[News] The David Gemmell Legend Awards (2011 3rd Annual)

The David Gemmell Legend Awards were held this Friday gone, and whilst I didn't have the pleasure or honour of attending them—next year!—I wanted to blog about them nonetheless.

The DGLA might be a pretty new thing (the 2011 awards are the 3^rd run) but that’s part of their charm. At the heart of the DGLA is a simple, manifesto, if you will:

§  Raise public awareness of the Fantasy genre

§  Celebrate the history and cultural importance of Fantasy literature

§  Appreciate & reward excellence in the field

§  Commemorate the legacy of David Andrew Gemmell and his contribution to the Fantasy genre.

That aside, they’re also a pretty exciting set of awards. Aside from the Legend award itself—awarded for Best Novel—are the Morningstar and Ravenheart awards for Best Debut and Best Cover. The tickets for the awards—held at London’s Magic Circle venue—are a mere £20 (perhaps a smidgeon more next year) and therefore are an absolute steal. 

This year, the finalists looked something like this:

LEGEND AWARD FOR BEST FANTASY NOVEL

BRETT, Peter V - The Desert Spear (Voyager)
HEITZ, Markus - The War of the Dwarves (Orbit UK/US)
JORDAN, Robert and SANDERSON, Brandon - Wheel of Time: Towers of Midnight (Orbit UK/Tor US)
PEVEL, Pierre - The Alchemist in the Shadows (Gollancz)
SANDERSON, Brandon - The Way of Kings (Gollancz/Tor US)  (WINNER)
WEEKS, Brent - The Black Prism (Orbit UK/US)

MORNINGSTAR AWARD FOR BEST DEBUT

CHARLTON, Blake - Spellwright (Tor US)   
HINKS, Darius - Warrior Priest (The Black Library)   (WINNER)
JEMISIN, N.K. - The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (Orbit UK/US)   
PEHOV, Alexey - Shadow Prowler (Tor US)   
VICTORIA, Mary - Tymon’s Flight (HarperCollins Australia)

RAVENHEART AWARD FOR BEST COVER

EINARSDOTTIR, Olof Erla - Power & Majesty  (WINNER)
LOCKWOOD, Todd - The Ragged Man (Pyr)
NIELSEN, Cliff - The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
SULLIVAN, Jon - Shadow King (The Black Library)
VICTORIA, Frank - Tymon’s Flight (HarperCollins Australia)

The winners of each category are emboldened, highlighted, and otherwise made to look pretty in the lists above. Honestly, I was rooting for Blake Charlton's Spellwright to win the Morningstar, and Brent Weeks' The Black Prism for the Legend award itself. As for the Ravenheart, I'll be honest: the winner, by far (and yes, I did vote!) should have been the art for The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. It's a beautiful, stunning cover. A few people have voiced their disbelief at what actually won, and I don't blame them, considering what else was nominated. Still, credit to who won.

The full lists are available on the DGLA website.  

[Review] The Book of Transformations (Legends of the Red Sun #3), by Mark Charan Newton

The penultimate book of the Legends of the Red Sun series, by Mark Charan Newton—The Book of Transformations—is set to make the same kind of waves as the previous two instalments, but in entirely different areas. Whilst Newton’s work still exhibits a subtle political flavour and raises questions about life, humanity and the world view, The Book of Transformations delves even deeper than his previous work, boldly addressing issues that are too often ignored.

Firstly, though, I’ll start by saying just how much more fun than the other two books The Book of Transformations is: whilst Nights of Villjamur rocked that “city noir” vibe, tossing in mystery and political machinations, and City of Ruin brought to the table all the tension and atmosphere of a ruined and corrupt city and its inner cogs, readying to face the onslaught of an advancing war, The Book of Transformations brings superheroes to the table.

