It has been three years since the events prophesied about the Gate of Fire came to fruition. King Malick's work of bringing together the newly-named Kingdom of Calridian is never-ending. A new castle is being constructed, journeys are undertaken to unexplored lands, and a Council of Peace is being formed. Every corner of the Kingdom plays a role in these efforts, led by the King. Amidst this flurry of activity, Jyres and Lalatco carry out their duties as Keepers of the Key. The protection of the key that unlocks the Gate of Fire remains Jyres' number one priority, though the creature that escaped from the Gate of Fire remains a mystery and has not been seen in two years. The more time that goes by without appearances from the creature, the more others seem to forget about the key's importance. Lalatco and Leah live in married bliss and the King's focus remains elsewhere. Meanwhile, Elonda's adventures take her far away from Jyres. This leaves Jyres feeling more alone and lost...

Amazon.com Review This is the second book in the Oath of Empire series, set in an alternate Roman Empire circa A.D. 623. Prince Maxian, younger brother to Galen, Emperor of the Western Empire (Rome), and Heraclius, Emperor of the Eastern Empire (Constantinople), has returned to Rome to disrupt the magical power of the centuries-old oath of allegiance to the Emperor that all legionnaires take. Maxian believes the oath constrains citizens to a narrow path, stifling creativity as well as any thought of disobedience, and he intends to use all his sorcerous power--and the help of Alexander the Great and Gaius Julius Caesar, whom he has raised from the dead--to succeed. The Empire, meanwhile, is threatened by multiple enemies: The insane Persian necromancer Dahak is determined to raise an army by any means to regain the Peacock Throne toppled by the Empire. Zoë, niece of Palmyra's Queen Zenobia, and her ragged but determined followers plot revenge on Rome for allowing the Persians to sack and destroy their beloved city. And in the deserts of Iraq, a man named Mohammed is driven by a prophetic vision to build an army against the Empire. Harlan's attention to detail is impressive, at times overwhelming, as he fills the broad canvas of his hypothetical Roman Empire. Readers with the stamina to follow every thread of the multitudinous plot lines here will find a vigorously imagined, thought-provoking story. --Charlene Brusso