To celebrate the release of A Layer of Ash, I'm posting two new supplemental short stories. These are in continuity with The Citadel of the Last Gathering and build out the setting, but neither directly concerns characters appearing in the main novels. To put it another way, skipping them won't detract from the experience of reading the books, but I'd like to hope reading them fleshes out the world a bit.
The Guest offers a look at the politics of Hathari as it would have been. The first novel, A Count of Five, contains background you'll need to understand what's going on. I recommended reading at least that far before looking at The Guest.
The Fall is set later in the timeline, between books five and six. It's intended to offer a little closure on the world of A Sea of Sky, so I'd suggest reading that before the short story.
These join The Truthspeaker and A Meeting in the Desert under the Short Fiction tab.
Showing posts with label Fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fantasy. Show all posts
Cover Reveal: A Unique Sickness of Spirit
We're still working on getting the third novel in The Citadel of the Last Gathering ready, but I just finished an early version of the cover image and wanted to share. This isn't finalized - I've got a few more adjustments to make - but I'm extremely happy with how it's coming together.
Alaji, Yemerik, and Phaesha arrive in a time very different from the one they left. Here, ships sail through the air, the lines between the living and the dead have blurred, the poor sell their very blood and spirit to survive, and a nation at war is splintering into factions. Alaji finds herself becoming a symbol for revolution, whether she wishes it or not.
A Unique Sickness of Spirit will be available in fall 2016.
Short Holiday Story: The Collector of Old Toys
I'll be posting three (at least I think it'll be three) short holiday stories over at Mainlining Christmas this year. The first is a piece of magical realism called The Collector of Old Toys. Head over and check it out if you're interested.
A Tide of Ice is Available!
My new novel, A Tide of Ice, is now available in print and for Kindle.
A Tide of Ice is the second novel in The Citadel of The Last Gathering, continuing Alaji's story from A Count of Five as she travels into an era of sword and sorcery. Here's the sales pitch:
A New Land. A New Gate. An Age of Steel and Blood.
Alaji has seen impossible wonders and faced incredible dangers in places beyond imagination. She has already traveled in time over a thousand years, but she is about to learn that is less than a heartbeat in the life of the world. To reach the Citadel of the Last Gathering, her journey will need to take on a far grander scale, one where geology changes like the seasons, where nothing is constant.
Now she finds herself in an era where imperious wizards create powerful monsters and unleash them upon the lands of their enemies. But these threats may be nothing compared to the men and women who are able to thrive in such harsh times.
If you haven't gotten a hold of the first book, you'll want to give that a read before picking up the sequel. To make it easy, I'm making Kindle copies of A Count of Five free this coming Saturday and Sunday. Grab a copy, give a read, then buy the sequel if you like it.
I think you will.
Announcement: "A Count of Five" Available June 18th
Everyone paying attention? I've got news.
My new novel, A Count of Five, will be available on June 18th. The pre-order page for the Kindle version is already up on Amazon. The paperback edition should be available by that time as well (if you want both, wait for the paperback: I'll set it up so it comes with the e-book version, so you'll save a few bucks).
A Count of Five is the first novel in a series I’m working on called The Citadel of the Last Gathering. This is epic fantasy with elements of science fiction and other genres mixed in. It could be considered YA, though I’m steering clear of the usual tropes and cliches that permeate that genre. If you like fantasy but hate YA, you’ll still want to give this a chance.
The blurb from the back of the book appears below. I hope you'll consider checking it out!
I'm excited about this one, folks. The novel is a lot of fun, and I think you'll like where the series is heading.
My new novel, A Count of Five, will be available on June 18th. The pre-order page for the Kindle version is already up on Amazon. The paperback edition should be available by that time as well (if you want both, wait for the paperback: I'll set it up so it comes with the e-book version, so you'll save a few bucks).
A Count of Five is the first novel in a series I’m working on called The Citadel of the Last Gathering. This is epic fantasy with elements of science fiction and other genres mixed in. It could be considered YA, though I’m steering clear of the usual tropes and cliches that permeate that genre. If you like fantasy but hate YA, you’ll still want to give this a chance.
