To find the Sword, unearth the Barrow. To unearth the Barrow, follow the Map. 

When a small crew of scoundrels, would-be heroes, deviants, and ruffians discover a map that they believe will lead them to a fabled sword buried in the barrow of a long-dead wizard, they think they've struck it rich. But their hopes are dashed when the map turns out to be cursed and then is destroyed in a magical ritual. The loss of the map leaves them dreaming of what might have been, until they rediscover the map in a most unusual and unexpected place. 

Stjepan Black-Heart, suspected murderer and renegade royal cartographer; Erim, a young woman masquerading as a man; Gilgwyr, brothel owner extraordinaire; Leigh, an exiled magus under an ignominious cloud; Godewyn Red-Hand, mercenary and troublemaker; Arduin Orwain, scion of a noble family brought low by scandal; and Arduin's sister Annwyn, the beautiful cause of that scandal: together they form a cross-section of the Middle Kingdoms of the Known World, brought together by accident and dark design, on a quest that will either get them all in the history books, or get them all killed.

Cover: The Pyr cover by Gene Mollica isn't bad for a photo-realistic cover but has a feel of too-serious for its own good...
Release date: March 4th 2014
Map: Indeed, more than one and by the authors himself!
Number of pages: 587 (trade edition)
Acquisition method: courtesy of Pyr
Other: Maps, maps, maps and a glossary

I liked...	Was disappointed by...
The hero Stjepan (however you pronounce that..)	The uneven middle of the book
The world-building	The info-dumping cruise around the world for the bland Erim
A dose of the detailed clothing descriptions	The amount of erotic parts
The prologue and the ending

The Barrow review rating :

Mark Smylie's page

It’s been three months since Drothe killed a legend, burned down a portion of the imperial capital, and unexpectedly elevated himself into the ranks of the criminal elite. Now, as the newest Gray Prince in the underworld, he’s learning just how good he used to have it. 

With barely the beginnings of an organization to his name, Drothe is already being called out by other Gray Princes. And to make matters worse, when one dies, all signs point to Drothe as wielding the knife. As members of the Kin begin choosing sides – mostly against him – for what looks to be another impending war, Drothe is approached by a man who not only has the solution to Drothe’s most pressing problem, but an offer of redemption. The only problem is the offer isn’t for him. 

Now Drothe finds himself on the way to the Despotate of Djan, the empire’s long-standing enemy, with an offer to make and a price on his head. And the grains of sand in the hour glass are running out, fast...

After getting into trouble, as usual, and making new acquaintances he would have preferred to never know, accompanied only by a troupe and his trusted Oak Mistress Fowler, Drothe has to find a way into a city that clearly doesn't want his presence within its inner walls.  The Gray Prince endeavor, still delightfully narrated in the first person perspective this time around, is written with small jumps in narrative between the chapters, probably to cut down on the less compelling or significant moments. Yet, up to his arrival in el-Qaddice, the Djanese capital, the tale contains a lot of explaining of the Kin's world. This wasn't necessary for a second book, even with the Cant involved (the specific vocabulary of the Kin, which again, adds some color to the novel). I don't really like when authors repeat themselves with parts of the story from the previous books but maybe sometimes they feel it's necessary...

From the moment Drothe is inside the city looking for a man he thought never to see again, I was already drawn in by the new setting the Djanese city offered, with its own power struggle just out of earshot, a parallel criminal framework and new factions like the Neyajin, unseen assassins. Mouths (Djanses magic users) and even exiled Imperials are also thrown into the mix. The perfect occasion for Drothe's body to be injured over and over again, a trademark for him alongside the following blackouts or near death states. Funny, cunning and stubborn. An interesting fellow I won't tire of soon.

By then, the table is set and Drothe is far away from his Gray Prince status. Moreover, the quest he is on, related to the mysterious and notorious mercenary order of the Degans doesn't look like a central or even compelling undertaking, but it's driven by the death threat the man behind the request carried out resolutely. Hopefully, when I thought that Hulick's story would remain kind of conventional for a tale of the Kin, he switched gear and the adventure became much more complicated.  Several characters revealed their true nature, identity or intentions, Drothe's night vision became a wanted gift, the Order of the Degans stood out as a fascinating enigma linked to the fate of the reincarnating Emperor, Imperial Magic secrets surfaced and new opportunities and mystical partners emerged.

