Blood Tempered — Michael McClung

From the author of the Amra Thetys sword and sorcery series comes a new fantasy saga: Deadly but untested Brother Caida, sword monk of the militant Andine Order, is sent on a quest to rescue a princess kidnapped by bandits en route to her wedding. Armed with a greatsword and armored in his faith, Caida soon finds both tested beyond endurance - for nothing is as it seems, and it is the world that needs to be rescued from the princess, not the princess from anything or any one. Will Caida be broken by enemies without and dark secrets within? Or will he emerge from his trials blood tempered? "McClung has an impressive ability to write compelling characters and a fast paced and action packed plot that never seems to let up." -Speculative Book Review