Search results for ""Author David Hair""

Desperate for the next Game of Thrones? Pick up Empress of the Fall for your full-on fix of epic fantasy.The Emperor is dead - long live the Empress!Emperor Constant is dead and his rivals are scrabbling for power - but any misstep could plunge the land, already devastated by the shocking outcome of the Third Crusade, into a calamitous civil war.The Imperial throne is not the only one in jeopardy. Two brothers, imprisoned veterans of the Crusades, finally return home to find their father's kingdom being plundered - but the price of regaining their birthright will have far-reaching implications for the entire empire.In the East, Sultan Salim, peacemaker and visionary ruler, faces his greatest challenge as his people demand an invasion of the West in retribution for the Rondian CrusadesAnd lurking in the darkness, orchestrating both the power struggles and the inevitable conflicts, is a shadowy group threatening to destroy civilisation itself.Once more, Urte stands on the brink of cataclysm.

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In war, nothing is holy. The third in David Hair's epic Moontide Quartet, perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson, George R.R. Martin and Robert Jordan.Emperor Constant's crusade is teetering on the edge of disaster. In the wake of a devastating battle, everything has changed: the East is rising, bringing equal measures of hope and despair to Urte.For Elena and Kazim, the victory is a call to arms against the renegade spymaster Gurvon Gyle. For the Queen of Javon, it is a beacon as she seeks new ways to overthrow her usurper husband and reclaim the country for her brother. For Ramon, trapped behind enemy lines, it is one more obstacle in his desperate attempt to get his men safely home. And while the armies of East and West clash in ever-more-bloody conflict, emperors, inquisitors and assassins hunt the Scytale of Corineus, the key to ultimate power, which is in the hands of the most unlikely guardians: failed mage Alaron and market-girl Ramita, pregnant widow of the world's greatest mage.What they choose to do with the Scytale could change Urte forever.'Filled with action, adventure, magic, love, danger and hope. This is a series I cannot recommend enough' - C.E. Tracy

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Desperate for the next Game of Thrones? Prince of the Spear continues the Sunsurge Quartet and delivers a full-on fix of epic fantasy.The unthinkable has happened. With the Leviathan Bridge critically damaged and its towers unable to control the skies between Yuros and Antiopia, the East has invaded the West. A vast windfleet, constructed in secret, is winging across the Pontic SeaThe holy Shihad has begun.The Rondian Empire is divided and weak. Empress Lyra has barely survived a coup, triggered by a masked cabal whose members still remain concealed in the highest echelons of her court. Only Lyra's secret affinity to the heretical power of dwyma saved her - but that affinity is also her most dangerous weakness.As empires clash, lives are torn apart and long-held beliefs are overthrown by circumstance and desperation. A young queen whose court is riddled with traitors turns to the wrong people in her hour of need. Two princes clash in the skies, the fate of two nations riding on their skill. Two brothers must reconcile disparate cultures to regain their kingdom. An idealistic rabble-rouser sees a chance to strike. And a small group of dwymancers grope blindly for knowledge in a race against time before the masked Cabal strike again.'Represents modern epic fantasy at its best' - Fantasy Book Critic on the Moontide Quartet

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Summer is gone, and the world is turning to ice.The Rondian Empress Lyra has lost her husband, her army is defeated and the deadly Masked Cabal have seized the Holy City. Her allies have abandoned her and her empire is spiralling into chaos - and her only weapon is a forbidden magic she dare not use. She can't survive alone - but who can she still trust?'Vibrant, memorable characters' - SciFi NowThe Eastern conqueror Sultan Rashid is victorious on the battlefield, but now he faces an enemy more deadly than Rondian knights: the winter. Unless he captures a major city to shelter his huge armies, his plans to overthrow the West face ruin in the snow. But standing between his men and safety is the remnants of a defeated army led by a general who knows all about fighting for survival.'An epic journey of ordinary people destined to change the course of history . . . alluring . . . gripping' - BoHoMind.comThere are no easy options left. Lyra and her fellow dwymancers must master their deadly magic, whatever the cost. Even those who believe themselves to be fighting for good must grasp the reins of power with cold-hearted determination, and use even the most terrible weapon, if they are to stop the world from falling apart . . . for ever.

