From the New York Times bestselling author of The Will of the Many, James Islington, The Shadow of What Was Lost is the start of his phenomenal debut trilogy where a young man with forbidden magic finds himself drawn into an ancient war against a dangerous enemy.

This striking deluxe edition features stenciled sprayed edges, a foil stamped case, and custom endpapers.

“Reminiscent of Robert Jordan or Brandon Sanderson, Islington’s writing is refreshingly fast paced, with a light and clever touch.” – Booklist

As destiny calls, a journey begins. It has been twenty years since the godlike Augurs were overthrown and killed. Now, those who once served them – the Gifted – are spared only because they have accepted the rebellion’s Four Tenets, vastly limiting their powers.

As a Gifted, Davian suffers the consequences of a war lost before he was even born. He and others like him are despised. But when Davian discovers he wields the forbidden power of the Augurs, he and his friends Wirr and Asha set into motion a chain of events that will change everything. To the west, a young man whose fate is intertwined with Davian’s wakes up in the forest, covered in blood and with no memory of who he is … And in the far north, an ancient enemy long thought defeated begins to stir.

The Licanius Trilogy is a series readers will have a hard time putting down – a relentless coming-of-age epic from the very first page.

“Storytelling assurance rare for a debut … Fans of Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson will find much to admire.” – Guardian