Synopses & Reviews
In her debut solo novel, Stella Gemmell, coauthor of the powerful” (Booklist
) conclusion to David Gemmells Troy series, weaves a dark epic fantasy about a war-torn civilization and the immortal emperor who has it clutched in his evil grasp.
The City is ancient, layers upon layers. Once a thriving metropolis, it has sprawled beyond its bounds, inciting endless wars with neighboring tribes and creating a barren wasteland of what was once green and productive.
In the center of the City lives the emperor. Few have ever seen him, but those who have recall a man in his prime, though he should be very old. Some grimly speculate that he is no longer human, if he ever was. A small number have come to the desperate conclusion that the only way to stop the war is to end the emperors unnaturally long life.
From the mazelike sewers below the City, where the poor struggle to stay alive in the dark, to the blood-soaked fields of battle, where few heroes manage to endure the never-ending siege, the rebels pin their hopes on one manShuskara. The emperors former general, he was betrayed long ago and is believed to be dead. But, under different aliases, he has survived, forsaking his City and hiding from his immortal foe. Now the time has come for him to engage in one final battle to free the City from the creature who dwells at its heart, pulling the strings that keep the land drenched in gore.
Review
“This book is brilliant.” --
Galaxy Book Reviews
“[A] morbidly gripping, gritty fantasy tale.” --Publishers Weekly
“The best book I’ve read all year…[Lawrence] pulls you in and doesn’t let go.” --New York Times bestselling author Peter V. Brett
“Prince of Thorns deserves attention as the work of an iconoclast who seems determined to turn that familiar thing, Medievalesque Fantasy Trilogy, entirely on its head.” --Locus
Review
Praise for Stella Gemmell and Troy: Fall of Kings “[Stella Gemmell] worked from her husbands half-finished draft and notes seamlessly to finish this last, powerful title in the saga.”—School Library Journal
“A rousing conclusion.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Strong characterizations and sturdy plotting evoke the horror of the conflict, and the storys mythic power.”—Publishers Weekly
“A grand epic adventure.”—SFcrowsnest
“Hard to put down…Too few authors bring their readers into the story, which is not a problem here.”—SFRevu
“An epic tale of heroism, violence, betrayal, redemption, honour, loyalty, love, and sacrifice.”—Geek Syndicate
“Stella Gemmells work…is so seamlessly woven into the whole that theres no telling where Davids writing ends and hers begins.”—SF Reviews.net
Review
“Mark Lawrence is the best thing to happen to fantasy in recent years.”—Peter V. Brett, international bestselling author
"One of fantasys most talented authors.”—Fantasy Faction
Review
"[F]un yet fearsome, gritty and gripping in equal measure...
The Grim Company is pretty brilliant."--Tor.com
"[S]pins a gripping tale with expertise and relish."--The Guardian
"[A] grisly, compelling read...hugely enjoyable."--The Daily Mail
"A noteworthy and gripping debut that promises to develop into an altogether superior series--one well-worth getting hooked on at the outset."--Kirkus Reviews
"Luke Scull delivers a fantastic story that is ripe with action, strong characterization and a tight plot....This is one debut not to be missed and marks Luke Scull as one of epic fantasy's talented debutants."--Fantasy Book Critic
"[A] rollicking dark fantasy adventure novel. It moves with verve and pace...and is threaded through with a great sense of humor."--The Wertzone
"Highly memorable with a great cast and an even greater story all wrapped up in a mature world, told by a true story-teller. The Grim Company is one of the best fantasy books you will read this year."--SFBook.com
"Luke Scull is more than good. He's the sort of author you buy on publishing date and read on the way home."--TheBookBag.co.uk
Review
“A hard-edged tale of survival and conquest in a brutal medieval world well told and very compelling, it is different than anything I have ever read.”—Terry Brooks,
New York Times bestselling author of the Shannara series
“Mark Lawrence is the best thing to happen to fantasy in recent years.”—Peter V. Brett, international bestselling author
"One of fantasys most talented authors.”—Fantasy Faction
Review
Praise for The Thousand Names
