Historical fantasy

Book Synopsis"Fascinating . . . jam-packed with adventure and colour" - JODI TAYLOR, author of The Chronicles of St Mary's, on Jennifer Macaire. ONE LAST CHANCE FOR REDEMPTION . . . TWO THOUSAND YEARS IN THE PAST. For fans of JODI TAYLOR and NEIL GAIMAN, the first in an action-packed new series, from the author of the "incredible" and "compelling" Time for Alexander novels. England, the year 2900 CE. Sentenced to decades of imprisonment, Isobel believes that life as she knows it is entirely over. Or is it? When she's offered a time-travelling mission back in the time of the Crusades, she has the chance to change the course of history - and free herself in the process. But the perils of medieval France are like nothing she's encountered before, and Isobel realises too late that the stakes are far higher than she ever imagined . . . A CROWN IN TIME will have you on the edge of your seat from the very first page * * * * * READERS AND AUTHORS ARE GRIPPED BY JENNIFER MACAIRE:"A vividly written, characterful, informed and unusual take. I loved it" - Carol McGrath"Fun, sexy and at times incredibly sad, the story held me to the end and the research was incredible" - Karen King PRAISE FOR A CROWN IN TIME:"From the moment you open a Macaire book, you're sucked in ... I lost myself in this novel and simply devoured it." - VAIN RADICAL "I love how vivid Jennifer Macaire's writing is. I was transported" - JESSICA BELMONT"This book reads like a dream! I finished the book in one go" - BOOK VUETrade ReviewFascinating . . . jam-packed with adventure and colour -- Jodi Taylor, The Chronicles of St Mary’sA vividly written, characterful, informed and unusual take on Alexander and Ancient Times. I loved it. -- Carol McGrathFun, sexy and at times incredibly sad, the story held me to the end and the research was incredible -- Karen King

