Reviewed by Annette Gisby, author of Silent Screams

Trinadol, a young sorcerer newly crowned King of Amuelas, worried by his father's prophecy that that which he loves most will be his doom, rejects love entirely and banishes everyone from his island home, the Dimmrock, including his recent bride, Neuvia.

Neuvia is not about to give up on her husband so easily and secretes herself on the island in his boyhood treehouse. Because she is now Queen, she has magic of her own and she uses this to try and save him.

Trinadol uses his magic by turning ordinary sea creatures into monsters to guard the Dimmrock against people trying to come there. Every time he performs magic, he is allowed into a magical dreamworld called Wynder. It is there that Neuvia can contact him, but he remembers nothing of his time in Wynder once returned to his own world.

This is a story of adventure and romance, the fight of good and evil, the quest for salvation and the lust for power.

I liked the fact that this was as much Neuvia's story as it was Trinadol's. She was a strong character, faced with many challenges and dangers, but she didn't wait around for someone to save her. She used her wits and her magic to save herself, the master of her own fate.

There was a second love story running parallel to that of Trinadol and Neuvia, that of young sailor Nil Ramesis and the daughter of his guardian. Again, they were very well drawn characters, but I must admit that I did find the sections of the book on sailing a little boring, but that's probably just me since I just don't find sailing particularly enjoyable. (Sea sickness!)

It's an enjoyable tale over all, old fashioned in a way, but nothing wrong with that.