Orson Scott Card, the multiple Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author best known for the science fiction classic Ender's Game, is launching a new fantasy series. The Lost Gate is the first book in The Mither Mages, and though it starts small--with one boy in the hills of Virginia--it won't stay that way. Danny North is a son of Odin trapped in a world without magic, but when Danny discovers his rare and forbidden talents, he finds himself at odds an ancient pact...a pact the Families will do anything to uphold.

There will be more cool stuff between now and January 4, when the book comes out—additional excerpts, blog posts, tour dates and more—but we hope this excerpt whets your appetite. It's available only on Tor.com—and you must be a member to access it! If you’re already a registered user, simply log in. If you haven’t registered yet, we’d love to have you—as you can see, there are perks to membership. Signing up is free and only takes a minute.