The Whitefire Crossing
Ratings10
Average rating3.5
15
Ratings10
Average rating3.5
Dev is a smuggler with the perfect cover. He's in high demand as a guide for the caravans that carry legitimate goods from the city of Ninavel into the country of Alathia. The route through the Whitefire Mountains is treacherous, and Dev is one of the few climbers who knows how to cross them safely. With his skill and connections, it's easy enough to slip contraband charms from Ninavel - where any magic is fair game, no matter how dark - into Alathia, where most magic is outlawed. But smuggling a few charms is one thing; smuggling a person through the warded Alathian border is near suicidal. Having made a promise to a dying friend, Dev is forced to take on a singularly dangerous cargo: Kiran. A young apprentice on the run from one of the most powerful mages in Ninavel, Kiran is desperate enough to pay a fortune to sneak into a country where discovery means certain execution - and he'll do whatever it takes to prevent Dev from finding out the terrible truth behind his getaway. Yet the young mage is not the only one harboring a deadly secret. Caught up in a web of subterfuge and dark magic, Dev and Kiran must find a way to trust each other - or face not only their own destruction, but that of the entire city of Ninavel. Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of titles for readers interested in science fiction (space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, near-future dystopia), fantasy (grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, alternative history), and horror (zombies, vampires, and the occult and supernatural), and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we are committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors.
Series
3 primary booksShattered Sigil is a 3-book series with 3 primary works first released in 2011 with contributions by Courtney Schafer.
Reviews with the most likes.
Recommendation via someone on Twitter I don't really know personally. Had it for a few years now, but only just got around to reading it. Pretty good read!
Two neighboring countries have differing policies on magic: Ninaveh, where mages operate more or less freely, and Alathia, where magic is regulated and most major magic is forbidden. Dev is a smuggler, who's just taken on a job to smuggle a person into Alathia rather than normal contraband, but doesn't get the full story from the person contracting him.
Story is basically good, although the author's own predilection for rock climbing is shoehorned in for no particular reason. (I also climb. I sympathize. But it doesn't add much to the story.) Lots of turns, and the author manages the complexity well. Occasionally it seems like the rules of the world are made and tweaked according to the author's need, but overall the systems are handled well.
Abrupt ending, but I was happy enough with this that I'll probably continue on with book 2.
I was surprised to find that The Whitefire Crossing is Courtney Schafer's first book as it seems very polished for a first work.
Dev is an caravan outrider, a mountaineer, and a smuggler. When he takes the job of smuggling a man, Kiran, to a neighboring country, he finds that he has plunged himself squarely in the middle of a conflict between mages.
The Whitefire Crossing starts off as an adventure novel involving a lot of mountain climbing and then turns into a fantasy with powerful magic and lots of action. Recommended.
Featured Prompt
36 booksFew genres have embraced sexuality like Fantasy. Whether it's friends to lovers, forbidden relationships, or happily ever after – LGBTQ+ storylines can explore cultures and societies in a way that ...
