Download or read book The Fallen Blade written by Jon Courtenay Grimwood and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2011-02-03 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Venice, 1407. The city is at the height of its powers. In theory, Duke Marco commands, but Marco is a simpleton so his aunt and uncle rule in his stead. They seem all powerful, yet live in fear of assassins better than their own. On the night their world changes, Marco's young cousin prays in the family chapel for deliverance from a forced marriage. It is her misfortune to be alone when Mamluk pirates break in to abduct her - an act that will ultimately trigger war. Elsewhere Atilo, the Duke's chief assassin, cuts a man's throat. Hearing a noise, he turns back to find a boy drinking from the victim's wound. The speed with which the angel-faced boy dodges his dagger and scales a wall stuns Atilo. He knows then he must hunt him. Not to kill him, but because he's finally found what he thought was impossible - someone fit to be his apprentice. Award-winning author Jon Courtenay Grimwood is a master storyteller. Here, he blends history, politics and dark fantasy in a compelling vision of an alternative Venice.

Download or read book The Assassini written by Thomas Gifford and published by Bantam. This book was released on 1990 with total page 618 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is 1982. In the Vatican, priestly vultures gather around the dying Pope, whispering the names of possible successors. In a forgotten monastery on Ireland's gale-swept coast, a dangerous document is hidden, waiting to be claimed. And in a family chapel in Princeton, New Jersey, a nun is murdered at her prayers. Sister Valentine was an outspoken activist, a thorn in the Church's side. When her brother, lawyer Ben Driskill, realizes the Church will never investigate her death, he sets out to find the murderer himself--and uncovers an explosive secret."The Assassini. An age-old brotherhood of killers. Once they were hired by princes of the Church to protect it in dangerous times. But whose orders do they now obey? "The Assassini marks the triumphant retum of a master at the peak of his powers--the first novel in more than a decade from the acclaimed author of "The Wind Chill Factor. "From the Paperback edition.

Download or read book Broken Blade written by Kelly McCullough and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2011-11-29 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Aral the Jack, formerly the noble Aral Kingslayer, is the best kind of hero: damaged, cynical and despondent, yet needing only the right cause to rise from his own ashes.”—Alex Bledsoe Once a fabled Blade of Namara, Aral Kingslayer fought for justice and his goddess alongside his familiar, a living shadow called Triss. Now with their goddess murdered and her temple destroyed, they are among the last of their kind. Surviving on the fringes of society, Aral becomes a drunken, broken, and wanted man, working whatever shadowy deal comes his way. Until a mysterious woman hires him to deliver a secret message-one that can either redeem him or doom him.

Download or read book Blade Reforged written by Kelly McCullough and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2013-06-25 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Enter the "fascinating world"(Fresh Fiction) of the Fallen Blade in this thrilling fantasy novel from Kelly McCullpough. After the fall of the goddess of justice, temple assassin Aral Kingslayer lost his purpose in life and turned to the bottle. That might have been the end of him if luck hadn’t given him a few people to help him get back on his feet—notably the irresistible Baroness Maylien Dan Marchon, who once sought his aid in claiming the throne that’s rightfully hers. Reluctant to resume the role of an assassin, he turned her down. But now Aral has learned that one of the few people willing to help him in his darkest days has been imprisoned by Maylien’s uncle, King Thauvik. Aral knows he can’t let an old friend die, but the alternative is to return to the life he left years ago. It was the death of Thauvik’s half brother that earned Aral the name Kingslayer, and now he is thrust into a war that will see no end until he lives up to his name…

Download or read book Crossed Blades written by Kelly McCullough and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2012-11-27 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A new series filled with multifaceted characters, layered plots, and the type of quixotic scenarios that only the imagination of Kelly McCullough could possibly create…Brilliant!”—Huntress Book Reviews For six years, former temple assassin Aral Kingslayer has been living as a jack of the shadow trades, picking up odd jobs on the wrong side of the law. But the past is never dead, and Aral’s has finally caught up to him in the beautiful, dangerous form of Jax Seldansbane—a fellow Blade and Aral’s onetime fiancée. Jax claims that the forces that destroyed everything Aral once held dear are on the move again, and she needs his help to stop them. But Aral has a new life now, with a fresh identity and new responsibilities. And while he isn’t keen on letting the past back in, the former assassin soon finds himself involved in a war that will leave him with no way out and no idea who to trust…