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Love. Betray. Fight. Ascend. In the much-anticipated conclusion to The Moontide Quartet, the fate of Urte will be decided on the mighty Leviathan Bridge.'Recommended for fans of George R.R. Martin, Brandon Sanderson, and Patrick Rothfuss' Monster LibrarianEmperor Constant is finally ready to conquer the world.As Alaron and Ramita struggle to recover the key to the Ascendants' magic as well as one of Ramita's infant sons, Queen Cera must fight to take the reins of power and Seth Korion's Lost Legions desperately search for safety while trapped between two massive armies.The time has come for the Rite of Ascendancy to be performed, and for new powers to rise to save - or damn - Urte.The Moontide is ending.'Modern epic fantasy at its best' - Fantasy Book Critic

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The Moontide is coming. Urte stands on the brink of war. Now three seemingly ordinary people will decide the fate of the world.Urte is divided, its two continents separated by impassable seas. But once every twelve years, the Moontide sees the waters sink to their lowest point and the Leviathan Bridge is revealed, linking east to west for twenty-four short months.The Rondian emperor, overlord of the west, is hell-bent on ruling both continents, and for the last two Moontides he has led armies of battle-magi across the bridge on crusades of conquest, pillaging his way across Antiopa.But the people of the east have been preparing - and, this time, they are ready for a fight.An epic fantasy, rich in intricate plots, intrigue and treachery. Vast forces collide and ordinary people make heart-rending choices that will shake the world.'A complex world populated by a rich and diverse cast of characters . . . Recommended for fans of George R.R. Martin, Brandon Sanderson and Patrick Rothfuss' - Library Journal

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Follow a renegade sorcerer off the edge of the map, in a thrilling adventure perfect for fans of Scott Lynch, Brandon Sanderson and Sebastien de Castell . . .Soldier, sorcerer and exiled nobleman Raythe Vyre has run out of places to hide. When the all-conquering Bolgravian Empire invaded, Raythe grabbed his daughter Zar and after taking part in a disastrous rebellion, they washed up on the edge of the continent.Now he's found a chance of redemption for himself and the precociously talented Zar: a map showing a hitherto unknown place that's rich in istariol, the rare mineral that fuels sorcery. Mining it will need people, but luckily there are plenty of outcasts, ne'er-do-wells and loners desperate enough to brave haunted roads through the ruins of an ancient, long-dead civilisation, to seek wealth and freedom. But the Bolgravian Empire is not about to let anyone defy it - and even out here, at the edge of the map, implacable imperial agent Toran Zorne has caught Raythe's scent.The hunt is on . . .

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Desperate for the next Game of Thrones? Prince of the Spear continues the Sunsurge Quartet and delivers a full-on fix of epic fantasy.The unthinkable has happened. With the Leviathan Bridge critically damaged and its towers unable to control the skies between Yuros and Antiopia, the East has invaded the West. A vast windfleet, constructed in secret, is winging across the Pontic SeaThe holy Shihad has begun.The Rondian Empire is divided and weak. Empress Lyra has barely survived a coup, triggered by a masked cabal whose members still remain concealed in the highest echelons of her court. Only Lyra's secret affinity to the heretical power of dwyma saved her - but that affinity is also her most dangerous weakness.As empires clash, lives are torn apart and long-held beliefs are overthrown by circumstance and desperation. A young queen whose court is riddled with traitors turns to the wrong people in her hour of need. Two princes clash in the skies, the fate of two nations riding on their skill. Two brothers must reconcile disparate cultures to regain their kingdom. An idealistic rabble-rouser sees a chance to strike. And a small group of dwymancers grope blindly for knowledge in a race against time before the masked Cabal strike again.'Represents modern epic fantasy at its best' - Fantasy Book Critic on the Moontide Quartet