Fitting, really, that with a summer of comic-book adapted movies ahead, we should be treated to a very new kind of fantasy. It’s been said before that new genre labels may well need to be created for Newton’s work, and this latest offering does nothing to quieten that thought. Describing The Book of Transformations as “superhero fantasy” perfectly conveys the flavour of the book: a team of super-human citizens of Villjamur become the blurb-mentioned Villjamur Knights.

But, as this is Newton we’re talking about, there is so much more.

It’s no secret that Newton decided to write about a transsexual lead. There was much speculation (alright…I know I speculated) as to which “way” the transsexual lead would be changing. I got what I hoped for: Lan is an MtF transsexual. She essentially used to be a man. She now is not a man. It’s as simple as that. (And it really is that simple.) I hoped it would be this sort of change, for two reasons: 1) because the notion of a woman binding her chest and passing herself as a man is a little too close to cliché in the realms of fantasy literature (I believe there’s even a Terry Pratchett joke about this in one of his novels, where a whole regiment turns out to be women in disguise?), and 2) because it would be far, far more interesting to read about.

Simply put, Lan was one of my favourite characters. Not only was she fascinating, but she was also exceedingly normal. That was the point. Newton had to force the issue that Lan is a normal character, and he does this remarkably well. Her transition features briefly, and following this, Lan is Lan. Her change is not the focus of the story. It’s not important. What is important is her new life and her role in the events transpiring in the city—a city facing destruction from inside and out.

Following the loss of Rumex Jeryd in Villiren, Investigator Fulcrom takes up the Inquisitor medallion for this instalment. His role in The Book of Transformations is a pivotal one, as much of the plot unfolds around him and his actions. Placed in an awkward position of direct service to the Emperor—the same Emperor he knows to be corrupt, and responsible for the wrongful arrest and subsequent fleeing of the Empress Rika—Fulcrom must conduct himself carefully under the order of a man he knows to be untrustworthy and excessively ruthless. In addition, the freshly formed and enhanced Villjamur Knights are placed under his jurisdiction. The Emperor expects results, and if these are not produced, Fulcrom’s life may well be forfeit.

At the heart of The Book of Transformations is change: Villjamur is changing; characters undergo changes; the world itself it set to change, should the wishes of one fugitive priest come to pass; the pressure of power weighs heavily; and forces from other worlds set the game-pieces in play, preparing for something even bigger than war.

As a standalone novel, The Book of Transformations works better than Nights of Villjamur, or City of Ruin, neither of which I think work as well independently. Of course, being part of a series, there are strands which link all three books. However, there are more new plot points and characters introduced here, and the way in which the story returns to Villjamur simply flows well enough to be considered in isolation.

Still, as I’ve maintained throughout, the books work far better as a series.

As a whole, the Legends of the Red Sun series becomes more powerful with each book. Showcasing science-fiction, science-fantasy, and ‘new weird’ as well as classic fantasy ideas, the final book is shaping up to be something entirely unique again. The way in which the war between the two factions revealed in City of Ruin is developing very much reminds me of the Vorlon-Shadow war in Babylon 5: this isn’t a bad thing, as the series is my favourite science-fiction series of all time, and as well as being politically and philosophically deep, it was incredibly original and boasted unique methods of storytelling.

Much like Legends of the Red Sun.

The Book of Transformations isn’t my favourite of the series—entirely because I am an unashamedly Brynd Lathraea fanboy and he’s obviously absent, busy in Villiren as he is—but it is definitely my second favourite. It’s an extremely fun and exciting read, filled with all the political awareness you expect from Newton. In fact, The Book of Transformations is one of the most thrilling, fun books you’ll read this summer: its excellence is surpassed only by its sheer scope and imagination. Once again, Villjamur comes to life in the pages of this book.

A winner. Read it.

5/5

[Review] City of Ruin (Legends of the Red Sun #2), by Mark Charan Newton

Following the thrilling first instalment of the Legends of the Red Sun series, Mark Charan Newton presents us with a second adventure. Laced with all the subtle politics of Nights of Villjamur, alongside an even defter approach to the “new weird”, City of Ruin is an exciting, thought-provoking, and extremely politically relevant continuation of the series.