“Wexler has produced something unusual in the fantasy line, with a setting reminiscent of the early Victorian period, out on the bleeding edge of Empire, a world of dust and bayonets and muskets...and magic. The characters are fascinating and all of them have secrets. The heroes range from the noble to the distinctly ambiguous....I read it at a gulp and look forward to more.”—S. M. Stirling, New York Times Bestselling Author of Lord of Mountains
“I absolutely loved it. Wexler balances the actions of his very human characters with just the right amount of imaginative ‘magic to keep me wanting more.”—Taylor Anderson, National Bestselling Author of the Destroyermen Series
“I would wholeheartedly recommend The Thousand Names, not only to fans of fantasy but also to fans of military fiction of all types. Fans of Steven Erikson, David Drake, Glen Cook, Naomi Novik, Tom Kratman, Jack Campbell, David Weber, and John Ringo take note - theres a new military fiction cowboy in town and his name is Django.” - SFSignal.com
“The scenes of military life and combat tactics are well crafted, and Winter and Marcuss respective successes keep the story moving swiftly enough until the darker secret and elements of the fantastic make themselves known.” - Publishers Weekly
Review
Praise for Mark Lawrence and Prince of Fools and#8220;Mark Lawrence is the best thing to happen to fantasy in recent years.and#8221;and#8212;Peter V. Brett, international bestselling author of The Daylight War
and#8220;There is no doubt this is a Mark Lawrence noveland#8212;pick it up and you will immediately see the hallmarks of his storytelling and writing style which made The Broken Empire trilogy such an incredibly addictive read, replete with his darkly droll humor and very quotable dialogue. Fans wonand#8217;t be disappointed.and#8221;and#8212;Bibliosantcum
and#8220;Prince of Fools is Mark Lawrenceand#8217;s newest and perhaps best attempt at proving what a talented wordsmith he is. Be sure to read this one if you enjoy dark fantasy rife with superb characterization, black humor and a fast-paced plot that will leave you hooked till the very end.and#8221;and#8212;Fantasy Book Critic
Review
"If
The Thousand Names had echoes of "Beau Geste" and "The White Feather," then
The Shadow Throne suggests a mutant fantasy descendant of "The Scarlet Pimpernel." Oh, and did I mention a truly creepy and intriguing magic system? [...] The pieces dance, the pace is deft, and I can't wait to see what happens next!"—S.M. Stirling,
New York Times bestselling author
“Can I finally say The Shadow Campaigns is one of my favorite fantasy series out right now? Certainly my favorite military fantasy. I knew from the very start that The Thousand Names would be a tough act to follow and that book two would have big shoes to fill, but The Shadow Throne was no slouch; it delivered exactly what I wanted to see in the sequel - raised stakes, impactful decisions that furthered the plot, and of course, more of Wexlers outstanding characters."—Bibliosanctum.com
“The Shadow Throne is an extremely successful second-in-a-series book, and nearly perfect one in that regard. Wexler takes the characters we know from the previous volume and puts them in challenging situations which allows them to grow along the track charted in the first novel, with some surprises as well. It is a novel that, a week after finishing it, still has me thinking strongly about it, realizing upon reflection how very good it was/is, and anticipating the third book in the series.”—SFFWorld.com
“This audacious and subversive sequel to 2013s The Thousand Names shifts from the previous books military campaign into a political intrigue that examines issues ranging from gender identity to the development of democracy…Wexler throws a lot into the story, but the mash-up of 17th-century technology and demon-summoning assassins comes together nicely.” - Publishers Weekly
“This is an immensely entertaining novel.”—Tor.com
Synopsis
A stunning fantasy debut from a major new talent! When he was nine, he watched his mother and brother killed before him. By the time he was thirteen, he was the leader of a band of bloodthirsty thugs. By fifteen, he intends to be king...
It's time for Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath to return to the castle he turned his back on, to take what's rightfully his. Since the day he was hung on the thorns of a briar patch and forced to watch Count Renar's men slaughter his mother and young brother, Jorg has been driven to vent his rage. Life and death are no more than a game to him-and he has nothing left to lose.