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After all they've suffered, rebel sorcerer Raythe Vyre and his fortune-seekers are still empty-handed, but they've found real treasure: peace.Deep inside the Ice wastes, Raythe's people stumbled upon Rath Argentium, the legendary Aldar city, and the long-lost Tangato people. After fighting through betrayal, treachery and powerful magic, they forged a hard-won treaty with the Tangato and their extraordinary queen, Shiazar. Now they've put aside their dreams of wealth and revenge and embraced something better: a life outside the tyrannical Bolgravian Empire.But the Bolgravian Empire never gives up.The empire hasn't forgotten Raythe Vyre, and his enemies know where he is. Guided by Toran Zorne, the implacable imperial assassin, they are coming to claim Rath Argentium for themselves. Raythe and Shiazar know all too well that courage and cunning won't be enough this time: they are outnumbered, out-gunned and out of time. Faced with total annihilation, it's up to Raythe to find an edge . . . ______________________A page-turning adventure filled with excitement and intriguing characters. For those loving an epic fantasy with plenty of sword-fights, gun-play, bare-fisted combat and battles between sorcerers, this book's for you - Amazing Stories on Map's EdgeHair is adept at building characters as well as worlds, and his attention to his female players is welcome in a genre that too often excludes them - Kirkus ReviewsThere's a lot of cool stuff, ancient civilisations, magic, a heist, personal loss, love, and humour. I enjoyed this so much - Alalhambra Book Reviews on Map's EdgeA fast-paced, entertaining read, set within a world that I want to explore more of - Beneath A Thousand Skies on Map's Edge

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From the floodlit TV studios of Mumbai to the glittering Rajput courts, Vikram, Amanjit, Deepika and Ras must battle the sorcerer-king Ravindra: his power is growing, and so is his evil reach . . . The second in award-winning author David Hair's series The Return of Ravana.Mumbai, 2010: Everyone's talking about Swayamvara Live!, the TV reality show recreating the ages-old custom where young men compete for the hand of a noble bride. In this case, the bride is Bollywood stunner Sunita Ashoka, who is pledged to marry the man who wins the on-screen contest. For Vikram Khandavani, it's a chance to draw out his nemesis Ravindra, the reincarnated sorcerer-king - but he's taking a deadly gamble.Delhi, 1175: King Prithviraj Chauhan is about to storm the swayamvara of the beautiful Sanyogita - but he's not the only one fixated on the bride-to-be: Ravindra-Raj is coming too, and he's riding at the side of a fierce invader. Only Chand Bardai, in another life known as Aram Dhoop, the Poet of Mandore, stands between Ravindra and all the thrones of India.'David Hair hasn't just broken the mould. He's completely shattered it' - Bibliosanctum on The Pyre

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Desperate for the next Game of Thrones? Prince of the Spear continues the Sunsurge Quartet and delivers a full-on fix of epic fantasy.The unthinkable has happened. With the Leviathan Bridge critically damaged and its towers unable to control the skies between Yuros and Antiopia, the East has invaded the West. A vast windfleet, constructed in secret, is winging across the Pontic SeaThe holy Shihad has begun.The Rondian Empire is divided and weak. Empress Lyra has barely survived a coup, triggered by a masked cabal whose members still remain concealed in the highest echelons of her court. Only Lyra's secret affinity to the heretical power of dwyma saved her - but that affinity is also her most dangerous weakness.As empires clash, lives are torn apart and long-held beliefs are overthrown by circumstance and desperation. A young queen whose court is riddled with traitors turns to the wrong people in her hour of need. Two princes clash in the skies, the fate of two nations riding on their skill. Two brothers must reconcile disparate cultures to regain their kingdom. An idealistic rabble-rouser sees a chance to strike. And a small group of dwymancers grope blindly for knowledge in a race against time before the masked Cabal strike again.

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'A remarkable series' SFFANZShe's the Empress of the Fall . . . and her empire is falling apart.'Represents modern epic fantasy at its best' Fantasy Book CriticLyra, Queen of Rondelmar, has fought enemies without and within, dealt with grief and loss, embraced forbidden magic, found her father and borne a child - and still it isn't enough. Her enemies are on the march and the Rondian Empire is collapsing.But a more dangerous adversary is out there . . . and he is winning.Ervyn Naxius, amoral genius, has unleashed war on two continents and now laughing as the world of Urte tears itself apart. Kings and priests dance to his tune and his daemonic followers are spreading through the lands, but still he isn't satisfied. His ultimate goal - absolute control of all life - is finally within his reach . . .Are these the Last Days, when the daemons rise up to claim the world?From snowbound Mollachia to the beleaguered walls of Norostein, from the poisonous court of the new sultan to the deadly intrigues of Pallas, the omens are clear. Only Lyra and a handful of other heretical dwymancers have grasped the true danger - and they won't give up until every last hope is buried . . .

