The Queen of Raiders

A debut novelist, Kozloff moves into epic fantasy with an ambitious 4-volume series displaying her cinematic imagination. Elements borrowed from Akira Kurosawa, Ridley Scott, westerns, and musicals combine in a layered and immersive fantasy.

The Nine Realms cuts from scenes of intimate home life to high pageantry, from battles of wits around a council table to full-scale war on land and sea. The major characters range from shepherds and nursemaids to generals and nobility, each etched with detail and compassion. Magic flows from Spirits that protect natural elements and favor avatars and objects with special abilities.

Throughout a deft interweaving of multiple stories, the main thread follows young Cerúlia’s development, not into some invincible warrior but into a strong ruler, who learns humility, leadership, compassion, selflessness... and the necessary touch of ruthlessness.