Krondor: Tear of the Gods

Gorath is a moredhel who has broken with his own people, and he arrives in the Kingdom of the Isles with bad news. The Nighthawks, a band of assassins, have started killing again, and a cabal of six powerful sorcerers called the Six is behind a plan to destroy the realm. The kingdom's leaders have to respond.

The knights James and Locklear are drawn in, along with Owyn, a young magician with little experience. His mentor Pug guides him as he learns to protect the land he serves. Their enemies gather on more than one front: a Tsurani invasion is coming, and a separate scheme to steal the Lifestone is already under way.

This is high fantasy, and the first novel in the Riftwar Legacy, which is set in the wide Kingdom of the Isles. The title on the page is Krondor: Tear of the Gods, but the text this synopsis draws on names the book Krondor: The Betrayal, so readers should expect that title on some editions.

The tone is tense and atmospheric, with a heavy emphasis on world-building. The danger grows from several directions at once, and the heroes must act together if the kingdom is to survive.