Shadow of the Otherverse - James Berardinelli

According to legend, there was once a time when wizards walked the lands of Ayberia. With powers so mighty that even kings bowed to them, they existed outside the common laws of men. But a thousand years ago, the gods, angry at their creations for giving adulation and worship to wizards, withdrew magic from the world. The wonders of a lost age faded from memory with history giving birth to myths and children's stories…
Now, the gods are dead. Wizards have returned to Ayberia and, with them, war. The Lord of Fire, Justin, backed by an army of mercenaries, djinn, and dragons, has surged from the south to score a devastating win in his first engagement with The Lord of Earth, Sorial, and his wife, The Lady of Water, Alicia. With Justin’s forces advancing, the remaining cities must brace for battle. Justin’s intentions, however, extend beyond conquest and devastation. The Lord of Fire has an audacious goal - to enter the Otherverse, the realm from which magical energy originates, and be reborn as a god.
As Alicia embarks on a dangerous quest for knowledge, Sorial and Queen Myselene travel to the northern city of Obis where the final battle with Justin will occur. There, Myselene intends to press her claim to the throne as her father’s rightful heir. As she vies with more ambitious candidates for the prize, conspiracies emerge to thwart her aims and a traitor takes control of her inner council. Meanwhile, in the Otherverse, something malevolent stirs.
"Shadow of the Otherverse" concludes the epic fantasy saga begun in "The Last Whisper of the Gods" and continued in "The Curse in the Gift."