THE IRON RING

A complex tale of honor and adventure, love and compassion, that shines with the dusky richness of an oriental tapestry. Set in a mythical India, this is the story of Tamar, King of Sundari, who, born to the warrior caste, must live by a strict code of honor. When mysterious King Jaya arrives at Tamar's palace in the middle of the night and challenges him to a high-stakes game of dice, Tamar loses everything. Bound by the iron ring that Jaya places on his finger, he becomes the other man's slave; in the morning Jaya has vanished—though the ring remains. Since it would be dishonorable to ignore it, Tamar sets out for Jaya's distant kingdom expecting to lose his life at the end of his journey—and what a journey it is. Joined by an impudent monkey, a beautiful milkmaid, and an eagle who has seen better days, Tamar comes to question everything he was brought up to believe in, especially the rigid caste system. A page-turning thread of tension appears in the opening sentence, drawing readers into a high adventure involving fierce battles, magical talking animals, and enchanted forests. All are rendered believable on the strength of an exceptionally well- realized cast of characters who grapple with their flaws, grow, and change. Laugh-out-loud humor leavens the story to perfection. (Fiction. 4-8)