Overview
Are you still a hero if you never really had a choice?
Born into a world dominated by jingoism, coal-smoke, and magic's return, young Christopher Speiss is honest, brave, and far brighter than he has any right to be. In other eras he might've become almost anything; doctor, politician, scientist, or engineer. But great forces are gathering, political as well as magical, and Chris is Marked to be a familiar, a font of magical power. Christopher has only a few weeks to decide his future. He can be free, human, and ordinary, or transformed into a well paid, well treated, but legally owned animal for the rest of his life, in the service of his Guild and country. As the time approaches, it seems less and less likely that the choice will truly be his to make.
The world is headed for a crisis terrible beyond imagination. And Chris's destiny...
...is written in the stars.
