Winter lies cold and dark upon the world; it seems that spring will never come. Once dismissed as the ravings of a crazed hermit, the prophecies of Honorius seem at last to be coming true. Though there are those within the Church hierachy who begin to doubt the moraility of the cause, the Ramusian Church is steadily expanding its power over the continent of Normannia; people are comparing it with the long-vanished Fimbrian empire. In the east, the last Torrunan army stands at bay before the broken walls of its capital. In the west, King Abelyn strives to maintain control of an unruly and ravaged kingdom. And in the harbour of Old Abrusio, the Gabrian Osprey lies docked at last, home from her long voyaging. Only a handful of shocked survivors remain of thaqt proud expedition that set forward almost a year before ...but they are not alone. Something has come home with them from the uttermost west. This is the fourth book in Kearney's MONARCHIES OF GOD saga, combining warfare, magic and political machinations in a rich, rewarding read.