Ruins of Ambrai by Melanie Rawn (Quick Review)

Synopsis From Back Cover:

A thousand years ago, Mageborns fled prejudice and persecution to colonize the planet Lenfell-pristine, untouched, a perfect refuge for those whose powers were perceived as a threat by people not gifted with magic.  But the greater the magic, the greater the peril-and Lenfell was soon devastated by a war between rival Mageborn factions that polluted land, sea, and air with Wild Magic and unleashed the hideous specters known as the Wraithenbeasts.

Generations after that terrible war, with the land recovered from crippling wounds and the people no longer threatened by genetic damage. Mageborns still practice their craft-but under strict constraints.  Yet so long as the rivalry between the Mage Guardians and the Lords of Malerris continues, the threat of another war is ever-present.  And someone has been planning just such a ward for many long years, the final strike a generations-old bid for total power...

This is going to be a short review, not because I don't like the book.  I actually love this book which is the first in the Exiles Trilogy by Melanie Rawn.  The review will be short because I'm not very good at reviewing Epic Fantasy of which this is a beautifully written example of.  Epic Fantasy has so much going on with world building and history, magical systems, societal structures, and a cast of hundreds that it's hard for me to separate in my head in order to talk about it in a blog format.  I could discuss this book for hours and touch on maybe half of the relevant points I would want to get across.  All I will say is if you like fantasy and enjoy richly developed stories, I would highly urge you to pick this book up and lose yourself in world filled with magic and intrigue.