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A ruthlessly ambitious mother passes on her quest for absolute power to her son. Even before that, unfortunately for him, she leaves him another gift—a twin whose birth precedes his own by mere seconds. Worse, this twin is a girl. Most humiliating of all for Prince Narken of Zurkia, his mother, Hagatha, names his sister, Solange, as her successor. Madly jealous, Narken resolves to seize power, aided by a stolen magical orb that grants unlimited might to the one who possesses it. Solange's great aunt Vermisha will give her in marriage to the man who can destroy the orb. Years later, Keon, the peasant boy who achieved this feat, is Tzar of Kazan as promised but captive to Narken as punishment for stealing back his source of power. Now only the unadulterated goodness of Keon's daughter, Princess Raja, stands between Narken's destruction of an empire and its rightful sovereign.
Combining elements of allegory and fantasy, this novel features strong, self-determined female characters who effectively wield their influence for good or evil. Solange becomes ruler of Kazan in her own right with only one person, not the usual faction, opposing her ascension. Hagatha's cruel and often dismissive treatment of Narken demonstrates how a maternal figure's approval or disapproval of a child, especially a son, can impact a person's attitudes and behaviors for life. Keon and Raja represent the efficacy of unselfish forgiveness as they readily pardon Narken for his wrongs against them once he is out of the orb's thrall. Simultaneously, Narken enjoys the liberation that can accompany the sudden and complete absence of a negative compulsion. The text does not specifically mention Christianity but repeatedly refers to God and salvation in a similar faith tradition. Thus, this book might appeal especially to Christians or others who enjoy inspirational fiction.