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Thirrin Freer Strong-in-the-Arm Lindenshield carried her names with ease. She was thirteen years old, tall for her age and could ride her horse as well as the best of her father’s soldiers. She was also heir to the throne of the Icemark. Her tutor might add that she was attentive when she wanted to be, clever when she bothered to try, and had her father’s temper.
Few compared her to her mother, who had died when Thirrin was born. But those who remembered the proud young woman of the fierce Hypolitan people said that Thirrin was her double.
The soldier riding guard over her didn’t care about any of this. They’d been hunting in the forest since dawn and he was cold and tired, but Thirrin showed no signs of wanting to go home. They were following a set of tracks she insisted were werewolf prints, and the soldier was afraid she might be right. He’d already eased the spears in his scabbard and had been riding with his shield on his arm for the past hour.

About the book

When her father dies in battle, 14-year-old Thirrin becomes Queen of the Icemark.

Determined to defend her tiny kingdom from the most terrible invasion her nation has ever known, this is the epic story of how she rallies her country and finds some extraordinary new allies: Vampires, Wolf-folk, giant Snow Leopards and – most precious of all – her friend Oskan, Witch’s Son.

Waterstones Children’s Book Prize Winner 2006.

Books 2 and 3, Blade of Fire and Last Battle of the Icemark, are available in ebook format.

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Author notes

'This book had been "fermenting" for years, until one day I finally sat down and decided to write it. This time I was going to produce a novel just for me, full of all the monsters and heroes that had excited and interested me since I was a very little boy. Getting the main character and heroine right was easy; Thirrin Freer Strong-in-the-Arm Lindenshield was based on my sister. One of the bravest girls I ever knew.'

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