First published 1998
Tim loses his childhood in an instant, stripped away by forces beyond his control. Simon suffers from hearing so sharp it becomes torture, every sound amplified into agony. Both boys face the same enemy: The Usher of the Night, once an innocent child like themselves, now warped by his hunger for power and by his alliance with Tomen, a creature of pure malice who wields magic like a weapon. The Usher serves his dark master, spreading corruption through their world. Tim and Simon must join forces to cleanse their land of the twisted magic that Tomen and The Usher have unleashed. Their quest becomes a fight to reclaim what was stolen from them and to prevent other children from suffering the same fate. The story unfolds as a tale within a tale, revealing how innocence can be destroyed and how the rejection of corrupted power becomes the only path to salvation.
Genres: adventure, coming-of-age, fantasy, dark-fantasy
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
286 pages · Paperback · Tor Books
Content warnings: violence