This is a wonderfully original novel that held me spellbound both for its extraordinary story but also for some deeply memorable characters that will rest with you long after you’ve finished. It’s all about a girl’s destiny versus her ambition, the choices she must make and the secrets she must keep even when danger is so close at hand it threatens both her and her country.
In the country of Breda, men are forbidden a home to call their own. They live as nomads, resting only at the mercy of the ruling women. Kat's mother, Tess, the Maestra of Crowfoot Inn, is one of these powerful women and Kat has always known it is her destiny to follow in Tess's footsteps. But then, one rain-swept night, a scarred woman comes to Crowfoot riding an extraordinary silver horse and Kat's world is turned upside down. From that moment on, it is her burning ambition to become a Bredanari - a keeper of the peace and rider of these magnificent creatures. But, it isn't easy for a girl from the Vales to fit in at the Bredanari training academy in the big city. Worse still, Kat knows something which has put her life in danger. She has accidentally discovered the whereabouts of a dangerous outlaw known as Ermine. Now, there are ruthless people who will do anything to keep her from revealing this secret, including leaving her unconscious on Hellhorse Mountain, where the beautiful but deadly stallions run wild. Kat soon finds herself deeply enmeshed in the dangerous plots and politics that threaten her country, not to mention the life of someone she has come to love. This is first of two spellbinding books following Kat's adventures.
Award winning and highly acclaimed writer of fantasy, Lene was born in 1960, grew up in the Danish countryside and had her first book published at the age of 15. Since then she has written more than 30 books for children and young adults. Lene's huge international breakthrough came with The Shamer Chronicles, which is published in more than 25 countries selling over a million copies worldwide.