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Book Synopsis'Intricate and crisp, witty and solemn' Hilary Mantel, Man Booker Prize-winning author of Wolf Hall on RotherweirdAPOCALYPSE NOW?Geryon Wynter, the brilliant Elizabethan mystic, has achieved resurrection and returned to present-day Rotherweird. But after the chaos of Election Day, how can a stranger from another time wrest control? And for what fell purpose is Wynter back? His dark conspiracy reaches its climax in this unique corner of England, where the study of history is forbidden and neither friend nor foe are quite what they seem.The stakes could not be higher, for at the endgame, not only Rotherweird is under threat. The future of mankind itself hangs in the balance.'Baroque, Byzantine and beautiful - not to mention bold. An enthralling puzzle picture of a book' M. R. Carey, bestselling author of The Girl With All The Gifts on RotherweirdTrade ReviewA history-tragic-comedy all rolled into one, Rotherweird is intricate and crisp, witty and solemn: a book not unlike other books, but with special and dangerous properties. Line by line, silent and adroit, it opens a series of trap-doors in the reader's imagination * Hilary Mantel, two-time Man Booker prize winner, on Rotherweird *Baroque, Byzantine and beautiful - not to mention bold. An enthralling puzzle picture of a book * M.R. Carey, author of the bestselling The Girl With All The Gifts, on Rotherweird *Compelling . . . the love child of Gormenghast and Hogwarts * The Guardian on Rotherweird *The Rotherweird trilogy is a sprawling absorbing saga that is breath-taking in conceit and accomplishment. Fans of deeply immersive fiction, such as that created by Neal Stephenson, will love losing themselves in this nightmarish vision of a parochial English town, where everybody has secrets. * Geek Dad on Lost Acre *[A] sprawling fantasy epic * The Guardian on Lost Acre *This novel is a remarkable achievement. It's also extremely funny, in a typically British sort of way . . . a delightful Harry Potter for grown-ups * Sunday Independent on Rotherweird *An imaginative tour de force * The Times on Rotherweird *Lost Acre is a triumphant final volume to what has been a constantly surprising piece of modern British fantasy. Part Gormenghast, part Monty Python, part mythology, part Terry Pratchett, a little bit steampunk but with the occasional dragon and changeling, and with plenty of word puzzles along the way. And while it has plenty of antecedents, this series, its setting and its tone is totally unique and thoroughly enjoyable and should be celebrated as such * Pile by the Bed on Lost Acre *Intricate and rather beautiful . . . gothic, engaging, and strange, this is a series that has been filled with praise by fans of baroque literature from all fields * Starburst *A vivid fantasy world - albeit one with firm roots in both our own Elizabethan age and, with a timeshift plot set off by events in the Tudor era, the time of Good Queen Bess * SFX *Precisely calibrated . . . The stakes could not be higher * Daily Mail on Lost Acre *I'm a sucker for a good puzzle and this one was magnificent * Midnight Blue *Ambitious in his scope . . . incredibly inventive * SF Crowsnest on Lost Acre *Lost Acre is the perfect swansong to the wonderfully executed series of books. Highly recommended * The Eloquent Page on Lost Acre *It's complex, intriguing and I've loved it! It's definitely ambitious but it does work! It's very original and nothing like I've seen before * Life Has a Funny Way of Sneaking Up on You on Lost Acre *A steampunkish amalgam of Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast, Terry Pratchett's Ankh-Morpork and Christopher Isherwood and Edward Upward's Mortmere, replete with quirky characters, Heath Robinsonesque mechanical devices and a dash of the supernatural * The Guardian *Rotherweird and its otherworldly counterpart Lost Acre are just as fascinating as ever. Lost Acre, like its predecessors, is a book to be savoured. If you like your fantasy complex, this is a trilogy for you and Lost Acre rounds it off in style * Mugful of Books on Lost Acre *A clever, quirky and enjoyable jaunt into a gothic mystery spanning the millennia between Roman invasions (Gregorius), the Elizabethans (Bole and Wynter, Ferensen and the Seers) and the modern day * The Book Lovers' Sanctuary on Lost Acre *Caldecott delivers with gusto. There are surprises too: far from being an all-powerful villain, even Wynter isn't sure what is happening (can it be he's really being played?) - and many secrets still lie hidden. An excellent close to this trilogy . I'd also commend the illustrations by Sasha Laika - they are moody, allusive and add greatly to the atmosphere * Blue Book Balloon on Lost Acre *Still one of the best characters in these stories is the city of Rotherweird. It is slightly gothic, Dickensian, there is a touch of horror in it, but it is foremost absolutely captivating. This world building, although complex, is done with great skill and is one (of the many) attractive features. It gave me many hours of sometimes confusing, sometimes marvellous and very often amazing pleasure * Library Thing on Lost Acre *Delightfully ordinary people with extraordinary names wrestle with weird machinery, weirder science and some quite deliciously gruesome flayage * Jamie Buxton, Daily Mail *A great read . . . rich and rewarding * Sci Fi Online *One of those rare, satisfying commitments you've been looking for in a book * Amazing Stories *A rather spectacular conclusion to a unique series * Locus *To his lawyerly eye for detail he adds a conjurer's flourish in Wyntertide, the darkly hypnotic sequel to last year's bestseller Rotherweird . . . Rotherweird has antecedents in Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast, C S Lewis's Narnia books and, inevitably, a certain bespectacled boy-wizard * Sunday Telegraph on Wyntertide *Beautifully handled sequel that cooks up a banquet of dark delights. Once again, we are captivated by the compelling alchemy of plot, place and people: the quirks, the mysteries, the saintliness and the sheer bloody evil * James Buxton, Daily Mail on Wyntertide *

