GLOSSY COVER
Evil has triumphed!
The fallen god Malasephus rules the world, not with an iron fist, but the deadly seductive power of the Beckoning, which fulfills the desires of men. It gives power to the ambitious, glory to the vain, pleasure to the hedonist, and revenge to the vengeful. But these are not gifts. The Beckoning twists the souls of men until they do whatever it takes to achieve their desires. And in the end, Malasephus promises eternal life. For the Beckoning also raises the dead, clothing them in flesh that is beautiful and seductive. They are drawn to the living, and the Beckoning draws the living into their embrace, where they are joined in death. Thus Malasephus rules the world with pleasure and pride, and men follow him, for evil is not ugly or repellent, but beautiful and seductive. Were it not so, we would not be drawn to it. But not all worship the fallen god. In the east, beyond the deserts of Dohminar, men follow the old ways, and ward their homes and villages against the seductive pull of the Beckoning with runes of power. And when a boy is on the cusp of manhood, he must endure his First Night, and face the Beckoning naked and alone to prove his worth. When Jan Unwin of Sommerstone passes his First Night, he returns home, now a man, and finds everyone he knows murdered. Swearing an oath of vengeance, Sep joins the nomadic Tair to learn their ways and avenge his family.
But the Beckoning is everywhere, and as young Jan cries out for revenge, the Beckoning answers...