Book excerpt: The Prince of Avonar is in desperate straits. Betrayal devastates his plan to defeat the vile Lords of Zhev’Na without violence, and then a ruthless attack leaves his beloved wife near death. As frustration and anger shake the fragile joining of the Prince’s body and soul, war engulfs his magical realm. Sixteen-year-old Gerick, half-crazed with nightmare visions, pursued by past horror and his father’s wrath, flees beyond the boundaries of the known worlds. In a sunless realm of misshapen misfits, he discovers unlikely purpose and a devastating clue to the brokenness within himself. With three worlds on the brink of ruin, the Prince and his son must look deep inside themselves to discover the truth of their enemies—a mystery bound up in Gerick’s emerging magic, a world newborn from chaos, and a whisper buried deep in Dar’Nethi legend. "This is Gerick’s story and we quickly learn this is a different young man from the child that we saw in Guardians Of The Keep. The past does not lie quiet in Gerick, with his nightmares and fears of a corruption that could hurt those he loves. Plots and counterplots [will] intrigue the reader with surprise twists and turns. Fans of The Bridge Of D’Arnath will welcome this addition to the saga."—Colleen Cahill, SFRevu "Intriguing…Well written . Gerick is one of Berg’s most interesting characters and probably my favorite."—Fantasy Literature "Very good…read Son of Avonar and Guardians of the Keep first."—Booklist Locus Bestseller May 2005