Synopsis:
Two Cities. A Forgotten Past. Destiny Comes To Call. Cut off from the outside world by a hostile desert full of savage secrets, the city of Illamar must fend for itself. Late one night, Dante Montero, Commander and Ruler of Illamar, is confronted on his own streets by a mysterious woman bearing an ominous message from a dangerous man known only as Rasheim. Dante and his close friend Kerran, Captian of the Guard, rush to discover the identity of Rasheim and the nature of the threat posed against their city. The closer they get to the truth, the more their worlds begin to fall apart. Both men will have to rely heavily on their friendship as they struggle to comprehend the events happening around them, their past, and even the truth about themselves. They must move quickly and choose wisely, for time is running out as Dante and Kerran discover a secret plot is already underway to destroy their city and kill every last person alive. It seems the answers they so desperately need can only be found in a sequence of dreams, but in a world where nothing is as it seems, even their dreams could turn out to be deadly.
Interview with Dante Monterro, the main character:
• If you were granted three wishes, what would you ask for?
Technically my city IS a desert island; we are completely surrounded by the Desert of Soha. If you meant what are three things I couldn’t (or would prefer not to ) be without, I would say: A chess board, a Dream Walker, and actually, if I have a Dream Walker then I don’t really need anything else.
• How do you fall in love? At first sight? Over a long period?
I’ve actually only ever fallen in love once; and it is a confusing thing for me. I’m not sure how it happened – certainly there was an instant attraction to her, I felt as if I already knew her.
• What parts of loving come easy for you? Hard?
I am completely new to love, and find so far it has been completely illogical. I should probably mention as well that the lady with whom I feel so deeply does not feel the same way towards me…so this whole thing is very frustrating.
• How do you decide if you can trust someone? Experience with others? with this person? First impressions? Intuition? Do you test the person somehow? Or are you just generally disposed to trust or not to trust?
There is really only one person I trust absolutely; Kerran, my best friend. He and I have been friends nearly our whole lives. We’ve worked together for the past twelve years, and he is one of the reasons I have been able to accomplish so much here. I trust my instincts with new people, I study them and make my decisions based on what I see.
• What do you consider are your strengths?
I think my love of my city and its people is my strength. That is what inspires me to live my life and keep grinding away at imperfections. They are my reason for all that I do.
• What do you consider are your weaknesses?
I am not comfortable taking action if I do not have a full understanding of the situation at hand. I need to know all the variables first so I can predict the outcome of any action, then I can make a move. I do not like to move blindly.
• What do you consider your special talent?
My ability to plan and strategize.
• What are you most proud of about your life?
I am proud to have been a part of this recent victory for our people. It feels as if we have broken invisible chains that were holding us back. There is a freedom, a lightness, in the air now. I was not certain how it was going to turn out, but we persevered. We won. And now we are truly free. That is something I am proud of, and I think every soldier here and in Rheamyre should be proud.
• What's the most important thing in your life? What do you value most?
The most important thing to me is my people – the people of Illamar. There is nothing more important than keeping them safe and securing our future here for the next generation and generations to come.
• How do you feel about your life right now? What, if anything, would you like to change?
I am amazed and extremely grateful for the way everything has turned out so far. We came so close to losing everything, but here we are! Things are getting better than ever. If I could change anything, I admit it would be very selfish. I would to have Adalia by my side and share my life with her. Life could not get more perfect than that.
• What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I would have to say my greatest achievement and what I hope will be my legacy is the peace and prosperity I have brought back to this city. Being able to watch my people enjoy their lives and thrive has brought me such joy. And look at this city- it is a fabulous place to live again!
• What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Sharing my life with the woman I love and admire. Having the trade routes re-established to our city.
• What is your most treasured possession?
When I was a small boy, my grandfather gave me an old worn out key. He said I shouldn’t look at the rust or damage. He said that key opened a door, and underneath the damage was perfectly good metal that would keep on working, and if I took that key to a blacksmith, it could be made good as new. Then he looked at me, and said people were like that key. You just had to find the door they were meant to open. I still have that key. I never did get it restored.
