Rule of Reason (Paperback)

Paperback. I WASNT BORN THIS WAY.They changed me, the Touched, by killing the person I couldve been over and over again. So, yes, Ill show everyone just how touched by darkness I truly am. Raf Lengahrs father has one ambition: for his son to rise above any of his forebears. So, while his mother wilts under the weight of the choices shes made to survive under the Hand of Reason, he rejoices when Raf is offered a place at the prestigious Academy of Stonehelve, where only those tested and declared free of Touched power can achieve the education required to become a leader within the cruel regime of the Hand of Reason.From his education at the Academy to his apprenticeships both in Reor itself and in the territories newly conquered by the Hand, in Rule of Reason, Raf meets stalwarts of the regime who help him cement his beliefs in the righteousness of the Hand. He also encounters rebels whove suffered unmentionable cruelty under the regime, and also those who cower in fear under the Hands recent conquest of their homelands, knowing that its a matter of time before they light the pyres on which theyll burn the Touched by Light. But Raf also comes across some who are Touched, whom he was taught to despise throughout his childhood and then grows to hate through his own experiences.Plagued by his northern looks, in Rule of Reason, Raf endures suspicion and torment from his peers and turmoil and doubt from within as he comes across the trail left by his Touched uncle, Peryst de Arranu, and his daughter, Maia, both rebels against the Hand of Reason. Their seemingly constant reappearance in his life and their increasing importance within the rebellion lead Raf to harden himself further against the Touched.Faced with options regarding his future, Raf will need to choose between discarding his fathers expectations, his own dreams, and the path determined by his education, or embarking on a journey into darkness to prove hes a the most faithful son of the land of Reor and a true servant of the Hand of Reason.For readers drawn to dark themes, villain origin stories, and the rise of cruel empires seeking to dominate the known world, Rule of Reason asks the terrible question: Are monsters born or are they made?Let Rule of Reason show you that its not as simple as good and evil. Raf Lengahr, shaped by his father's ambition, his mother's silence, and the knowledge that her kin are Touched by Light, strives to prove that he's a faithful son of the Hand of Reason. As he meets Touched, some encounters cement his fanatical beliefs and solidify his dreams while others make him question everything he thinks he knows. This item is printed on demand. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…