Cirrus@Austlit

In the tradition of Sergei Lukyanenko’s Nightwatch, ‘Cry of the Firebird’ draws on the dark, bloody fairy tales of Russia and the wild magic of the Kalevala.

'After her grandfather’s gruesome murder, Anya is visited by Tuoni, the Finnish God of the Underworld, who tells her that for centuries her family has protected the gates to Skazki, the Russian Otherworld. If Anya doesn’t sober up and awaken the dormant magic inside of her she will be dead within the year, the power of the gates seized by ancient enemies seeking to unleash the horrors of the Otherworld into modern day Russia.

'Drawn unwillingly into a deadly battle, the only person Anya can trust is the mysterious Yvan, a Skazki Prince who is forced to share his body with a powerful firebird.

'Hunted through perilous Skazki Anya tries to control her unstable magic as black magic users, ancient cannibalistic witches and horrific beasts seek to destroy her.

'Can Anya harness the magic inside of her in time to protect the gates? Or will her new allies betray her for a place in the new world?

'Finnish-Australian writer Amy Kuivalainen debuts an urban fantasy novel that draws you into a world of reinvented myths, potent magic and fighting the darkness that lingers in us all. ' (Publication summary)