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Book SynopsisEveryone knows the story of Joan of Arc, a peasant girl who put Charles VII on the throne - before being burned by the English as a heretic and witch. But things are not always as they appear. Jeanne d'Arc was only five when three angels and saints first came to her. Shrouded by a halo of heavenly light, she believed their claim to be holy. The Archangel Michael and Saint Margaret told her she was the foretold Warrior Maid of Lorraine, fated to free France and put a king upon his throne. Saint Catherine made her promise to obey their commands and embrace her destiny; the three saints would guide her every step. Jeanne bound herself to these creatures without knowing what she'd done. As she got older, Jeanne grew to mistrust and fear the voices, and they didn't hesitate to punish her cruelly for disobedience. She quickly learned that their cherished prophecy was more important than the girl expected to make it come true. Jeanne is only a shepherd's daughter, not the Warrior Maid of the prophecy, but she is stubborn and rebellious, and finds ways to avoid doing - and being - what these creatures want. Resistance has a terrifying price, but Jeanne is determined to fight for the life she wants. But when the cost grows too high, Jeanne will risk everything to save the three people she loves most in all the world. Not everyone is destined to be a hero. Sometimes you have no choice.Trade ReviewA Joan of Arc like no other. Moyer takes the myth of the Maid of Orleans and comes at a different tale, a darker one. For those of us who love Jeanne d'Arc and have always wanted to rescue her from the flame, a new retelling * PATRICE SARATH, author of The Sisters Mederos and Fog Season *Divine Heretic rewrites Joan of Arc's life with heart and humanity, creating surprising new twists in the tale we all think we know * BETH CATO, author of Breath of Earth *This Jeanne, however, is wonderful, a richly drawn woman who is capable of fierce love, of deep friendships, of railing against her fate for as long as possible, until it threatens the lives of those she loves. And her voices! Oh wow! I think this is the best book I've read all year and I thoroughly recommend it * HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY *Full of surprising twists and subversion of the legend as it is traditionally told, Jaime Lee Moyer manages to make the story truly her own . . . weaving it into a new tapestry worth discovering for itself * LIBRI DRACONIS *As I grew more and more absorbed in Divine Heretic, I came to love the way it isn't conventional fantasy * BLUE BOOK BALLOON *This is a good adventure and historical romance story with a woman at the heart of it. * SF CROWSNEST *I am absolutely intrigued by how history and myth get mixed together * RUNALONG THE SHELVES *A treat for those who like their myths with extra magic * THE TIMES on Brightfall *Interesting and different * SF BOOK REVIEWS *Jaime Lee Moyer has consistently published books that touch me profoundly, and this one is no different . . . a book about resilience, about found family and holding onto the things and people you love, about finding joy in the little moments, and a book about understanding that courage means doing the thing anyway because you know what is right, no matter how scary. Strongly recommended * LYNNE M. THOMAS, Hugo Award-winning editor of Chicks Dig Time Lords *It blew me away . . . It was perfectly told * BOOKS FOR LIFE *A bittersweet story about how promises can be twisted, how they can break you, but also how they can save you * CROOKS BOOKS *Lush . . . richly described * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *A good and vivid alternative historical take on Joan of Arc. Joan's story of a young woman striving for autonomy, strength and freedom is a message and story that resonates in 2020 as much as 1430 * NERDS OF A FEATHER *A genuinely intimate quality to Divine Heretic I very much enjoyed. The idea that a single person shapes the direction of a nation, and the burden that power carries, is examined in a very unique way * THE ELOQUENT PAGE *Recommended to fans of historical fiction, especially Roman Catholic history and strong female characters * NEVER IMITATE *

