Lodestone

Lodestone-peddler Melaine is desperate to stop hustling her raw magic for a tuppence. Her rare gift of infusing her magic into a lodestone to sell for another’s use and never keeping any for herself is nothing but a degrading path to an early grave.

Yearning for a better life, Melaine turns to her unconventional childhood idol, the powerful but sinister Overlord, sorcerer-ruler of the Centara. When she achieves an audience and arrives at his reclusive retreat of ancient Highstrong Keep, she finds that the compelling, handsome man who conquered a kingdom by the age of twenty is now a weak, shadowed husk, and he needs her lodestones to give him strength. In exchange, he will take her on as his apprentice.

Trapped in Highstrong with a half-crazed prisoner, a strict servant, and the Overlord, Melaine learns that they may all be prey to far more malevolent forces than the Overlord’s black-magic experiments. Faced with menacing apparitions, ancient curses, and an even greater horror that could threaten the entire kingdom if unleashed, Melaine’s penchant for survival is contested by her growing feelings for the Overlord and her path toward finding a deeper meaning to life than the pure power she once craved.

Editorial Reviews

“I am usually pretty remiss in giving over 4-star ratings to a book (I can be a little stingy with my stars) but “Lodestone” by Katherine Forrister was too good to be stingy on… Forrister’s world building reminded me a lot of Robert Jordan’s ‘Wheel of Time’ series (high praise to be sure) and her complex characters drew me in, the same way Tamora Pierce’s characters have always been easy to connect with. I know ‘Lodestone’ is a standalone but I need more – I would absolutely LOVE a prequel. Melaine, the story’s phenomenal heroine, stands out as being strong and street-smart without being whiny. The Overlord, the world’s most unlikely hero, had my heart strings tugged from his first introduction. Forrister’s character is complex, secluded and secretive, and a pleasure to get to know.” – K.T. Egan, Author of ALL YOU HOLD ON TO

“LODESTONE is a dark fantasy tale with immersive world building and a compelling heroine following a plot with hints of Beauty and the Beast. The world and magic system give Forrister a lot of room to write more books in this world, and I hope she does because there is a lot to love here. Between the setting, the protagonist, and the magic, I’m not sure which is my favorite because they were all done so well. I’m excited to see what Forrister writes next!” – Gabrielle Ash, Author of THE FAMILY CROSS