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Empire's Daughter by Marian L Thorpe An Emperor's request. A lover's refusal. And a young woman who must choose between them. Lena's world is about to change forever. Harried from north and south by two different enemies, both wanting this last remnant of a greater Empire's land, and with invasion imminent, the military leaders see no choice but to ask the unthinkable: that women learn to fight. In accepting the challenge, Lena is separated from her lover, who chooses banishment rather than break with generations of tradition. Promoted to leadership, drawn into the intrigues of power, Lena must make difficult choices, for herself, for her village, and for her country: a young woman at the heart of both violence and diplomacy, beginning her epic journey to save her land. Eric Hoffer Book Awards Finalist, 2021; Silver Medal, Historical Fantasy Box Set (2019), Coffee Pot Book Club Awards |
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Jewels of Smoky Quartz by Anat Eliraz A world ruled by force and magic. A game which could have a fatal ending. She is just an ordinary woman - an emergency room nurse who practices martial arts in her free time. Teleported into a harsh, strange world and sold into slavery to the fighters' ring of Tur'an, she must use her wit and skills to survive. On the brink of death, she wakes up in a strange room - only to meet one of her captors. Now, he acts as her protector. Together they leave the city, but their journey will confront them with their own fears and deepest secrets. And through it all, she finds solace in an old tune. Not knowing yet how it will impact her life - and the lives of everyone else. |
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The Mazes of Magic by Jack Massa The Lord of the Abyss is rising in Egypt. Can a reckless young Greek find the power to stop him? Imprisoned in a slave yard, tormented by spells of madness, Korax the Greek struggles to regain his memory. Purchased by the High Priest Harnouphis, he is given an Egyptian name, transported to a temple on the Nile, put into service as a translator. But Harnouphis also has another plan: to tap the Greek's extraordinary talent as a seer to advance his own dark ambitions. As his wits return, Korax forges a plan of his own: to learn enough of the mystic arts to escape Egypt and return to his home island of Rhodes. But before he can act, he must perform a service for the Goddess Isis. Korax may be gifted, but can he summon the power to overcome both his master and his master's god? A novel of myth, magic, and adventure, set in the Age of the Seven Wonders of the World. If you like stories of heroes, gods, and magic, then you will love the Conjurer of Rhodes series. Book 1 - The Mazes of Magic Book 2 - The Lights of Alexandria Book 3 - The Treasure of the Sun God |
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Of Blood and Fire by Ryan Cahill Born in fire. Tempered in blood. Epheria is a land divided by war and mistrust. The High Lords of the South squabble and fight, only kept in check by the Dragonguard, traitors of a time long past, who serve the empire of the North. In the remote villages of southern Epheria, still reeling from the tragic loss of his brother, Calen Bryer prepares for The Proving â a test of courage and skill that not all survive. But when three strangers arrive in the village of Milltown, with a secret they are willing to die for, Calenâs world is ripped from under him and he is thrust headfirst into a war that has been raging for centuries. There is no prophecy. His coming was not foretold. He bleeds like any man, and bleed he will. |
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A Song of Steel by J.C. Duncan A roaring Norse saga of war, honour, love and loss. Vikings face Crusaders in an epic battle for the soul of the North 'A gripping, well-executed story, with a fun, original premise.' - Angus Donald' A Song Of Steel is a rising light of Norse Mythology.' - Daniel Kelly It began with a single Viking raid, now their world will blaze with the fury of a pope's revenge. Alternate history - 1116 AD. Three hundred years of cruel Viking raids have finally united Christian Europe against the pagan Northlands. A great crusade has been called to pacify the wild Norse kingdoms. The banner of the cross has been raised against the north, and all the power and fury of the west rides under it. Ordulf, a talented young German swordsmith, is ripped from his comfortable life and cast into the bloody chaos of the crusade. As fate deals him a cruel blow in the lands of his enemies, he will have to forge a new path through the chaos, or be consumed by it. In the Northlands, three rival kingdoms must unite to survive the onslaught. But can any man, king or commoner, unite the bickering brotherhood of the Norse? Or is the time of the Vikings finally drawing to a violent end. Heroes will fail, kings will fall, and ordinary people will fight for the right to a future. An epic saga of war, love and politics sure to delight fans of Bernard Cornwell, Giles Krystian, Matthew Harffy, Christian Cameron and all lovers of historical fiction. |