Away from Villjamur, we are taken to the city of Villiren: a city of gangs, corruption and the bizarre—a city soon to be on the front lines of a terrible and imminent war. Brynd Lathraea—commander of the Night Guard—takes centre stage, and it is around him the events unfold. Inspector 

Jeryd 

returns, having fled Villjamur after uncovering plans for the mass murder of hundreds of the refugees clamouring at the city walls, and endeavours to make a difference in a city even darker than Villjamur.

As war advances, Brynd must prepare both a militant force and fortify the city as well as possible in what time is given. With a corrupt Portreeve and violent underworld gangs, the task will be difficult—especially when he must liaise with Malum, a cleverly presented character who offers an original spin on a classic horror archetype, whose underground and criminal reputation controls enough muscle to help sway the tides in the coming war.

Malum has his own agenda—as do all of the characters—and whilst he isn’t especially villainous, he becomes an antagonist at times through his actions—especially his treatment and nature towards Brynd. He adheres entirely to his own views and refuses to be swayed by any tide. Instead, with a troubled private life, and difficulties of his own, Malum remains an angst-fuelled, strong character who provides glimpses into an extremely masculine mentality, and yet, beneath the surface Newton shows a sad core, afflicted by both his past and present. It’s a suggestion as to what lies beneath an overtly masculine (and often homophobic) façade.

With hints of external blackmail, and his own Night Guards’ individual loyalties called into question, Brynd must tread carefully as he attempts to protect Villiren. Then, when a member of the Night Guard goes missing, Brynd is forced to call upon the Inquisition—upon Inspector Jeryd.

With Jeryd comes the noir: throughout Nights of Villjamur he served as a gritty, darker and moodier counterpart to much of the cast, and although his spirits lift here and there—largely thanks to a reunion with his wife and a rekindling of their relationship—his oddly melancholic determination coupled with his refreshed role as an investigator keeps the noir atmosphere fresh and present.

Jeryd and his new aide, Nanzi, must uncover the details behind bizarre murders, and scattered glimpses here and there of an extremely large arachnid, which supposedly moves through the darkness of Villiren, its motives unknown and its actions untraceable.  

Loaded with subtle feminine strength, Newton has created the strong female presence he felt Nights of Villjamur lacked. Nanzi has a strong role of her own, but for her part, she becomes the suggestion that a woman can be both dependant on, and independent from a man. Nanzi’s subplot takes City of Ruin deep into the “new weird”, and although elements surrounding her did not work entirely for me, what Newton attempted as a character was a success.

As we came to expect from Newton following Nights of Villjamur, the book is loaded with politics. The most awkward and difficult of these is a radical new solution to food shortages. It is a sharp shock to the system and it irks the reader—which is exactly what it intended. Nanzi’s involvement at the behest of the man upon whom she relies further demonstrates the idea of a strong woman, acting on her own.

More gripping, is the growing homophobic atmosphere.

Malum, along with a member of the Night Guard—his actions fuelled further by a member of the church—demonstrate strong homophobia, to the point where murder and irradiation is the only option for these “wrongdoers”. It’s very clever of Newton, to further develop these ideas in the second instalment, after the reader has grown attached to Brynd, regardless of his skin colour (he’s an albino) or who he takes to bed.

That, whilst a city faces war, individuals would rather dispose of their best hope for the salvation of their city based on his sexual preference, is poignantly allegoric of issues regarding gender and sexuality in our world, and thus a clever play by Newton.

Whilst we do revisit those who fled Villjamur at the close of Nights, what interests most about Randur and the Jamur girls in this novel, is who they meet. A strange encounter leads onto a journey to Villiren in order to help the city, whilst the “woman” they meet begins to slowly explain the nature of current events in their world—knowledge she has attained and brought from her world. She may well just hold information that could give Brynd what he needs to save Villiren.

