Epic Sword Sorcery

Croaker has fallen and, following the Company's disastrous defeat at Dejagore, Lady is one of the few survivors--determined to avenge the Company and herself against the Shadowmasters, no matter what the cost. But in assembling a new fighting force from the dregs and rabble of Taglios, she finds herself offered help by a mysterious, ancient cult of murder--competent, reliable, and apparently committed to her goals.

Robbed of everything she loves, Viola mourns the sudden loss of her mother. Now burdened with an impossible debt to the Night Guild, she’s forced to train as a cunning thief. Subjected to cruelty at every turn, the scrawny criminal apprentice vows to survive long enough to become the kingdom’s best. Thrown together with unlikely allies, her burgeoning skills draw the attention of sadistic bullies and jealous rivals with dark intentions. But fueled by grief-filled rage, Viola won’t let anything distract her from preparing for the Guild’s most treacherous test.

Ruwen returns home to discover a civil war he unintentionally ignited 18 months prior. Still haunted by the events on Savage Island, he resolves to rise above the specter of his past mistakes and seeks the counsel of loyal friends to avert a looming descent into tyranny.

Life as an orphan was quiet, if not exciting, but that existence was turned upside-down in a life-changing instant. Abruptly snatched up and whisked away light years from home, young Bawb found himself thrust into an entirely new life. One that would see his days filled with brutal training of both mind and body, and where failure could have extreme consequences. It would be a difficult existence of sweat, pain, and struggle, where injury and even death were on the line.

Amira Brindonu has won. The man she loves has been freed from his curse, and her mother’s people have chosen to ally with their cause. Even as Amira and Daindreth celebrate victory and Thadred grows in his power as a sorcerer, trouble stirs on the horizon. Not everyone is ready to recognize the rightful heir. Vesha’s reign brought the empire peace and prosperity. Many lords and barons must be convinced if they are to swear allegiance to Daindreth. Meanwhile, Vesha seeks out greater power. In a desperate effort to protect the empire, she will make yet another deal with a fallen goddess.

In The Book of Swords, acclaimed editor and best-selling author Gardner Dozois presents an all-new anthology of original epic tales by a stellar cast of award-winning modern masters - many of them set in their authors' best-loved worlds. Join today's finest tellers of fantastic tales, including George R. R. Martin, K. J. Parker, Robin Hobb, Scott Lynch, Ken Liu, C. J. Cherryh, Daniel Abraham, Lavie Tidhar, Ellen Kushner, and more on action-packed journeys into the outer realms of dark enchantment and intrepid derring-do.

The world is falling to the burning shadow of the Possessed and only the power of a battle mage can save it. But the ancient bond with dragonkind is failing. Of those that answer a summoning too many are black. Black dragons are the enemy of humankind. Black dragons are mad. Falco Dante is a weakling in a world of warriors, but worse than this, he is the son of a madman. Driven by grief, Falco makes a decision that will drive him to the brink of despair. As he tries to come to terms with his actions Falco follows his friends to the Academy of War.

The battlefield realm: a realm where sects rise and fall. Where the ground trembles under the feet of fighters from the higher realms. Where riches are gained and empires lost. This is where Erik and Rugrat must go, if they want to increase their strength and the strength of Alva. They say that fortune favors the bold. This is the ten realms. To the victor go the spoils. The fourth realm will change their lives...or end them.

Tavi of Calderon, now recognized as Princeps Gaius Octavian and heir to the crown, has achieved a fragile alliance with Alera's oldest foes, the savage Canim. But when Tavi and his legions guide the Canim safely to their lands, his worst fears are realized. The dreaded Vord - the enemy of Aleran and Cane alike - have spent the last three years laying waste to the Canim homeland. And when the Alerans are cut off from their ships, they find themselves with no choice but to fight shoulder to shoulder if they are to survive.

