Dreaming in Amber
by Tony Shillitoe

Meg Farmer doesn't believe in magic. She certainly doesn't believe that she's inherited the Skill, despite her mother's best hopes and prayers. But when a sliver of amber reveals the truth, Meg's life is changed forever.

With her father away at a distant war for the Queen of Shess, Meg is left to help her mother on the farm. She finds a lone, badly injured soldier and nurses him back to health, while the long arms of battle move close to the village. Visited by dreams of the future, Meg leaves home one cold dawn to warn her soldier lover, Treasure, of the knight who will fell him in battle. Despite her best efforts to avert tragedy Meg is unsuccessful and returns home cloaked in grief. However, the Queen has heard of her and Meg is called to the city to be trained in the skills of a Seer. Meg's training takes her into unknown territory in more ways than one when she unwittingly opens a portal into the grey dust of Se'Treya, the world of the ancient Andrakian Dragonlords.

Meg flees the city for home and hoped-for anonymity once more, but she cannot escape the consequences of her actions...and giving up magic may not be her choice to make.

This is the first in a four book series that ties in with two other series that Tony has written, yet it stands on its own. It is an epic and satisfying read. I love Meg (Lady Amber) and it is also immensely satisfying to read a fantasy novel full of the glorious Australian bush - a faithful dingo, kangaroos, gum trees and kookaburras. I will definitely read the other books in this series - just a case of waiting for them to be written.