The Forest Girl – A Clash of Stone and Steel Book 1

An assassin desperate to save her people, a fleeing orphan, and a soldier facing insurmountable odds…

Kiri, a resolute young warrior, kills a retired Sandamedan soldier in his bed—a man guilty of heinous crimes against the Forest people. Hours later, she finds herself keeping charge of the man’s twelve-year-old son, Ulek.

Only, Ulek doesn’t know Kiri killed his father, or that she is a Forest girl.

The duo stumbles upon a Sandamedan army outpost where a mounted horde approaches. The outnumbered garrison soldiers evacuate the area to escort the locals to the capital before they’re slaughtered. Kiri and Ulek join the exodus, but Kiri hasn’t completed her task. At the behest of her people, she must assassinate the Sandamedan army commander, even if it costs her life.

If she fails, the empire will continue to attack Forest villages.

Kiri’s mission becomes increasingly difficult. The horde draws closer, she doesn’t know how she’ll reach the commander, and the soldiers will kill her if they discover she’s a Forest girl. Meeting Ulek’s trusting eyes gets harder every day, and Kiri finds herself drawn to a young officer who knows she’s hiding something. Kiri is determined to save her people, but with the horde closing in and the risk of discovery, she might not survive long enough to fulfill her mission.

With literary artistry and immersive world-building, The Forest Girl rivals Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay and An Ember in the Ashes series by Sabaa Tahir.

★★★★★
My favorite books are when I feel immersed into different lands. The Forest Girl does this with a fantastically realized world with a journey that has adventure, suspense, action, and a lot of heart. I couldn’t put it down and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!

Amazon review

★★★★★
I was immediately drawn into the world the author created and felt invested in the characters early on. The ending was perfect and I can’t wait to see what happens next for these characters.

Amazon review

★★★★★
The characters were what I was hoping for and I really enjoyed the way J. H. Dahler wrote. I look forward to more from this series and from the author.

Amazon review