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Book SynopsisEveryone knows the story of Joan of Arc, a peasant girl who put Charles VII on the throne - before being burned by the English as a heretic and witch.But things are not always as they appear. Jeanne d'Arc was only five when three angels and saints first came to her. Shrouded by a halo of heavenly light, she believed their claim to be holy. The Archangel Michael and Saint Margaret told her she was the foretold Warrior Maid of Lorraine, fated to free France and put a king upon his throne.Saint Catherine made her promise to obey their commands and embrace her destiny; the three saints would guide her every step. Jeanne bound herself to these creatures without knowing what she'd done. As she got older, Jeanne grew to mistrust and fear the voices, and they didn't hesitate to punish her cruelly for disobedience. She quickly learned that their cherished prophecy was more important than the girl expected to make it come true.Jeanne is only a shepherd's daughter, not the Warrior Maid of the prophecy, but she is stubborn and rebellious, and finds ways to avoid doing - and being - what these creatures want. Resistance has a terrifying price, but Jeanne is determined to fight for the life she wants.But when the cost grows too high, Jeanne will risk everything to save the three people she loves most in all the world.Not everyone is destined to be a hero. Sometimes you have no choice.Trade ReviewA Joan of Arc like no other. Moyer takes the myth of the Maid of Orleans and comes at a different tale, a darker one. For those of us who love Jeanne d'Arc and have always wanted to rescue her from the flame, a new retelling * PATRICE SARATH, author of The Sisters Mederos and Fog Season *Divine Heretic rewrites Joan of Arc's life with heart and humanity, creating surprising new twists in the tale we all think we know * BETH CATO, author of Breath of Earth *This Jeanne, however, is wonderful, a richly drawn woman who is capable of fierce love, of deep friendships, of railing against her fate for as long as possible, until it threatens the lives of those she loves. And her voices! Oh wow! I think this is the best book I've read all year and I thoroughly recommend it * HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY *Full of surprising twists and subversion of the legend as it is traditionally told, Jaime Lee Moyer manages to make the story truly her own . . . weaving it into a new tapestry worth discovering for itself * LIBRI DRACONIS *As I grew more and more absorbed in Divine Heretic, I came to love the way it isn't conventional fantasy * BLUE BOOK BALLOON *This is a good adventure and historical romance story with a woman at the heart of it. * SF CROWSNEST *I am absolutely intrigued by how history and myth get mixed together * RUNALONG THE SHELVES *A treat for those who like their myths with extra magic * THE TIMES on Brightfall *Interesting and different * SF BOOK REVIEWS *Jaime Lee Moyer has consistently published books that touch me profoundly, and this one is no different . . . a book about resilience, about found family and holding onto the things and people you love, about finding joy in the little moments, and a book about understanding that courage means doing the thing anyway because you know what is right, no matter how scary. Strongly recommended * LYNNE M. THOMAS, Hugo Award-winning editor of Chicks Dig Time Lords *It blew me away . . . It was perfectly told * BOOKS FOR LIFE *A bittersweet story about how promises can be twisted, how they can break you, but also how they can save you * CROOKS BOOKS *Lush . . . richly described * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY *A good and vivid alternative historical take on Joan of Arc. Joan's story of a young woman striving for autonomy, strength and freedom is a message and story that resonates in 2020 as much as 1430 * NERDS OF A FEATHER *A genuinely intimate quality to Divine Heretic I very much enjoyed. The idea that a single person shapes the direction of a nation, and the burden that power carries, is examined in a very unique way * THE ELOQUENT PAGE *Recommended to fans of historical fiction, especially Roman Catholic history and strong female characters * NEVER IMITATE *

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Book Synopsis"Suggest to fans of paranormal alternative history featuring well-drawn characters and strong world building, such as Molly Tanzer’s Creatures series, Robert McCammon’s I Travel by Night series, or The Hunger by Alma Katsu." — Booklist Longlisted for The Guardian's Not the Booker Prize 2020.Thinking they have put their monster-hunting days behind them, Oscar Wilde and Bram Stoker return to their normal lives. But when their old ally Robert Roosevelt and his nephew Teddy find a new nest of vampires, they are once again pulled into the world of the supernatural, this time in the American West. A train robbery by a band of vampire gunslingers sets off a series of events that puts Bram on the run, Oscar leading a rescue party and our heroes being pursued by an unstoppable vampire bounty hunter who rides a dead, reanimated horse.FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Trade Review"Suggest to fans of paranormal alternative history featuring well-drawn characters and strong world building, such as Molly Tanzer’s Creatures series, Robert McCammon’s I Travel by Night series, or The Hunger by Alma Katsu." -- Booklist"Stoker's Wilde West is an almost impossible novel to stop reading once you start it, full of surprises along the way, unexpected twists, and a cast as fearless as it is diverse. If this becomes a saga, I think we are going to enjoy it a lot." -- Tinta Nocturna"In Stoker’s Wilde, we got our first taste of a fantastical alternate history and its peculiar characters. With Stoker’s Wilde West, Hopstaken & Prusi have taken this and developed it into a world that is vivid, encapsulating, and thoroughly enjoyable." -- The Unseen Library"Stoker’s Wilde West is, quite simply, an addictive, clever and extremely fun horror adventure.""Fast, furious, funny, action-packed, gory, fast-talking with a hint of fantasy and science fiction thrown into the mix. What’s not to like in another winner from Flame Tree Press, an imprint to look out for, and If the little teaser at the end is anything to go by we might have more adventures to come? Let’s hope so." -- Concatenation