Download or read book Darkened Blade written by Kelly McCullough and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2015-04-28 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Kelly McCullough, author of Drawn Blades, presents another Fallen Blade adventure with Aral Kingslayer... Aral Kingslayer has nothing to lose—and only justice to gain. Torn apart by the death of his goddess, he must avenge her in order to save himself from being lost forever.... It’s been nine long years since the death of his patron, Namara, and exalted assassin Aral Kingslayer desperately misses the thrill and glory of being a higher power of justice. Now he is haunted by the ghosts of the past—and by the ghost of the lost goddess herself. When Namara calls upon Aral in a dream to seek justice for her death and the ruination of her temple, Aral must obtain the help of his fellow former Blades and his Shade familiar, Triss, to pursue the vengeance he knows Namara deserves. Even if it means attacking Heaven’s Son—and going against one of their own—in a bloody battle of epic proportions...

Download or read book The Exiled Blade written by Jon Courtenay Grimwood and published by Hachette+ORM. This book was released on 2013-04-02 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Snow shrouds Venice in cold darkness, ice fills the canals, and a thousand ghosts pluck at the shadow's edge. A violent attack on Lady Giulietta's son forces Tycho from his new-found happiness and back into the treacherous intrigue of the court. For Giulietta's sake he would go to the world's end to track down those responsible. As Venice teeters on the brink of civil war, its warring families prepare to discover who is a player and who a pawn in the coming struggle for power. The Exiled Blade is the climatic finale to Tycho's story.

Download or read book The Outcast Blade written by Jon Courtenay Grimwood and published by Hachette UK. This book was released on 2012-03-26 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As the Byzantine and German emperors plot war against each other, Venice's future rests in the hands of three unwilling individuals: The newly knighted Sir Tycho. He defeated the Mamluk navy but he cannot make the woman he loves love him back. Tortured by secrets, afraid of the daylight, he sees no reason to save a city he hates. The grieving Lady Giulietta. Virgin. Mother. Widow. All she wants is to retire from the poisonous world of the Venetian court to mourn her husband in peace. But her duty is to Venice: both emperors want her hand in marriage and an alliance with Europe's richest city. She must choose, knowing that whichever suitor she rejects will become Venice's bitterest enemy. Lastly, a naked, mud-strewn girl who crawls from a paupers' grave on an island in the Venetian lagoon and begins by killing the men who buried her. Between them, they will set the course of history.

Download or read book A Broken Blade written by Melissa Blair and published by Union Square & Co.. This book was released on 2022-08-02 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The BookTok sensation from debut author Melissa Blair—now with exclusive bonus content! "Gripping and fierce. This is much-needed fantasy with its fangs honed sharp by the power of resistance. Melissa Blair has built a tremendous world."—Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights My body is made of scars, some were done to me, but most I did to myself. Keera is a killer. As the King's Blade, she is the most talented spy in the kingdom. And the king’s favored assassin. When a mysterious figure moves against the Crown, Keera is called upon to hunt down the so-called Shadow. She tracks her target into the magical lands of the Fae, but Faeland is not what it seems . . . and neither is the Shadow. Keera is shocked by what she learns, and can't help but wonder who her enemy truly is: the King that destroyed her people or the Shadow that threatens the peace? As she searches for answers, Keera is haunted by a promise she made long ago, one that will test her in every way. To keep her word, Keera must not only save herself, but an entire kingdom. Fans of fast-paced high fantasy such as A Court of Thorns and Roses series, The Inadequate Heir, and From Blood and Ash author Jennifer L. Armentrout, will enjoy the fierce female characters, sapphic representation, and fantasy romance of A Broken Blade.

