Book 1

Lens of the World

by R. A. MacAvoy

Published 12 September 1991
After Nazhuret, a dwarfish outcast and orphan, completes his training in swordcraft and optics under the tutelage of an astronomer, he applies his new talents to adventures beyond his kingdom. Reprint.

Book 2

King of the Dead

by R. A. MacAvoy

Published 13 February 1992
The optician Nazhuret saves his homeland from war in the award-winning Lens of the World series that "promises to become a landmark of the decade" (Kirkus Reviews).

Book two of the award-winning Lens of the World trilogy, this volume finds the dwarf-like Nazhuret as a modest and fastidious lens grinder. Although he could have chosen an exalted and wealthy life as a noble member of the court, he wishes to live in humble and undisturbed poverty with his lady Arlin. But the ordinary life that Nazhuret wants is abruptly shattered when a vicious attack by paid assassins forces him to run. With possible enemies on all sides, the only place to go is the neighboring kingdom of Rezhmia, where Nazhuret has an ancient blood-tie. However, he finds that Rezhmia is no safe haven, for dark clouds are gathering there, intent on destruction of the homeland of Nazhuret's heart. Evil tidings, treacherous family members, and powerful sorcery threaten to overtake him, but Nazhuret must survive for the sake of those he loves.

Book 3

The Belly of the Wolf

by R. A. MacAvoy

Published 1 January 2014
The award-winning author of Lens of the World “concludes what may be one of the best fantasy series of the decade” with her now elderly hero Nazhuret (Publishers Weekly).
 
Nazhuret, the reluctant philosopher-hero of R. A. MacAvoy’s award-winning bestseller Lens of the World, is embarking on his final adventure. He must unwillingly end a long period of exile and once again take up the sword in defense of freedom. His old friend the King is suddenly and unexpectedly assassinated, leaving the kingdom in chaos. Nazhuret interrupts the peace of his old age to endure the horrors of war and the supernatural realm of the dead. Before his journey comes to an end, he must test his wisdom to its limit in the face of danger and treachery. He is accompanied by his beloved daughter Nahvah and, as Nazhuret’s final debt of honor is paid, he faces the darker side of human nature with both of their lives at stake.
 
“A moving and fascinating culmination to the life of the hero we have watched mature . . . As in the past, Nazhuret takes readers on an exhilarating journey.”—School Library Journal
 
“The conclusion to the trilogy,Lens of the World, is as effective and unusual as its predecessors. . . . MacAvoy’s sense of place, exquisite prose, and first-person narration remain exceptional. She remains, albeit without any fanfare, in the top rank of the American fantasists' roster.” —Booklist
 
“Quiet, unpretentious, vivid, understated, succinct: an object lesson for other, more verbose fantasists in how to produce more from less, and how to write an appealing and gratifying trilogy by offering a self-contained story each time out.” —Kirkus Reviews
 

The Lens of the World Trilogy

by R. A. MacAvoy

Published 5 September 2017