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Book Synopsis"Suggest to fans of paranormal alternative history featuring well-drawn characters and strong world building, such as Molly Tanzer’s Creatures series, Robert McCammon’s I Travel by Night series, or The Hunger by Alma Katsu." — Booklist Longlisted for The Guardian's Not the Booker Prize 2020.Thinking they have put their monster-hunting days behind them, Oscar Wilde and Bram Stoker return to their normal lives. But when their old ally Robert Roosevelt and his nephew Teddy find a new nest of vampires, they are once again pulled into the world of the supernatural, this time in the American West. A train robbery by a band of vampire gunslingers sets off a series of events that puts Bram on the run, Oscar leading a rescue party and our heroes being pursued by an unstoppable vampire bounty hunter who rides a dead, reanimated horse.FLAME TREE PRESS is the new fiction imprint of Flame Tree Publishing. Launched in 2018 the list brings together brilliant new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Trade Review"Suggest to fans of paranormal alternative history featuring well-drawn characters and strong world building, such as Molly Tanzer’s Creatures series, Robert McCammon’s I Travel by Night series, or The Hunger by Alma Katsu." -- Booklist"Stoker's Wilde West is an almost impossible novel to stop reading once you start it, full of surprises along the way, unexpected twists, and a cast as fearless as it is diverse. If this becomes a saga, I think we are going to enjoy it a lot." -- Tinta Nocturna"In Stoker’s Wilde, we got our first taste of a fantastical alternate history and its peculiar characters. With Stoker’s Wilde West, Hopstaken & Prusi have taken this and developed it into a world that is vivid, encapsulating, and thoroughly enjoyable." -- The Unseen Library"Stoker’s Wilde West is, quite simply, an addictive, clever and extremely fun horror adventure.""Fast, furious, funny, action-packed, gory, fast-talking with a hint of fantasy and science fiction thrown into the mix. What’s not to like in another winner from Flame Tree Press, an imprint to look out for, and If the little teaser at the end is anything to go by we might have more adventures to come? Let’s hope so." -- Concatenation

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Book SynopsisBook 3 in the Stoker's Wilde series! Booklist on the first book in this series, Stoker's Wilde: "Pass this volume on to readers who are hungry for more historical stories with a supernatural frame." Science and the supernatural collide in this terrifying tale of witches, reanimated corpses and spirits invading our world from beyond the grave. Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde have returned to their lives in London after their adventures in the American West. Bram is managing a theatre and Oscar is rising to fame and planning his upcoming wedding when they are once again called upon to battle supernatural evil. Grief-crazed scientist Victor Mueller needs Bram’s unusual blood for his mad quest to bring his dead wife back to life, and he’ll resort to kidnapping to get it. Meanwhile, a young medium named Lorna Bow runs fake séances in London under the thumb of an abusive uncle. When her mother Endora returns, Lorna learns the truth: they come from a long line of witches, and soon Endora has awakened Lorna’s dormant powers. When the scientist and the witches combine forces, all Hell breaks loose. Long-dead souls find themselves back in the land of the living, and some of them have scores to settle with our heroes. But as Mueller’s ambition and her mother’s desire for vengeance against the men who imprisoned her become clear, Lorna soon finds herself questioning the morality of their work. Bram and Oscar must team up with American secret agent Cora Chase to protect all they hold dear. Only a mission into the Land of the Dead can stop Mueller and Endora from bringing back more souls. Bram’s wife Florence must call on the monster-fighting skills she honed in America, and even Oscar’s bride Constance has to face new challenges as she learns how the supernatural has shaped her own history. In an adventure that spans continents – and even other worlds – they confront old enemies and unknown dangers. Teaming up with old friends Teddy Roosevelt and Richard Burton and new allies like Arthur Conan Doyle and Nicola Tesla, they too must harness both science and magic to protect our world from intruders from the Land of the Dead. FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePressTrade ReviewPraise for STOKER'S WILDE and STOKER'S WILDE WEST: "Suggest to fans of paranormal alternative history featuring well-drawn characters and strong world building, such as Molly Tanzer’s Creatures series, Robert McCammon’s I Travel by Night series, or The Hunger by Alma Katsu." — Booklist "Hopstaken and Prusi have done their homework and produced a pleasing period penny dreadful." — Publishers Weekly's review of Stoker's Wilde "Historical details and supernatural monsters abound, but it is the odd couple of Wilde and Stoker, with their diametrically opposed personalities and interesting quirks, that drives this story. Pass this volume on to readers who are hungry for more historical stories with a supernatural frame." — Booklist's review of Stoker's Wilde “A fun throwback to classic horror, playing off of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, this tale stars fictionalized versions of both Stoker and Wilde, brought together through circumstance to hunt the undead throughout England [...] This husband-and-wife writing team offer a solid choice for fans of vampire lore and atmospheric, historical horror.” — Library Journal's review of Stoker's Wilde “A piece of work that is more original and creative than any novel I have read in years.” — High Fever Books' review of Stoker's Wilde "Stoker's Wilde is immensely entertaining and engrossing...this novel was an utter delight." — The Haunted Reading Room's review of Stoker's Wilde "This is a must-read for Horror lovers.” —Terror Tree's review of Stoker's Wilde "Stoker’s Wilde West is, quite simply, an addictive, clever and extremely fun horror adventure. — Grimdark Magazine "Fast, furious, funny, action-packed, gory, fast-talking with a hint of fantasy and science fiction thrown into the mix. What’s not to like in another winner from Flame Tree Press, an imprint to look out for, and If the little teaser at the end is anything to go by we might have more adventures to come? Let’s hope so." — Concatenation

