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Maximilian, the Prince of Escator, has gone missing on a royal hunting trip. Two years later, a body appears to be found in a bear's den and the royal ring which he wore is found amongst the skeletal remains of a human being. The country mourns the death of the heir.

Fifteen years later, Garth Baxtor works as his father's apprentice. They have the gift of the Touch, a great healing ability to which those with the Touch are born. Garth's father, Joseph, has a duty to the crown to visit the King once a year on his way to the prison community that works the gloam mines, the Veins.

The king, Cavor, suffers terribly at the torture of his claimants right to the royal tattoo of the Manteceros, it burns, it blisters and it weeps. To this affliction the healer is constantly called.

The Veins offer healers a way out of paying taxes, three weeks of work during a year is more than enough for any man to bear. Deep under the hanging wall which separates the sea from the rabbit-warren of the Veins, Garth finds a secret that will change his life and for that matter every inhabitant of Escator forever. Taking Lot No. 859 Beyond the Hanging Wall.

Sara Douglass writes what can be seen as a fantasy story based upon a kind of 'Man In The Iron Mask' meets tales of European revolution. In the beginning it is quite predictable but entertaining and it generally follows that route throughout. There are no real twists and turns to speak of and you can't really get involved with the book on any level.

I found Douglass' characters were easy to read and the story after a couple of false starts flowed because of its simplicity, no real involvement means you don't really have to think about what you're reading to any large degree. It seems to me that this book is just good entertainment. It could never be said that this is a sprawling fantasy epic, holding a myriad of characters and a fulfilling story line but it is fun. For that reason I come to my next point.

At times, I did wonder if this title should actually be aimed at a younger audience and it appears that at one time it was labelled a children's fantasy title. However, with a smattering of words that very few teenagers would have ever seen and a slightly more adult ending it will always be a borderline book that sadly doesn't really fit within either age range. Too polite for adult readers and a little too unashamed for children.

Donna Jones