Way of Ârata Series by Victoria Strauss

" From acclaimed author Victoria Strauss comes a sweeping new tale of magic, oppression, danger, love, temptation, and revelation....After long years of oppression, the rightful rulers of Arsace have finally reclaimed the holy city of Baushpar and the First Temple of the God. At last, the desecrated temples can be rebuilt and the people's suffering redressed... more" From acclaimed author Victoria Strauss comes a sweeping new tale of magic, oppression, danger, love, temptation, and revelation....After long years of oppression, the rightful rulers of Arsace have finally reclaimed the holy city of Baushpar and the First Temple of the God. At last, the desecrated temples can be rebuilt and the people's suffering redressed. But tensions between the secular and sacred worlds abound, and rumors arise of renegade Shapers -- powerful mages who hold no allegiance to either the King or the Brethren, and whose magic knows no restraint.Unbeknownst to the elders of her people, the gifted Axane has dared to dream, to see the outside world beyond the hidden enclave of Refuge -- a world the people of Refuge no longer believe exists -- that has no tolerance for change and will soon break down the walls of their secret sanctuary. But Axane's dreaming is forbidden, and to warn Refuge is to doom herself.Chosen to lead an expedition to reclaim the renegade mages, Gyalo, a young Shaper, must journey across the mystic Burning Land in a deadly adventure of danger and temptation, a journey that will force him to face his innermost demons and possibilities both sacred and profane. For Refuge hides a shocking truth about the very nature of the world itself -- a secret that will start a war without end. less

Following her acclaimed novel "The Burning Land", Victoria Strauss delivers a powerful tale of faith and persecution, forbidden magic, love, and redemption. . . .After long years of oppression, the Kingdom of Arsace has reclaimed the capital city of Ninyâser and the First Temple of Ârata... moreFollowing her acclaimed novel "The Burning Land", Victoria Strauss delivers a powerful tale of faith and persecution, forbidden magic, love, and redemption. . . .After long years of oppression, the Kingdom of Arsace has reclaimed the capital city of Ninyâser and the First Temple of Ârata. But the powerful Brethren can tolerate no challenge to their rule of the Âratist church, and an expedition to destroy the secret colony of Refuge, home to ancient mysteries and heretical sorcery, has become the catalyst for war.Râvar, the last and mightiest of Refuge’s hidden Shapers, vows vengeance against the Brethren and the god he believes has abandoned him. Kidnapping the Dreamer Axane to aid him in his quest, he claims the title of Next Messenger, harbinger of the world’s rebirth into a new age of light, and, with his army of fanatical followers, marches on the holy city of Baushpar. As Arsace races to prepare for battle, the Shaper and former priest Gyalo Amdo Samchen must leave his peaceful life behind to save Axane--and to confront, at last, his own terrifying destiny.Against a backdrop of war, insurrection, and sacrifice, two powerful Shapers must discover who is the true Next Messenger, a quest that could transform their world...or utterly destroy it. less