In the first volume of The Hieromonk's Tale fantasy trilogy, set in an alternate history in the year 1205, Father Afanasy begins searching for clues surrounding the carefully-hidden secret of his birth, Melanthrix the Mage gains much influence at the court of Korynthia, a killer viciously murders members of the government, and someone--or something--seems to be pushing the kingdom steadily towards all-out war with Pommerelia, its neighbor to the west. "[This] is a magnificent medieval triptych featuring exquisitely drawn scenes of heroism and treachery, of domesticity and warfare, of greatness and madness." -- Michael R. Collings, author of The Slab