But treachery awaits him in his father's castle. Treachery and dark magic. No matter how fierce, can the will of one young man conquer enemies with power beyond his imagining?
Synopsis
A stunning fantasy debut from a major new talent! When he was nine, he watched his mother and brother killed before him. By the time he was thirteen, he was the leader of a band of bloodthirsty thugs. By fifteen, he intends to be king...
It's time for Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath to return to the castle he turned his back on, to take what's rightfully his. Since the day he was hung on the thorns of a briar patch and forced to watch Count Renar's men slaughter his mother and young brother, Jorg has been driven to vent his rage. Life and death are no more than a game to him-and he has nothing left to lose.
But treachery awaits him in his father's castle. Treachery and dark magic. No matter how fierce, can the will of one young man conquer enemies with power beyond his imagining?
Synopsis
A stunning fantasy debut from a major new talent! When he was nine, he watched his mother and brother killed before him. By the time he was thirteen, he was the leader of a band of bloodthirsty thugs. By fifteen, he intends to be king...
It's time for Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath to return to the castle he turned his back on, to take what's rightfully his. Since the day he was hung on the thorns of a briar patch and forced to watch Count Renar's men slaughter his mother and young brother, Jorg has been driven to vent his rage. Life and death are no more than a game to him-and he has nothing left to lose.
But treachery awaits him in his father's castle. Treachery and dark magic. No matter how fierce, can the will of one young man conquer enemies with power beyond his imagining?
Synopsis
Mark Lawrence brings to a thrilling close his epic trilogy of a boy who would be king, a king who would desire an empireand an empire on the edge of destruction
King Jorg Ancrath is twenty nowand king of seven nations.
His goalrevenge against his fatherhas not yet been realized, and the demons that haunt him have only grown stronger. Yet no matter how tortured his path, he intends to take the next step in his upward climb.
For there is only one power worth wielding
absolute power.
Jorg would be emperor. It is a position not to be gained by the sword but rather by vote. And never in living memory has anyone secured a majority of the vote, leaving the Broken Empire long without a leader. Jorg has plans to change thatone way or the other. Hes uncovered even more of the lost technology of the land, and he wont hesitate to use it.
But he soon finds an adversary standing in his way, a necromancer unlike any he has ever faceda figure hated and feared even more than himself: the Dead King.
The boy who would rule all may have finally met his match...
Synopsis
Enter an epic fantasy world that echoes with the thunder of muskets and the clang of steelbut where the real battle is against a subtle and sinister magic....
Captain Marcus dIvoire, commander of one of the Vordanai empires colonial garrisons, was resigned to serving out his days in a sleepy, remote outpost. But that was before a rebellion upended his life. And once the powder smoke settled, he was left in charge of a demoralized force clinging tenuously to a small fortress at the edge of the desert.
To flee from her past, Winter Ihernglass masqueraded as a man and enlisted as a ranker in the Vordanai Colonials, hoping only to avoid notice. But when chance sees her promoted to command, she must win the hearts of her men and lead them into battle against impossible odds.
The fates of both these soldiers and all the men they lead depend on the newly arrived Colonel Janus bet Vhalnich, who has been sent by the ailing king to restore order. His military genius seems to know no bounds, and under his command, Marcus and Winter can feel the tide turning. But their allegiance will be tested as they begin to suspect that the enigmatic Januss ambitions extend beyond the battlefield and into the realm of the supernaturala realm with the power to ignite a meteoric rise, reshape the known world, and change the lives of everyone in its path.
Synopsis
In her debut solo novel, Stella Gemmell, coauthor of the powerful” (Booklist
) conclusion to David Gemmells Troy series, weaves a dark epic fantasy about a war-torn civilization and the immortal emperor who has it clutched in his evil grasp.
The City is ancient, layers upon layers. Once a thriving metropolis, it has sprawled beyond its bounds, inciting endless wars with neighboring tribes and creating a barren wasteland of what was once green and productive.