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Nor Do the Stars Shine There by M J McBride Ruarshi Illyana, a sorcerer-physician from the far northern land of Miriyan, has traveled south to ply his trade in Europe. He is entirely content with the life of a wandering healerâright up until the day his assistant Wil is targeted in a terrible act of violence. His priorities shift overnight and he soon finds himself back in Miriyan, where he defies his training and his clan in order to study with a member of his country's warrior caste. He quickly discovers that his unusual talents are likely to get him into trouble, a worrying development but not one that's going to change his mind. Meanwhile, discontented Miriyanti and ambitious Europeans are putting their nefarious plans for Miriyan's future into motion. When his newfound abilities mark him out to play a major role in the vicious conflict that ensues, Ruarshi will have to use all his wit and skill to keep his friends and allies safe, or watch destruction overtake everything he loves. |
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She's the One Who Gets in Fights by S. R. Cronin Do you know what your problem is? Sulphur knows hers. This 13th-century woman has trained as a fighter all her life in hopes of joining the army. Then, within days, both of her older sisters announce plans and suddenly Sulphur is expected to find a man to marry instead. Is it her good fortune her homeland is gripped by fear of a pending invasion and the army now goes door to door encouraging recruits? Sulphur thinks it is. But once sheâs forced to kill in a small skirmish, sheâs ready to rethink her career decision. Too bad itâs too late. The invasion is coming, and Ilari needs every good soldier it has. Once Sulphur learns Ilariâs army has made the strategic decision to not defend certain parts of the realm, including the one where her family lives, she has to re-evaluate her loyalty. Is it with the military sheâs always admired? Or is it with her sisters, who are hatching a plan to defend their homeland with magic? The problem with being a woman who fights for whatâs right is that now, she has to figure out what is. The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters consists of seven short companion novels. Each tells the personal story and perspective of one of seven radically different sisters in the 1200s as they prepare for an invasion of their realm. While these historical fantasy/alternate history books can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels, together they tell the full story of how Ilari survived. Which sister do you think saved the realm? That will depend on whose story you are reading. |
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She's the One Who Cares Too Much by S. R. Cronin Do you know what your problem is? Coral knows hers. People have been telling this tenderhearted 13th-century woman for years. So when a heroic army officer proposes, she decides sheâs stronger than people realize and her dreams have come true. Except, the perfect man turns out to be less than ideal. And sheâs gotten pregnant. And her homeland is gripped with fear of a pending Mongol invasion and she cries about everything now that sheâs with child. When a friend suggests the ever-caring Coral possesses a power well beyond what anyone imagines, Coralâs sister decides this formidable talent is what the realm needs. Can Coral raise a baby, placate an absent military husband who thinks heâs stopping the invasion, and help her sister save her homeland? This is just the sort of problem encountered by a woman who cares too much. The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters consists of seven short companion novels. Each tells the personal story and perspective of one of seven radically different sisters in the 1200s as they prepare for an invasion of their realm. While these historical fantasy/alternate history books can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels, together they tell the full story of how Ilari survived. Which sister do you think saved the realm? That will depend on whose story you are reading. |
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She's the One Who Thinks Too Much by S. R. Cronin Do you know what your problem is? Ryalgar knows hers. People have been telling this over-educated 13th-century woman for years. So when an equally intellectual prince decides he loves her, it looks like everyone was wrong and her dreams have come true. Except, this prince is obligated to marry another. He is leading the army training to defend their tiny realm against an expected Mongol invasion. And he is considering sacrificing Ryalgarâs home nichna by abandoning itâs rich farmlands to their foes. If only he wasnât such a nice guy. Another woman would âŠ.. Ryalgar has no idea what another would do. All she knows is she has a multitude of university intellectuals and a family of tough farmers behind her, and a newfound connection with the witches in the forest. Why not devise her own strategy to keep the invaders from destroying her home? Then she can figure out what to do about this problem prince. Itâs just the sort of thing that happens when a woman thinks too much. |
