Fantasy

Excerpt: FORGE OF THE HIGH MAGE by Ian C. Esslemont (Tor Books)

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EsslemontIC-MPtA4-ForgeOfTheHighMageUSHCNext week, Tor Books are due to publish the latest book in the epic and fan-favourite Malazan series. Forge of the High Mage by Ian C. Esslemont is the fourth book in the Path to Ascendancy cycle, and it’ll arrive on shelves on April 9th. To celebrate the release, the publisher has provided CR with an excerpt (the Prologue) to share with our readers. First, though, here’s the synopsis:

A riotous new novel takes readers deeper into the politics and intrigue of the New York Times bestselling Malazan Empire

After decades of warfare, Malazan forces are poised to consolidate the Quon Tali mainland. Yet it is at this moment that Emperor Kellanved orders a new, some believe foolhardy campaign: the invasion of Falar that lies far to the north…

And to fight on this new front, a rag-tag army raised from orphaned units and broken squads is been brought together under Fist Dujek, and joined by a similarly motley fleet under the command of the Emperor himself.

So the Malazans head north, only to encounter an unlooked-for and most unwelcome threat. Something unspeakable and born of legend has awoken and will destroy all who stand in its way. Most appalled by this is the Empire’s untested High Mage, Tayschrenn. All too aware of the true nature of this ancient horror, he fears his own inadequacies when the time comes to confront it. Yet confront it he must.

Falar itself is far from defenseless. Its priests possess a weapon rumored to be a gift from the sea god, Mael — a weapon so terrifying it has not been unleashed for centuries. But two can play at that game, for the Emperor’s flagship is also believed to be not entirely of this world.

These are turbulent, treacherous and bloody times for all caught up in the forging of an Empire and so, amongst the Ice Wastes and in the archipelago of Falar, the Malazans must face two seemingly insurmountable tests, each one potentially the origin of their destruction…

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Excerpt: THE WINGS UPON HER BACK by Samantha Mills (Tachyon)

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MillsS-WingsUponHerBackUSHCThe Wings Upon Her Back, the new novel from Samantha Mills, has been getting a lot of pre-publication buzz, and today we are happy to share with you an excerpt, provided by Tachyon Publications. First, though, here’s the synopsis:

A loyal warrior in a crisis of faith must fight to regain her place and begin her life again while questioning the events of her past…

Zenya was a teenager when she ran away from home to join the mechanically-modified warrior sect. She was determined to earn mechanized wings and protect the people and city she loved. Under the strict tutelage of a mercurial, charismatic leader, Zenya became Winged Zemolai.

But after twenty-six years of service, Zemolai is disillusioned with her role as an enforcer in an increasingly fascist state. After one tragic act of mercy, she is cast out and loses everything she worked for. As Zemolai fights for her life, she begins to understand the true nature of her sect, her leader, and the gods themselves.

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Quick Review: THE FIREBORNE BLADE by Charlotte Bond (TorDotCom)

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BondC-FB1-FireborneBladeUSHCA classic fantasy tale with a twist…

Kill the dragon. Find the blade. Reclaim her honor.

It’s that, or end up like countless knights before her, as a puddle of gore and molten armor.

Maddileh is a knight. There aren’t many women in her line of work, and it often feels like the sneering and contempt from her peers is harder to stomach than the actual dragon slaying. But she’s a knight, and made of sterner stuff.

A minor infraction forces her to redeem her honor in the most dramatic way possible, she must retrieve the fabled Fireborne Blade from its keeper, legendary dragon the White Lady, or die trying. If history tells us anything, it’s that “die trying” is where to wager your coin.

Maddileh’s tale contains a rich history of dragons, ill-fated knights, scheming squires, and sapphic love, with deceptions and double-crosses that will keep you guessing right up to its dramatic conclusion. Ultimately, The Fireborne Blade is about the roles we refuse to accept, and of the place we make for ourselves in the world.

I was looking for something new and short to read, when Charlotte Bond’s The Fireborne Blade became available for review. With no preconceptions, I dove right in, and found myself quickly swept up by the story and writing. I really enjoyed this. Continue reading →

Excerpt: CRUCIBLE OF CHAOS by Sebastien de Castell (Mobius/Jo Fletcher Books)

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deCastellS-CoS0-CrucibleOfChaosUSHCTo celebrate the recent North American release of Crucible of Chaos, the publisher has allowed us to share the first chapter! The prequel novel in Sebastien de Castell‘s Court of Shadows series, it picks up the story of the Greatcoats (the subject of the author’s excellent debut series). Here’s the synopsis:

A mortally wounded magistrate faces his deadliest trial inside an ancient abbey where the monks are going mad and the gods themselves may be to blame!

Estevar Borros, one of the legendary sword-fighting magistrates known as the Greatcoats and the king’s personal investigator of the supernatural, is no stranger to tales of ghosts and demons. When the fractious monks of the abbey rumored to be the birthplace of the gods begin warring over claims of a new pantheon arising, the frantic abbot summons him to settle the dispute.

