"The Pendant and a Rose" blends classical and contemporary styles in a fantasy adventure thriller. A battle between good and evil. To defeat the malevolent Ahriman, who perverts the souls and minds of humankind, the gods dispatch Savitur. Ahriman crafts three pendants from Irin, the slain clan leader's blood, each imbued with dark power to manipulate men and crush Ahriman's foes.Savitur chooses an old woman, Gargi, soured by sorrow, pox and separation, to be the clan seer, and help him capture and destroy the pendants. He gives her a magical rose.Gargi is the last of her family, yet the blood on the pendants call to her. The sweet scent of the rose swirls her through a vortex of time and place on a quest to find and destroy the pendants and their evil influence on humanity.She encounters an autistic girl trapped in a hospital, a psychologist sidekick, a boy kidnapped by assassins, and a girl left in an abusive children's home. Gargi joins them in their battles, and watches their journeys bring each of them together as their plights interweave, bringing her closer to the pendants, closer to saving the clan, but would she uncover the lie she was told, and discover where she truly belongs?This raw and honest novel delves into complex themes of human nature, including alienation, exploitation, and the contrasting forces of love, friendship, and family. A gritty look at the adult world, examining the complexities of humanity, portraying both the icy darkness of hate and the warm light of love.