The Mirror Empire

An ambitious tale of magic, war, and parallel worlds that pushes the boundaries of epic fantasy-from a two-time Hugo Award winnerOn the eve of a recurring catastrophic event known to extinguish nations and reshape continents, a troubled orphan evades death and slavery to uncover her own bloody past … while a world goes to war with itself.In the frozen kingdom ofSaiduan, invaders from another realm are decimating whole cities, leaving behind nothing but ash and ruin. At the heart of this war lie the pacifisticDhaipeople, once enslaved by theSaiduanand now courted by their former masters to provide aid against the encroaching enemy.As the dark star of the cataclysm rises, an illegitimate ruler is tasked with holding together a country fractured by civil war; a precocious youngfighter is asked to betray his family to save his skin; and a half-Dhaigeneral must choose between the eradication of her father’s people or loyalty to her alien Empress. Through tense alliances and devastating betrayal, theDhaiand their allies attempt to hold against a seemingly unstoppable force as enemy nations prepare for a coming together of worlds as old as the universe itself.In the end, one world will rise-and many will perish.Stretching from desolate tundras to steamy, semi-tropical climes seething with sentient plant life, this is an epic tale of bloodmagesand mercenaries, emperors and priestly assassins, who must unite to save a world on the brink of ruin.File Under: Fantasy Orphaned Child | World at War | Blood Magic | The Fluidity of Gender