But Estevar has his own problems: a near-fatal sword wound from his last judicial duel, a sworn knight who claims he has proof the monks are consorting with demons, a diabolical inquisitor with no love for the Greatcoats, and a mysterious young woman claiming to be Estevar’s ally but who may well be his deadliest enemy.

Armed only with his famed investigative talents, his faltering skill with a blade and Imperious, his ornery mule, Estevar must root out the source of the madness lurking inside the once-sacred walls of Isola Sombra before its chaos spreads to the country he’s sworn to protect.

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Excerpt: THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD by Patricia A. McKillip (Tachyon)

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McKillipPA-ForgottenBeastsofEld50smToday we have a pretty substantial excerpt from The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip — due to be published by Tachyon Publications in three weeks (February 29th). Specifically, we have a bit of chapter two and also the introduction by Marjorie M. Liu. Before we get to the excerpt, though, here’s the synopsis:

Fifty years ago, the soon-to-be celebrated young author Patricia A. McKillip (the Riddle-Master trilogy) penned the classic tale of an iron-willed young sorceress and her captivating menagerie. This lovely 50th anniversary hardcover special edition features new illustrations and a new introduction, as well as original cover art by an award-winning illustrator.

Sybel, the heiress of powerful wizards, needs the company of no-one outside her gates. In her exquisite stone mansion, she is attended by exotic, magical beasts: Riddle-master Cyrin the boar; the treasure-starved dragon Gyld; Gules the Lyon, tawny master of the Southern Deserts; Ter, the fiercely vengeful falcon; Moriah, feline Lady of the Night. Sybel only lacks the exquisite and mysterious Liralen, which continues to elude her most powerful enchantments.

But when a soldier bearing an infant arrives, Sybel discovers that the world of man and magic is full of both love and deceit, with the possibility of more power than she can possibly imagine.

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Upcoming: THE BOOK OF DOORS by Gareth Brown (William Morrow/Bantam)

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BrownG-BookOfDoorsUSHCI stumbled across The Book of Doors on NetGalley. It’s Gareth Brown‘s debut novel, and the synopsis caught my attention (later, so did the UK cover). It’s probably not surprising that “strange things are afoot at a bookstore” is a premise that would grab my attention. Due out in February, here’s the synopsis:

Cassie Andrews works in a New York City bookshop, shelving books, making coffee for customers, and living an unassuming, ordinary life. Until the day one of her favorite customers — a lonely yet charming old man — dies right in front of her. Cassie is devastated. She always loved his stories, and now she has nothing to remember him by. Nothing but the last book he was reading.  

But this is no ordinary book…

It is the Book of Doors. 

Inscribed with enigmatic words and mysterious drawings, it promises Cassie that any door is every door. You just need to know how to open them.

BrownG-BookOfDoorsUKHCThen she’s approached by a gaunt stranger in a rumpled black suit with a Scottish brogue who calls himself Drummond Fox. He’s a librarian who keeps watch over a unique set of rare volumes. The tome now in Cassie’s possession is not the only book with great power, but it is the one most coveted by those who collect them.

Now Cassie is being hunted by those few who know of the Special Books. With only her roommate Izzy to confide in, she has to decide if she will help the mysterious and haunted Drummond protect the Book of Doors — and the other books in his secret library’s care — from those who will do evil. Because only Drummond knows where the unique library is and only Cassie’s book can get them there. 

But there are those willing to kill to obtain those secrets. And a dark force — in the form of a shadowy, sadistic woman — is at the very top of that list.

Really looking forward to this.

Gareth Brown’s The Book of Doors is due to be published by William Morrow in North America (February 13th) and Bantam/Transworld in the UK (February 15th).

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Very Quick Review: THE DEAD CAT TAIL ASSASSINS by P. Djèlí Clark (TorDotCom)

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DjeliClarkP-DeadCatTailAssassinsUSHCA fantastic new fantasy novella: assassins, gods, mystery… excellent

The Dead Cat Tail Assassins are not cats.

Nor do they have tails.

But they are most assuredly dead.

Eveen the Eviscerator is skilled, discreet, professional, and here for your most pressing needs in the ancient city of Tal Abisi. Her guild is strong, her blades are sharp, and her rules are simple. Those sworn to the Matron of Assassins — resurrected, deadly, wiped of their memories — have only three unbreakable vows.

First, the contract must be just. That’s above Eveen’s pay grade.

Second, even the most powerful assassin may only kill the contracted. Eveen’s a professional. She’s never missed her mark.

The third and the simplest: once you accept a job, you must carry it out. And if you stray? A final death would be a mercy. When the Festival of the Clockwork King turns the city upside down, Eveen’s newest mission brings her face-to-face with a past she isn’t supposed to remember and a vow she can’t forget.

