal event and featured a world that bears a close resemblance to certain areas and historical aspects of our own. But during the presentation of his thesis, he unwittingly proposes a dangerous topic that could mean the end to his hopes and dreams. The bridge would appear every 10 years with the Moontide and was initially designed to promote trade, communication, and understanding between the two vastly different cultures.

The parallel to Islamic/Indian cultures clashing with western culture is something that I was interested in because of everything that is going on in the world today. The different characters and their story lines are cleanly organized and separated by chapters, which is why this is my favorite format for epic novels. The continents involved here encompass various nations, many of which are described here with great thought and detail. The Magi are hell-bent on ruling this world and have led armies across the bridge on crusades of conquest. I found her to be a fascinating character with a great plotline where I was instantly hooked and constantly on my toes, wondering what would happen next.In summary, if you've never heard of this or read it go and check it out because it was just wonderful and every element is perfect (remember what a mess Dinosaur Lords was - yeah, this is proof of what a GOOD fantasy should be! This is a 650+ page book so it's not a fast read by any means but it is filled with action and intensity throughout. After stumbling across an old man who has lost his memory, Alaron and his two friends attempt to unravel the man’s mysterious past, only to find that they have set in motion events that cannot be stopped. The next Moontide is coming in a year, and The Rondian Emperor wants to use this time to rule both continents, but this time the people of Antiopia will be prepared.