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A Shift of Time

Part of Night's Edge

Paperback
6"W x 9"H | 13 oz | 24 per carton
On sale Jul 22, 2025 | 464 Pages | 9780756410711

The 4th book in the Aurora Award–winning Night's Edge series returns readers to a rich and atmospheric fantasy world

Perfect for readers of Charles de Lint, Naomi Novik, and Katherine Arden, A Shift of Time is a charming, heartwarming, hopeful fable

Summer has arrived in Marrowdell, but its wild magic is out of sorts. Bannan, returning from his sister’s home in Vorkoun, steps through Jenn’s special crossing to find the village has disappeared. Something is deeply wrong within the edge—and with the Verge. Soon the youngling dragon Imp returns from that magical realm with a dire message: turn-born are missing.

Deep in the mines of Ansnor, turn-born are being trapped and killed. The rest are in hiding, as each crossing destabilizes the Verge, releasing chaos even the sei cannot control. Time is shifting. Bannan, caught between realms, must accept the help of an ancient power, feared by dragons and greater than sei, but at what cost?

Jenn, meanwhile, rushes to Ansnor to find Bannan and fix what’s breaking in the Verge, but she’s in danger, too. For in the edge, those who hunt magic and those with gifts grow bold, and as the only turn-born filled with pearl and the magic of the sei, Jenn Nalynn is the greatest prize of all.
© Roger Czerneda Photography
An unabashed romantic and optimist, Julie E. Czerneda finds something remarkable wherevershe looks. Dragons and magic—and house toads—hold a special place in her heart—and in the heart of her Night’s Edge series. As a former biologist, her studies of the natural world heavily influence the imaginative landscapes in these books. A Turn of Light and A Play of Shadow—the first two books set in Julie’s magical world of Marrowdell—won international Aurora PrixAwards for Best SF/F novels. Shortly thereafter, she was awarded membership in the prestigious Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame. Julie sends her earnest thanks to you, her dedicated and kind readers, as well as to the tireless and passionate team at DAW Books who have shepherded both her fantasy and science fiction novels into bookstores for over twenty years. She is represented by Sara Megibow of Megibow Literary Agency and can be found wilderness camping, gardening, or online at: www.czerneda.com View titles by Julie E. Czerneda
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Available for sale non-exclusive:
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•     Costa Rica
•     Croatia
•     Cuba
•     Curacao
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•     Egypt
•     El Salvador
•     Equatorial Gui.
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•     Fiji
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Praise for the Night's Edge series:

"A Change of Place is a lovely and rich story that sweeps you along through a wondrous and magical world. Highly recommended!" —Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Spellshop

"A warm and intricate fantasy opus with large themes woven into a charming story." —Charlaine Harris, New York Times-bestselling author

"A Turn of Light is a gorgeous creation. Julie Czerneda's world and characters are richly layered and wonderful—full of mystery, hope and, most of all, heart." —Anne Bishop, New York Times-bestselling author

"An enchanting and gentle fable, rich with detail and characters you will love." —Charles de Lint, World Fantasy Award–winning author

"A Turn of Light is deft, beautiful storytelling.” —Ed Greenwood, bestselling creator of the Forgotten Realms

"Infused with idyllic enchantment, Julie Czerneda weaves a heartwarming bucolic tale, packed with magic both wild and strange—a top-notch fantasy read!" —Janny Wurts, author of The Wars of Light and Shadow

"Luminous and beguiling. With Marrowdell and its enchanting inhabitants, Julie Czerneda has conjured a world that readers can sink into and disappear. I lost myself to this tale that is, by turns, lovely, lyrical, and thrilling. This book is a feast for the mind and the heart." —Lesley Livingston, author of The Valiant

"Science fiction author Czerneda will charm fantasy readers with multidimensional characters, a vivid setting, and powerful themes of hope and renewal." —Locus