• What or who is the greatest love of your life?
That would be the lovely Lady Adalia.
• What is your greatest fear?
I’ve never truly known fear until I stood on that battlefield and realized everything that was at stake…the day before the battle. That was fear. Now that it’s all over I don’t have anything left to fear. Nothing can compare to that.
• Which living person do you most despise?
After everything that just happened, none of the people I despise are still alive.
• What is your greatest regret?
That I wasn’t able to build a better relationship with my father before he died. I never was able to get him to understand my passion for this city.
• Where would you like to live?
Right here, in Illamar!
• What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
I think of the people in Rheamyre; living in filth and constant fear. That is misery to me. Those people can’t care for their children or themselves. They are stuck- and where things could be quite nice, they are really horrible.
• What is the quality you find most important for a man?
Honesty. I think if you can’t stand behind your words than you are no man at all. Even a coward who can admit he is a coward is better by far than a man who lies or who is in denial about himself.
• What is the quality you most like in a woman?
A woman who can think for herself is an amazing thing.
• What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
My complete lack of motivation when it comes to doing for myself. I’d much rather go eat Nell’s food at the tavern, or Brac’s food at the mess hall than be bothered with preparing meals myself.
• What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Being under-handed or deliberately taking advantage of other people.
• What do you most value in your friends?
Trust is the one thing a friendship can’t survive without. Next would be honesty. Kerran is honest even when I don’t really want him to be.
• Who are your heroes?
I have to say the people I thought of as my heroes growing up are no longer adequate. With everything I’ve learned, I can only look to the people who founded this city long ago as heroic.
• Which living person do you most admire?
I admire Aidan for his willingness to sacrifice himself for the better of his people. His inner strength to commit to an unknown fate simply because he knew it was the right thing to do. I hope I will always have the strength to act similarly.
• On what occasions do you lie?
When it is for the better good of my city or the people in it, I might lie to protect them. As a rule I am against lying, but I can’t say I would never tell one.
• If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would love to be in slightly better shape. That just seems to be harder to maintain the older I get…
• How would you like to die?
Peacefully, in my sleep, at a ripe old age.
• If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
I would love to come back as a librarian… someone with time to read and learn and absorb all the wisdom of people who have gone before.
• What is your motto?
I’ve never thought of that before, but I guess it would be: “Always be prepared”.
- That our underground river would replenish and never dry out.
- That the supply caravans would come every year without fail.
- That the peace and prosperity of our city would continue down through generations to come.
Technically my city IS a desert island; we are completely surrounded by the Desert of Soha. If you meant what are three things I couldn’t (or would prefer not to ) be without, I would say: A chess board, a Dream Walker, and actually, if I have a Dream Walker then I don’t really need anything else.
• How do you fall in love? At first sight? Over a long period?
I’ve actually only ever fallen in love once; and it is a confusing thing for me. I’m not sure how it happened – certainly there was an instant attraction to her, I felt as if I already knew her.
• What parts of loving come easy for you? Hard?
I am completely new to love, and find so far it has been completely illogical. I should probably mention as well that the lady with whom I feel so deeply does not feel the same way towards me…so this whole thing is very frustrating.
• How do you decide if you can trust someone? Experience with others? with this person? First impressions? Intuition? Do you test the person somehow? Or are you just generally disposed to trust or not to trust?
There is really only one person I trust absolutely; Kerran, my best friend. He and I have been friends nearly our whole lives. We’ve worked together for the past twelve years, and he is one of the reasons I have been able to accomplish so much here. I trust my instincts with new people, I study them and make my decisions based on what I see.
• What do you consider are your strengths?
I think my love of my city and its people is my strength. That is what inspires me to live my life and keep grinding away at imperfections. They are my reason for all that I do.
• What do you consider are your weaknesses?
I am not comfortable taking action if I do not have a full understanding of the situation at hand. I need to know all the variables first so I can predict the outcome of any action, then I can make a move. I do not like to move blindly.
• What do you consider your special talent?
My ability to plan and strategize.
• What are you most proud of about your life?