Any new book from P. Djèlí Clark is something to be thankful for. Ever since I read The Haunting of Tram Car 015, I’ve kept my eyes open for each new book from him. The premise for this new novella caught my attention, and I’m happy to report that it exceeded my high expectations. A dark, intriguing new fantasy world, with a solid mystery at its heart. Continue reading →

Quick Review: THE TRIALS OF EMPIRE by Richard Swan (Orbit)

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SwanR-EotW3-TrialsOfEmpireUSHCThe epic conclusion to the Empire of the Wolf trilogy

THE TIME OF JUDGEMENT IS AT HAND

The Empire of the Wolf is on its knees, but there’s life in the great beast yet.

To save it, Sir Konrad Vonvalt and Helena must look beyond its borders for allies — to the wolfmen of the southern plains, and the pagan clans in the north. But old grievances run deep, and both factions would benefit from the fall of Sova.

Even these allies might not be enough. Their enemy, the zealot Bartholomew Claver, wields infernal powers bestowed on him by a mysterious demonic patron. If Vonvalt and Helena are to stand against him, they will need friends on both sides of the mortal plane — but such allegiances carry a heavy price.

As the battlelines are drawn in both Sova and the afterlife, the final reckoning draws close. Here, at the beating heart of the Empire, the two-headed wolf will be reborn in a blaze of justice… or crushed beneath the shadow of tyranny. 

In The Trials of Empire, Richard Swan brings his Empire of the Wolf trilogy to a fine conclusion. Complete with political intrigue, bloody and epic battles, and inter-dimensional horrors, I enjoyed this. Fans of the first two books will no doubt be pleased with how the author has brought the story to a close. Continue reading →

Upcoming: THE CAUTIOUS TRAVELLER’S GUIDE TO THE WASTELAND by Sarah Brooks (Flatiron / W&N)

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BrooksS-CautiousTravellersGuideToTheWastelandsUSHCI first spotted the UK cover (below) for The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wasteland, Sarah Brooks‘s very-intriguing-sounding debut, via a Tweet from Track of Words (a review website you should check out). After doing some looking about for more information, my interest has certainly been piqued. Here’s the synopsis:

A stunning historical fantasy novel set on a grand express train, about a group of passengers willing to make a dangerous journey across a magical landscape

In a nineteenth century world awash with marvels, nothing is so marvelous and terrible as the Wastelands, a vast swath of land between Russia and China of fantastical wildlife that nothing and no one touches except the Great Trans-Siberian Express. Though all know the warnings, the train is never short of travellers, for the Wasteland is as irresistible as it is treacherous. And besides, the train is completely safe.

BrooksS-CautiousTravellersGuideToTheWastelandsUKHCExcept on the last journey, though no one can say what occurred exactly because no one can remember it, not even Wei-Wei, the child of the train who was born on the Express. Only someone does know the truth: Elena, a strange stowaway with a mysterious connection to the Wastelands. As the Express embarks on a new voyage with a new set of travellers, each hiding their own motivations and secrets, Elena and Wei-Wei begin a dangerous friendship just as the train starts to misbehave. Desperate to save the only home she has ever known, Wei-Wei fights to keep the train from breaking down. But the rules of the Wasteland are changing and the wildness outside threatens to consume them all.

Gorgeously written and astonishingly imaginative, The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands is a pulse-pounding adventure and a provocative exploration of our relationship with the disappearing natural world.

*

Sarah Brooks’s The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wasteland is due to be published by Flatiron in North America (July 9th, 2023) and W&N in the UK (June 20th).

Follow the Author: Goodreads

Excerpt: A STRANGER IN THE CITADEL by Tobias S. Buckell (Tachyon)

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BuckellTS-AStrangerInTheCitadelUSHCToday, we have an excerpt from A Stranger in the Citadel, the latest novel from Tobias S. Buckell — due out next month (October 17th) via Tachyon Publications. An intriguing-sounding novel, here’s the synopsis:

A complex novel of humanity’s passion for the written word. At the revolutionary crossroads of magic, betrayal, and long-forgotten truths, a naïve, compassionate royal and a determined, hunted librarian discover a dangerous world of mortal and ancient menaces.

The life of the youngest musketress of Ninetha has been one of hard training. But Lilith’s days have also contained many pleasures, the royal privileges of her family’s guardianship of the Cornucopia, a mystical source of limitless bounty. Lilith has never seen a book, and she never expects to encounter one within the safety of the citadel.

When Ishmael, an outcast librarian, shows up outside the Afriq Gate, Lilith saves him from immediate execution by her father’s second-in-command, the zealot Kira. As Lilith’s curiosity draws her to Ishmael, she lets slip her family’s most dangerous secret to Kira, sparking a deadly rebellion and an unexpected journey full of stunning revelations.

Now, on with the excerpt…!

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