What more can you ask? I was now more than compelled and couldn't put down the book.  Still, some elements created dents in the usually fluid build-up. The main nemesis of Drothe is sometimes brilliant and sometimes quite an ass. Why does he need to speak his mind in crucial moments? Classic mistake. Moreover, the author use of jumps in time felt like an easy narrative trick to instill more mystery, although none of that is aggravating.

Reaching the conclusion of Sworn in Steel, the less than heroic but more than dedicated sleepless swindler who's still addicted to ahrami seeds succeed in creating a lasting impression. For a second time, he mingled in things way bigger and definitely more dangerous than he could imagine, all for our pleasure. Action, dramatic developments and even healthy measures of fun.  The wait was doubtlessly worth it, the book is a fitting follow-up to Among Thieves.

Cover: Weird... Drothe's principal quality isn't sword fighting.... still, I think I prefer the UK cover (the one at the top of the review)
Release date: May 6th 2014
Map: No
Number of pages: 512 (mass market paperback), 251 in ebook edition
Acquisition method: Bought the ebook myself
Other: A small dramatis personae

I liked...	Was disappointed by...
The first person perspective	The recaps
The exploration of the Order of the Degans past	The sometimes dumb 'villain'
Drothe's setbacks and counteractions	Some time jumps
A whole lot of other stuff!

Sworn in Steel review rating :

Douglas Hulick's page
Among Thieves review

The eyes of the mighty are on the North. Loki’s key has been found and lies in the hands of a feckless prince and a broken warrior. 

Winter has locked Prince Jalan Kendeth far from the luxury of his southern palace. The North may be home to Viking Snorri ver Snagason but he is just as eager to leave. However, even men who hold a key that can open any door must wait for the thaw. 

As the ice unlocks its jaws the Dead King moves to claim what was so nearly his. But there are other players in this game, other hands reaching for Loki’s key. 

Jalan wants only to return to the wine and women of the south, but Snorri has a different and terrifying goal. The warrior aims to find the very door into death and throw it wide. Snorri ver Snagason will challenge all of Hell if that’s what it takes to bring his wife and children back into the living world. He has found the key – now all he needs is to find the door. 

But pawns are played to sacrifice and the Red Queen set both these men upon her board. How many moves ahead has the Silent Sister seen? How far will they get before their part in the game is over?

[...]

“Are you going to be sick again?”
“Has the river stopped flowing?” I asked.
Snorri snorted.
“Then yes.” I demonstrated, adding another streak of colour into the dark waters of the Seleen. “If God had intended men to go on water he would have given them . . .” I felt too ill for wit and hung limp over the side of the boat, scowling at the grey dawn coming up behind us. “. . . given them whatever it is you need for that kind of thing.”
“A messiah who walked on water to show you all it was exactly where God intended men to go?” Snorri shook that big chiselled head of his. “My people have older learning than the White Christ brought. Aegir owns the sea and he doesn’t intend that we go onto it. But we do even so.” He rumbled through a bar of song: “Undoreth, we. Battle-born. Raise hammer, raise axe, at our war-shout gods tremble.” He rowed on, humming his tuneless tunes.
My nose hurt like buggery, I felt cold, most of me ached, and when I did manage to sniff through my twice-broken snout I could tell that I still smelled only slightly less bad than that dung heap that saved my life.
“My—” I fell silent. My pronunciation sounded comical; my nose would have come out “by dose.” And although I had every right to complain, it might rile the Norseman, and it doesn’t pay to rile the kind of man who can jump on a bear to escape a fight pit. Especially if it was you who put him in that pit in the first place. As my father would say, “To err is human, to forgive is divine . . . but I’m only a cardinal and cardinals are human, so rather than forgiving you I’m going to err towards beating you with this stick.” Snorri didn’t look the forgiving kind either. I settled for another groan.
“What?” He looked up from his rowing. I remembered the remarkable number of bodies he left in his wake coming in and out of Maeres’s poppy farm to get me. All with his weapon hand badly injured.
“Nothing.”

[...]

Six years ago, the Assassin in White, a hireling of the inscrutable Parshendi, assassinated the Alethi king on the very night a treaty between men and Parshendi was being celebrated. So began the Vengeance Pact among the highprinces of Alethkar and the War of Reckoning against the Parshendi. Now the Assassin is active again, murdering rulers all over the world of Roshar, using his baffling powers to thwart every bodyguard and elude all pursuers. Among his prime targets is Highprince Dalinar, widely considered the power behind the Alethi throne. His leading role in the war would seem reason enough, but the Assassin's master has much deeper motives. Expected by his enemies to die the miserable death of a military slave, Kaladin survived to be given command of the royal bodyguards, a controversial first for a low-status "darkeyes." 

