Historical fantasy

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Book SynopsisA 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 rumoured 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.Investigate alongside Estevar and the most heroic mule ever to appear in print in this thrilling swashbuckling fantasy mystery by Sebastien de Castell, author of the Internationally acclaimed Greatcoats and Spellslinger series!Crucible of Chaos may be read as a stand-alone fantasy novel and as a prelude to Play of Shadows, the first official novel in the Court of Shadows series!Trade ReviewA masterful blend of Sebastien de Castell's unique brand of wry humour, elegant prose, and wonderfully imaginative worldbuilding * Nick Eames on THE MALEVOLENT SEVEN *Chaotic energy, clever ideas and characters that stay with you after the final page * SFX on THE MALEVOLENT SEVEN *Brilliant and vivid world-building . . . riveting * Chad Stahelski, director of John Wick on THE MALEVOLENT SEVEN *One hell of a good book * Conn Iggulden on TRAITOR'S BLADE *With a tip of [the] hat at Alexandre Dumas . . fun from one cover to the other * Tor.com on TRAITOR'S BLADE *

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Book SynopsisIn this gorgeous and haunting fantasy set in 1930s Chicago, a talented ballerina finds herself torn between her dreams and her desires when she's pursued by a secretive patron who may be more than he seems."A mix of dreamlike fairytale and enchanting historical fantasy, Nocturne has a real flavour of Phantom of the Opera. Add in a touch of Beauty and the Beast and this is the perfect escape from reality." CultureflyGrace has always wanted to be a ballerina, ever since she first peered through the windows of the Near North Ballet company. The elegance of the dance seemed transcendent to an immigrant child of the working poor, and so, when she is orphaned, it is to the ballet that she flees.Years later, Grace is on the verge of becoming the company's new prima ballerina - though she is beginning to realise that achieving her long-held dream may not be the triumph she once envisioned. Then Grace attracts the attention of the enigmatic Master La Rosa, and realises that the world may not be as small or constricted as she had come to fear.But who is her mysterious patron, and what does he want from her? As Grace begins to unlock the Master's secrets, she discovers that there may be another way entirely to achieve the transcendence she has always sought.Trade ReviewIn Nocturne, Wees robes the classic story of Beauty and the Beast in lush prose and infinite splendor. A fever dream of a novel, surreal and intricate, and enchanting in every way. * Ava Reid, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wolf and the Woodsman *Absolutely captivating, Nocturne is a delicious and radiant treat of a novel. Prepare to be spellbound! * Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Queens of Renthia series *An enchanting and lyrical fever dream bursting with dazzling prose and dark romance. Nocturne enthralled me. * Erin A. Craig, New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows *Nocturne reads like a fable, a mythical tale full of magical power, but imbued with the very real and wonderfully graceful power of ballet . . . You will be enchanted! * Louisa Morgan, author of A Secret History of Witches *Richly imagined and heartbreakingly told, Nocturne is a lush gothic romance that will dance you dizzy. * Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf *

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Book SynopsisA British secret agent is caught in a plot to assassinate archangels who settled Earth after WWII in this classic thriller from the World Fantasy Award winning author!"Sharp, brutal, cool--yet also stunningly imaginative and perfectly realised." —Michael Marshall, bestselling author of The Straw Men trilogyIn 1945, the Archangels materialised over the battlefields of Europe, ushering in a new Cold War. Fifty years later, they are being killed off… one by one.But who – or what – can kill an angel?Killarney is a shadow executive for the Bureau, British Intelligence's most secret organisation. She is the best – and she always works alone. Sent on a desperate mission to locate a missing cryptographer who may prove the key to the murders, Killarney finds herself running for her life, from London to Paris to Moscow, leading to a confrontation with a very human evil in the frozen wastelands of Novosibirsk.Plagued by dreams of a different world, and haunted by a swastika adorned with angel wings, it could take all of Killarney's resources to survive, when Heaven itself may be threatened, and God herself may be walking the earth…"Fast moving, powerfully phantasmagoric fantasy" – Adam Roberts"A novella of blistering, ballistic energy and ferocious cleverness" – James Lovegrove"A breathless adventure story, finely crafted and rammed home with the assured confidence of an author very much in his stride." – SFRevue.com

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisLIFE AND DEATH LIE IN HER HANDSIris overcame the threat of excommunication, but now she faces something far worse. The bells of war are tolling, and an enemy nation stands poised to strike. Why, then, is there talk of dismantling the kingdom’s armed forces? As Iris desperately shores up her duchy’s own defenses, she must answer a question from one of her closest companions, Dida: “If it comes to war, are you prepared to order us to kill?”

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Book SynopsisGaul, 37 ADSeasoned imperial officer Marcus Sempronius Gracchus leads the 9th Roman Legion into a bloody battle against a fierce barbarian rival. It''s a battle he won''t survive.When he awakens three days later, clawing his way from a hastily dug grave, Marcus realizes he cannot be killed-but that won''t stop him from dying time and again over the next 2,000 years. Burdened with a debt he cannot pay, is he is cursed to walk this world without end?But other immortals plan to bring the world crashing to its knees. Can he prevent the inevitable and find redemption?The Last Roman lies somewhere between fantasy, historical drama, and a techno-thriller. Don''t miss the debut novel from B.K. Greenwood, and part one of an exciting new trilogy that will have fans of Highlander and Jason Bourne on the edge of their seats.

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