The Emperor is dead. Long live the Empire.
General Bordan has a lifetime of duty and sacrifice behind him in the service of the Empire. But with rebellion brewing in the countryside, and assassins, thieves and politicians vying for power in the city, it is all Bordan can do to protect the heir to the throne.
Apprentice Magician Kyron was assigned to the late Emperor’s honour guard escorting his body on the long road back to the capital.
But even a magician’s power may fail when enemies emerge from the forests intent on seizing their precious cargo.
Whoever controls the Emperor’s body, controls the Empire...
Publisher: Rebellion Publishing Ltd.
ISBN: 9781786184696
Dimensions: 198 x 128 mm
“The plot’s surprising twists and turns will wow fantasy fans.” -- Publishers Weekly - Publishers Weekly
"Matthews delivers visceral descriptions of battle, the cut and thrust of gladius and pila, the shouldering of shields, the smell of blood and fear – and weaving through this, the delicate nets of magical constructs that can still snap, inflame or explode." -- The Fantasy Hive - The Fantasy Hive
"This is fantasy at its finest." -- Grimdark Magazine - Grimdark Magazine
“Refreshingly original” -- SFX Magazine - SFX
"Matthews delivers on the bigger picture stakes" -- British Fantasy Society - British Fantasy Society
"It's exciting at every turn with a wonderfully spun plot that keeps you guessing the entire time." -- FanFi Addict - Fanfiaddict
"A cracking read that will burn the candle in the night." -- Aurealis - Aurealis
"Older teens and adults will enjoy the novel’s political intrigue and struggle to survive, which are reminiscent of George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones or a slightly less fantastical version of Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera series." -- Library Journal - The Library Journal
"A magnificent, thoughtful, highly readable account, full of political intrigue and dripping with potent, dark atmosphere. This is a must read for fantasy fans who enjoy political machinations." -- Bookworm Blues - Bookworm Blues
“It has all the elements you expect from fantasy: magic, battles, power-struggles and impossible odds keeping you gripped.” -- A Rambling Reviewer - A Rambling Reviewer
“It’s been a long time since a book made me swear out loud in horror... This is a story about politics, faith, betrayal and the loss of innocence, and I for one will be eagerly looking forward to a sequel.” -- Set the Tape - Set the Tape
Where do I start with how I feel about this amazing novel? I suppose by saying that it has fast become my favourite book of the year so far. I don’t want to say too much, as that might spoil a large chunk of it – but... More
This book was perfection. I loved every single chapter and page. I was on the edge of my seat towards to end, crying with sadness and then happiness!
This book has it all, empires, magicians, smothering religious...
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Man, talk about a cover pick. There’s a style of cover art that uses the distinct paint strokes to build up the art and get a textured feel that just makes me want to pick the book up immediately.
There’s Roman...
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