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A Darkening Fate by Ruth Miranda While Emrys and Yseult struggle to focus her powers and make them work in their advantage, Nora must find a way to break a binding she and Aaron have been put under, while in the Avalon of old, Artuir comes of age and stands on the brink of becoming king and choosing his queen... |
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Silver and Blood by Trina L. Talma Most of the human population of Morstan lives in walled cities, though very few people know the real reason those walls were built. Stories tell of strange creatures like elves, vampires and shape-shifters, but to most people, these are only stories. Zania Corthinn, an ordinary girl from the city of Ocrisia, is about to find out the truth behind those stories -- and a few things about herself as well. "You'll see many more things you never believed in, before you've been with us very long." |
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Tiger Lily (Tiger Lily #1) by K. Bird Lincoln Lily isn't supposed to hunt game in the Daimyo's woods. She's just the cook's daughter. It isn't her place to talk to nobility. And she definitely isn't supposed to sing the forbidden old, Jindo religion songs. But Lily was born in the year of the Tiger, and can't ever be like other village girls. In the woods snaring rabbits one day, she finds instead the Daimyo's son, Ashikaga, wounded, in the gooseberry brush. When the Pretender Emperor's men arrive to kill Ashikaga, Lily, desperate, sings a forbidden Jindo song. The song wakes a powerful spirit â as well as Ashikaga's interest. The prickly lord has hidden secrets of his own and a burning desire to prove himself to his father. He will stop at nothing to defeat his father's greatest enemy. All Lily wants to do is take care of her sisters. But the Pretender-Emperor's forces are drawing near, and now the Daimyo's son knows she communes with Jindo gods. She wants to trust Ashikaga when he swears he will not tell her secret, but he is a noble â and Lily only a peasant. Lily's heart is leading her down a dangerous path. She may have to defy her father, Ashikaga, and even the spirits themselves in order to defeat the Pretender-Emperor's magic and keep safe all that she loves. |
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Fionn: Defence of RĂĄth BlĂĄdhma (Fionn mac Cumhaill #1) by Brian O'Sullivan The Fionn mac Cumhaill Series - Book 1: Defence of RĂĄth BlĂĄdhma: Ireland: 192 A.D. A time of strife and treachery. Political ambition and inter-tribal conflict has set the country on edge, testing the strength of long-established alliances. Following the massacre of their enemies at the battle of Cnucha, Clann Morna are hungry for power. Elsewhere, a mysterious war party roams the forests of the âGreat Wildâ and a ruthless magician is intent on murder. In the secluded valley of Glenn Ceoch, disgraced druid Bodhmhall and the woman warrior Liath Luachra, have successfully avoided the bloodshed for many years. Now, the arrival of a pregnant refugee threatens the peace they have created together. Run or fight, the odds are overwhelming. And death stalks on every side. Based on the ancient Irish mythology and Fenian Cycle texts, the Fionn mac Cumhaill Series by Irish author Brian OâSullivan is a gritty and authentic retelling of the birth and early adventures of Irish mythology Irelandâs greatest hero, Fionn mac Cumhaill. Gripping, insightful and utterly action-packed, this is Irish mythology/ fiction as youâve never read it before. This classic Irish fantasy and historical adventure was a 2016 SPFBO Competition finalist and Irish bestseller. The book also includes the following extra content: * a glossary with explanations on ancient Irish cultural concepts * historical notes on the Fenian Cycle * a pronunciation guide and links to an online audio pronunciation guide |
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Bloodrush (The Scarlet Star Trilogy #1) by Ben Galley SPFBO Finalist Indie Recs Indie SFFOasis When Prime Lord Hark is found in a pool of his own blood, his only son Merion Hark finds his world turned upside down and inside out. The Prime Lordâs last will and testament forces Merion west across the Iron Ocean, to the very brink of the Endless Land and all civilisation. To a place they call Wyoming. In the dusty frontier town of Fell Falls, there is no silverware, no servants, no plush velvet nor towering spires. Only dust, danger and the railway. Merion has only one ally to help him escape the torturous heat and unravel the mystery of his father's murder: a faerie warrior named Rhin, and a twelve inch-tall outcast of the fae realm. Revenge and redemption are never easy. There are dark forces at work in Fell Falls, and not just the railwraiths, brigands or the savages. Secrets lurk in Merionâs bloodline. Secrets that will redefine the young Hark, and open up a whole world of magic buried by empire and industry. âââ WINNER OF THE LIBRARY JOURNAL'S INDIE EBOOK AWARDS 2016 BLOGGERS' FAVOURITE OF #SPFBO 2015 ABOUT BLOODRUSH The first book in the Scarlet Star Trilogy, Bloodrush is a coming-of-age and weird western fantasy set in an alternate 1867. It is a time when steam and clockwork seek to push the boundaries of the known world, even if it means trampling an ancient one. An action-packed mix of western and dark fantasy, Bloodrush is perfect for readers of Neil Gaiman, Jim Butcher, Lila Bowen and Stephen Kingâs Dark Tower. |