I am proud to have been a part of this recent victory for our people. It feels as if we have broken invisible chains that were holding us back. There is a freedom, a lightness, in the air now. I was not certain how it was going to turn out, but we persevered. We won. And now we are truly free. That is something I am proud of, and I think every soldier here and in Rheamyre should be proud.
• What's the most important thing in your life? What do you value most?
The most important thing to me is my people – the people of Illamar. There is nothing more important than keeping them safe and securing our future here for the next generation and generations to come.
• How do you feel about your life right now? What, if anything, would you like to change?
I am amazed and extremely grateful for the way everything has turned out so far. We came so close to losing everything, but here we are! Things are getting better than ever. If I could change anything, I admit it would be very selfish. I would to have Adalia by my side and share my life with her. Life could not get more perfect than that.
• What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I would have to say my greatest achievement and what I hope will be my legacy is the peace and prosperity I have brought back to this city. Being able to watch my people enjoy their lives and thrive has brought me such joy. And look at this city- it is a fabulous place to live again!
• What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Sharing my life with the woman I love and admire. Having the trade routes re-established to our city.
• What is your most treasured possession?
When I was a small boy, my grandfather gave me an old worn out key. He said I shouldn’t look at the rust or damage. He said that key opened a door, and underneath the damage was perfectly good metal that would keep on working, and if I took that key to a blacksmith, it could be made good as new. Then he looked at me, and said people were like that key. You just had to find the door they were meant to open. I still have that key. I never did get it restored.
• What or who is the greatest love of your life?
That would be the lovely Lady Adalia.
• What is your greatest fear?
I’ve never truly known fear until I stood on that battlefield and realized everything that was at stake…the day before the battle. That was fear. Now that it’s all over I don’t have anything left to fear. Nothing can compare to that.
• Which living person do you most despise?
After everything that just happened, none of the people I despise are still alive.
• What is your greatest regret?
That I wasn’t able to build a better relationship with my father before he died. I never was able to get him to understand my passion for this city.
• Where would you like to live?
Right here, in Illamar!
• What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
I think of the people in Rheamyre; living in filth and constant fear. That is misery to me. Those people can’t care for their children or themselves. They are stuck- and where things could be quite nice, they are really horrible.
• What is the quality you find most important for a man?
Honesty. I think if you can’t stand behind your words than you are no man at all. Even a coward who can admit he is a coward is better by far than a man who lies or who is in denial about himself.
• What is the quality you most like in a woman?
A woman who can think for herself is an amazing thing.
• What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
My complete lack of motivation when it comes to doing for myself. I’d much rather go eat Nell’s food at the tavern, or Brac’s food at the mess hall than be bothered with preparing meals myself.
• What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Being under-handed or deliberately taking advantage of other people.
• What do you most value in your friends?
Trust is the one thing a friendship can’t survive without. Next would be honesty. Kerran is honest even when I don’t really want him to be.
• Who are your heroes?
I have to say the people I thought of as my heroes growing up are no longer adequate. With everything I’ve learned, I can only look to the people who founded this city long ago as heroic.
• Which living person do you most admire?
I admire Aidan for his willingness to sacrifice himself for the better of his people. His inner strength to commit to an unknown fate simply because he knew it was the right thing to do. I hope I will always have the strength to act similarly.
• On what occasions do you lie?
When it is for the better good of my city or the people in it, I might lie to protect them. As a rule I am against lying, but I can’t say I would never tell one.
• If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would love to be in slightly better shape. That just seems to be harder to maintain the older I get…
• How would you like to die?
Peacefully, in my sleep, at a ripe old age.
• If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
I would love to come back as a librarian… someone with time to read and learn and absorb all the wisdom of people who have gone before.
• What is your motto?
I’ve never thought of that before, but I guess it would be: “Always be prepared”.
Jennifer Ford was born and raised in a small town in Massachusetts. She currently resides in sunny southern Florida. She lives with her cats, of which she says; "They are possessed little terrors at times, absolute darlings at others, and an endless source of entertainment.Only another cat person would understand."
For more information,visit the author's webpage.
For more information,visit the author's webpage.
You can find out more about the book on Goodreads.
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