Decades after the fall of Cyador, its survivors have reestablished themselves in Cigoerne, a fertile country coveted by hostile neighbors in less hospitable lands. Young Lerial, the second son of Duke Kiedron, lives in the shadow of his older brother, Lephi, the heir to their father's realm. Lerial's future seems preordained: he will one day command his brother's forces in defense of Cigoerne, serving at his older sibling's pleasure, and no more....

The latest book in the saga of Recluce, this is the story of Dorrin of Recluce, blacksmith and scion of the Order magicians, who invents wonderful devices. His insights violate the rules of Order magic, so he must go into exile in the lands of Chaos--where the forces of the Chaos wizards move across the land and whose ultimate goal is the destruction of Recluce.

The Saga of Recluce chronicles the history of this world with world-building detail and an ingenious and disciplined magic system. L.E. Modesitt, Jr. returns to his longest and bestselling fantasy series with volume nineteen, The Mongrel Mage, which marks the beginning of a new story arc. In the world of Recluce, powerful mages can wield two kinds of magic--the white of Chaos or the black of Order. Beltur, however, has talents no one dreamed of, talents...

Lerris, content with his job as a carpenter and his marriage to Krystal, a military subcommander, is called to serve his nation when his skills as a wizard are needed to defeat the forces of Hamor, whose attack could upset the balance of chaos and order necessary to the survival of the Recluce Universe.