In an alternate reality set in medieval times, there exists the kingdom of Aydori. Ruled by werewolves and mages, Aydori finds itself under attack by the Empire, a sprawling kingdom that wages war with the new and terrible powers of science. With the majority of the Aydori soldiers fighting on the front lines, the rest of the small kingdom is forced to flee to high ground. But a sneak attack by the Empire manages to capture five of Aydori's most powerful mages. The Silvered by Tanya Huff DAW November 2012 With a prophecy foretelling the Empire and its king as the ultimate ruler of the land, and a holy war declared against the werewolves and mages, it falls to Mirian Maylin, a young girl who barely qualifies as a mage, and Tomas Hagen, a werewolf with no family left, to defy the Empire, rescue the captured mages, and see to it that the prophecy doesn't come down on the side of the Empire. I've always been a huge fan of Tanya Huff's work, and this story certainly didn't disappoint. And while the backdrop of a land ruled by magic fighting against the emerging power of science is not wholly original, Huff's style of writing and character development puts a unique spin on the entire setup. With that said, this book can be extremely complex. The number of characters, their relationships, importance, and rank can leave the reader juggling quite a bit of information early on. I actually had to reread the entire first chapter and make it a point to commit to memory exactly who was who. It also bears mentioning that this is a book for more mature readers, in that it depicts quite a bit of bloodshed and death. The ravages of war leave no one untouched, and nearly every character loses a loved one on the battlefield. Of course, like so many stories of its kind, the central focus is on a boy and girl and the feelings that develop between them on their journey. However, almost just as much focus is put on the captured mages, who aren't simply waiting idly in their cells to be rescued. Huff also shies away from storybook endings where all the characters live happily ever after, and there are several moments in the story that are truly heartbreaking. If you're a fan of magic, werewolves, and good writing, you should definitely read this book.