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In this heroic gaslamp fantasy, superhuman abilities bring an adventurous new dimension to 1820 London, where an outlaw speedster and a master of illusion do battle to decide who will own the city. Think being a superhero is hard? Try being the first one. Willâs life is a proper muddleâand all because he was âaccidentallyâ inflicted with the ability to run faster and leap higher than any human ever. One minute heâs a blacksmithâs apprentice trying to save his master from debtorâs prison. The next heâs accused of murder and hunted as a black-hearted highwayman. A vengeful politician with dark secrets and powers even more magical than Willâs has duped all of London into blaming Will for the chilling imprisonments of the cityâs poor. The harder Will tries to use his abilities to fight crime, the deeper he is entangled in a dark underworld belonging to some of Georgian Englandâs most colorful characters. Only Will stands a chance of stopping this powerful madman bent on âreformingâ London by any means necessary. Unfortunately, Will is beginning to realize becoming a legend might mean sacrificing everything that matters. Read this adrenaline-fueled historical superhero adventure today! |
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Warbringer (Descendants of the Fall #1) by Aaron Hodges Centuries ago, the world fell. From the ashes rose a terrible new speciesâthe Tangata. Now they wage war against the kingdoms of man. And humanity is losing. Recruited straight from his academy, twenty-year-old Lukys hopes the frontier will make a soldier out of him. But Tangata are massing in the south, and the allied armies are desperate. They will do anything to halt the enemy advanceâincluding sending untrained men and women into battle. Determined to survive, Lukys seeks aid from the only man who seems to care: Romaine, the last warrior of an extinct kingdom. Meanwhile, the Queenâs Archivist leads an expedition deep beneath the earth. She seeks to uncover the secrets of the Gods. Their magic has been lost to the ages, yet artefacts remain, objects of power that could turn the tide of the war. But salvation is not the only thing waiting beneath the surface. Something else slumbers in the darkness. Something old. Something evil. |
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War of the God Queen by David Hambling Thrown back through time⊠Jessica has only her wits. Will she find a way to survive long enough to get back home? She was fresh out of architecture school and ready to take the world by storm. She wasnât prepared for what came next. An alien encounter that sent her falling through a portal into another world Jessicaâs plight looks hopeless -- she doesn't understand the language, the bronze-age culture, or even how to defend herself. Sheâs not a Connecticut Yankee and this is definitely not King Arthurâs court. The locals are unimpressed. Whatâs her next move? Her only goal is to get back home, but Jessica has landed in the middle of something sinister: in the ancient near east, circa 1000 B.C., a war rages. Can she stop an alien invasion through time? Sheâll need help, but who can she count on? Youâll love this brilliant take on portal fiction, with twists and turns that are different than what youâve grown to expect. |
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The Wall: A Post-Brexit Dystopian Fantasy by Margaret Mason The only road to escape ends at The Wall. In a desolate post-Brexit England, nothing is as it seems. There is no chance, for those who remain in England encased behind The Wall, to live a long and healthy life in the smog drenched, almost abandoned cities. None. Apart from one. Walking North, alone, through a desolate and deserted landscape, on old, cracked roads, long since abandoned, Harra has only two items to guide her. A sheet of paper with a list of instructions to direct her steps to The Wall and an ancient Casio watch to ensure her timely arrival. Yet neither of those can guarantee success, not when the ever-vigilant Border Drones must be avoided to chance the final crossing. And with every step she takes, the Establishment lies begins to unravel, revealing to Harra just how far the Government has gone to ensure its âtruthsâ are not only never questioned, but that they also come to pass. Harra has a future to gain, and a past to unravel. The Wall both beckons and repels, but there is no other means of escape. |