Having let the confines of Villjamur, we glimpse Newton’s world up close, and though much of the story does take place in Villiren, we see the outside starkly during Randur’s journey to the city. The world is more fleshed, deeper, and just as well-crafted as the city of Villjamur was, demonstrating Newton’s excellent world-building prowess.

The prose is just as slick, descriptive and smooth as the first book and the pacing is seamless: there is always something happening, all pressed by the urgency the ice age brings with it.

Whilst I missed the streets of Villjamur—and will be excited to return to them in The Book of Transformations—the streets of Villiren are just as dark and interesting—perhaps, with what stalks them, darker.

City of Ruin is a slick, engaging fantasy that borders on—at times—“new weird” and even speculative science fiction. It is a well-constructed and relevant read. It’s also a great deal of fun, and will merely whet the appetite for the third book, penultimate novel. Brilliant, outstanding, and imaginative. 

5/5

[Review] Nights of Villjamur (Legends of the Red Sun #1), by Mark Charan Newton

Released in 2009, Nights of Villjamur introduces a brand new fantasy series that at once pushes the boundaries of the genre, whilst accepting its tropes and themes, with the single intention of bending and twisting the usual ideas of fantasy (and the fantastic), creating something new entirely. 

Nights of Villjamur is no regular fantasy story—it is, instead, an example of the sheer scope our genre offers, and what can be done with it. Mark Charan Newton is demonstrating the power of the fantasy genre, using it as a fertile platform for his own moralistic and political ideas: throughout Nights of Villjamur, he invites us to consider issues about ourselves and our own world that are so predominantly relevant to current politics and ideas, though fictional, the stories within the pages of Nights strike a resounding chord. 

There are immediate resonances that ring frighteningly true to our own political world: homosexuality is a crime, punishable by death; refugees flock to the gates of the great city, seeking refuge from the coming ice, and the disease and desolation it heralds; racial tensions flair between humans and rumel; forbidden technology, seen as "magical" by those who do not study it, angers church officials, and its users are akin to a cult (even named such); the Empire seeks to expand its borders across neighbouring islands that remain "uncivilized" and untouched by both the Jorsalir religion, and by its encompassing trade routes, despite the coming ice. 

The issues in the story are presented from multiple viewpoints, so the reader is never cajoled into what the writer supposedly believes is "right"—there are several "right" ideas and concepts in the book, and several "wrong" ones, but moreover, a hefty measure of subjectivity which permeates the grey areas of morality. It's what makes the story so powerful: it makes you think. 

Of course, it's not simply an elegantly dressed political metaphor: it's an insight into a world so vast in vision and history that it feels like glimpsing what our own world could become—the idea that once we were greater than we are. Magic exists in Villjamur, however, this magic is produced by the use of relics—by pieces of long forgotten and lost technology that requires research and understanding. Technology of a lost era. The implication that the world was more civilised, before whatever brought about at least its intellectual destruction or demise, is a notion that is oddly resonant. We built the pyramids and have forgotten how; we witnessed the Dark Ages. 

Nights of Villjamur boasts a rich world and richer ideas, and the very streets come to life through his writing: you can smell the scents wafting from the bistros lining the icy cobbles, glimpse their patrons through their steamed windows. 

The setting of any book can be as rich as you like, but it is through the characters presented, that a book really comes to life. 

With a homosexual albino soldier—commander of the elite and enhanced Night Guard; a roguish far-islander, new to the city, with a selfless agenda that jars with his appearance; an ageing rumel inspector, determined to uncover the reason behind odd murders in the city; and the two remaining daughters of the soon-to-be late Emperor, Newton offers not only a rich and varied cast, but a cast that proffers at least one personality readers can identify with. 

