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The Emperor's Blades

About the Book

David Gemmell Morningstar Award 2015.

The first novel in a gripping new epic fantasy series in the tradition of Brandon Sanderson and Geroge R. R. Martin

The emperor of Annur is dead, slain by enemies unknown. His daughter and two sons, scattered across the world, do what they must to stay alive and unmask the assassins. But each of them also has a life-path on which their father set them, destinies entangled with both ancient enemies and inscrutable gods.

Kaden, the heir to the Unhewn Throne, has spent eight years sequestered in a remote mountain monastery, learning the enigmatic discipline of monks devoted to the Blank God. Their rituals hold the key to an ancient power he must master before it's too late.

An ocean away, Valyn endures the brutal training of the Kettral, elite soldiers who fly into battle on gigantic black hawks. But before he can set out to save Kaden, Valyn must survive one horrific final test.

At the heart of the empire, Minister Adare, elevated to her station by one of the emperor's final acts, is determined to prove herself to her people. But Adare also believes she knows who murdered her father, and she will stop at nothing — and risk everything — to see that justice is meted out.

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Booknan the Bookuser8 / 10

“What a debut! I was hooked form the very first paragraph, such lovely writing and exciting premise. If you're crashing hard from a Malazan high, like I am, and struggling to find something new to read that is actually good, look no further!”

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The Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne

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Risingshadow

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About the author

Brian Staveley

In the high peaks of fantasy fiction, few voices echo with the same blend of lyricism and raw intensity as Brian Staveley’s. His stories don’t just build worlds—they carve them from stone and shadow, echoing with the clash of empires and the quiet, devastating choices of those caught in their wake. What sets his work…

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