"Known for her powerful and insightful sf novels, Czerneda brings the same exacting sensibility to her brilliant fantasy debut.... Fans of L. E. Modesitt Jr. and Charles de Lint will love this fantastic and magical fable." —Library Journal

About

The 4th book in the Aurora Award–winning Night's Edge series returns readers to a rich and atmospheric fantasy world

Perfect for readers of Charles de Lint, Naomi Novik, and Katherine Arden, A Shift of Time is a charming, heartwarming, hopeful fable

Summer has arrived in Marrowdell, but its wild magic is out of sorts. Bannan, returning from his sister’s home in Vorkoun, steps through Jenn’s special crossing to find the village has disappeared. Something is deeply wrong within the edge—and with the Verge. Soon the youngling dragon Imp returns from that magical realm with a dire message: turn-born are missing.

Deep in the mines of Ansnor, turn-born are being trapped and killed. The rest are in hiding, as each crossing destabilizes the Verge, releasing chaos even the sei cannot control. Time is shifting. Bannan, caught between realms, must accept the help of an ancient power, feared by dragons and greater than sei, but at what cost?

Jenn, meanwhile, rushes to Ansnor to find Bannan and fix what’s breaking in the Verge, but she’s in danger, too. For in the edge, those who hunt magic and those with gifts grow bold, and as the only turn-born filled with pearl and the magic of the sei, Jenn Nalynn is the greatest prize of all.

Creators

© Roger Czerneda Photography
An unabashed romantic and optimist, Julie E. Czerneda finds something remarkable wherevershe looks. Dragons and magic—and house toads—hold a special place in her heart—and in the heart of her Night’s Edge series. As a former biologist, her studies of the natural world heavily influence the imaginative landscapes in these books. A Turn of Light and A Play of Shadow—the first two books set in Julie’s magical world of Marrowdell—won international Aurora PrixAwards for Best SF/F novels. Shortly thereafter, she was awarded membership in the prestigious Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame. Julie sends her earnest thanks to you, her dedicated and kind readers, as well as to the tireless and passionate team at DAW Books who have shepherded both her fantasy and science fiction novels into bookstores for over twenty years. She is represented by Sara Megibow of Megibow Literary Agency and can be found wilderness camping, gardening, or online at: www.czerneda.com View titles by Julie E. Czerneda

Praise

Praise for the Night's Edge series:

"A Change of Place is a lovely and rich story that sweeps you along through a wondrous and magical world. Highly recommended!" —Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Spellshop

"A warm and intricate fantasy opus with large themes woven into a charming story." —Charlaine Harris, New York Times-bestselling author

"A Turn of Light is a gorgeous creation. Julie Czerneda's world and characters are richly layered and wonderful—full of mystery, hope and, most of all, heart." —Anne Bishop, New York Times-bestselling author

"An enchanting and gentle fable, rich with detail and characters you will love." —Charles de Lint, World Fantasy Award–winning author

"A Turn of Light is deft, beautiful storytelling.” —Ed Greenwood, bestselling creator of the Forgotten Realms

"Infused with idyllic enchantment, Julie Czerneda weaves a heartwarming bucolic tale, packed with magic both wild and strange—a top-notch fantasy read!" —Janny Wurts, author of The Wars of Light and Shadow

"Luminous and beguiling. With Marrowdell and its enchanting inhabitants, Julie Czerneda has conjured a world that readers can sink into and disappear. I lost myself to this tale that is, by turns, lovely, lyrical, and thrilling. This book is a feast for the mind and the heart." —Lesley Livingston, author of The Valiant

"Science fiction author Czerneda will charm fantasy readers with multidimensional characters, a vivid setting, and powerful themes of hope and renewal." —Locus

"Known for her powerful and insightful sf novels, Czerneda brings the same exacting sensibility to her brilliant fantasy debut.... Fans of L. E. Modesitt Jr. and Charles de Lint will love this fantastic and magical fable." —Library Journal
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