Ryel, a wizard born. But a portent makes Ryel realize that he must leave the magical city of Markul to save his mother's life. One thing leads to another and soon Ryel, originally from the Inner Steppes, travels to the capital city to cast out a demon and save a princess's life. Other forces, evil forces, enter the conflict and Ryel finds he must embark on a journey into the Void and free his kinsman's spirit. To do so, he must reverse a powerful curse cast by the evil sorcerer, Dagar.
Complication falls on top of complication in the intricate weaving of the plot.
That I don't know. The first book of a two-book series, this volume raises many questions but only answers a few. A book to ponder, savor, contemplate but not rush through at breakneck speed, Wysard adds new dimensions to the fantasy genre by adding new concepts, or by looking at old concepts in a fresh manner. Concise but lyric, the prose complements the tale. The characters, with the exception of Ryel, seem a bit sketchy, but Ryel clearly dominates the tale so the secondary characters need not emerge fully fleshed.