Ashes of the Sun

Centuries ago, a war fought with magic wrecked an empire, and the Dawn Republic rose on the ruins. The Republic is guarded by the Twilight Order, whose centarchs use deiat, the force that shapes the world, through sword hilts that carry no blade, called haken.

Gyre and Maya grow up as children of a farming family. When Maya's talent for deiat comes to light, a centarch takes her away to be trained. Gyre tries to stop them and loses an eye.

Twelve years on, the two have gone separate ways. Maya is a promising member of the Order, studying under her mentor Jaedia and competing with rival trainees. Gyre has spent the same years working out how to bring the Order down, and he has joined a group that hunts the monsters haunting the broken land.

This is epic fantasy with a post-apocalyptic edge, told at a quick pace, with magic, monsters and plenty of action. Brother and sister stand on opposite sides of a war that is still growing. It is the first book in the Burningblade & Silvereye trilogy by Django Wexler.