Thor and he armor brothers in the Legion set off on a grand hunt through the Empire's wilderness to find the ancient Desert Sword and save the Ring. The friendship grows stronger during the journey to new places, encounters with wonder and battle side by side in incredible ways. They visit exotic countries and meet beasts and humans who are unlike anything they could ever imagine, and every step of the journey becomes more and more dangerous. They are forced to use all their skills to survive as they follow the steps of the thieves, deeper into the Empire. The hunt leads them to the very heart of the Underworld, one of the seven circles of hell, where the undead rule and the fields are covered with bones. Thor must call upon his powers, and be forced to fight more than ever to understand who and what he really is.
In the Ring, Gwendolyn must lead half of Kungsgard to the stronghold in the west, Silesia, an ancient city that for thousands of years has risen on a cliff over the Gorge. Silesia's fortifications have withstood all attacks over the centuries - but they have never faced an attack by a leader like Andronicus and his army of a million men. Gwendolyn takes on the leadership role and learns what it means to be queen, supported by Srog, Kolk, Brom, Steffen, Kendrick and Godfrey in preparation for the upcoming, great war.
At the same time, Gareth is sinking deeper into insanity and trying to ward off a coup to get him murdered in Kungsgard, while Erec struggles to save the love of his life, Alistair, and the Duke's city, Savaria, which now when the Shield is down, the land is open to an invasion of savages. And Godfrey, who is wallowing in drunkenness, must decide whether he is ready to deal with his past and become the man his family expects him to be.
In the midst of the fight for their lives, and just as things seem to be getting worse, the story ends with two shocking surprises.
Will Gwendolyn survive the attack? Will Thor survive in the Empire. Will they find the Destiny Value?
THE PROMISE OF THE YEAR offers a sophisticated world-building and exciting characters. It is a grand story about friends and lovers, rivals and freemen, knights and dragons, intrigues, political purifiers, about growing up and broken hearts, ambitions and betrayals. It is a story of courage, of finding their destiny and of sorcery. It is fantasy that brings the reader to a completely unforgettable world and appeals to all ages and genders.
