asa kraiya : beyond the sword

A weblit novel by Karen Wehrstein

Sequel to The Philosopher in Arms : WARNING - SPOILERS BELOW

“***** If you like character-driven/personal development stories, this is for you! … I can’t recommend asa kraiya (along with The Philosopher in Arms) enough.” - Capriox, @ Web Fiction Guide

“Damn you, Karen, it’s 3:30 a.m. again!” - “Fan” in the comments.

"You will sob and howl but the ending is beautiful." - Fantasy Lover @ Lexy's Basement

"My hair is standing on end. I love that Ms Wehrstein carefully and lovingly took the time to tie up nearly all the loose ends, and left the most grating, obvious one completely alone, as really it ought to be, being none of our goddamned business. Instead, it stands out in surreal fuchsia (or was it lilac? It's too soon, things are still blurry), tempting us with glorious possibility.

Really, that possibility is far more satisfying than a 'happily ever after,' because what it really says is 'this is not the end, there is more to this story than you can imagine, but I invite you to try, because it's good for you.' Pure distilled hope, with a frisson of that voyeuristic thrill that all literature grants." - Michael Thedford @ Lexy's Basement

A NOVEL OF TRANSFORMATION

HAVING CARVED HIS WAY to the top of the post-tech world of the Fifth Millennium, Fourth Chevenga Shae-Arano-e has everything—power, accomplishment, love, and fame as the reputed greatest warrior in the world—except the prospect of long life. Shown by a childhood vision that he will die before the age of thirty, at twenty-eight he figures he’s nearing the end—until a brilliant healer with the gift of seeing the human aura reveals the way to escape that fate.

All Chevenga has to do is quit believing at heart that death is his due.

And hang up his sword. For good.

Against the political backdrop of the empire of Arko and his fiercely-democratic homeland of Yeola-e, he makes his bid for longevity through a healing journey that turns out to be much more than he bargained for. Called a traitor by his former comrades-in-arms, rejected by his wife, hunted by assassins, and undergoing the public dissection of his deepest secrets by an official body that includes his worst political enemy, Chevenga faces his toughest battle ever—for his sanity, reputation, position... and life.