¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ ¿ "Some of the best, most complex world-building I've yet seen...Your next five star read." - Laurie Forest, New York Times and international bestselling author of The Black Witch Chronicles BEHIND THE MASK OF DUTY AND POWER, NO ONE IS WHO THEY SEEM... Centuries after the Forgotten Wars ravaged the world and turned it to ash, the Houses of Pilar, Darakai, Boreal, and Bastiion forged an accord with the royal line of Thoarne, founding a Quadren of advisory to the throne of Orynthia. Every generation, a single haidren from each of the four Houses is appointed to this coveted chair. Upon her Ascension to adulthood, Luscia Tiergan takes her seat at court as al'haidren to the House of Boreal and is quickly drawn into a maze of political traps and dark secrets. As she adjusts to her new life, Luscia uncovers a pattern of forgotten children, slain in the streets of Bastiion. Raised on superstitious rumors about Boreal's penchant for sorcery, Zaethan Kasim, al'haidren to the House of Darakai, inevitably clashes with Luscia when she arrives in Bastiion. But when his position is threatened by an old rival, Zaethan is forced to set aside his hatred and form an uneasy alliance with the Boreali al'haidren to secure his claim. Following a disturbing stream of innocent bloodshed across Orynthia, Luscia and Zaethan discover their ideals are far more aligned than they might have imagined. But in a land of war and deceit, the path to peace should never be trusted. The Series House of Bastiion is the first installment in the award-winning epic fantasy series, The Haidren Legacy. Brimming with courtly machinations and a diverse cast, House of Bastiion centers not around those wearing the crown, but those influencing it. Those who whisper into its ear; who protect or betray the agenda of the throne. For the most powerful in any society are rarely who they seem, and in the shadows are they ever truly unmasked. Themes such as loyalty, betrayal, duty, self-discovery, blood-ties, and prejudice unravel in a deadly explosion across a sprawling world built upon intricate cultural systems and diabolical plotlines. Following a string of hellish murders, this political masquerade packs a legendary punch for fans of Brandon Sanderson, Victoria Aveyard, John Gwynne, and Robin Hobb. By evoking the classic style of A Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings, The Haidren Legacy series is not for the faint of heart.