For me, the character of Commander Brynd Lathraea far outshines the rest: an altered and enhanced soldier, Brynd is in the possession of special abilities that allow combat on higher levels than before. Clad in the Night Guard's black, Brynd is despatched from Villjamur just as he—and his remaining Night Guard—have returned from a battle that depleted their numbers, only to face alien invaders elsewhere along the island chain. Different due to pigment and preference, Brynd is a powerfully amiable character. He is a perfect message: a homosexual, and at the very head of the best unit of soldiers the Empire offers; different in skin and eye, and a man of great sensibility, wisdom and thought. 

Simply said, Brynd rocks. 

Nights of Villjamur is a fantastic "noir-fantasy" that evokes all the dark, gritty melancholy of the noir genre, whilst peppering the mix with political intrigue and danger. Set against the backdrop of the coming ice age, an added tension or even urgency propels the story onward, whilst the cast try to survive the dangers that face them, let alone the ice that will come next. 

A brilliant new fantasy that struggles against genre labels: an exciting can't-put-down sort of read that not only invites you to view a new world, but transports you there until the very last word. Absolutely and utterly excellent. 

5/5

[Review] Among Thieves (A Tale of the Kin) by Douglas Hulick

I’d heard a great deal about the book I’m reviewing today—I’d heard people say great things; interesting things; and even a few things I was unsure of, especially regarding a certain Amazon.co.uk blurb. However, I’m a sucker for books that everyone’s talking about—especially if they’re fantasy.

The first thing that strikes about Among Thieves: A tale of the Kin, is that Drothe is the bad guy—at least in part—and that whilst the reader should already be flagging him as a ruffian and a lowlife, already the intrigued reader is merely altering the bearings of their moral compass to fit.

Drothe is a Nose (those unfamiliar with this sort of street-talk can probably discern the nature of his work, but for those who’re purer in the fantasy they read, told in the first person, by Drothe himself, explanations of the more important aspects are helpfully included); a damn good nose, at that. From the get-go there are no illusions as to his nature, but despite his grey areas, Drothe instantly presents as a likeable, fun and downright awesome character.

Among Thieves is atmospheric above all else: the setting is artfully vague, but presents enough stock fantasy architecture to allow the reader to assimilate a view of the city. For me, Ildrecca (my own jury is still out on the pronunciation, as I’m seeing Italian double-c sounds here, assisted by the knowledge that Douglas Hulick totes a degree in Medieval History, and fences in the Italian style) is a warm, sandy—or muddy, or cobbled, it depends!—city with old air and older stone. A city constantly built, torn down, and rebuilt again, Ildrecca captures a warm, Southern European medieval vibe, whilst sprinkling in its own fantasy imaginings.

City-set fantasies draw me in far quicker than vast plains and valleys traversed on horseback, and I’d rather streets, than tracts: Ildrecca delivers here, and Hulick’s obvious talent brings the city to life within mere pages. Ildrecca is his city. Moreover, it is Drothe’s city, and as he guides us around, going about his life, we see, hear, smell and taste it firsthand.

The basic premise is that Drothe is Kin: a member of the criminal underworld, essentially preying on other Kin, occasionally the Rags, and finally, the Lighters (‘normal’ people who live in the ‘light’, instead of the ‘dark’ the Kin permeate). In addition, Drothe is looking for a relic—a pen, we find out in due course—and its acquisition is proving not only difficult, but appears to be involving him in something deeper and darker in nature. Relics are tricky things as it is—trinkets touched by one of the incarnations of the eternal emperor, highly valued and even higher risk—let alone a trinket that happens to contain blasphemous musings of a woman once close to the emperor, before he became eternal, before the practice of his endless reincarnation.

Drothe wouldn’t usually get involved—too high risk, too messy, and definitely out of a Nose’s league when there’re Degans, White Sashes and (worst of all) the Grey Princes of the Kin after the book—but choice isn’t always easily come by, and the Nose winds up finding himself light a few pounds of the luxury.  