Download or read book The Ember Blade written by Chris Wooding and published by Gollancz. This book was released on 2018-09-20 with total page 838 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'The Ember Blade is hands down the best fantasy novel I've ever read' Grimdark Magazine Empires rise, civilisations fall and one culture comes to subsume another. It's the way of the world . . . sometimes ways of life are improved, sometimes they are not. But the progression of change is huge and - usually - unstoppable. In this story, the Ossian way of life is fading and the Dachen way is taking its place and Aren is comfortable with that. Even when his parents are accused of treason he supports the establishment and maintains there's been some mistake . . . which is all it takes to get himself and his best friend arrested . . . Thrown into a prison mine they plan their escape - only to be overtaken by events when they're rescued, and promptly find themselves in the middle of an ambush. By the time they've escaped, they're unavoidably linked to Garric - their unwelcome saviour - and his quest to overturn to Dachen way of life. If they leave Garric now, they'll be arrested or killed by their pursuers. If they turn him in, Garric will kill them. If they stay with him, they'll be abetting a murderous quest they don't believe in. There are no good options - but Aren will still have to choose a path . . . Designed to return to classic fantasy adventures and values, from a modern perspective, this is a fast-moving coming-of-age trilogy featuring a strong cast of diverse characters, brilliant set-pieces and a strong character and plot driven story. Readers can't put down The Ember Blade: 'I am absolutely in love with this book! . . . I was on the edge of my seat a few times. I laughed and I cried . . . I loved the characters, loved the story' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'One of the best in the genre for a very long time . . . a masterful balancing of new and old . . . a rather grand first instalment in a trilogy that could be one of the best epic fantasy has ever seen' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'The island of goodness and hope for humanity in the sea of grimdark' Ed McDonald, author of The Daughter of Redwinter 'Clever and challenging, but also funny . . . The explosive finale has more than enough bang for anyone . . . a group forged in blood and betrayal, bonded by their oaths do what needs to be done against any and all odds' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'One of the best fantasy books I've read in years. An instant classic!' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Strikes a magnificently fine balance between classic epic fantasy and grimdark fantasy, making this an amazing start to a new trilogy' Novel Notions 'What classic fantasy is all about - a slow build-up and an exciting pay-off - and I think this book as exactly that' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'The world is big . . . Different cultures, magics, demons, politics - a whole new world to explore! . . . I was hooked from the start to the very last line' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 'Wooding is a master of worldbuilding . . . it's so rich and complex and I drank all of it in . . . refreshingly written, full of thought and provoking themes' The Fantasy Hive

Download or read book Balanced on the Blade s Edge written by Lindsay Buroker and published by Lindsay Buroker. This book was released on 2014-04-01 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Colonel Ridge Zirkander isn’t the model of military professionalism—he has a tendency to say exactly what’s on his mind, and his record has enough demerits to wallpaper the hull of an airship—but as the best fighter pilot in the Iskandian army, he’s used to a little leniency from his superiors. Until he punches the wrong diplomat in the nose and finds himself issued new orders: take command of a remote prison mine in the inhospitable Ice Blades Mountains. Ridge has never been in charge of anything larger than a flier squadron—what’s he supposed to do with a frozen fortress full of murderers and rapists? Not to mention the strange woman who shows up right before he arrives… Sardelle Terushan wakes from three hundred years in a mage stasis shelter, only to realize that she is the last of the Referatu, the sorcerers who once helped protect Iskandia from conquerors. Their subterranean mountain community was blown up in a treacherous sneak attack by soldiers who feared their power. Everyone Sardelle ever knew is dead, and the sentient soulblade she has been bonded to since her youth is buried in the core of the mountain. Further, what remains of her home has been infested by bloodthirsty miners commanded by the descendants of the very soldiers who destroyed her people. Sardelle needs help to reach her soulblade—her only link to her past and her last friend in the world. Her only hope is to pretend she’s one of the prisoners while trying to gain the commander’s trust. But lying isn’t her specialty, especially when the world has changed so much in the intervening centuries, and if Colonel Zirkander figures out who she truly is, he’ll be duty-bound to sentence her to the only acceptable punishment for sorcerers: death.

Download or read book Reign of the Fallen written by Sarah Glenn Marsh and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2019-01-08 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A gutsy, unpredictable fantasty epic with a surprising and breathtaking queer romance at its core. "Reign of the Fallen is a diverse story brimming with wickedly delightful magic, sizzling romance, and shocking betrayal—I’ve completely fallen under its spell."–Kerri Maniscalco, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Stalking Jack the Ripper Without the dead, she'd be no one. Odessa is one of Karthia's master necromancers, catering to the kingdom's ruling Dead. Whenever a noble dies, it's Odessa's job to raise them by retrieving their soul from a dreamy and dangerous shadow world called the Deadlands. But there is a cost to being raised: the Dead must remain shrouded. If even a hint of flesh is exposed, a grotesque transformation begins, turning the Dead into terrifying, bloodthirsty Shades. A dramatic uptick in Shade attacks raises suspicions and fears around the kingdom. Soon, a crushing loss of one of her closest companions leaves Odessa shattered, and reveals a disturbing conspiracy in Karthia: Someone is intentionally creating Shades by tearing shrouds from the Dead--and training them to attack. Odessa is forced to contemplate a terrifying question: What if her magic is the weapon that brings the kingdom to its knees? Fighting alongside her fellow mages--and a powerful girl as enthralling as she is infuriating--Odessa must untangle the gruesome plot to destroy Karthia before the Shades take everything she loves. Perfect for fans of Three Dark Crowns and Red Queen, Reign of the Fallen is a gutsy, unpredictable read with a surprising and breathtaking LGBT romance at its core.

