Book excerpt: Two years ago, John and Violet Jenson found themselves in the Valley, a magical world where animals and humans lived together in peace. Now, they have returned, only to find that everything has changed. Their worst enemies, the Soldiers of Sorrow, have returned from the dead, shattering the Valley itself into two opposing sides. As John and Violet find themselves on opposing sides of the burgeoning conflict, they are forced to face forgotten truths about themselves and the ones they trust in this utterly unique tale of family, friendship, and warring ideologies.