BOOK TWO: WINTER MAGE
Honour is everything…
And the ripples in the aftermath of war reach far as clans jostle among each other for the spoils.
Proud General Gohei serves clan and emperor above all, no matter the cost, if it means Dawn Clan will endure. This is his family’s legacy of blood and blade that his sons inherit in a world ravaged by conflict. Yet deadly steel means little if the hand wielding it is not guided by cunning.
Will honour be enough when an emperor fades, leaving twin daughters as heirs and Dawn Clan’s future hanging in the balance? Which heir will take the throne? And which hand will guide her?
Dawn of the Empress | Winter Mage II
Nerine Dorman is a South African author and editor of science fiction and fantasy. Her fantasy novel The Company of Birds appeared with Mirari Press in 2025. Her novel Sing down the Stars won Gold for the Sanlam Prize for Youth Literature in 2019 and The Percy Fitzpatrick Award for Children's and Youth Literature in 2021.
Catriona Ross is a writer from Cape Town. Author of The Which Word (Mirari Press, 2026) and a growing list of other fiction and nonfiction titles, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and a Master of Arts in Creative Writing. When not writing, she can be found dancing tango, walking in forests and plotting ways to raise human consciousness.
Book One: Legacy of Obsidian
📝 Nerine Dorman @nerinedorman
& Catriona Ross @catrionawriter
📚 Winter Mage Series – Book 2 / 7
Illustrations : @danielhugoillustration
Initially, I expected the story to focus mainly on Gohei's POV wrt the Obsidian War, and since I thought his character in Book 1 was misunderstood, I was so excited to spend more time with him. What a treat that while Gohei remains somewhat central, we also get the perspectives of other characters, some of them quite surprising.
Katsumoto and Takashi were such memorable additions. I loved how mischievous Takashi was. That moment when he allowed his intrusive thoughts to win was both funny and slightly unsettling.
A powerful thread running through the story is the knowledge that the twin daughters of Emperor Fukakusa are destined to face one another in a decisive mage game at the age of eighteen, to determine who will ascend the throne as the first Empress to ever rule the Clan.
This book serves as the gripping lead-up to that moment, layering the narrative with anticipation, tension, and emotional complexity.
Knowing that the sisters already experience a significant and tense relationship while they are still so young adds an extra layer of unease - highlighting just how early the weight of expectation and rivalry begins to shape their paths. The idea that two sisters must one day stand in opposition gives the story a poignant emotional depth, raising questions about destiny, legacy, and whether tradition should always dictate the future 👑❄️
The pacing was fast and engaging, filled with intrigue, resilience, sacrifice, and the weight of leadership.
I truly enjoyed Book 2, and cannot wait for the next instalment.
So I just finished reading Dawn of The Empress, book 2 of the Winter Mage series by Nerine Dorman and Catriona Ross and just like Legacy of Obsidian, it was an absolute page turner that I couldn't down.
I really enjoyed the world building here, and I am glad we got some politics and intrigue here. Linnard even has a badass "cameo"!
This is genuinely a series I will keep visiting because, while I have some minor issues with it, it has been entertaining a blast to read. Such great prose.