The Obsidian Heart

A plot to overthrow the Shrīanese Federation has been quashed, but the bloody rebellion is far from over . . . and the struggle to survive is just beginning. Warrior-mage Indris grows weary in his failed attempts to thwart the political machinations of Corajidin, and he faces the possibility of imprisonment upon his return to his homeland. Moreover, Indris’s desire for Corajidin’s daughter, Mari, is strong. Can he choose between his duty and his desire . . . and at what cost? Left alienated from her House, Mari is torn between the opposing forces of her family and her country—especially now that she’s been offered the position of Knight-Colonel of the Feyassin, the elite royal guards whose legacy reaches back to the days of the Awakened Empire. As the tensions rise, she must decide if her future is with Indris, with her family, or in a direction not yet foreseen. As he awaits trial for his crimes, Corajidin confronts the good and evil within himself. Does he seek redemption for his cruel deeds, or does he indebt himself further to the enigmatic forces that have promised him success and granted him a reprieve from death? What is more important: his ambition, regaining the love stolen from him, or his soul? The second novel in the lyrical Echoes of Empire series, The Obsidian Heart is an epic, fantastic tale of family loyalty and political intrigue, fraught with shadowy visions, baroque magic, arcane science, bloody feuds, and ancient forces whose agendas are as yet unknown.

Mark Barnes was born in Sydney, Australia, in September of 1966. A strong athlete, he was also drawn to the arts at a young age, penning his first short story as a seven-year-old. He worked in finance and advertising and eventually landed satisfying work in information technology, where he continues to manage a freelance organizational change consultancy. In 2005, when Mark was selected to attend the Clarion South residential short story workshop, he began to write with the intention of making it more than a hobby. Since that time Mark has published a number of short stories, worked as a freelance script editor, and has driven creative consultancy for a television series. The Garden of Stones is his first novel.

"This first book in a fantasy series harks back to the ancient past for connections to the present and involves complex world-building and fascinating characters." -Audiofile Magazine

"If you like your fantasy novels more like Dune than Discworld, get into Mark T Barnes The Gardens of Stone, the first novel in his Echoes of Empire trilogy. This is the Australian author’s debut novel, and it’s a fascinatingly intricate journey into a complex new world – each page seems to reveal more and more about the history and cultures of Shrian – if you like your novels ‘deep’, then snap it up." -The SciFi Show

"The Gardens of Stone is awesome. Set in a lush and deeply realised world quite different to the normal medieval fantasy settings we usually get with a middle-eastern feel reminiscent of M.A.R. Barker's Tekumel. There is a solid sense of real history and Barnes handles it's portrayal with flair, never allowing the reader to be overwhelmed or bogged down." - Postcards From the Emerald City