That is the question on Garak-Nur's mind every time he draws his blade. A battle-hardened mountain orc, he knows when to turn from an unwinnable fight—and when to face death head-on, weapon in hand.
Garak-Nur is ready to meet his fate, but the rest of his clan is not. A Witch King has risen to power in the north, enticing the mountain orcs to join his army. To preserve his clan’s freedom, Garak must lead his followers into the wilderness.
But the challenges they face are great, and the lands they must cross are teeming with peril. Dwarves, dragons, and rival orcish war parties all stand in their way of finding a new home—and with winter swiftly coming, victory in battle alone is no guarantee of survival.
One day, Garak-Nur will climb his last hill and meet the fate that awaits him. But for the sake of all those who depend on him, that day must not come a moment too soon.
Joe Vasicek fell in love with science fiction and fantasy when he read The Neverending Story as a child. He is the author of more than twenty books, including Genesis Earth, Gunslinger to the Stars, The Sword Keeper, and the Sons of the Starfarers series. As a young man, he studied Arabic at Brigham Young University and traveled across the Middle East and the Caucasus Mountains. He lives in Utah with his wife, daughter, and two apple trees.