There are two nations-Tierra and Uraba.  The tenets of their religions are similar.  Ondun (god) created the world.  He had three sons: Aiden, Urec, and Joron.  After Ondun finished his creation, he left the world to create other worlds.  He gave his two sons Aiden and Urec a quest if you will.  They were told to explore the world.  Aiden was given a magic compass that always pointed home to Terravitae.  Urec was given a map.  The compass was damaged and the map was lost.  Both men ended up lost and were unable to return to Terravitae.  They landed on separate continents.  Aiden’s people lived on Tierra.  Urec’s people lived on Uraba.  Now depending upon whom you ask, Aiden or Urec was responsible for the lost of the map or destruction of the compass.  In one way  the religions are different.  The followers of Urec believe in polygamy; the Aidenist do not. 

    The story begins with a merchant from Aiden being  attacked by a soldan.1   The soldan was killed in the battle.  This created a bit of a mess for the leaders of the two continent.  But they were determined to have peace.  Soldan-shah Imir and King Korastine decided to meet in Ishalem in order to hammer out an agreement.  The leaders decide to divide the known world in two.  But that night a fire breaks out in the story.  Interestingly enough, the fire breaks out when a man making candles has an accident.  It seems there will be war.

   

    King Korastine tries to heal the breech by rebuilding the city of Ishalem.  He sends a Prester2 to oversee the project.  But he is brutally murdered by an Uraban soldan who decided to avenge the original killed soldan.  Imir sends an ambassador to Korastine, but an over zealous destrar6 kills the man.  This definitely puts both nations at war.  Neither leader really wants to go to war, but they do so quite reluctantly.  They are pretty much forced into it by their respective peoples. 

    There are stories within the main story.  We discover that there is a group of people known as the Saedran.  They had a land of their own, but it was destroyed- it sank beneath the ocean.  As part of their religion, they believe that they must create a map of the entire world.  This is known as the Mappa Mundi.  When they complete the map, their world will be raised and they will be able to return.  Oh, they believe that those of their people still left on the land when it sank transformed into mer-people.  Many of the Saedran have photographic memories. As a result they are prized navigators.  They give their maps  to no one. 

    In the course of the book, both nation discover that their world was much bigger than they realize.  The Aidenist decide to explore the world.  The first ship that they create is called the Luminara.  It ends up being destroyed.  The Urabans explore as well.  They build a hot air balloon to cross the desert and discover the end boundaries of their continent.  Saedrans in both continents are involved in both these explorations.  They think they have enough information to find the lost land of Terravitae.  The Aidenist build an arkship to find the lost land.  As it turns out, Korastine was in possession of the Compass given to Aiden.  Before the ship can sail, Uraban terrorists destroy the ship. 

    I really enjoyed this book.  As you can tell from the title, this is the first book in the series.  There was a great deal going on.  I think of the two groups, I liked the Aidenists the better.  I guess it’s because they really weren’t the instigators.  Many attacks were started by the Urabans.  I thought it was very interesting how both sides think that their religion is so correct.  I kind of wonder  what started the enmity between the brothers.  I also wonder whose arkship was stored in Ishalem.  Of course both sides claim it. 

   

    I also wonder what will happen if they ever find Terraviate.  I have a feeling they are going to find out how mistaken they are about everything.

1.  Local Uraban Chieftan

2.  Aiden spiritual leader

3.   Aiden local leader