Starside

For Aris, the promise of extraordinary power means nothing compared to the chance to confront those responsible for destroying her childhood.

Born into a world divided between privileged immortals and struggling mortals, Aris has spent years carrying the pain of losing her family to a goddess’s violence. While others dream of crossing into the legendary realm of Starside to obtain life-changing magic, she sees the journey as an opportunity to settle an old debt.

Her first obstacle is the Culling, a ruthless contest that determines which fifty warriors will be permitted to enter the immortal kingdom. With little more than her experience as a blacksmith’s apprentice, Aris must compete against wealthy opponents equipped with advantages she has never known.

Everything changes when she acquires an extraordinary sword coveted by powerful rivals. The weapon gives her a chance against formidable enemies, but possession of it also makes her a marked woman.

Beyond the gates separating the two realms, Aris encounters dangers that challenge even the immortals who rule Starside. Deadly creatures, unpredictable magic, and a mysterious threat emerging after sunset turn the journey into a struggle where alliances can be as dangerous as enemies.

Complicating matters is Harlan Raker, a feared royal guard whose past betrayal left Aris with little reason to trust him. Yet surviving the journey may require her to depend on the very man she would rather avoid.

As Aris draws closer to uncovering the truth about her family’s destruction, she discovers that her own history contains revelations capable of upsetting the balance of power between mortals and gods.

An epic fantasy adventure featuring dangerous trials, ancient magic, divided loyalties, and a heroine determined to challenge the powers that rule her world.

Alex Aster is an internationally bestselling fantasy author whose work has reached the top of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. She has also earned recognition as a USA Today bestselling author.

Aster is the creator of the Lightlark fantasy series, which has attracted widespread readership and interest in a major film adaptation. She also wrote the Emblem Island series, drawing creative inspiration from her Colombian heritage.

She attended the University of Pennsylvania, graduating summa cum laude with a degree in English. Her fiction explores imaginative worlds, magical challenges, and characters navigating extraordinary circumstances.

Readers can discover Alex Aster’s novels and learn more about her fictional worlds at www.asterverse.com.