Book excerpt: Ever since she burst upon the world of fantasy fiction in 1994 with her first novel, AURIAN, Maggie Furey has been one of the most rapidly rising stars in the genre. Her immense storytelling skill has caught the imagination of readers across the world and have established her as one of the most popular writers in the field. THE HEART OF MYRIAL begins a spellbinding new fantasy series which will take her to new heights. The magical barriers that have held things in place for aeons are beginning to fail, and the planet is subjected to great climatic upheaval. But it is not only a natural disaster. For the boundaries have also served to keep hostile nations apart. With catastrophe imminent, the only hope of salvation lies in the hands of the Shadowleague. But first they must learn what lies within the Heart of Myrial. More information on this book and others can be found on the Orbit website at www.orbitbooks.co.uk