"Strength of swords, honor in victory."

Kellen's childhood is shrouded in mystery. For the last ten years, he and his father have lived as refugees in Salvation, a land beyond the Western Wilderness of New Caporesso. After his ascension into the warrior ranks, he and his companions vow to return to the land of their birth, in order to change their destiny and reclaim the past. So begins their quest to find redemption in the land some of them were sworn to protect.

Col and Vee live in Cenkin, the capital city of the majestic land of New Caporesso. Their mother, who is queen of New Caporesso, is torn by terrible decisions she made years ago. Her beauty is only equaled in intensity by the sorrow in her heart. Their stepfather and king, Guan, governs the country as a tyrant, wielding power like an iron fist. Those who stand against him are crushed by his loyal soldiers. Once Vee demonstrates her equality as a warrior, she is accepted into the legendary Tu'nide to ride beside her brother. Together, they embark on a mission that will forever change their destiny.

As Kellen, Col, and Vee struggle with the knowledge of their dark pasts, they set events in motion that will test their loyalties, friendships, and ultimately reveal the Edge of Betrayal.

Extended Description:

Edge of Betrayal: The New Caporesso Chronicles is an exciting, young adult novel sure to appeal to young and old alike. In this book by first-time novelist L. J. Noker, you'll find a heartwarming and thrilling tale about families separated by a terrible event. Edge of Betrayal is intentionally absent wizards, werewolves, and vampires; it is a story about people dealing with the real emotions of love, loss, betrayal, and the promise of atonement.

Kellen, Kyra, and Yen are young refugees in a land called Salvation, cared for by their wise fathers. The land is a paradise of temperate people with noble ideas, whose only knowledge of war is from what they read in their history scrolls. When Ketrik and Hapco reveal to their children dark secrets from their past, together, they vow to return through the Western Wilderness, to their war-torn homeland of New Caporesso, on a quest to find redemption and restore order to the country.

In Cenkin, the capital city of New Caporesso, Guan rules like a tyrant with an iron fist, subjugating his citizens to a harsh existence. His stepson, Col, and stepdaughter, Vee, train to become warriors in his image. Once Vee passes the test granting her acceptance into the legendary Tu'nide, her mother, Mervekka, reveals her own secrets to her children. Upon learning the truth about their family, they plan to embark on a path westward, seeking support from the people in order to liberate New Caporesso from the clutches of their evil stepfather, and reclaim honor for the family name.

As the two groups plan for their journeys, their futures remain uncertain. Those traveling east through the wilderness hope to discover the fate of their family, and formulate a plan to rescue the country they were elected to protect. Those riding west hope to find support from the people of New Caporesso, with goals of restoring order to the country, and avenging their family's murder. As each expedition goes forth, they are filled with the hope that they will be able to alter their destinies and find redemption in New Caporesso.
About the Author: L. J. Noker is an author living with his family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Penn State with a B.S. in Civil Engineering, and then earned an M.S. in Civil Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. Edge of Betrayal: The New Caporesso Chronicles - Book I is the first in what he hopes will be a series of four books.