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 As one reviewer said, In Her Name is “a grand story of love, power, sacrifice and good versus evil” that seamlessly blends together epic fantasy, science fiction, and romance as it chronicles the coming-of-age of a young warrior hero torn between love and honor.
The galaxy is at war. The Confederation of Humanity is a democracy fracturing under the strain of nearly a century of war with alien invaders, the warriors of the Kreelan Empire. Humanoids with blue skin, fangs and fingers that end in razor sharp talons, they have technology that is millennia beyond that of the Confederation, yet they seek out close combat with sword and claw, fighting and dying to honor their god-like Empress. For the Confederation, there is no negotiation, there is no surrender. There is only the fierce struggle to survive.
On an embattled world, young Reza Gard finds himself face to face with Tesh-Dar, the greatest of the Empire’s warriors. Born to a race whose recorded history spans half a million years, Tesh-Dar - a warrior priestess - is endowed with powers that are supernatural to human eyes. In Reza’s eyes, the eyes of a boy whose parents she has just slain, she is a monster. Holding him off the ground, face to face, she is slowly strangling him when he lashes out with his dead father’s knife, cutting her face across the left eye. Surprised and impressed with this young human animal, she bestows upon him a matching wound, a trophy of sorts, and inexplicably lets him live.
Orphaned and alone, Reza is sent to the planet Hallmark. Supposedly a safe haven for war orphans, in reality it is little more than a slave labor planet. Toiling in grain fields under a burning sun, Reza leads a ragtag band of orphans doing the best they can to survive.
But again, Tesh-Dar intervenes in his life. Leading an attack against Hallmark, she has been sent by her Empress on a special mission: to gather human children and return them to the Empire as part of an experiment to see if they have souls. Reza, along with thousands of others, is captured, with Hallmark left behind in flaming ruin.
He awakens to the silver-flecked cat’s eyes of Esah-Zhurah, a young warrior tasked with teaching him the language and customs of her people. At first beaten and caged, Reza gradually earns her grudging respect. Over the years that follow he not only survives, but thrives as he learns the warrior ways of the Empire, becoming both more and less than human. As the relationship between the two young warriors deepens, Tesh-Dar and the Empress wonder if Reza may be the One foretold in an ancient prophecy, who will redeem the Kreelan race from an ancient blood curse.
As Reza’s final challenge looms, Esah-Zhurah performs an ancient blood ritual that binds them together in body and spirit. For the first time the Bloodsong, the tie that binds every Kreelan soul to the Empress, echoes in his veins, at last making him one with the Children of the Empress.
But his acceptance of the Kreelan Way leaves him with a dreadful choice: he must either make war against the humans, or - if he refuses - leave the Empire and Esah-Zhurah behind forever.
The path he takes leads him toward a destiny set in motion millennia before, with the fate of both races hanging in the balance... If you enjoy epic fantasy, science fiction, or futuristic romance, you'll enjoy In Her Name! Reviews: "Hicks blends fantasy, science fiction, and romance together to create a story that crosses genres, and will appeal to a wide range of readers...I found myself unable to put it down, and spent the better part of a weekend engrossed in this amazing world."
-BookLoons.com "There are some intriguing mysteries in the book, especially regarding the Kreelan society and their special blood-bonding that remained somewhat ambiguous to the end, but the larger-than-life characters, the intense action and the diverse style of the author are the main strengths of the novel rather than detailed worldbuilding in itself...Overall, I thought Michael R. Hicks’ “In Her Name" was an excellent book and I highly, highly recommend it…"
-Fantasy Book Critic "In Her Name is an ambitious story, epic in scope with a huge cast of characters. The Kreelans are a wonderfully imaginative race, original and pretty much exactly the sort of thing I like to see explored. Their world and society is fascinating, and I loved that we saw both sides of them, both as the bloodthirsty warmongers from the human perspective and from a more sympathetic angle in their own eyes...Fans of epic fantasy as well as science fiction lovers will find an enjoyable read here, particularly those who love to visit unique worlds with some seriously beautiful worldbuilding."
-GenreReviews "I love epic fantasy, and Hicks' tale hit all the necessary elements of that subgenre for me... I lost myself in the story...and the character development kept me turning pages late into the night. I spent my work day looking forward to reentering the world of In Her Name, and when I had finished I had thoroughly enjoyed my time there."
-Grasping For The Wind ISBN: 978-0615208534 Available for sale now at: Please also feel free to download the first four complete chapters - free! - in PDF format.
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