Canticle (Psalms of Isaak)

Come back to the Named Lands in this compelling sequel to Ken Scholes's amazing novel Lamentation.

It is nine months after the end of the previous book. Many noble allies have come to the Ninefold Forest for a Feast in honor of General Rudolfo's first-born child. Jin Li Tam, his wife and mother of his heir, lies in childbed.

As the feast begins, the doors of the hall fly open and invisible assassins begin attacking. All of Rudolfo's noble guests are slain, including Hanric, the Marsh Queen's Shadow. And on the Keeper's Gate, which guards the Named Lands from the Churning Waste, a strange figure appears, with a message for Petronus, the Hidden Pope.

Thus begins the second movement of The Psalms of Isaak, Canticle.

"The sequel to Scholes's stellar debut, 2008's Lamentation, ingeniously fuses epic fantasy and postapocalyptic science fiction. Magicked assassins kill numerous leaders from across the Named Lands and send the region into economic and political turmoil. Amid the chaos, Jin Li Tam gives birth to General Rudolfo's son, sickly Jakob. As Rudolfo sets out in search of a cure, young Marsh Queen Winters ascends the throne of her people only to realize her past has been an elaborate lie; former Androfrancine Pope Petronus risks his life to bring some semblance of peace to the realm; and Nebios ben Hebda uncovers bombshell revelations regarding the Order's 'metal men' and the history of the Old World. Abounding in prophecy, myth and mystery, this grand-scale saga is a towering storytelling tour de force." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"Not only is Scholes a capable world builder, he ably handles the tough task of keeping the series momentum going, intensifying the mystery...deftly." Kirkus Reviews

"Vivid characters, a world thick with detail, and wonders we've never seen before.... I wish all five volumes of this series were already published so I could read them now." Orson Scott Card

In this compelling sequel to Lamentation, many noble allies have come to the Ninefold Forest for a feast in honor of General Rudolfo's first-born child. But as the feast begins, invisible assassins begin attacking the guests. Thus begins Book Two in The Psalms of Isaak series.

Ken Scholes’s short fiction has been appearing in various magazines and anthologies for the last eight years. He is a winner of the Writers of the Future contest. Lamentation was his first novel. Originally from the Puget Sound area, Ken currently lives near Portland, Oregon.