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Book Synopsis'Melding noir with the fantasy genre, this is a rather clever read, one which feels especially prescient for our reality' SCIFINOW There's power in stories, but stories can be silenced. It's election year and the streets of Fenest are filled with people from every corner of the Union of Realms. But this year is different. The Wayward storyteller has been murdered. Detective Cora Gorderheim has found the man responsible, but now he's dead too, and it's clear that the silenced Wayward is just a small part of a much bigger tale. As her investigation digs ever deeper, Cora pieces together a conspiracy that will take her from the gutter dwellers of the Union right to the top. A conspiracy that will force her to return to her own story, to its very beginning, if she is to have any say in its end. Widow's Welcome, the first book in the Tales of Fenest trilogy, is available now. 'It's rare to find such a richly imagined world about the art of myth and storytelling' CHRISTOPHER FOWLER 'Like a Philip Pullman rendition of Cloud Atlas. Widow's Welcome is an irresistibly thrilling introduction to a world of stories within stories – and I can't wait for more' TIM MAJOR 'There is more than meets the eye in this gripping and inventive debut... Rife with intrigue, deceit and cultural tension' JAMES AITCHESON 'An utterly absorbing tale set in a fascinating world. A terrific start to the series' MICK FINLAY 'If you love storytelling, you'll love this' SIMON MORDENTrade ReviewMelding noir with the fantasy genre, this is a rather clever read, one which feels especially prescient for our reality * SciFiNow *This volume more than lives up to the promise of volume one * Crime Review *As a mix of fantasy and crime, the focus was nice and balanced... An ideal middle book for a series, the details about the previous book are perfectly scattered so there are no important moments missed... The familial ties in the novel are beautifully done, with the links just distant enough that they are unlikely to be predicted; even by the experienced crime novel fan' * New Welsh Review *PRAISE FOR WIDOW'S WELCOME: 'It's rare to find such a richly imagined world about the art of myth and storytelling' Christopher Fowler. 'Like a Philip Pullman rendition of Cloud Atlas. Widow's Welcome is an irresistibly thrilling introduction to a world of stories within stories – and I can't wait for more' Tim Major. 'There is more than meets the eye in this gripping and inventive debut... Rife with intrigue, deceit and cultural tension' James Aitcheson. 'An utterly absorbing tale set in a fascinating world. A terrific start to the series' Mick Finlay. 'If you love storytelling, you'll love this' -- Simon Morden

