The Wolf of Winter

From the back cover of the Bantam first edition: "From the panorama of history and legend, Paula Volsky weaves a tale of battles and visions, magic and conspiracy, decadence and desire in the frozen land of Rhaxaulie where the quick and the dead live peacefully side by side ... until now. Of all the excesses indulged in by the decadent Rhazautlean nobility only one is absolutely forbidden - necromancy. It is to these addictive arts that Prince Varis has secretly resorted, hoping to usurp the Wolf Throne through a serpentine choreography of murder and to forge a shining empire. But his greatest challenge comes in the person of his beautiful niece Shalindra, grown to womanhood in the shadow of exile and dedicated to the cause of bringing her brother Cerrov - the rightful heir - to the throne. Seized and brought to her uncles mountain stronghold, Shalindra is both repelled and fascinated by Varis, dark master of the dead, ruler of lost souls. As winter looms ahead, their encounter threatens to shape for both of them a destiny far different - and more dangerous - than either could ever have imagined."