Timothy A. Taylor
"An amazing debut effort from artist Timothy A. Taylor. This book introduces us to the world of Aryam, its people, cultures, and rich history. The writing is tight and passionate, but also thoughtful and in places even lyrical.This author and this series is now on my favorites shelf."
-Michele Yardumian, author The Books of the Faeltheon
The Singer
Book One of The Last Singer
Darkness is spreading, and the world needs a Song.
Cephra A'Fallel was born to privilege as a daughter of one of Aryam’s noble houses. Her pampered life, however, is little more than a gilded cage of which she has faint hope of escape. Her only solace is her music, her unique gift that relieves the tedium of her regimented existence. Though her golden voice enchants all who hear it, Cephra’s singing of an ancient text reveals its true power.
She is a Singer. More than a natural talent, her Gift is an echo of the power that called the universe into being – the power of Olam, who gave life to all things. The scriptures tell of the Singers, and of the Sundering, a terrible moment when the world was divided in two and Aryam was cast into shadow. For untold millennia, faithful Singers maintained the balance between the worlds, calling forth light and keeping the darkness at bay. Now, in an age of peace and prosperity, the Singers are fading into myth and Olam is forgotten.
A dark and alluring cult is gaining influence over the nobility. Living shadows are stalking the halls of power, threatening to plunge all of Aryam into eternal night.
Cephra finds herself at the threshold of an ancient, invisible war. The scriptures foretell the time of the last Singer, who will battle the darkness and challenge the Sundering itself. As she comes to terms with her destiny, Cephra’s voice will reveal a hidden world more terrifying and more wondrous than she could have ever imagined.
Shadows and Lights
For Ketya Ban Evren, life among the nobility of Aryam is marked by lies and deception. Descended from a once-proud royal line, Ketya's fortunes are now anything but secure, leaving her with only her wits and charm to help her survive.
When she catches the eye of the stunning and influential Baroness Etna A'Fallel, Ketya believes her fortunes are about to change for the better. Too late, though, she realizes her mistake after she is inducted into the alluring and secretive Cult of Shadows. There she discovers horrors beyond her worst nightmares.
And yet, as her life falls to pieces and all she loves is stripped away, Ketya finds herself on a path that will lead her to one of the most pivotal moments in the history of Aryam. There she will discover redemption and her role in undoing the darkness consuming the world.
A companion to the Last Singer trilogy linking The Singer and The Seer, Shadows and Lights tells Ketya's story, from the circumstances that led her into darkness to the love and mercy that freed her.
