Legends of Camber of Culdi

The breathtaking history of the Deryni continues as the greatest hero of a medieval fantasy realm is forced to make the ultimate sacrifice The evil king is dead, and thanks to the efforts of revered Deryni magic-user Camber of Culdi, a human liege occupies the throne of Gwynedd for the first time in nearly a century. The yoke of tyranny has finally been lifted from the shoulders of an oppressed people who suffered for decades under the cruelty of the ruling magical race. But Camber's job remains unfinished. The dangerous remnants of a conquered enemy still mass at the borders. Worse still, the former monk and new ruler King Cinhil is desperately unhappy wearing the crown, and is resentful of all Deryni, Camber in particular, and their arcane abilities. Now, with the stability of a fragile kingdom at stake, its greatest champion must make the ultimate sacrifice: Camber of Culdi must cease to exist.

In the kingdom of Gwynedd, a hero faces an inquisition that could destroy his magical race, in a novel of the Deryni by a New York Times–bestselling author. In the medieval kingdom of Gwynedd, strife has long existed between the human population and the Deryni, a powerful race of magic-users. For more than a decade, a fragile peace has held under the rule of King Cinhil. The former monk reluctantly ascended the throne with the help of Camber of Culdi, Gwynedd's most revered Deryni lord, who in turn sacrificed his identity and physical form for the good of all people, earning sainthood in the process. But now Cinhil is dying, and a dark cloud is descending upon the land. The king's heir is a mere boy of twelve, and the malevolent regents who will rule until young Alroy comes of age are determined to eliminate all Deryni. Suddenly, the future of Gwynedd hangs in the balance, and Camber-once adored as a saint, but now reviled as a heretic-must find a way to protect his people before everything and everyone he loves is destroyed in the all-consuming flames of intolerance and hate.

Magic and mysticism come alive in this magnificent historical fantasy from the New York Times bestselling author of the Chronicles of the Deryni. Long before Camber was revered as a saint, he was a Deryni noble, one of the most respected of the magical race whose arcane skills set them apart from ordinary humans in the medieval kingdom of Gwynedd. For nearly a century, Camber's family has had little choice but to loyally serve the ruling Festils, Deryni usurpers who employed dark magic to wrest the throne from the rightful Haldane liege. Now, the land suffers under the tyranny of King Imre, whose savage oppression of the human population weighs heavily on Camber's heart-a heart that is shattered when the despot and his evil mistress-sister, Ariella, cause the death of Camber's beloved son. The grim demands of justice and vengeance drive Camber far from his family's estates in search of the last of the Haldane line. This descendant of kings will not be easily persuaded to accept Camber's unthinkable plan. But with the kingdom in turmoil, the aging mage and the reluctant Haldane heir must confront together the awesome, terrible might of the Festils for the good of all.