The Ruins of Ambrai

Infobox Book
name = The Mageborn Traitor
title_orig = The Mageborn Traitor
translator =


image_caption =
author = Melanie Rawn
illustrator =
cover_artist = Michael Whelan
country = US
language = English
series = Exiles
subject =
genre = Fantasy
publisher = DAW
release_date = 1994
english_release_date =
media_type =
pages = 848
isbn = 0886776686
preceded_by =
followed_by = The Mageborn Traitor (1997)

A fantasy novel written by author Melanie Rawn. First of three in the "Exiles" series.

Basic Summary

The Ruins of Ambrai is a Fantasy novel written by American author Melanie Rawn. It is set in the fictional world of Lenfell settled by human Catholic colonists. In the far past, the population is decimated and the ruling class has emerged based on the ability to have healthy children.This leads to a very matriarchal society with women holding all the power and men treated as chattel.

The plot centers around a war between two rival magical factions, the Mage Guardians and the Lords of Malerris. In the midst of this war are the three primary characters, Glenin, Sarra, and Cailet Ambrai, sisters who were torn apart when they were small, or not even born yet, in Cailet's case.

The book starts with Collan who is enslaved by Scraller. Col is rescued by Gorynel Desse and then Collan starts his work as a bard. The three girls are descendants of the Ambrai line. After a political confrontation, the father, Auvery Feiran, takes Glenin to Ryka Court. The mother, Maichen Ambrai, takes Sarra to Ostinhold, where Maichen gives birth to Cailet, but then dies. Sarra is then taken to live in Roseguard with Lady Agatine and Orlin. Cailet stays in Ostinhold as a relative of the Ostins.