According to legend, the last king of the Harshini sired a half-human child, known as the Demon Child, born to destroy a god . . .  BestFantasyBooks.com lists  Medalon  in the world's top 30 best political fantasy books along with New York Times Best Seller,  Game of Thrones .    The small country of Medalon is caught between the vast nation of Karien in the north and the nations of Fardohnya and Hythria in the south. For centuries the Medalonians co-existed peacefully with the Harshini, a magical race that abhors killing. But they have been exterminated and in their place the Sisters of the Blade rule Medalon from their once magical Citadel. An elite army of Defenders enforces the Sisterhood's oppressive rule and ensure the Harshini and their gods never return. R'shiel, only daughter of the First Sister of the Blade, rebels against the Sisterhood when her mother's politicking gets too much for her to stomach. Her half-brother, Tarja, a Captain in the Defenders, rebels with her when he learns the secret their mother has kept hidden all these years, and realizes she will stop at nothing to protect it. Tarja and R'shiel flee for their lives, but soon find themselves caught up in the heathen rebellion against the Sisterhood. With their new allies, their lives take a turn neither could ever have imagined. Meanwhile, far south in Hythria, the land ruled by the powerful Wolfblade clan, Brakandaran the Halfbreed, the legendary Harshini outcast, is secretly called on by the last hidden remnants of the Harshini to find the demon child, the half-human child of the dead Harshini king, Lorandranek.  The Sisters of the Blade, backed by warriors known as the Defenders, have ruled Medalon for two centuries, forbidding pagan worship or belief in any god. The people of Karien, to the north, are fanatic worshipers of a single god, and to the south, fervent belief in the heathen gods prevails. Eighteen-year-old R'shiel has long fought her coldhearted mother's domination, but her half-brother, Tarja, is a colonel in the Defenders. When their mother becomes First Sister, however, the two defy her machinations and, forced to flee for their lives, get caught up in a rebellion against the Sisterhood. Also part of the mix are the mysterious Harshini, who were assumed to be extinct, and the gods themselves, who readily mix in human affairs as they search for the Demon Child they had created to destroy an evil god. In her first novel, beginning the Hythrun Chronicles, Australian author Fallon conjures a viable, richly detailed world and its disparate societies. Characterizations, including those of the interfering gods, are well realized, and the suspense is palpable throughout. Sally Estes Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved "Sparkling high fantasy debut."-- Publishers Weekly  "Fallon brings a fair quota of wit and a healthy dose of realism ... engaging."-- Kirkus Reviews  "This is a good, solid start to what will no doubt be an epic series. Fallon's writing is strong .... Epic fantasy readers will no doubt want to follow this story."-- RT Book Reviews  "Characterizations ... are well realized, and the suspense is palpable throughout."-- Booklist  " Medalon is an intriguing, intelligent and fun read with a refreshing take on female characters so often not seen in the genre."--Elizabeth Haydon "A gripping tale of warring ambitions, politics, and real people. The characters (and even the gods!) spring to vivid, believable life, making Medalon a great read. More, please!"-Ed Greenwood "[Fallon] has a sweet way with language that draws you in and compels you to read, but it was the whole political set up that intrigued me the most. She paints a very complex system with ease, so that it all comes across simply and clearly. All in all I was impressed with this first novel from a new author and I eagerly await book two."-- Altair "Interesting and likable main characters, intriguing and suspenseful plots . . . Medalon starts off almost immediately with a murder, intrigues and plenty of unknowns which make for suspenseful reading."-- Alice News (Alice Springs, Australia) " Medalon is an intriguing, intelligent and fun read with a refreshing take on female characters so often not seen in the genre."--Elizabeth Haydon "A gripping tale of warring ambitions, politics, and real people. The characters (and even the gods!) spring to vivid, believable life, making Medalon a great read. More, please!"-Ed Greenwood "[Fallon] has a sweet way with language that draws you in and compels you to read, but it was the whole political set up that intrigued me the most. She paints a very complex system with ease, so that it all comes across simply and clearly. All in all I was impressed with this first novel from a new author and I eagerly await book two."-- Altair "Interesting and likable main characters, intriguing and suspenseful plots . . . Medalon starts off almost immediately with a murder, intrigues