An empire in turmoil. A forbidden magic promising death. Four lives changed forever. The Emperor is dead and his widow's rule drowns the land in fear. Soldiers terrorise the very people they should protect, taxes bleed the poor, and the executioner's blade awaits any accused of using magic. A mercenary haunted by his past risks his future for a chance at the family he thought he could never have. A noblewoman, bereft of home and memory, begins reclaiming her past to avenge those she lost. A disgraced commander hunts the truth behind his family's murders, leaving death and destruction in his wake. A shamaness is driven from sanctuary by the desperate actions of a grieving man. Through everything, the thread of a dangerous magic runs deep. Volatile as its wielder's emotions, it forges bonds of loyalty and love and holds the power to reshape the Empire's fate. But trust is fragile. And when long-buried secrets surface, bonds may shatter... And vengeance may be all that remains. Set in a world inspired by Imperial China, Phoenix Rises Dragon Soars is a dark character-driven epic fantasy and the unforgettable beginning of the Four Guardians Trilogy. For fans of the close character focus and gritty style of books like Devin Madson's We Ride The Storm, James Islington's The Will Of The Many, and John Gwynne's The Shadow Of The Gods.