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Magic, Sorcery and Witchcraft: Book One of Marcus Grimm saga by Stas Borodin, Stanislav Borodin The steppes were always feared, for the steppe warlocks were cruel and ruthless. For centuries, the tiny kingdom of Lieh was a shield that protected civilization from the hordes of ferocious nomads. But one day, everything changed. The truce that had lasted for many years was broken and a powerful new warlock invaded the kingdom. Young Marcus Grimm must take up arms and join his father's army in his maiden battle. Adventurer, student at the Academy of Magic, pirate hunter, army scout and slayer of sorcerers â on the way he will find true friends and make some fearsome enemies. He will become the Hand of Destiny. The first book of the Marcus Grimm saga. Translated from Russian. Stas Borodin is the author of the popular fantasy series âMagic, Sorcery and Witchcraftâ, written in the genre of heroic fantasy. The series includes the novel of the same name âMagic, Sorcery and Witchcraftâ, novels âBlack Handsâ and âFuneral Pyresâ. âFists of clayâ is a stand-alone novel and a sequel to âMagic, Sorcery and Witchcraftâ. The novel âStars and Arrowsâ is written in the genre of alternative history and set in times of American Civil War. |
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Meet Jacob Williams. A survivor of the First World War, forever changed by his experience. Now heâs facing down the terrors that conflict unleashed upon an unsuspecting world. Weak spots have always existed between our world and that of the Fae; stone circles help to keep the most dangerous sealed shut. But now Stonehenge is failing⊠It falls to the members of the Fae Defence Society to repair the ancient monument, protect humanity from the terrors it holds back and prevent another disastrous war. Jacob and his wartime comrade Harry are on the front lines in a supernatural battle which threatens everything. |
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God of Small Affairs by Olga Werby Time is made out of threads. Pull one and someplace somewhere things unravel. We know how to pull on the right thread because we see the whole tapestry of lifeâs possibilities. Thatâs why we are so good at finding a good path into a future. I say a future because there is no such thing as the future. We are made of time threadsâthick bundles of knots that can pull and twist and change the course of history. Itâs all about connectionsâpull one strand, and the others twist with it. Like Newtonâs second law, for every action there is an equal an opposite reaction. But we are small in relation to civilized time, planetary time, cosmological time. To make a big change requires a course correction many many years prior. Like if you want to deflect a meteor hurtling toward Earth, you need to change its course far out in space where just a nudge would do it. To make a course correction close to the impact event, a lot of energy is required. Same with history⊠So we are great at little things, at manipulating tiny threads of life. We are the gods of small affairsâŠuntil we are not. âGod of Small Affairsâ is a creepy and slightly twisted mystery tale of a small mid-Western town, struggling to survive, told from the perspective of man who is culturally a stranger there and yet learns to find comfort and gives back love to people in needâŠhis and those that reside in the town of Wilkins. Itâs a bit of a horror story, a bit of fantastical science fiction, and a take on what the world would be if one could talk directly to a godâŠeven a god who is only interested in micro-management of human species. Jon Uolan is the grandson of First Nation tribe elder. His assignment is to bring home a god. Not the omnipresent god or the god that set the weight of the proton and the rate of universal expansion, but rather an everyday kind of god, the god that lives among her people, the god of small affairs, Ay-Tal Blue. An easy assignment turns into a nightmare when Ay-Tal gets accidentally shot and Jon becomes a suspect in a murder investigation. And while Jon is in prison, a huge earthquake and tsunami wipe out his home village. His grandfather dies in the disaster. With his people scattered and living apart, the whole tribe might cease to exist. The new generation just is not interested in the old tribal ways. Ay-Tal is no longer there to help and guide them. What is Jon to do? How will a new path into the future shape the people who got mixed up with a god of small affairs? |
