the first instalment of a stunning trilogy about power, decay and the hard path to redemption. In a remote coastal outpost of the Asan Empire, Hwenfayre is an outsider, taking pleasure only in her beautiful driftwood harp. the harp has extraordinary powers, and when Hwenfayre tries to use it she finds herself in mortal danger. In the decadent Asan capital, Shanek, the third most important man in the Empire, becomes disturbed by a growing ability to sense the thoughts and feelings of others, while in a quiet village, a young man unleashes forces within himself that compel him to journey into the wider world. But these strange powers will not be allowed to emerge unchecked, especially when Shanek becomes aware that the Empire's ancient enemy is on the rise once more ...