A magnificent tale of adventure, emotion and a girl who defies an empire set in the backdrop of sublime landscape - perfect for Christmas. THE FIRST EVER WINNER OF THE WATERSTONES CHILDREN'S BOOK PRIZE 'A dazzling, confident debut about power and personal discovery' THE TIMES 'A supremely satisfying read which really deserves to be called a page-turner' THE GUARDIAN 'A wonderful, swashbuckling read and an exceptional debut.' BOOKS FOR KEEPS When her father dies nobly in battle, fourteen-year-old Thirrin becomes Queen of the Icemark, a tiny kingdom forever caught between dangerous neighbours. Thirrin must raise an army to protect her people from seemingly invincible Imperial invaders.Her search for allies takes her beyond her northern borders, to former enemies in The-Land-of-the-Ghosts and onwards to the frozen Hub-of-the-World. But can she save her kingdom in time? A new stunning cover look for the previous winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize A gloriously dramatic and heartfelt story about a remarkable girl who defies an empire Combines breathtaking description, steely-edged action and warm characterisation Perfect for junior Game of Thrones fans 'The characters are so fresh, and the writing so vivid, that Hill should win many new recruits to fantasy fiction among 10- to 14-year-olds' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 'A first novel with a distinctive and seductive voice' THE INDEPENDENT 'A wonderful, swashbuckling read and an exceptional debut' BOOKS FOR KEEPS 'A sensational new author who is going to take the children’s book world by storm … read it, read it, read it' THE BOOKSELLER