About the Author

Todd Fahnestock and Giles Carwyn met in high school nineteen years ago. Within an hour of meeting, they started a philosophical conversation they haven't been able to finish yet. Their nomadic lifepaths have crisscrossed again and again. Through the years they have dated the same women, been best man at each other's weddings, and attended the births of each other's children. They currently live twenty-five blocks from each other in Littlewood, Colorado, with their stunning wives, Lara and Tanya, and their freakishly well-named children: Liefke, Elowyn, Luna, and the Dash-man.

Todd Fahnestock and Giles Carwyn met in high school nineteen years ago. Within an hour of meeting, they started a philosophical conversation they haven't been able to finish yet. Their nomadic lifepaths have crisscrossed again and again. Through the years they have dated the same women, been best man at each other's weddings, and attended the births of each other's children. They currently live twenty-five blocks from each other in Littlewood, Colorado, with their stunning wives, Lara and Tanya, and their freakishly well-named children: Liefke, Elowyn, Luna, and the Dash-man.

Reviews

Solid characterization helps redeem Carwyn and Fahnestock's overly long and predictable debut fantasy, which chronicles the growth of young Brophy into his role as the future leader of the House of Autumn, aided by the memorable Scythe, a ubiquitous spy and mysterious loner. When the kingdom of Ohndarien, normally ruled by the Children of the Seasons, falls under the control of Brophy's treacherous foreign-born uncle, Brophy goes into exile. Brophy has an affair with a married queen, who miscarries their child, and later participates in the glamorous but often fatal Nine Squares game. While the book's many deaths are real enough, they don't pack much emotional punch. The serviceable prose falls short of the epic beauty of Tolkien, an obvious source of inspiration. Still, fans of straightforward, by-the-numbers fantasy should look forward to the sequel. (Feb.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Ruled by a council of four men and four women known as the Children of the Season, the great city of Ohndarien stands out as a center for freedom in a world filled with brutality and tyranny. Yet tensions threaten to divide the rulers when Brophy, the Heir of Autumn, is accused of murder and forced to flee the city. To restore his good name and save his city, he makes his way to the great land known only as the Vastness to call forth its secrets and return to claim his rightful place. Coauthors Carwyn and Fahnestock make their fantasy debut with an epic saga filled with intrigue, treachery, loyalty, and love. Rich details and a many-layered story make this a good addition to most fantasy collections. Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.