Science fiction and fantasy
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The Fractured Empire
Dark Canvas: Love, Betrayal, and Political Intrigue in a Steampunk Empire
In the enthralling sequel to A Little Poison, step into the shadowy world of Haskilde as the Fractured Empire saga continues in Dark Canvas. The duchy stands on the precipice of change, and within its intricate web of alliances, secrets, and power plays, two souls are drawn together against a backdrop of turmoil and treachery.
Magnus, a struggling portrait painter, is unexpectedly called back to his childhood home, now overshadowed by a legacy of manipulation and political scheming orchestrated by his uncle, Lord Berendt. This reluctant return unveils a transformed land, and Magnus soon crosses paths with Hildegard, the widow of his late cousin Steinar. Both outsiders in this realm of political manoeuvring, they find solace in one another's company.
"Dive into a world of love, betrayal, and the enduring struggle for freedom in Dark Canvas, where alliances crumble, loyalties shift, and the fine line between right and wrong blurs. This gripping tale will leave you breathless and questioning the sacrifices one must make for love and survival."
War is in the air. In every sense, as the aeronauts of Lauchenland prepare to take their airships aloft against the mighty Beruzil Empire.
It’s the chance for Heino Voss to fulfil his life’s ambition and fly an airship into battle. At his side is his aloof navigator, Saskia von Eck. Soon they realise that war is not a game, and that unquestioning loyalty can take them to some dark places.
Saskia’s brother Erich finds himself fighting for the other side. As the bloodshed and horror mount, he learns there is no place for honour on the battlefield.
As the conflict draws to its grim conclusion, all three realise that the price of victory could be higher than they’re willing to pay. And that, even in wartime, there are fates worse than death…
The start of a breathtaking new series, Bitter Sky explores the cost of dreams and the terrible toll war takes on even the most idealistic.
“A steampunk War and Peace” Stephen Carver, author of Shark Alley
"Vibrant and action-packed" Bookmarked Reviews
Once the Fikingur sea-raiders of Haskilde were the most feared warriors on the continent. Now they are confined to a tiny duchy, ruled by a dying man whose heir is a depraved teenager.Lothar von Schnusenberg has arrived in Haskilde to spy for the Empire, but his plans are overturned when he becomes the prime suspect in a grisly poisoning. Can he trust the enigmatic Asta and her prickly friend Edda, or are they luring him to disaster? Lothar’s old school-friend Torkild is working on a revolutionary experimental steamship which could restore the former glories of the Haskilde navy. As he fights scepticism from his superiors, and deadly accidents at sea, will his new ship shift the balance of power?As the bodies pile up in the royal court, Lothar’s list of enemies continues to grow. The Fikingur ready themselves for one last sea battle, and Lothar must choose between his duty to the Empire and the new friends he has made in Haskilde.
The Annals of Mondia
YOU ALWAYS HAVE OPTIONS. BUT THEY'RE ALL BAD ONES
The folk of the city of Paladria have two passions: galley-racing and political intrigue. Into this environment comes Mirko Ascalon, a disgraced former galley-master from the nearby realm of Garganet. Mirko accepts a commission to train the crew of Serendipity, the galley of ambitious politician Bartazan of Bartazan House. Soon Mirko begins to realise the scope of the task facing him: his crew is inept and demotivated, Bartazan is planning to use the galley as a tool in his political ambitions; and Mirko's decision to sell information to Bartazan's rivals is unlikely to improve matters. Can he make Serendipity a force to challenge Bartazan's invincible rival Dragonchaser?
Variously described as "built on a satisfyingly solid foundation...executed with engaging brio","well built, light and resilient" and "first rate", Dragonchaser will delight all lovers of literate fantasy.
SOMETIMES REVENGE IS THE ONLY PATH LEFT
Winter on the lawless plains of the Emmenrule. En route to her wedding in the fortified city of Croad, the beautiful Lady Isola is kidnapped. What is worse, her captor is the infamous Beauceron. But, ruthless as he may be, Beauceron is no ordinary brigand: it is his life's ambition to capture Croad itself – and he will stop at nothing to achieve it.
Mondia, though, is a continent of many stories, and in Croad, a young man named Arren has been taken under the wing of the city's ruler, Lord Thaume. Although of low birth, Arren is destined to become a knight of valour and renown. But as his fortunes rise, so those of his childhood friend Eilla fall.
Beauceron has returned with his human plunder to his home – the exquisite frozen city of Mettingloom. There, the imperious Isola finds herself reassessing her former loyalties as she struggles to adapt to her new life. Beauceron, meanwhile, is manoeuvring to raise an army. He is determined to defeat his enemies, both inside and outside Mettingloom – and to capture the city he loathes.
But what is the source of Beauceron’s obsession with Croad? Can Arren reconcile his youthful ambitions with his growing feelings for Eilla? And just who is the Dog of the North?
The Dog of the North is a spellbinding tale of loyalty and betrayal, homeland and exile, set in a brilliantly imagined world of political intrigue, sorcery, and warfare on an epic scale.
WHOEVER KNEW WRITING POETRY COULD BE SO DANGEROUS?
The dramatic sequel to The Dog of the North
A story of three men struggling to realise their ambitions against the backdrop of an unstable and corrupt trading republic, where one false move leads to a throat slit in an alleyway.
Lord Oricien, his fortunes in ruins at the end of The Dog of the North, must undertake a delicate diplomatic mission but soon finds that he cannot satisfy both his master and his conscience.
Malvazan, as the younger brother of a mediocrity, sees his ambitions thwarted at every turn. Will his extraordinary talent with the rapier gain him a consequence his birth cannot?
Todarko, talented and well-born, is unused to exercising self-control. This often leads him into trouble, but when he makes an enemy of the dangerous Dravadan, he realises that his life is at risk. It’s the start of a journey of self-discovery which will make him a better man—if he survives. For a poet more at home with a couplet than a cutlass, that’s not a foregone conclusion…
"brilliant fantasy" (Aliya Whiteley, Arthur C. Clarke-nominated author) ★★★★★
"a feast of political intrigue, cunning diplomacy, swordfights and assassinations, love, lust and betrayal" (Bookmarked Reviews) ★★★★★
"reminiscent of the great Jack Vance in style" (David Barker) ★★★★★
WITH A FORTUNE AT STAKE - WHO CAN YOU TRUST?
When Geir Lamarck is asked to track down a missing heiress, it's not just another case. Because the heiress is Taslana Zael and she stands to inherit twenty billion marks. When Laura Glyde tells Lamarck she really is Taslana Zael, he knows she's lying - but can he prove it? Finding the answers takes him back into a past he thought he'd left behind. Soon he realises things are not as straightforward as they appear. To learn the truth, will he have to trust Laura after all? Part mystery, part love story, part satire, The Zael Inheritance is sure to appeal to readers who want their stories told with wit and verve.