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Book SynopsisThe only magic left comes from consuming the dead.Long ago, Ritakhou was a flourishing empire filled with light, life, and magic. Then came the Schism. Now the kingdom is called Rimbaku and is a pale shadow of its former self, a land stripped of its glory and its power. The only magic left comes from aitachi, the Relicant Touchthe ability to absorb skills and memories by consuming the bones of the dead. Throughout the land, status and success are based on one's aitachi and theaishone or relic bones one can attain, and the so-called Relicant Empire has grown stale and stagnant as a result.The young emperor, Hibikitsu, recognizes this but feels powerless to change centuries of habit and reliance. His finest warrior, Misataki Shizumi, also feels stifleddespite her prowess she is a commoner and can never rise above the rank of sergeant in the elite Honjofu, even though her commanding officer is a nobleborn fool. Seikoku, a koshitsu or graverobber, wrestles with the horror of what she does and the need to survive, while Chimehara, a beggar turned killer, has no compunctions against using every weapon at her disposal to attain her goals. And all the while Rimbaku's enemies are circling, testing the nation's borders. They know the empire is weak, and are determined to push it over the edge and then strip its bones as it has done to its dead for so long.Meanwhile, the brothers Kagiri and Noniki set out from their small village with a handful of aishone and a great deal of hope. They soon find the world a bigger, darker place than they imagined, and are forced to accept a dangerous proposal, one that will put both of them at risk for not only their lives but their very soulsbut that may change the Relicant Empire forever.

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Book SynopsisIn this world, on the day that they reach adulthood, everyone visits the temple to receive their life's calling. Many will become warriors or magic users. But when the frail younger brother of a minor feudal lord named Arsrod goes in for his job, he comes out with...Oda Nobunaga?! Not only has that job never been heard of, not a single person can even figure out what it's supposed to mean. But when this young man inherits the experience, tactics, and prowess in war of the great Sengoku strategist Nobunaga, his very destiny will change!

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Book SynopsisArsrod manages to seize the Kanryuu Prefecture in an battle that defies all common sense, making him the leader of one of the largest forces in the country. And he's all but invincible, now that he's joined forces with Kerala, who works as "Akechi Mitsuhide." With no one to keep him in check, he's ready to launch his next plan: A scheme to invade the imperial capital with Hasse, the orphaned child of the previous king! But no one knows that Arsrod himself is burdened by a certain secret...

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Book SynopsisSarah Calhoun has taken her father’s throne and ascended into her goddess’s presence in Unfallen Eden, as her father never did. And now young Sarah Calhoun is dying. Her uncle Thomas Penn isn’t done with her. Armed with new powers conferred upon him by the Necromancer and with new allies won via his impending marriage, Penn aims to remove Sarah from her throne—and from the world of the living. In the meantime, Sarah has fallen out with one of her best allies. Against Sarah’s advice, her brother Nathaniel heads into Imperial Philadelphia with the reckless and likely impossible aim of healing the Emperor Thomas. On the shores of the northern seas, agents of Franklin’s Conventicle with an unlikely connection to the Emperor struggle to win allies among the pole-dwelling giants, who are torn between seizing land covertly from the Firstborn of the Ohio and entering the war openly on the side of Simon Sword. In the west, the Heron King rides an explosive storm into war, crushing the mortal kingdoms in his path and bearing down on Sarah’s Cahokia. To survive—and to gain the strength she needs to fight this impossible war—Sarah must unite the Moundbuilder kings to enact an ancient rite that will propel her beyond mortality. To do so, she must not only win over doubters among the Firstborn kings, but she must also beat back a rebellion among the Handmaids of her goddess—for there are some of the goddess’s priestesses who long for the dark days of human sacrifice, and who are willing to throw Sarah herself upon the altar. Praise for Witchy Winter: “Butler follows Witchy Eye with a satisfying second tale of a magic-filled early America. . . . Deep and old magic influences both places and characters, and the story is tightly focused on the determined Sarah . . . Fans of epic and alternate historical fantasy will savor this tale of witchery and intrigue.”—Publishers Weekly “For readers who love history-based fantasy, steampunk, or urban fantasy . . . this series that gives the genre a new twist.”—Booklist Praise for Witchy Eye and D.J. Butler: “ . . . [Y]ou can’t stop yourself from taking another bite . . . and another . . . and another . . . I didn’t want to stop reading . . . Kudos!”—R.A. Salvatore “Excellent book. I am impressed by the creativity and the depth of the world building. Dave Butler is a great storyteller.”—Larry Correia “Witchy Eye is an intricate and imaginative alternate history with a cast of characters and quirky situations that would make a Dickens novel proud.” —Kevin J. Anderson “Butler’s fantasy is by turns sardonic and lighthearted; ghoulish shadows claw into the most remote areas and heroism bursts out of the most unlikely people. Sarah is the epitome of the downtrodden hero who refuses to give up until she gets what she needs, and her story will appeal to fantasy readers of all stripes.”—Publishers Weekly “David's a pro storyteller, and you're in for a great ride.”—Larry Dixon “ . . . [A] fascinating, grittily-flavored world of living legends. Hurry up and write the next one, Dave.”—Cat Rambo “This is enchanting! I'd love to see more.”—Mercedes Lackey “Goblin Market meets Magical Musketpunk . . . A great ride that also manages to cover some serious cultural terrain.”—Charles E. Gannon “Witchy Eye is a brilliant blend of historical acumen and imagination, a tour-de-force that is at once full of surprises and ultimately heart-warming. This is your chance to discover one of the finest new stars writing today!”—David Farland “A gritty, engrossing mash-up of history, fantasy, and magic. Desperate characters careen from plot twist to plot twist until few are left standing.”—Mario Acevedo “Captivating characters. Superb world-building. Awesome magic. Butler fuses fantasy and history effortlessly, creating a fascinating new American epic. Not to be missed!”—Christopher Husberg “[A] unique alternative-history that is heavily influence by urban and traditional fantasy and steeped in the folklore of the Appalachians. . . . Fans of urban fantasy looking to take a chance on something with a twist on a historical setting may find this novel worth their time.”—Booklist

