In the remarkable sequel to The Burning Land, a man of peace is forced to confront his unwanted destiny in a fantasy realm torn apart by magic, religious intolerance, and holy war

For years they were oppressed, outlawed, and hunted. But the Brethren have finally prevailed, and now the kingdom of Arsace is theirs once more. Unbending in their single-minded devotion to the slumbering god Ârata, the Brethren will not allow their religious authority to be questioned. Therefore, all of the remaining heretical renegade mages known as Shapers must be eliminated, their magic rendered impotent, and Refuge, their hidden desert sanctuary, destroyed.

Of all the Shapers who survived an earlier attack on Refuge, the one known as Râvar possesses the greatest power, and he has declared himself the Next Messenger who will usher in a new, illuminated age. But the false prophet’s decision to take Axane the Dreamer as his captive could have unforeseen, world-shattering consequences, for it has drawn the seer’s devoted husband, Gyalo Amdo Samchen, away from his chosen path of peace. To rescue his endangered beloved, the former priest will have to confront his greatest fear, for in the terrible flames of holy war the true Next Messenger will be revealed.

The Awakened City is the powerful sequel to Victoria Strauss’s acclaimed fantasy masterwork The Burning Land. A story of faith, fate, love, and magic that unfolds in a richly imagined world plagued by violence, intolerance, and religious persecution, this is a stunning and intelligent work of literary artistry from a uniquely talented fantasist.

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