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The Forbidden (The Ancestors Saga, #1) by Lori Holmes Alone. Hunted. Vulnerable. As the blood settles into the snow, Rebaaâs life lies in tatters. Her adopted tribe has been slaughtered, leaving her lost and isolated in a freezing and hostile world. Kidnapped from her own forest race years before, Rebaa must now find another people to protect her and quickly. But in daring to fall in love with a man not of her own species, she defied every lore set by the creators of human kind, the Sky Gods. Now damningly burdened with her murdered loverâs offspring, Rebaa knows that if anyone were to discover her babyâs heritage, the only sentence would be death. Driven by the love for her unborn, Rebaa sets out on a perilous journey to find a safe haven for them both. But what haven could possibly exist for one who bearsâŠthe Forbidden? The Ancestors Saga Exciting and compelling, the Ancestor's Saga takes readers on an epic journey 40,000 years into our own dark and forgotten past. As the world teeters on the brink of another glacial winter, homo sapiens are not the only human to walk the Earth. When the destiny of the entire human race hangs in the balance, the prize for the survivors will be the Earth itself. The Ancestors Saga is a prehistoric fantasy romance, combining history, mystery and legend to retell a lost chapter in humanity's dark and distant past. |
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Dragonvein (Dragonvein #1) by Brian D. Anderson Carentan, France 1944 - Ethan Martin, a soldier in the 101st Airborne, is fighting for his life. But soon he will learn what peril truly is when he is ripped from his world and transported to a land of magic, swords, and dragons. And though the Nazis are now far, far away, danger is closer than ever. The Eternal Emperor, Shinzan, has destroyed the mages and only a few dragons remain in exile. And now that Ethan, son of Praxis Dragonvein, has returned he must destroy him as well. Faced with unimaginable power, Ethan has only one hope - to reach the dwarf kingdom of Elyfoss before Shinzan can find him. |
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Darkness Forged (Legends of the Ragnarok Era #1) by Matt Larkin Norse mythology retold - Volundarkvida The greatest crafts on Midgard come from the dvergar realm of Nidavellir. Volund, a gifted smith and once apprentice to the dvergar, escaped their dark realm to find solace in the arms of a valkyrie. Nine years of respite. And then she was gone. Volund will do anything to get her back. But his reputation precedes him, and a cruel king knows the weapons Volund forges can win his wars. Imprisoned in the kingâs forge, Volundâs only hope to escape is to find his wife. If he canât, more than the forgeâs darkness will overtake him. For even more dark Norse adventure, don't miss the tie-in series Gods of the Ragnarok Era, starting with The Apples of Idunn. |
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Dames and Demons by G. Campbell Twenty years ago, a pandemic ripped through the world and forever changed society. Where Man once stood, now stand the Women and the Demons. They rule the city through magic and money. Men like Tom and Chris Redfield have nothing. The brothers live under the heel of society and fight over the scraps dropped by the upper classes. Or at least they used to. Things change with the discovery of a Demonic book. The brothers might have a shot at a better life, but theyâre not ready for the chaos the book unleashes. Suddenly, the Redfields are thrown into the tangled machinations of the spiteful Sororities and the fastidious lords of Hell. Forced to become players in an intricate game, the brothers will have to use their wits and all the magic they can afford if they hope to survive. Cock your pistols, sharpen your swords, and fill your magic reserve⊠Not everyoneâs going to make it out alive. |
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Crown of the Sundered Empire (Heirs to the Sundered Empire #1) by J.C. Kang A sundered realm. A missing crown. A coming war. In a broken land where conquerors dream of empires, Tomas dreams of a day when the townsfolk wonât taunt him. After all, heâs the fishing village kid with a misshapen face. Only the Rune vendorâs daughter treats him well. To win her heart, he relies on a quick wit and local superstitions to convince her he has Divinerâs Sight. But if he did, he wouldâve foreseen magic-fearing invaders plucking out his mismatched eye. Or the demon trapped in the glass replacement. It reveals a world beyond human vision, while whispering temptations in his mind. Now, with his village caught between the advancing armies of the Sun Godâs mortal descendants and His Chosen People, Tomas must use a combination of calculation, cunning, and demonic insight to maneuver the forces of his world against each otherâprince against prince, princess against princess, army against armyâor see his home crushed forever beneath the wheels of war. |
