Starside (Sprayed Edges)

From Alex Aster, the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of the Light lark 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 –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 isn’t after the gods’ magic – she’s going to kill them.

First, she must survive the Culling, the king’s deadly competition to choose his fifty challengers. An orphaned blacksmith’s apprentice, Aris doesn’t have the superior weapons of the heirs from the Great Houses. But the greatest swords – ones that contain power – 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 – 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 weren’t 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 can’t trust anyone. Especially not Harlan Raker, the merciless and mysterious king’s guard who betrayed her years ago – and who may now be the key to her survival.

But Aris is hiding a secret tied to her family’s death. And when it’s revealed, not even the gods will be able to stop what’s coming…

Alex Aster is the #1 New York Times bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, #1 Publishers Weekly Bestselling and USA Today Bestselling author of the Lightlark series (soon to be a major motion picture) and the Emblem Island series, inspired by her Colombian heritage. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied English. Explore her books at www.asterverse.com.