The Worlds of L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

The Spellsong Cycle

• The Soprano Sorceress
• The Spellsong War
• Darksong Rising
• The Shadow Sorceress
• Shadowsinger
   
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The Shadow Sorceress

From the HC:
L. E. Modesitt, Jr., has developed a wide readership with his popularfantasy novels set in the universe of Recluce. With more than a millioncopies in print, he continues to build a substantial audience with eachnew volume. He widened that audience with the first three volumes of theSpellsong Cycle ser in a compelling and imaginative world where music isthe vehicle for the creation and wielding of magic. He now returns to thatuniverse for a new series of tales starring a new heroine who must fact asuccession of deadly and military threats.

The Shadow Sorceress continues the story begun inthe first Spellsong trilogy but focuses on the challenges facing Secca,now a young sorceress. She is thrust into a position of power andresponsibility when her mentor, Anna, the legendary Sorceress Protector ofDefalk and the heroine of the original trilogy, dies unexpectedly beofreSecca's training as master magic wielder is anywhere near complete.

Despite her reservations concerning the skills andstrength of the rules of the kingdom, Secca must immediately take commandof all her magical resources to help suppress internal dissention in aneighboring province. Then she must rally potential allies to lift thenaval siege laid on Nordwei by the Sea Priests, who bring with them a newkind of drumming magic that threatens the balance of power in the world,portending danger and destruction not imagined for decades.

Secca learns to fight battles with sorcerous skills shehas never used before, while leading an army for the first time. She mustmaster diplomacy in order to save her ruler and his kingdom, formalliances with unfriendly potential allies, and mediate poser strugglesamong ambitious and disparate societies. At the same time she discovers anunexpected chance for love and companionship in a world where few men arewise enough to value women as anything more than wives, mistresses, ormothers.

Coping with these challenges, Secca proves herself morethan just a quick study; she has become a woman with a limitless capacityfor courage, personal growth, and fearless commitment to survival andfighting the good fight.

From the ARC:
The Spellsong Cycle continues, introducing a new young heroine and aseries of deadly political and military threats.
The Shadow Sorceress continues the story begun in the firstSpellsong Trilogy, but shifts the focus to the challenges facing Secca,now a young Sorceress, who is thrust into a position of power when her mentor,Anna, dies unexpectedly before Secca's training is complete. Anna, asinger from Earth, brought new levels of magical power to the worldthrough her knowledge of music and singing, and has been the power behindthe throne for years. Despite her reservations concerning the skills andstrength of her young ruler, the boy-king Anna protected for years, Seccaimmediately takes commands of all her magical resources to help suppressinternal dissension in a neighboring province. Then she must rally potentialallies to lift the naval siege laid on Nordwei by the Sea Priests whobring with them a new kind of drumming magic, a rhythmic sorcery thatthreatens the balance of power in the world and portends danger anddestruction not imagined for decades.