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Burden of Power (The Wallkeeper Trilogy #1) by Caren Hahn Riaâs secret fear is that sheâs not ready to rule. But when the king goes mad, she may not have a choice. As the first female heir to the throne of Rahm, Ria is surrounded by skeptics. Her dazzling wit and easy confidence hide the truth: She really doesnât know what sheâs doing. But sheâd better learn fast because her fatherâs volatile behavior is getting worse. When the king gets embroiled in a power struggle with Merek, captain of the Wall Guard, Ria sees an opportunity. She proposes a tour of the damaged wall, giving her an excuse to prove herself by acting in her fatherâs stead. But Merek doesnât have time for Riaâs schemes. A criminal network has infiltrated a critical border city, and he resents being pulled from his post. Abandoning his investigation could lead to disaster. Stubborn wills collide as Ria and Merek wrestle in a shifting balance of power. Only by learning to trust each other can they merge their strong personalities into a dynamic partnership. Will it be enough to save Ria when the threat to Rahm turns dangerously personal? Burden of Power is the first in the gripping Wallkeeper trilogy by debut author, Caren Hahn. With rich layers of action, combat, political intrigue, and romantic suspense, youâll be drawn into a medieval fantasy where characters come alive and keep you wondering about them long after youâve read the last page. Immerse yourself in the world of Wallkeeper today! |
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Bloodline: Rise by Jonatan HĂ„kansson A decade of peace coming to an end, the rumour of a queenâs return. When the Iron Jarl waged war against the mountains eleven years ago it was to free the north of the clansâ tyranny. Left in their wake, however, was but mistrust and twisted ambitions. A fickle balance upheld by the old families now toppled over as a witch is found within the Willslocksâ lands. A bloodline at stake, the haunting words of a life taken. The oath has been broken and the winds whisper of war. What fate awaits the Grayrat house in this realm where legends linger? |
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The Bear Cavalry: The True (Not!) History of the Icelandic Bears by D.G. Valdron A quirky, inventive alternate history written in the style of a fun, funky, pop culture television documentary, The Bear Cavalry, features host, Robin Prufrock, as he travels the world, telling the story of how the Vikings in Iceland domesticated bears for meat and as draft animals, and how the Scandinavian Bear Cavalry eventually evolved to become the most fearsome fighting unit in the Medieval world, along the way are entertaining detours into biology, evolutionary history, the Viking era, Medieval monarchs behaving badly, and the role of Bears in movies, art and culture in this world. BONUS STORY: The Sharebear Apocalypse, they're cute, they're cuddly, all they want to do is hug you, and they may be the end of civilisation. |
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A Knight of Cold Graves (The Revenant Reign Book 1) by Clara Coulson "Even the strong force of fate canât blow the coming storm off course." Until they were eleven years old, identical twins Saul and Tanner Reiz were inseparable. Then a terrible accident sent Saul spiraling down a delinquent path that ultimately spurred him to run away from home. And so Tanner wandered into an average adulthood alone, while Saul wandered into something altogetherâŠdifferent. But when a case of mistaken identity unexpectedly throws Tanner and Saul back together after twelve long years of separation, the brothers find themselves stumbling through a race to stop a dangerous magic conspiracy thatâs been building in the shadows of the world for generations. Three innocent girls have been kidnapped. A dangerous weapon has been stolen. And a deadly ritual has been set in motion that, if successful, could disastrously alter the course of the future. Saul and Tanner have mere hours to unravel the mystery and rescue the girls. But the enemies they face harken back to a time of myth and legend, populated by knights and wizards and powers beyond belief. So if the brothers canât quickly reconcile their decadeâs worth of differences, they may very well lose the battleâŠand the world may lose the war. A Knight of Cold Graves is the first novel of The Revenant Reign, a dark paranormal action series with elements from Arthurian myth. |
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IRONSHIELD (The Ironshield Saga, #1) by Edward Nile A Pile of Scrap, Held Together by an Ideal. It's been almost thirty years since the budding nation of Arkenia used Kaizer Warsuits, gas-powered mechanical giants, to wrestle independence from a tyrannical empire. Now, Arkenia is pressured into disarmament by that same power, strong-armed into a deal that will strip them of the very weapons that won their sovereignty. The Southern provinces agree to the terms. The Northern Industrialists do not. Led by commander James Edstein, heir to the legacy of the mighty Ironshield Warsuit, the North defies the Southern Appeasers. Intent on keeping their Warsuits, and their nationâs hard-fought independence, from Imperial rule. Senator Samuel Mutton, veteran of the Revolution and a key leader in the South, wants nothing but peace for his nation. No matter how high the cost. As the Civil War ramps up, both men are forced to question their morals, forced to decide what matters most. Victory, or Honor. |
