The Briar King

Two thousand years ago, the Born Queen defeated the Skasloi lords, freeing humans from the bitter yoke of slavery. But now monstrous creatures roam the landand destinies become inextricably entangled in a drama of power and seduction. The king's woodsman, a rebellious girl, a young priest, a roguish adventurer, and a young man made suddenly into a knightall face malevolent forces that shake the foundations of the kingdom, even as the Briar King, legendary harbinger of death, awakens from his slumber. At the heart of this many-layered tale is Anne Dare, youngest daughter of the royal family . . . upon whom the fate of her world may depend. From the Paperback edition.

<b>Greg Keyes</b> was born in Meridian, Mississippi, to a large, diverse, storytelling family. He received degrees in anthropology from Mississippi State and the University of Georgia before becoming a full-time writer. He is the author of the Age of Unreason tetrology and <i>The Charnel Prince</i> (Book II in The Kingdoms of Blood and Stone) as well as <i>The Waterborn</i>, <i>The Blackgod</i>, and the <i>Star Wars</i> New Jedi Order novels—<i>Edge of Victory I: Conquest</i> and <i>Edge of Victory II: Rebirth</i>. He lives in Savannah, Georgia.