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Brandon Sanderson meets Joe Abercrombie in this astounding novel of good, evil and magicThe Falcons are knights of the Vestal Order, pledged to use their powers to protect the Empire of Talmont from the cruel Vyr and the carnage they have unleashed upon the world.When the Falcons take a Vyr alive, they go against the protocols of the Vestal Order and interrogate him. They are horrified to learn, if the Vyr speaks truly, that the Empire's worst enemy may not be the Vyr . . . but the Vestal Order itself.Led by the charismatic Romara Challys, the Falcons go rogue, their quest for the truth taking them through burning forests, lost ruins and the uncanny traces of a dying race, desperate to find answers . . . before it's too late.But the Vestal Order has no plans to let Challys and her knights succeed in their mission. With the greatest knight in history and an army of fanatics at their heels, the Falcons must evade capture and discover the truth as soon as possible. Because time is running out . . . for everyone.______________________'This book has everything that I love in a political fantasy. Knights, history, intrigue' - Reader Review'The world-building in The Burning Land is excellent' - Reader Review'A fiery fantasy adventure that blazes with action, magic and epic battles' - Reader Review

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After all they've suffered, rebel sorcerer Raythe Vyre and his fortune-seekers are still empty-handed, but they've found real treasure: peace.Deep inside the Ice wastes, Raythe's people stumbled upon Rath Argentium, the legendary Aldar city, and the long-lost Tangato people. After fighting through betrayal, treachery and powerful magic, they forged a hard-won treaty with the Tangato and their extraordinary queen, Shiazar. Now they've put aside their dreams of wealth and revenge and embraced something better: a life outside the tyrannical Bolgravian Empire.But the Bolgravian Empire never gives up.The empire hasn't forgotten Raythe Vyre, and his enemies know where he is. Guided by Toran Zorne, the implacable imperial assassin, they are coming to claim Rath Argentium for themselves. Raythe and Shiazar know all too well that courage and cunning won't be enough this time: they are outnumbered, out-gunned and out of time. Faced with total annihilation, it's up to Raythe to find an edge . . .

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The extraordinary epic started in THE BURNING LAND continues . . . In order for the Falcons to save the world, they'll have to save each other - and themselves!

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Summer is gone, and the world is turning to ice.The Rondian Empress Lyra has lost her husband, her army is defeated and the deadly Masked Cabal have seized the Holy City. Her allies have abandoned her and her empire is spiralling into chaos - and her only weapon is a forbidden magic she dare not use. She can't survive alone - but who can she still trust?'Vibrant, memorable characters' - SciFi NowThe Eastern conqueror Sultan Rashid is victorious on the battlefield, but now he faces an enemy more deadly than Rondian knights: the winter. Unless he captures a major city to shelter his huge armies, his plans to overthrow the West face ruin in the snow. But standing between his men and safety is the remnants of a defeated army led by a general who knows all about fighting for survival.'An epic journey of ordinary people destined to change the course of history . . . alluring . . . gripping' - BoHoMind.comThere are no easy options left. Lyra and her fellow dwymancers must master their deadly magic, whatever the cost. Even those who believe themselves to be fighting for good must grasp the reins of power with cold-hearted determination, and use even the most terrible weapon, if they are to stop the world from falling apart . . . for ever.