The second book in master fantasist Raymond E. Feist’s New York Times best-selling classic epic fantasy adventure of war, magic, betrayal, and heroism, Rise of a Merchant Prince chronicles the further exploits of the young protagonists of Shadow of a Dark Queen in the aftermath of the initial confrontation with the fearsome reptilian Sauur and the invading armies of the dreaded Emerald Queen.

Lidan Tolak is the fiercest of her father's daughters; more than capable of one day leading her clan. But caught between her warring parents, Lidan's world begins to unravel when another of her father's wives falls pregnant. Before she has time to consider the threat of a brother, a bloody swathe is cut through the heart of the clan and Lidan must fight, not only to prove her worth, but simply to survive. Ranoth Olseta wants nothing more than to be a worthy successor to his father's throne. Then his home is threatened by the aggressive Woaden Empire....

Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser journey from the ancient city of Lankhmar, searching for a little adventure and debauchery to ease their broken hearts. When a stranger challenges them to find and fight Death on the Bleak Shore, they battle demonic birds, living mountains, and evil monks on the way to their heroic fate.

To save his people and the forbidden magic they're sworn to defend, Wardin Rath surrenders his birthright and his past. For seven years, he's held at the court of his deadliest enemy, oblivious to all he's lost. Until one day, the spell that stole his memories begins to crack. On the heels of a harrowing escape, Wardin's quest for answers leads him to the last magistery, where he studied magic as a boy. But he'll find no safe haven there - or anywhere.

Neenahwi is the daughter of Jyuth, the ancient wizard who founded the kingdom of Edland, and she is not happy. It's not just that her father was the one who killed the King, or that he didn't tell her about his plans. She's not happy because her father is leaving, and now she has to clean up his mess. Alana is a servant at the palace and the unfortunate soul who has to attend to Jyuth. Alana knows that intelligence and curiosity aren't valued in someone of her station, but sometimes she can't help herself. And so she finds herself drawn into the Wizard's schemes.

The terrible Emerald Queen is vanquished...but the war in Midkemia is not yet won, as the remarkable Raymond E. Feist concludes his magnificent Serpentwar Saga with Shards of a Broken Crown - a spellbinding tale of magic, conflict, and treachery that sees the rise of a new threat from the ashes of defeat, an evil poised to strike mercilessly at realm triumphant but weakened by war.

Verdan Blacke is an Imperial Wizard, a researcher by preference but soldier by necessity. Surviving an intense battle, Verdan is cursed by a hex witch in her final moments. Without any good options, Verdan escapes the ever-increasing pain the curse inflicts by performing a self-made stasis ritual.

Jorg would be emperor. It is a position not to be gained by the sword but rather by vote. And never in living memory has anyone secured a majority of the vote, leaving the Broken Empire long without a leader. Jorg has plans to change that - one way or the other. He’s uncovered even more of the lost technology of the land, and he won’t hesitate to use it. But he soon finds an adversary standing in his way, a necromancer unlike any he has ever faced - a figure hated and feared even more than himself: the Dead King. The boy who would rule all may have finally met his match....

Finally resolving the conflict none of them expected to take part in, Asterios and his companions continue their journey to discover more about his past and his unusual power. The Demon Continent definitely holds at least some answers to their troubles, as long as they can find Grea's father and convince him to aid them. Alongside their newly gained ally, they press on....

Hump and his companions return to Sheercliff City to find a region plagued by monsters—bad news for most, but for a hedge wizard, it's just good business. With the gorger dead and the bond with his unhatched dragon growing quickly, Hump looked forward to some ordinary adventures. Yet trouble finds him as the Inquisition arrives, accusing him of his master's murder. It seems there is more to the old man's death than he believed.

In this third book in the thrilling and epic Book of the Ancestor trilogy from international best-selling author Mark Lawrence, powerful novice Nona Grey must fight to survive in "a fantastic world in which religion and politics are dark and sharp as swords, with magic and might held in the hands of wonderful and dangerous women".