Maia’s birth spells disaster. When a glassmaker discovers his infant daughter is marked by the forbidden power, everything he has built—including his infant son’s future—is threatened. He and his wife must decide: give her up to the flames of the Hand of Reason or flee to save her, causing them all to suffer. Sending her away might be their only hope.
Peryst de Arranu, a Touched soldier and monster hunter from the North, where being Touched by Light is a blessing and not a curse, takes his niece Maia as his daughter and begins a perilous journey across southern Ankisua.
To keep Maia safe, Peryst will join rebels, soldiers, and nobles who fight the Hand’s hatred and bigotry to keep the regime from burning their world to the ground.
From the darkest peril to the glimmers of hope, TOUCHED BY LIGHT weaves a tale of conviction, sacrifice, and the light that refuses to dim.
In Touched by Light, Berna Hudson weaves a tale of love, power, and survival in a land divided by fear. Follow Peryst, a Klaevani warrior, as he battles the Hand of Reason, a regime that wants to cleanse the world of those who are different, in order to protect his daughter Maia. Hudson has crafted a rich world with poignant characters that captivates your attention as she explores the great lengths we will go to for family, freedom, and hope.
Luke Gygax, an American game designer, author, and entrepreneur in the fantasy and dieselpunk genres, best known as the son of Gary Gygax (the father of RPGs) and for founding the annual Gary Con gaming convention.
Touched by Light combines intricate fantasy adventure and the heartfelt emotional drama of a father risking everything to do right by his daughter. This promising start to the series is a potent reminder that heroism and bravery are far more nuanced than we sometimes believe.
Sebastien de Castell, multi-award nominated Canadian author of the acclaimed swashbuckling fantasy series, The Greatcoats, the YA fantasy Spellslinger, and the wonderfully imaginative Malevolent Series
Touched By Light introduces everything a fantasy reader could want: a richly detailed world, complex characters with their own agendas, and a new magic system. Just as Will Wight’s House of Blades immediately challenged my expectations (in the best possible way), Berna Hudson’s writing debut is a fresh take on traditional fantasy. Touched By Light is a cautionary tale about suppression and oppression, as well as a reminder that it’s never too late to resist. Hudson’s novel may be fantasy, but it’s one of the most currently relevant books I’ve read this year.
Scott Walker, urban and cozy fantasy author