Now he must protect the king and Dalinar from every common peril as well as the distinctly uncommon threat of the Assassin, all while secretly struggling to master remarkable new powers that are somehow linked to his honorspren, Syl. Brilliant but troubled Shallan strives along a parallel path. Despite being broken in ways she refuses to acknowledge, she bears a terrible burden: to somehow prevent the return of the legendary Voidbringers and the civilization-ending Desolation that will follow. The secrets she needs can be found at the Shattered Plains, but just arriving there proves more difficult than she could have imagined. Meanwhile, at the heart of the Shattered Plains, the Parshendi are making an epochal decision. Hard pressed by years of Alethi attacks, their numbers ever shrinking, they are convinced by their war leader, Eshonai, to risk everything on a desperate gamble with the very supernatural forces they once fled. The possible consequences for Parshendi and humans alike, indeed, for Roshar itself, are as dangerous as they are incalculable.

Brandon Sanderson is now a well-established and loved Fantasy author and the Stormlight Archive undoubtedly showed much potential in its first opus. Even with a wait of four years, fans seemed to remain eager for the release of Words of Radiance without harassing the author, like we have seen for George R.R. Martin or Scott Lynch.  My speculation (kind of evident) would be that's because he released other books... It looks like Sanderson has a status of its own.  Has he become a master of the genre with an unequivocal respect from the fans? Let's hold this thought while I review the book and try to answer this afterward.

Kaladin Stormblessed, Shallan Davar, Dalinar and Adolin Kholin and Szeth-son-son-Vallano. They are now names that we are accustomed to, they already feel like long acquaintances. They need no introductions and slowly but steadily, we pick up their trail right where we left them at the end of The Way of Kings.  The Stormlight Archive series narrative is not allowing jumps in the storyline. We follow all the adventures and misadventures from a simple talk over a diner or around a fire to Kaladin riding the wind alongside Syl just for the fun of it. Sanderson likes to recount everything of interest that happens to his characters and it creates a huge book the like of which is found less often nowadays. Is it a niche now? I don't think so but it has its rightful place in the Fantasy spectrum.

The origin story of Kaladin has been covered a lot in The Way of Kings.  You could say that it was Kaladin's story. In Words of Radiance, it's Shallan story, her origins unfolded in several flashbacks, that stands at the heart of the tale. While it became obvious as the chapters went by, I was kind of wary since the young woman wasn't my favorite character and her dominant presence in WoK was less enticing initially. I was proven wrong. Sanderson successfully switched the main point of view of the series while retaining its particular voice.

So, Shallan is developed with the help of a rather predictable background, still interesting to learn about, but mostly with her transformation from being the ward of Jasnah Kholin to an impersonation of a spy for the Ghostbloods and a highlady at the 'court' of the king of Alethkar at the Shattered Plains. Quite the journey. She can still be annoying every so often (personality wise) but when Pattern is around, they create a compelling duo. Her spren is even more interesting than Syl. His personality is rougher as he discovers humanity and helps the bold young woman with the surges, the world of Shadesmar and dealing with her past. At least, magic isn't simply an extension of herself that she uses without insight. Shallan grows into it. Her artistic qualities are also skilfully integrated into her storyline.

And then, there's a love triangle looming on the horizon. One romance is obvious and borderline cheesy, while the other in slow in coming. That second one is the result of the meeting, finally, of Shallan and Kaladin (I don't think I spoil anything here, you knew it was coming). This confluence was hiding behind many expectations. I admit that I was disappointed by how it happened at first but by looking at the situation of both protagonists at this point, I should have known. Still, it's better for it, you'll see in the long run. Their relationship is slow in building with some tension, contempt and a little teasing.

Who's next? Dalinar of course. Sadly, his entourage is lacking in Wit (I would have liked more clever interventions from the absurd fellow). The good-hearted old man is still having his fits/dreams and trying to unite Alethkar while fighting Sadeas politically but this time he leaves the spotlight to Adolin. I can't wait to read about Dalinar back story (or maybe Szeth) but it will have to wait and the author made a good decision in putting his son in the front seat of the narrative. It gives more cohesion to the scenes with Shallan and we can witness first hand his transformation. Moreover, when his father instructs him to get back to dueling, finally, the shard blades and plates are out in the field for glorious fights. Even Navani is used as a point of view but she's become expendable for the story told in this volume.

