A ragtag group of orphans have defeated the Great Witch, but peace is yet to be attained: the Tyrant's control of the Fáil has increased so much that he now threatens Earth as well as Tir. In a dystopian London, Mark and Nantosueta, Queen of Monisle on Tir, are searching for Padraig O'Brien, the druidic guardian of the great sword to convince him to join the Resistance and vanquish the Razzmatazzers and the Skulls, whose sinister presence is spreading to New York, and to other great capitals of the world. Meanwhile, Penny Postlethwaite, a gifted but emotionally troubled teenager, is mapping two Londons, the beleaguered "City Above", and the eerily fascinating "City Below." On Tir, Alan Duval, leader of the Shee army, is mounting an attack on Ghork Mega, the Tyrant's capital city, but he faces obstacles at every turn. And in Dromenon, Kate Shaunessy is exploring the colossal roots of the Tree of Life, as she finds herself descending into the Land of the Dead in her quest to find the legendary serpent-dragon Nidhoggr. The Tree of Life is afflicted with a mysterious malady, and Kate is faced with a difficult decision of whether to liberate Nidhoggr, who is driven by chaos. As the threat of war looms larger on both Tir and Earth, the labyrinthine cunning of the Tyrant becomes manifest. What is he building in the "City Below" What horrors does he have in store for New York and other major cities of Earth? Day by day and hour by hour, the looming threat grows in both the worlds.

Four young men and women fell into the magical land of Tír through a mysterious portal in Ireland - and now the fate of two worlds lies on their shoulders in this 'enthralling' (LA Times) and 'fast-paced, action-packed and truly fantastical journey' (Fantasy Book Review) The Tyrant has control of the artefact known as the Fáil, and as he strengthena his hold on the forces of dark magic, he now threatens Earth as well as Tír. In a violently dystopian London, Mark has joined forced with Nantosueta to search for the Sword of Feimhin, while on Tír, Alan has mustered a Shee army and is intent taking the fight to the Tyrant - but obstacles obstruct his path at every turn. And Kate, now in the in-between world of Dromenon, finds herself entering the Land of the Dead . . . Day by day and hour by hour, the looming threat grows. 'Ryan's grand epic style . . . Passionate and dedicated fantasy fans will find a rich, immersive world and carefully handled characters' Booklist

The four friends, Alan, Kate, Mark and Mo have entered the enchanted but war-ravaged world of Tir, bringing hope for the oppressed peoples who live there. But Kate has been kidnapped by the Great Witch, Olc, who has imprisoned her in the Tower of Bones. Mark is lost in Dromenon, uncertain if he still lives, and Mo is still recovering from the injuries she suffered at the battle of Ossierel. Alan sets out to rescue Kate, but his every move is harassed by the Tyrant of the Watelands. Olc is luring the friends into a deadly trap, for she is resurrecting the demigod, Fangorath, an immortal and and dreadful force for malice, who is said to have ended the Age of Dragons.

As London falls under the hand of the Tyrant, war grips Earth as well as the magical land of Tír. The fate of both lies in the hands of five teenagers. As Mark and Nan attempt to save the life of one of their friends in London, Penny is lost in the eerie confines of the Black Rose, where her expanding imagination is being manipulated by dark forces. On Tír, Alan leads his Shee army towards the Tyrant's capital city, Ghork Mega, but his advance falters. As Kate flies in to help him, a heartbroken Mo fears that she is not brave enough to prevent the Tyrant from assuming full control of the Fàil - the item that will allow him to cement his power forever.

Four teenagers are drawn from an Irish mountaintop into an enchanted land and gifted with great powers: but with power comes responsibility, and a vast evil has noticed their arrival . . . On the summit of the fabled mountain Slievenamon in Ireland there is a doorway to an ancient land of terrible power. The gate of Feimhin has lain closed for centuries, the secret of its opening long lost - until four orphans drawn together by Fate pass through the portal and find the enchanted but war-ravaged world of Tír, a strange land peopled by beings of magic. Here death waits at every corner, and they must learn to fight if they are to survive. And they'd better learn quickly, because their enemy, the Tyrant of the Wastelands, is growing in power. 'The best fantasy novel I've ever read . . . an epic adventure that just does not stop!' said Glenda A. Bixler on Authorsden!

Four teenagers are drawn from an Irish mountaintop into an enchanted land and gifted with great powers: but with power comes responsibility, and a vast evil has noticed their arrival . . . On the summit of the fabled mountain Slievenamon in Ireland there is a doorway to an ancient land of terrible power. The gate of Feimhin has lain closed for centuries, the secret of its opening long lost - until four orphans drawn together by Fate pass through the portal and find the enchanted but war-ravaged world of Tír, a strange land peopled by beings of magic. Here death waits at every corner, and they must learn to fight if they are to survive. And they'd better learn quickly, because their enemy, the Tyrant of the Wastelands, is growing in power. 'The best fantasy novel I've ever read . . . an epic adventure that just does not stop!' said Glenda A. Bixler on Authorsden!