Download or read book Gardens of the Moon written by Steven Erikson and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2004-06-01 with total page 498 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Vast legions of gods, mages, humans, dragons and all manner of creatures play out the fate of the Malazan Empire in this first book in a major epic fantasy series from Steven Erikson. The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations with the formidable Anomander Rake and his Tiste Andii, ancient and implacable sorcerers. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen's rule remains absolute, enforced by her dread Claw assassins. For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his squad of Bridgeburners, and for Tattersail, surviving cadre mage of the Second Legion, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the many dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities of Genabackis, yet holds out. It is to this ancient citadel that Laseen turns her predatory gaze. However, it would appear that the Empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister, shadowbound forces are gathering as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand... Conceived and written on a panoramic scale, Gardens of the Moon is epic fantasy of the highest order--an enthralling adventure by an outstanding new voice. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Download or read book Blade of Secrets written by Tricia Levenseller and published by . This book was released on 2022-06-28 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Blade of Secrets, the first book in Tricia Levenseller's exciting new YA fantasy duology, a teenage blacksmith with social anxiety is forced to go on the run to protect the world from the most powerful magical sword she's ever made. Eighteen-year-old Ziva prefers metal to people. She spends her days tucked away in her forge, safe from society and the anxiety it causes her, using her magical gift to craft unique weapons imbued with power. Then Ziva receives a commission from a powerful warlord, and the result is a sword capable of stealing its victims secrets. A sword that can cut far deeper than the length of its blade. A sword with the strength to topple kingdoms. When Ziva learns of the warlord’s intentions to use the weapon to enslave all the world under her rule, she takes her sister and flees. Joined by a distractingly handsome mercenary and a young scholar with extensive knowledge of the world’s known magics, Ziva and her sister set out on a quest to keep the sword safe until they can find a worthy wielder or a way to destroy it entirely.

Download or read book The Way of Kings written by Brandon Sanderson and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2014-03-04 with total page 1013 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new epic fantasy series from the New York Times bestselling author chosen to complete Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time® Series

Download or read book Heirs of the Blade Shadows of the Apt 7 written by Adrian Tchaikovsky and published by Tor UK. This book was released on 2011-12-01 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: She remembered how it felt to lose Salma, first to the wiles of the Butterfly-kinden girl, then to hear the news of his death, abandoned and alone in the midst of the enemy. She remembered how it felt to see her father hacked to death before her eyes. But of her murder of Achaeos, of the bite of her blade into his unsuspecting flesh, the wound that had sapped him and ruined him until he died, she remembered nothing, felt nothing. In such a vacuum, how could she possibly atone? Tynisa is running, but she cannot escape the demons of her own mind. Amidst the fragmenting provinces of the Dragonfly Commonweal her past will at last catch up with her. Her father's ghost is hunting her down. At the same time, the Wasp Empress, Seda, is on the move, her eyes on the city of Khanaphes, the fallen jewel of the ancient world. Whilst her soldiers seek only conquest, she sees herself as the heir to all the old powers of history, and has her eyes on a far greater prize.

Download or read book The Song of the First Blade written by T. C. Edge and published by . This book was released on 2020-10-07 with total page 736 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the heart of Vandar, as dark forces close in, Elyon, a gifted Bladeborn, fights for his family's survival.In the war-torn northlands of Tukor, a servant girl with a mysterious past is forced on the run, propelling her on a journey that will change her world forever.From the Shadowfort, a secret power is unleashed, one that will set into motion a series of events that will bring the world to its knees.With the world on the verge of chaos and countless lives at stake, a new First Blade must be selected, but obstacles stand in the way. Alliances are broken. Enemies are born. Only the strong will survive.Follow this epic tale as the battle for power, land, and the divine gifts of the Fallen Gods determine who lives and dies and who possesses ultimate control.