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Lost Souls: A Servant of Death by Shane Martin Executed, widowed, and robbed of his entire crew of pirates, Captain Ander Frost makes a desperate attempt to recover what heâs lost: a deal with Death. Because those always go so well. Tasked to kill a usurper of the Roman emperorship, he must ally himself with the man that had him, his wife and crew murdered in the first place â High King of the entire human population â Rian Forge. Set in ancient Imperial Rome, where the likes of dwarves and elves live side by side with humans under Roman rule, Captain Frost must make unlikely alliances, work with enemies, bargain with Death, and fight anyone who would dare prevent him from reuniting with his wife. |
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Wrong Place, Right Time by E.B. Roshan Twenty-three years ago, Anna Belko had the misfortune to be born in Dor, Sevia's dangerous capital. Now, she spends her days sewing shirts at the garment factory and trying to ignore the hatred and ethnic violence that is tearing her city apart. Until one evening a spilled pot of tea and an unexpected meeting with a young man named Boris Merkovich turn her world upside down... |
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Three months have passed since Preen learned that her husband, Rama, was captured and killed by a rival militia. Now the pieces of her shattered life are falling back into place. It's getting easier to breathe again. Preen finds herself smiling over her daughter's antics. She's engaged to her wealthy, handsome cousin, who loved her long before Rama stole her heart. Then, late one night, Rama calls. He asks Preen to come back to the dangerous city of Dor, back to the life she thought she'd left behind forever... |
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Nobody would have put Dunya and Radoslav together. She's Tur. He's Sevian. She's stuck in a refugee camp. He's working for the people who put her there. With three years of war and a fifteen-foot fence between them, finding happiness together seems impossible. But Radoslav can't get the girl with the pink hairâor her missing catâout of his mind... |
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The Singing Gold by T.K.P. Sternberg A simple shepherd who can see all things invisible, a dwarf who risks his honour to strike the deal of his lifetime, and a clandestine necromancer who somehow manages to do good despite his own worst intentions. This unusual fantasy epic shows how petty shortcomings like jealousy, suspicion and greed can throw up just as dangerous challenges as revealed destiny or the unfolding of evil plans. Set in the deep forests of medieval Svitjod, at the shift between the coming of Christianity and the worship of the old gods, it stands firmly rooted in the muck and mud of the everyday while at the same time revealing a fantastical world of trolls, alfs and magic. When Stig accepts to guide some dwarven miners through the hexed forest only he knows how to navigate, he already has a bad feeling. The payment is far too generous for something supposed to be so simple. With a hungry family at home and still a few weeks before summer would break and end their hardship, he cannot afford to say no. As they set out on a journey fraught with troubles, not only do Stig realise he has gotten himself tangled up into something far greater than he could ever have imagined, the dwarves also slowly learn that Stig is not your average shepherd. |
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Michael McGillicuddy and the Most Amazing Race by Trevor A. Dutcher Puzzling Intrigue. Epic Adventure. Cut-throat competition. When a quiet introvert and gifted tinkerer, Michael McGillicuddy, is invited to participate in the annual race organized by a secret society called the Order of the Blue Cloak, he forces himself to take a chance. Participation in this yearâs race represents a dual opportunity: To honor his fatherâs legacy, and to win a prize sufficient to pay taxes on his motherâs land to avoid foreclosure. The action-packed adventure that follows features a vibrant cast of characters, and includes some of the brightest minds and most unscrupulous characters 1895 Europe has to offer, including a Luxembourgish railroad baron, a middle-eastern mystic, a lone-wolf bounty hunter, a British female spy and a Dutch female alchemist. A devious circus ringmaster, and his equally devious crew, including a strong-man with a mechanical arm and a ruthless female enforcer with a chip on her shoulder and a penchant for poison, provide the main antagonistic forces.Follow the racers over land, sea and air, from Londonâs outskirts all the way to Paris, as they risk life and limb to embark on a scavenger hunt-style race with few, but important, rules. The winner of this yearâs race will be the first to solve all the milestone puzzles and arrive at the finish with a complete and matching set of milestone tokens. Along the way, Michael will encounter intellectual challenges, fantastical creatures, games youâve never heard of, physical peril, sabotage, betrayal, love, heartbreak, and even a touch of magic, all while discovering himself and a newfound taste for adventure. But as a novice among experts, and with the odds so strongly stacked against him, how will Michael survive, let alone compete? |