The blurb from the back of the book appears below. I hope you'll consider checking it out!
One for the gods of our people
Two for the plants they seeded into the earth
Three for the animals they gave gifts of magic
Four for the men who serve the gods
Five for the spirit that sustains everything
Five numbers. Five gods. Five spells for men and five for women. Five ages before the end.
Since history began, this knowledge has defined the world for Alaji’s people, who live along the shores of five holy lakes. But now an army has ridden out of the north led by a powerful and cunning warlord. This, Alaji is told, could mark the end of the last age. The end of men and of time itself.
Alaji has more to fear than invaders. She has learned the five spells of women. But she knows one more: a spell beyond those given to mortals. A spell that that gives her power over time.
To learn a spell of the gods is to challenge them. If discovered, the penalty is death. But harnessing such power may allow Alaji to save her family, or may start her on a journey ranging farther than they could have ever imagined.
* * *
I'm excited about this one, folks. The novel is a lot of fun, and I think you'll like where the series is heading.
Fiction: The Goblin Prince
The Goblin Prince
(From the short story collection Tending the Fire)
There came a day when there were no more rats in Lanheim's cobbled streets. Such a thing did not occur all at once, but slowly over months, as the pests dwindled and disappeared like snow beneath spring rain. It was the apothecary, naturally, who first noticed something amiss, as it was his business that faltered and his fortunes that shriveled. Before long, the missing rodents were the subject of a hundred conversations, whispering through windows and echoing through alleyways. There was much rejoicing in Lanheim, as few things were so despised as the rats. Since the founding of the city, they had been plagued by the rodents, which crept up from the sewers to steal scraps from above and spread disease and filth like weeds in a garden.
(From the short story collection Tending the Fire)
There came a day when there were no more rats in Lanheim's cobbled streets. Such a thing did not occur all at once, but slowly over months, as the pests dwindled and disappeared like snow beneath spring rain. It was the apothecary, naturally, who first noticed something amiss, as it was his business that faltered and his fortunes that shriveled. Before long, the missing rodents were the subject of a hundred conversations, whispering through windows and echoing through alleyways. There was much rejoicing in Lanheim, as few things were so despised as the rats. Since the founding of the city, they had been plagued by the rodents, which crept up from the sewers to steal scraps from above and spread disease and filth like weeds in a garden.
Fiction: The Worst Assassin in Kalbrin
The Worst Assassin in Kalbrin
(From the short story collection Tending the Fire)
In the city of Kalbrin, capital of Helkirith, if you wanted a man killed quickly, effectively, and without fail, you would go to the order of magi, whose arcane powers could handle any job with ruthless efficiency. If, on the other hand, you wanted a man killed after seeing his family slain, one by one, the dark cults of Locintri could accomplish the job – if you were willing to pay their price. If you hated a man so much you wanted his death to take days, even weeks of agonizing torment, the dwarven killer, Yermir, could make any nightmare pale in comparison. Placing enough coins in the palm of Serig Jaraldil, the captain of the guard, could purchase the death of almost anyone in town, as well as ensure that no legal recourse was brought against you.
There had never been a shortage of methods to kill a man in Kalbrin. Yet there was only one assassin you could hire if you wanted that man to survive.
(From the short story collection Tending the Fire)
In the city of Kalbrin, capital of Helkirith, if you wanted a man killed quickly, effectively, and without fail, you would go to the order of magi, whose arcane powers could handle any job with ruthless efficiency. If, on the other hand, you wanted a man killed after seeing his family slain, one by one, the dark cults of Locintri could accomplish the job – if you were willing to pay their price. If you hated a man so much you wanted his death to take days, even weeks of agonizing torment, the dwarven killer, Yermir, could make any nightmare pale in comparison. Placing enough coins in the palm of Serig Jaraldil, the captain of the guard, could purchase the death of almost anyone in town, as well as ensure that no legal recourse was brought against you.
There had never been a shortage of methods to kill a man in Kalbrin. Yet there was only one assassin you could hire if you wanted that man to survive.
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