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"Our Dragon doesn't eat the girls he takes, no matter what stories they tell outside our valley." ~ from Naomi Novik's Uprooted
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New and Recently Released!
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| The Grace of Kings by Ken LiuEpic Fantasy. Warrior Mata Zyndu, scion of his once-powerful Clan, believes that it is his destiny to rule. His best friend, wily bandit Kuni Garu, just wants to get rich and have a grand time doing so. Although they bond during the rebellion against the empire, their different goals and philosophies will ultimately make them bitter adversaries. Author Ken Liu has won Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy awards for his short fiction and his translations (most notably of Cixin Liu's The Three-Body Problem). This 1st book in the Dandelion Dynasty series, which vividly evokes the politics and culture of China's Han dynasty, marks his novel-writing debut. |
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| A Crown for Cold Silver by Alex MarshallEpic Fantasy. "It was all going so nicely, right up until the massacre." Alas, nothing lasts forever, as retired warrior Cobalt Zosia learns when the Queen of the Crimson Empire sends an army to destroy Cobalt's family and village. In response, Cobalt vows vengeance, puts an end to 20 years of self-imposed exile, and rounds up her former colleagues, the Five Villains, to slaughter her foes (not that the gang needs much persuading). Will Cobalt and company prevail? Find out in this compelling, darkly humorous fantasy saga that introduces a strong female heroine and a cast of spirited misfits. |
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| Throne of Darkness: A Novel by Douglas NicholasHistorical Fantasy. In the year 1215, King John battles his own noblemen in the days leading up to the signing of the Magna Carta. However, the monarch is not entirely without allies: he's hired an African sorcerer to help his cause. And since there's powerful magic involved, only Irish queen Maeve (a.k.a. "Molly") and her companions -- her lover Jack, her granddaughter Nemain, and Nemain's husband Hob -- can stop the king's plot and save the British Isles. Throne of Darkness is the 3rd novel in a series that begins with Something Red and The Wicked. |
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| Uprooted by Naomi NovikFairy Tale Fantasy. Once every ten years, a powerful wizard known as the Dragon chooses one young woman from Agnieszka's valley and spirits her away to his enchanted tower. Agnieszka expects him to take her best friend, Kasia, who's beautiful, clever, and brave -- in other words, just the sort of girl destined for extraordinary adventures. However, when Agnieszka is chosen instead of Kasia, she discovers untapped talents, challenges the Dragon's rules (and patience), and battles the malevolent influence of the nearby enchanted Wood in order to save the people she loves. Based on Polish folklore, this stand-alone novel by Temeraire series author Naomi Novik is a fantastical coming-of-age tale combining magic, warfare, politics, and romance. |
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| The Book of Phoenix by Nnedi OkoraforScience Fantasy. In this prequel to Who Fears Death, genetically engineered Phoenix -- an "accelerated woman" designed as a biological weapon -- shakes off her complacency when her closest companion commits suicide. Determined to discover what her beloved saw that compelled him to take his own life, Phoenix escapes from the laboratory in which she was created and sets out to learn about a world she's only experienced through books. Like Octavia Butler's Fledgling, this thought-provoking novel explores issues of bioethics and identity, as well as race and gender, through the lens of speculative fiction. |
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| The Spirit Thief by Rachel AaronSword and Sorcery. Wizard-thief Eli Monpress has one goal in life: to become the most notorious criminal in the land. And so, with the help of his associates, he kidnaps the King of Mellinor, certain that doing so will raise the (already considerable) bounty on his head. Of course, Eli's scheme doesn't go exactly as planned. Not only is Spirit Court wizard Miranda hot on his trail, Eli's actions may destabilize the entire kingdom. If you enjoy breezy, humorous fantasy capers starring likeable rogues, such as Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora, pick up this 1st book in the (currently) four-volume Legend of Eli Monpress series, which continues with The Spirit Rebellion. |
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| Prince of Thorns by Mark LawrenceFantasy. The former Prince Honorous Jorg Ancrath has experienced more trauma than your average 14-year-old warlord. Just five years ago, the soldiers of the traitorous Count Renar slaughtered Jorg's family in front of his eyes, leaving the boy for dead. Now, having shaped a motley gang of bandits into a ruthlessly efficient mercenary band, Jorg is ready to avenge his kin and reclaim his throne -- and he doesn't care how many people die in the process. Fans of Glen Cook's Chronicles of the Black Company or Joe Abercrombie's First Law trilogy will likely enjoy the grittiness, violence, and dark humor of this 1st installment of the Broken Empire series. |
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| The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott LynchFantasy. The Thiefmaker of Camorr sells street urchin Locke Lamora to a fake priest, setting the boy on the path to fame and fortune (of a sort). Locke grows up to be the "garrista" (leader) of the Gentlemen Bastards, a gang of crooks and con artists. Operating as the Thorn of Camorr, he pursues his ambition of becoming the greatest thief of all time -- until a mysterious man called the Gray King becomes the new head of Camorr's criminal underworld and sets out to put an end to Locke Lamora through magic. This picaresque fantasy romp is the 1st book in the Gentleman Bastards series, which continues with Red Seas Under Red Skies and The Republic of Thieves. |
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| The Conqueror's Shadow by Ari MarmellSword and Sorcery. After sacrificing world domination for love and trading his conquering army for a rustic cottage, former dark lord Corvis Rebaine comes out of retirement when ruthless warlord Audriss threatens his family and his adopted home of Inshallion. But despite his past, Corvis' mission will be anything but simple: his former comrades-in-arms -- giant ogre Davro, flesh-eating witch Seilloah, and demon Khanda -- have also retired, while the very people he's trying to save remember him only as the "Terror of the East" and hate him for trying to enslave them all those years ago. Can a great villain become a great hero? If you enjoy this series opener, try its sequel, The Warlord's Legacy. |
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| The Hammer by K.J. ParkerFantasy. Seventy years after backing the wrong side in a civil war, the met'Oc family lives in exile on an island colony in the middle of nowhere. While his father and brothers tend obsessively to their meager plot of land, youngest son Gignomai met'Oc chooses a different destiny: striking out into the wilderness to build a factory that will break the empire's trade monopoly. At least, that's the first step in his plan to gain independence for the colony while righting injustices committed long ago. Although technology takes the place of magic in this compelling, disturbing novel of statecraft and slow-burning revenge, The Hammer's complex characters and layered world-building will please fans of more traditional fantasy sagas. |
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