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Ravindra is back, and close to his dream of becoming the Demon King Ravana once and for all - unless Vikram, Amanjit, Deepika and Ras find their own powers, evil will overwhelm the world . . .Bollywood superstar Sunita Ashoka's reality show Swayamvara Live! has ended in bloodshed and disaster, and Vikram, Amanjit and Rasita are on the run, accused of her murder. And just like the heroes of the Ramayana, they soon find themselves beset by the same perils as Rama, Laksmana and Sita.When an unexpected death forces Vikram into the open, they start to despair - but there is some hope: Amanjit's warrior skills are returning, Rasita is beginning to remember her own past lives, and Deepika is awakening to terrifying new powers. But the enemy, Ravindra, has also found allies: the nightmarish Rakshasa army.Memories and legends are coming alive all over India. The fight to the finish has begun . . .'David Hair hasn't just broken the mould. He's completely shattered it' - Bibliosanctum on The Pyre

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There is no escape from destiny . . . is there? 'Riveting! Like its reincarnated heroes, I was drawn again and again to David Hair's gripping, blood-soaked tale' - Chris Bradford, author of Young SamuraiFor four young men and women trapped in its story-cycle, the Ramayana is not just a legend: it is their fate!In every life they have ever lived, Vikram, Amanjit, Rasita and Deepika have been persecuted and killed by Ravindra on his quest to reincarnate as Ravana, the Demon-King. Now Ravindra has captured Rasita, and demonic beings are rallying to his cause. His triumph is looking certain. Vikram and Amanjit must rescue Rasita - but in every past life, Vikram has died at Ravindra's hands. This time, failure is not an option. This time, if Ravindra wins, it will be for ever.'David Hair hasn't just broken the mould. He's completely shattered it' - Bibliosanctum Ages-old mysteries must be uncovered and forgotten powers regained as the fight to defeat Ravindra moves toward the final, heart-stopping climax and a finale that is as startling as it is electrifying.

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The second in David Hair's epic Moontide Quartet, perfect for fans of Brandon Sanderson, George R.R. Martin and Robert Jordan.Return to Urte, a land in chaos, where the smallest choice may save or damn the world.The Moontide has come, and a scarlet tide of Rondian legions is flooding into the East, slaughtering and pillaging in the name of Emperor Constant. But the Scytale of Corineus, the source of ultimate magical power, has slipped through the emperor's fingers. His ruthless inquisitors are desperately seeking the artefact, before it falls into the hands of those who would bring him down. But there are some who have pledged to end the cycle of war and restore peace to Urte. They are the unlikeliest of heroes: a failed mage, a gypsy and a lowly market-girl. As East and West clash more violently than ever before, the people of Urte will discover that love, loyalty and truth can be forged into weapons as deadly as swords and magic.'Promises to recall epic fantasy's finest' - Tor.com

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Renegade sorcerer Raythe Vyre went off the edge of the map, seeking riches and redemption . . . but he has found the impossible: a vanished civilisation - and the threat of eternal damnation!Chasing a dream of wealth and freedom, Raythe Vyre's ragtag caravan of refugees from imperial oppression went off the map, into the frozen wastes of the north. What they found there was beyond all their expectations: Rath Argentium, the legendary city of the long-vanished Aldar, complete with its fabled floating citadel.Even more unexpectedly, they encountered the Tangato, the remnants of the people who served the Aldar, who are shocked to learn that they're not alone in the world - and hostile to Raythe's interlopers.What awaits Raythe's people in the haunted castle that floats above them, the lair of the last Aldar King? Everlasting wealth - or eternal damnation?

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'David Hair hasn't just broken the mould. He's completely shattered it' - Bibliosanctum One deathless Demon King. Six ghostly queens. And only four twenty-first century young men and women to stand against a centuries-old evil . . . The first in award-winning author David Hair's series The Return of Ravana. Mandore, Rajasthan, 769 AD: the evil sorcerer-king, Ravindra-Raj, has devised a deadly ritual. He and his seven queens will burn on his funeral pyre, and he will rise again with the powers of Ravana, Demon-King of the epic Ramayana. But things go wrong when a court poet rescues the beautiful, spirited Queen Darya, ruining the ritual - and Ravindra's plans. Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 2010: At the site of ancient Mandore, Vikram, Amanjit, Deepika and Rasita meet - and are forced to accept that this is not the first time they have come together to fight the deathless king. Now Ravindra and his ghostly brides are hunting them down. As vicious forces from the past come alive, Vikram needs to unlock truths that have been hidden for centuries, if they are to win this ancient battle . . . for the first and last time. 'Riveting! Like its reincarnated heroes, I was drawn again and again to David Hair's gripping, blood-soaked tale' - Chris Bradford, author of Young Samurai

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