Before long, the Nose realises that to stay alive in this game—let alone stay ahead—he’s going to have to insert himself right where he doesn’t want to be: in the thick of it. With an organisation, a secret family relation, and, whilst he’s at it, the entire Kin to protect, Drothe’s decision to play this dangerous game is not as much his own as his bravado will have you think.

With excellent pacing, mysterious relics and a handful of secret players who’ve not yet taken to the stage, let alone placed their markers, Drothe soon realises that he’ll not only be playing one side against the other, but might have to factor a few things he’s not so willing to gamble on in the stakes—friendship, loyalty, and despite himself, honour.

There may be no honour amongst thieves, but when it comes to Drothe, he clearly missed the memo.

Hulick’s debut is literally stunning: there’s nothing to fault. Friendships are handled superbly, and contrasted perfectly against his relationships with the fellow Kin he must use and abuse along the way. Drothe’s desperation, panic and sheer terror drive the plot onwards, and each chapter adds to the breathtakingly wide-reaching plot. Twists are delivered skilfully, whilst the overall plot is seamlessly joined, with the links between events and characters hidden beneath layer upon layer of smooth storytelling.

There is nothing in this book that doesn’t surprise or delight. Absolutely nothing.

Among Thieves should appeal to fans outside the genre, too: the city setting is almost­-historical, and although the story revolves around glimmer (magic), it’s not too far a stretch to liken it to the alchemical and historical occult ‘magic’ found in so many alternative-history settings—especially in Medieval Europe.

At the heart of Among Thieves lies a mystery: a great portion of the book is dedicated to unravelling it, before the various puzzles can be threaded and linked together. In part, it’s also a treasure hunt—the relic is treasure. It’s old, it’s valuable, and it’s been lost for centuries.

Everything in this book aims to please, and it delivers effortlessly.

Why should I read this book?

You should read this book, not because Brent Weeks called it an ‘unalloyed pleasure’, and not because praise for this book has been splashed all over the internet. Not even because Hulick’s fresh and exciting new talent has been likened to the debuts of both Rothfuss and Abercrombie—but rather, because Among Thieves might possibly be the best book you’ll read for some time.

Unique, excellent and delivering far more than promised by the blurb, Among Thieves is an absolute pleasure and adventure to read. Fans will relish the fantasy-mystery, whilst newcomers will drink up the atmosphere of a city that appears so familiar, so real, that they’ll see the genre with fresh eyes, and understand that where there’s magic, there doesn’t have to be dragon eggs, or monsters.

All in all, an absolutely wonderful book. 

5/5

[News] Anticipated Reads (2011 RELEASES)

The quest of stepping into Waterstone's, kitted out with my travel-sack (okay, it's just a backpack) ready to peruse the shelves and return home weighed down with books is a noble one. Sadly, given the small stature of my local SFF section, this is as grand an adventure as pottering to the garden to pick potatoes might be. In the end, the only way to feed my fantasy fix is to rely on the magical posties that Amazon send out on silver ponies with ribbons streaming in their wake. 

It's not ideal, but there is a certain magic about having the very books you covet slipped wordlessly through a thin slit in your front door. It feels very secret, very special, really. 


Here's a brief list of my most anticipated pre-orders of 2011; the latter part of the year is a little thin, but I'm sure it'll fill up given time. 


The Dragon's Path (The Dagger and The Coin #1), by Daniel Abraham 


Release date: 21st April 2011
Publisher: Orbit
Synopsis: 

The dragons are gone, the powerful magics that broke the world diluted to little more than parlour tricks, but the kingdoms of men remain and the great game of thrones goes on. Lords deploy armies and merchant caravans as their weapons, manoeuvring for wealth and influence. But a darker power is rising - an unlikely leader with an ancient ally threatens to unleash again the madness that destroyed the world once already. Only one man knows the truth and, from the shadows, must champion humanity. The world's fate stands on the edge of a Dagger, its future on the toss of a Coin.