With the plateau runs out of the way (mostly), the duels are one of the parts where Sanderson gives more speed to the action. As with most of books of this type, there's a convergence, a build-up coming near the end and by then, the action is now going at full speed. Through it all, Kaladin still struggling with his new life.  The new position he received from Dalinar put him at a distance from his bridge crew, aside from the core.  Sadly, it means that there's less soldier camaraderie.

Moreover, his nemesis, Amaram is now in his surroundings. With retribution, justice or simply vengeance in mind, and with a new dilemma created by his fellow bridge brothers versus his duty and Dalinar orders, his plate is full. His choices are even affecting Syl. Poor Kaladin. He remains the broken man he became in The Way of Kings and a true champion to rout for as he fights against all his internal conflicts and the threats to his people.  And now, he's playing along the greats of the world, fighting for the blending of the classes. I can't imagine how we'll look at him after many more books but I think Kaladin will become a legendary character.

Between each parts of the book, as was the case with the previous novel, Sanderson throws in a couple of interludes.  This time, there is a mix of a fundamental points of view from the side of the Parshendi, a spren linked young thief and some mysterious people and tales... In the end, it could seem more helpful than not while not being a necessary read but Eshonai (the Parshendi PoV) is bringing nice information to the table. It doesn't feel like info-dumps and with their rhythm and forms (ways of transformation from nimble form to storm form, etc...), the parshmen relative now seem less like an evil gang of oblivious doom bringers.

Worldbuilding and magic systems are always a priority of Sanderson.  The basis for WoR is already solid. Slowly, the focus is taken away from the Shattered Plains, even if it's the full story that's taking place there.  The highstorms, sprens, shardplates and blades, fabrials, lashings, the Stormfather... all feel natural. The icing on the cake is the ability for him to make it even more fascinating. It's accepted but it's novelty. With the surprises at the ending... anyone want to know more about the Everstorm and its effects?

As a complement to the rich tale of the book, the mad king Taravangian and his random daily intelligence that spawned the prophetic diagram is making his plays.  The meta story is becoming more complex and the intrigue thickens while the characters remain at the core of this tapestry. Although the first half of the novel felt like a big epilogue of The Way of Kings in term of overall situation and had the same central setting, a whole new set of opportunities has opened in an intriguing new region.

The Stormlight Archive can now be seen as an impressive series, not simply a prelude of great things to come. Words of Radiance is a fascinating successor to The Way of Kings, but again it's not a revolution and has its flaws.  If I come back to the question I asked at the start of the review, I would say yes, Brandon Sanderson is a master, but not The master, of traditional, lengthy, magic heavy, classic but dexterously crafted, Epic Fantasy. WoR proves it for me. A very good read.

Brandon Sanderson's page
The Way of Kings review

In the days of the first kings in the North, there were seven devils… 

Possessed by a ghost who feeds on death, the undying assassin Ahjvar the Leopard has been captured by the Lady of Marakand, enslaved by necromancy to be captain of her Red Masks. His shield-bearer Ghu, a former slave with an uncanny ability to free the captive dead, follows Ahjvar into the war-torn lands of the Duina Catairna to release him, even if that means destroying what is left of Ahj’s tormented soul. 

Deyandara, the last surviving heir of the Catairnan queen, rides into a land ravaged by disease and war, seeking the allies she abandoned months before, though they have no hope of standing against the army led by the invulnerable Red Masks of Marakand and the divine terror of the Lady. 

In the city of Marakand, former enemies ally and old friends seek one another’s deaths as loyalists of the entombed gods Gurhan and Ilbialla raise a revolt, spearheaded by the Grasslander wizard Ivah, the shapeshifting Blackdog, and the bear-demon Mikki. The Lady’s defences are not easily breached, though, and the one enemy who might withstand her, the Northron wanderer Moth, bearer of the sword Lakkariss, has vanished.

In this omnibus edition of N.K. Jemisin's brilliantly original award-winning fantasy series, a young woman becomes entangled in a power struggle of mythic proportions. 

A REALM OF GODS AND MORTALS. 

Yeine Darr is an outcast from the barbarian north. But when her mother dies under mysterious circumstances, she is summoned to the majestic city of Sky. There, to her shock, Yeine is named an heiress to the king. But the throne of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is not easily won, and Yeine is thrust into a vicious power struggle. 

The Inheritance Trilogy omnibus includes the novels: The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, The Broken Kingdoms, and The Kingdom of Gods.