In the center of the City lives the emperor. Few have ever seen him, but those who have recall a man in his prime, though he should be very old. Some grimly speculate that he is no longer human, if he ever was. A small number have come to the desperate conclusion that the only way to stop the war is to end the emperors unnaturally long life.
From the mazelike sewers below the City, where the poor struggle to stay alive in the dark, to the blood-soaked fields of battle, where few heroes manage to endure the never-ending siege, the rebels pin their hopes on one manShuskara. The emperors former general, he was betrayed long ago and is believed to be dead. But, under different aliases, he has survived, forsaking his City and hiding from his immortal foe. Now the time has come for him to engage in one final battle to free the City from the creature who dwells at its heart, pulling the strings that keep the land drenched in gore.
Synopsis
The Gods are dead. The Magelord Salazar and his magically enhanced troops, the Augmentors, crush any dissent they find in the minds of the populace. On the other side of the Broken Sea, the White Lady plots the liberation of Dorminia, with her spymistresses, the Pale Women. Demons and abominations plague the Highlands.
The world is desperately in need of heroes. But what they get instead are a ragtag band of old warriors, a crippled Halfmage, two orphans and an oddly capable manservant: the Grim Company.
Synopsis
First in a brand new series from the author of The Broken Empire Trilogy.
The Red Queen is old but the kings of the Broken Empire dread her like no other. For all her reign she has fought the long war, contested in secret, against the powers that stand behind nations, for higher stakes than land or gold. Her greatest weapon is The Silent Sisterand#151;unseen by most and unspoken of by all.
The Red Queenand#8217;s grandson, Prince Jalan Kendethand#151;drinker, gambler, seducer of womenand#151;is one who can see The Silent Sister. Tenth in line for the throne and content with his role as a minor royal, he pretends that the hideous crone is not there. But war is coming. Witnesses claim an undead army is on the march, and the Red Queen has called on her family to defend the realm. Jal thinks itand#8217;s all a rumorand#151;nothing that will affect him.
But he is wrongand#133;
Synopsis
Anyone can plot a coup or fire an assassins bullet. But in a world of muskets and magic, it takes considerably more to seize the throne.
The ailing King of the Vordan lies on his deathbed. When he dies, his daughter, Raesinia Orboan, will become the first Queen Regnant in centuriesand a ripe target for the ambitious men who seek to control her. The most dangerous of these is Duke Orlanko, Minister of Information and master of the secret police. Having meticulously silenced his adversaries through intimidation, imprisonment, and execution, Orlanko is the most feared man in the kingdom.
And he knows an arcane secret that puts Raesinia completely at his mercy.
Exposure would mean ruin, but Raesinia is determined to find a way to break herselfand her countryout of Orlankos iron grip. She finds unlikely allies in the returning war hero Janus bet Vhalnich, fresh from a brilliant campaign in the colony of Khandar, and his loyal deputies, Captain Marcus dIvoire and Lieutenant Winter Ihernglass.
As Marcus and Winter struggle to find their places in the home they never thought they would see again, they help Janus and Raesinia set in motion events that could free Vordan from Orlankos influenceat the price of throwing the nation into chaos. But with the people suffering under the Dukes tyranny, they intend to protect the kingdom with every power they can command, earthly or otherwise.
About the Author
"This is a lean, cold knife-thrust of a novel, a revenge fantasy anchored on the compelling voice and savage purpose of its titular Prince. There is never a safe moment in Lawrence's debut."
-Robert Redick, author of The Red Wolf Conspiracy
"Dark and relentless, the Prince of Thorns will pull you under and drown you in story. A two in the morning page turner."
-Robin Hobb, author of The Inheritance
"Vivid...smooth and compelling... gritty and full of wonder. This book is brilliant."
-Galaxy Book Reviews
"Disturbing, Beautiful, Chaotic, Poetic, Haunting, Exhilarating."
-Fantasy Faction
"Without a doubt the most original and most memorable fantasy debut of 2011. It's difficult to imagine how another book could top this one."
-RisingShadows.net