The Order of the Scales (Memory of Flames #3), by Stephen Deas

Release date: 19th May 2011

Publisher: Gollancz

Synopsis: 

As the various factions fight for control of the Adamantine Palace mankinds nemesis approaches. The realms dragons are awakening from their alchemical sedation and returning to their native fury. They can remember why they were created and they now know what mankind has done to them. And their revenge will be brutal. As hundreds of dragons threaten a fiery apocalypse only the Adamantine Guard stand between humanity and extinction. Can Prince Jehal fight off the people who want him dead and unite their armies in one final battle for survival? Noted for its blistering pace, awesome dragons and devious politicking Stephen Deas's landmark fantasy trilogy moves to a terrifying epic conclusion in The Order of the Scales.

The Book of Transformations (Legends of the Red Sun #3), by Mark Charan Newton

Release date: 3rd June 2011

Publisher: Tor

Synopsis: 

A new and corrupt Emperor seeks to rebuild the ancient structures of Villjamur to give the people of the city hope in the face of great upheaval and an oppressing ice age. But when a stranger called Shalev arrives, empowering a militant underground movement, crime and terror becomes rampant. The Inquisition is always one step behind, and military resources are spread thinly across the Empire. So Emperor Urtica calls upon cultists to help construct a group to eliminate those involved with the uprising, and calm the populace. But there’s more to The Villjamur Knights than just phenomenal skills and abilities - each have a secret that, if exposed, could destroy everything they represent. Investigator Fulcrom of the Villjamur Inquisition is given the unenviable task of managing the Knights’, but his own skills are tested when a mysterious priest, who has travelled from beyond the fringes of the Empire, seeks his help. The priest’s existence threatens the church, and his quest promises to unweave the fabric of the world. And in a distant corner of the Empire, the enigmatic cultist Dartun Súr steps back into this world, having witnessed horrors beyond his imagination. Broken, altered, he and the remnants of his cultist order are heading back to Villjamur. And all eyes turn to the Sanctuary City, for Villjamur’s ancient legends are about to be shattered. 

Shadow's Lure (Shadow #2), by Jon Sprunk

Release date: 21st July 2011

Publisher: Gollancz

Synopsis: 

Danger lurks in the unforgiving Northlands, and a sinister magic lurks in the shadows waiting for it's moment to strike. It's the worst place to be searching for something, even for an assassin with no loyalties and even fewer scruples . . . In Othir, he was at the top of the food chain. An assassin beyond compare. A dark shadow in the night. But Caim left that life behind when he helped an empress claim her throne. And now his past has come calling again. Searching for the truth behind the murder and disappearance of his parents in the bitterly cold Northlands of his birth, Caim finds himself in a land in thrall to the Shadow. A wielder of the darkest kinds of blood magic imaginable holds his homeland in their iron fist, crushing all opposition beneath their tyrannous boot. Haunted by temptations from the Other Side, by turns in control of his magic and at the mercy of the Shadow, Caim becomes mired in a war he does not want to fight. But there are some things a son of the Shadow cannot ignore, and some battles from which he can't run. If Caim is going to survive - and if he's to uncover the truth about his own magic and his parent's death - then he is going to have to fight. But will his strength and skill be enough? Can anyone resist the Shadow's Lure?

Spellbound, by Blake Charlton

Release date: 4th August 2011

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Synopsis: 

SPELLBOUND is the second book in acclaimed debut author Blake Charlton’s exciting and original trilogy, following on from SPELLWRIGHT.

Nicodemus Weal is a cacographer, unable to reproduce even simple magical texts without 'misspelling' – a mistake which can have deadly consequences. Exiled from the wizard academy Starhaven and on the run from the powerful wizards who believe he is the Storm Petrel – the anti-Halcyon who will bring about the end of magical language – Nicodemus is faced with overwhelming obstacles to prove his cacography can be used for good and not evil.

