Starside

Every fifty years the gates between two worlds open. On one side lies Starside, a paradise of magic held by immortals descended from the gods. On the other is Stormside, where mortals scrape together what power they can. When the gates part, fifty challengers cross into Starside on a lethal quest for magic that can heal, enrich or lengthen a life. Aris, an orphaned blacksmith's apprentice, wants only one thing from it: revenge on the gods who killed her family.

Great swords in this world are claimed, not inherited, and when Aris claims one she becomes a contender and a target at once. Her uneasy ally is Harlan Raker, the knight who betrayed her years ago. Alex Aster, a number one New York Times bestselling author, writes for readers who like their fantasy sharp-edged, their romance laced with mistrust, and a heroine with a secret of her own.