Barrick Eddon, prince of Southmarch, is no longer entirely human. He has vowed to safeguard the legacy of the dark Qar race, and must now decide where his loyalties lie. His twin sister Briony has a difficult choice of her own. Her father, King Olin, is held captive by the Autarch, a mad god-king who plans to use Olin's blood to gain unlimited power. And the castle of Southmarch still remains in the possession of Hendon Tolly, Briony's murderous relative. As time runs out, will Briony decide to save her father's kingdom ...or her father? As the foretold Great Defeat draws near, history is stripped of its costume of lies. Poets and players, mortals and fairies, warriors and gods, all will have their roles to play as the fate of the known world hangs in the balance.

泰德•威廉姆斯（Tad Williams）

世界著名科奇幻作家，1957年3月生于美国加利福尼亚州。

他的作品在全球范围内畅销百万册。主要代表作品为史诗奇幻、史诗科幻、都会奇幻小说，以及漫画和剧本等。泰德·威廉姆斯的作品影响了一代作家的创作。比如著名奇幻小说作家乔治•R.R.马丁就对泰德赞不绝口，表示正是读了他的书，才悟出奇幻文学的创作可以有如此多的可能性，他的代表作《冰与火之歌》在故事构架和叙述手法上延承其甚多。

泰德·威廉姆斯的代表作主要有：雾影四部曲之《雾影边境》（Shadowmarch）、《雾影游戏》（Shadowplay）、《雾影升腾》（Shadowrise）、《雾影之心》（Shadowheart），《回忆、悲伤与荆棘》（Memory, Sorrow and Thorn），《异国》（Otherland）等。其中雾影四部曲荣获德国幻想文学奖，入围鹅毛笔大奖、英国幻想文学奖，并被《轨迹》杂志评为年度最佳奇幻小说。