THE BURNING LAND, Way of Ârata, Book 1 THE AWAKENED CITY, Way of Ârata, Book 2

One of fantasy fiction's most original and provocative voices, Victoria Strauss has created a magnificent tale of intolerance, magic, and holy war in The Burning Land and its sequel The Awakened City.

In the realm of Arsace, the Brethren cruelly enforce the strict dictates of their once-outlawed deity Ârata and persecute the mystical Shapers. Both a devout Âratist priest and a Shaper, Gyalo Amdo Samchen must embark on a mission into the Burning Lands to rescue the renegade Shapers. Strauss brilliantly turns religious mythologies on their heads as Gyalo emerges as a reluctant messiah where he least expects it.

Victoria Strauss is the author of nine novels for adults and young adults, including Color Song, the Stone fantasy duology, and the Way of Ârata series. She has also written short stories and book reviews, and her work has appeared in Writer's Digest, among other magazines. In 2006 Strauss served as a judge for the World Fantasy Awards, and in 2009 she received the Service to SFWA Award for cofounding Writer Beware, a publishing-industry watchdog group. Strauss lives in Amherst, Massachusetts.