Starside

From Alex Aster, the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of the Lightlark series, comes her first adult romantasy. Enter the world of Starside, where swords wield magic and power is not inherited... but claimed.

Hundreds of years ago, a brutal war split a land in two. Starside is the realm of magic and immortals â"the descendants of the gods, living in a power-rich paradise. Stormside is where mortals fight for scraps of that magic.

Every fifty years, the gates between them open, and fifty challengers are allowed to journey across Starside on a deadly quest to access a pool of magic that can heal, grant wealth, or extend life. Everyone has their reasons for entering, but Aris has only one: vengeance. As a child, a goddess set fire to her village, killing her family. Aris isnât after the godsâ magic â" sheâs going to kill them.

First, she must survive the Culling, the kingâs deadly competition to choose his fifty challengers. An orphaned blacksmithâs apprentice, Aris doesnât have the superior weapons of the heirs from the Great Houses. But the greatest swords â" ones that contain power â" are not inherited or bought, they are claimed, by both sides. And when Aris claims a great sword, it makes her not just a real competitor â" but a target.

Getting past the gates is only the beginning. Starside is deadlier than it seems. If the ancient creatures, magic-wielding beasts, and bloodthirsty immortals werenât dangerous enough, a new peril has even immortals fearing what rises from the ground at night. With a blade most would kill to claim, Aris canât trust anyone. Especially not Harlan Raker, the merciless and mysterious kingâs guard who betrayed her years ago â" and who may now be the key to her survival.

But Aris is hiding a secret tied to her familyâs death. And when itâs revealed, not even the gods will be able to stop whatâs comingâ¦