Meanwhile, a demon is on the loose with one aim: to bring to life a true dragon and wreak havoc on the world. Only if Nicodemus can learn to come to terms with his disability and master Language Prime can he hope to stop the impeding War of Disjunction and save the world from the demon Typhon.

Prince of Thorns, by Mark Lawrence 

Release date: 4th August 2011
Publisher: Harper Voyager 

Synopsis: 

Prince of Thorns is the first volume in a powerful new epic fantasy trilogy, original, absorbing and challenging.

Before the thorns taught me their sharp lessons and bled weakness from me I had but one brother, and I loved him well. But those days are gone and what is left of them lies in my mother's tomb. Now I have many brothers, quick with knife and sword, and as evil as you please. We ride this broken empire and loot its corpse. They say these are violent times, the end of days when the dead roam and monsters haunt the night. All that's true enough, but there's something worse out there, in the dark. Much worse.

From being a privileged royal child, raised by a loving mother, Jorg Ancrath has become the Prince of Thorns, a charming, immoral boy leading a grim band of outlaws in a series of raids and atrocities. The world is in chaos: violence is rife, nightmares everywhere. Jorg has the ability to master the living and the dead, but there is still one thing that puts a chill in him. Returning to his father's castle Jorg must confront horrors from his childhood and carve himself a future with all hands turned against him.

Mark Lawrence's debut novel tells a tale of blood and treachery, magic and brotherhood and paints a compelling and brutal, and sometimes beautiful, picture of an exceptional boy on his journey toward manhood and the throne.

Ashes of a Black Frost (Iron Elves #3) by Chris Evans


Release date: 1st September 2011
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd
Synopsis: 


The Calahrian Empire is collapsing. All across the realm native populations are rising up to throw off the shackles of colonial rule. Two key factors drive this -- the return of the Stars of Power and Knowledge and the spread of the Shadow Monarch's forest. The result is that the Calahrian Imperial Army is stretched thin trying to maintain order at the critical moment when it is needed to fend off the advances of the elf-witch. For the Iron Elves regiment, their loyalty is tested to the breaking point. The Prince is devastated by the destruction of the Lost Library and the realization that the Empire he is to inherit is crumbling. Major Konowa Swift Dragon is determined to lead the living survivors of the regiment while Private Alwyn Renwar -- an emissary with his own agenda -- commands the dead. Together, their only hope is to break the oath that binds them, but doing so means making the perilous journey to the Shadow Monarch's mountain in a final confrontation that may be the ultimate trap. There is only one way to find out.


The Gray Wolf Throne (Seven Realms #3), by Cinda Williams Chima


Release date: 20th September 2011
Publisher: Hyperion
Synopsis: 


Han Alister thought he had already lost everyone he loved. But when he finds his friend Rebecca Morley near death in the Spirit Mountains, Han knows that nothing matters more than saving her. The costs of his efforts are steep, but nothing can prepare him for what he soon discovers: the beautiful, mysterious girl he knew as Rebecca is none other than Raisa ana’Marianna, heir to the Queendom of the Fells. Han is hurt and betrayed. He knows he has no future with a blueblood. And, as far as he’s concerned, the princess’s family killed his own mother and sister. But if Han is to fulfill his end of an old bargain, he must do everything in his power to see Raisa crowned queen.

Meanwhile, some people will stop at nothing to prevent Raisa from ascending. With each attempt on her life, she wonders how long it will be before her enemies succeed. Her heart tells her that the thief-turned-wizard Han Alister can be trusted. She wants to believe it—he’s saved her life more than once. But with danger coming at her from every direction, Raisa can only rely on her wits and her iron-hard will to survive—and even that might not be enough.

The Gray Wolf Throne is an epic tale of fierce loyalty, unbearable sacrifice, and the heartless hand of fate.