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Book SynopsisWhen Robert Stead’s novel The Homesteaders first appeared in serial form in 1916, it was introduced as ‘the kind of fiction Canadian authors ought to write,’ and the Canadian public agreed. By 1922, when Stead’s popularity was at its height, the novel was in its fifth printing. Despite the war, reviews praising the book’s vividly realized background appeared throughout the British Empire.In The Homesteaders, Stead stresses the importance of pioneer life, its heroic and ideal qualities, as part of a unifying national tradition. Through two conventional love stories he explores two important themes: the early settlement of Plainville (a fictional community in Manitoba) with its difficulties and the sense of community these called forth; and the ironic impact upon the pioneers of the dreamed-of prosperity and civilization. In the story of John Harris and his family Stead evokes the world of 1882, when hopeful settlers travelled to Mani

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Book SynopsisLong defined by film adaptations that have portrayed Aladdin as a simplistic rags-to-riches story for children, this work of dazzling imagination—and occasionally dark themes—now comes to vibrant new life. “In the capital of one of China’s vast and wealthy kingdoms”, begins Shahrazad, there lived Aladdin, a rebellious fifteen-year-old who falls prey to a double-crossing sorcerer and is ultimately saved by a princess. One of the best-loved folktales of all time, Aladdin has been capturing the imagination of readers, illustrators and filmmakers since an eighteenth-century French publication first added the tale to The Arabian Nights. Here is an elegant, eminently readable rendition of Aladdin in what is destined to be a classic for decades to come.Trade Review"It’s not every day you come across a new translation of The Arabian Nights, but the French Syrian writer, Yasmine Seale, has rendered afresh the 18th-century version of Aladdin by Antoine Galland, and has done a cracking job..." -- Family favourites: children’s books for Christmas reviewed - The Spectator"... an elegant new version of Aladdin..." -- Times Literary Supplement"... a charming rendition of Aladdin..." -- The National

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Book Synopsis"Suspenseful . . . soulful, philosophical . . . engagingly drawn . . . Arthurian Britain is invoked with robust verisimilitude." –Publishers Weekly A great king faces the ultimate challenge: a dangerous quest through realms of magic and the undead toward a confrontation with his destiny Drought, plague, and war have left the Isle of the Mighty battered and its heart, the beloved Arthur, grievously injured—until a secret relic is brought before the dying King; a Holy Grail that heals his wounds and restores his vigor. But soon evil enters the royal court in the guise of a beautiful maiden; a soulless, malevolent force capable of seducing the King’s loyal champion, confounding the sage whom some call Merlin, and carrying the sacred Grail—and Arthur’s adored Queen—off into the dark unknown.Trade ReviewOne of the best works of Arthurian fantasy. * Waterstones *`Soars like a bird across a fictional canvas as huge as the sky.’ * On Being *`The familiar tale, singularly reworked… Lawhead’s interpretation is different and distinctive.’ * Kirkus *

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