The Poison Glen

By Ashley Simmons

Fear, persecution and death; such is the way of life for the people of Caspria. Conquered 20 years ago by a race of warriors known as the Zadok, they have been robbed of their freedom, dignity and culture, including even the simple joy of worshiping their god Uriel.

For Amariah, a willful young woman born during the invasion, the existence of a slave is the only life she has ever known. Raised in secrecy, she has managed to escape many of the atrocities others have endured, until a foolish act endangers not only her own life, but the very future of her people. Until that moment, Amariah was unaware of her heritage; that she is the last living heir to the throne of Caspria, chosen by Uriel to unite the rebel resistance, lead them to victory, and return the faithful to the church. She has but to accept her destiny, reclaim a royal talisman, and use its powers to destroy the Zadok.
With the rebels scattered and bickering amongst themselves, a determined enemy in pursuit, and the magical gift required to control the talisman locked deep inside of her, Amariah cannot hope to prevail without divine assistance. Yet Uriel chooses to send help in the form of the most despised betrayer of all humankind. He is known only as The Hunter, the last of the immortal aelven, God’s chosen seraphs. Having fallen from grace centuries ago, and banished for his crimes against the people of Caspria, he has only agreed to help in exchange for his own mysterious reasons.

For Amariah to succeed, she will need to look past her own prejudices and beliefs in order to find the truth. For without it, she will never find the compassion to befriend one who is friendless, the courage to lead those who do not want to follow, nor the determination to control a magic capable of making her a tyrant far worse than the one she is trying to defeat.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ashley Simmons
• Release date: Mar 20, 2011
• ISBN: 9781452445977

Ashley Simmons

Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Ashley Simmons spent her early years reading such classics as "To Kill A Mockingbird", "Jane Eyre" and "Little Women". During high school, an English teacher gave her a copy of "The Hobbit" and she was forever hooked on fantasy. "When people tell me they would love to write, I tell them to write what they love. I love fantasy. Some of the greatest literature of the 20th century is hidden within this genre and it is sorely overlooked by the mainstream public. Stepping into an imaginative world and seeing the main characters struggling to deal with issues as typical as jealousy, betrayal, or shattered love-lives allows readers to get a different perspective on their own problems. Though the worlds I write about are vastly different from ours, I try to keep them as real as possible." Ashley currently resides in Utah with her husband, five dogs, and four Friesian horses.

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