Vaelin Al Sorna must help his Queen reclaim her Realm. Only his enemy has a dangerous new collaborator, one with powers darker than Vaelin has ever encountered… 

“The Ally is there, but only ever as a shadow, unexplained catastrophe or murder committed at the behest of a dark vengeful spirit. Sorting truth from myth is often a fruitless task.” 

After fighting back from the brink of death, Queen Lyrna is determined to repel the invading Volarian army and regain the independence of the Unified Realm. Except, to accomplish her goals, she must do more than rally her loyal supporters. She must align herself with forces she once found repugnant—those who possess the strange and varied gifts of the Dark—and take the war to her enemy’s doorstep. 

Victory rests on the shoulders of Vaelin Al Sorna, now named Battle Lord of the Realm. However, his path is riddled with difficulties. For the Volarian enemy has a new weapon on their side, one that Vaelin must destroy if the Realm is to prevail—a mysterious Ally with the ability to grant unnaturally long life to her servants. And defeating one who cannot be killed is a nearly impossible feat, especially when Vaelin’s blood-song, the mystical power which has made him the epic fighter he is, has gone ominously silent…

The Thorn of Emberlain (Gentleman Bastards Sequence book 4) by Scott Lynch

Queen of Fire (Raven's Shadow book 3) by Anthony Ryan

Shadow of Self (Mistborn) by Brandon Sanderson

The Spider's War (The Dagger and the Coin book 5) by Daniel Abraham

Fall of Light (Kharkanas trilogy book 2) by Steven Erikson

Half the World (The Shattered Sea book 2) by Joe Abercrombie

The Liar's Key (The Red Queen’s War book 2) by Mark Lawrence

The Autumn Republic (The Powder Mage book 3) by Brian McClellan

The Skull Throne (Demon Cycle book 4) by Peter V. Brett

Half a War (The Shattered Sea book 3) by Joe Abercrombie

The Dread Wyrm (The Traitor Son Cycle book 3) by Miles Cameron

The Unholy Consult (The Aspect Emperor book 3) by R. Scott Bakker

The Fool's Quest (The Fitz and the Fool trilogy book 2) by Robin Hobb

The Price of Valour (The Shadow Campaigns book 3) by Django Wexler

The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth book 1) by N.K. Jemisin

The Providence of Fire (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne book 2) by Brian Staveley

Sword of the North (Grim Company book 2) by Luke Scull

Those Above (The Empty Throne book 1) by Daniel Polansky

The Black Dream (Heart of the World book 3) by Col Buchanan

The Silver King (The Silver Kings book 3) by Stephen Deas

Old Man's Ghosts (The Empire of a Hundred Houses book 2) by Tom Lloyd

Twelve Kings in Sharakhai (The Song of the Shattered Sands book 1) by Bradley P. Beaulieu

Storm and Steel (The Book of the Black Earth book 2) by Jon Sprunk

The Chart of Tomorrows (Gaunt and Bone book 3) by Chris Willrich

FIVE VILLAINS. ONE LEGENDARY GENERAL. A FINAL QUEST FOR VENGEANCE. 

Twenty years ago, feared general Cobalt Zosia led her five villainous captains and mercenary army into battle, wrestling monsters and toppling an empire. When there were no more titles to win and no more worlds to conquer, she retired and gave up her legend to history. 

Now the peace she carved for herself has been shattered by the unprovoked slaughter of her village. Seeking bloody vengeance, Zosia heads for battle once more, but to find justice she must confront grudge-bearing enemies, once-loyal allies, and an unknown army that marches under a familiar banner. 

A CROWN FOR COLD SILVER is an outstanding epic fantasy featuring an unforgettable warrior.

The Vagrant is his name. He has no other. 

Friendless and alone he walks across a desolate war-torn landscape, carrying nothing but a kit-bag, a legendary sword and a baby. 

His purpose is to reach the Shining City, last bastion of the human race, and deliver the sword, the only weapon that may make a difference in the ongoing war. 

But the Shining City is very far away and the world is a very dangerous place.

The conspiracy to destroy the ruling family of the Annurian Empire is far from over. 

Having learned the identity of her father's assassin, Adare flees the Dawn Palace in search of allies to challenge the coup against her family. Few trust her, but when she is believed to be touched by Intarra, patron goddess of the empire, the people rally to help her retake the capital city. As armies prepare to clash, the threat of invasion from barbarian hordes compels the rival forces to unite against their common enemy. Unknown to Adare, her brother Valyn, renegade member of the empire's most elite fighting force, has allied with the invading nomads. The terrible choices each of them has made may make war between them inevitable.  

Between Valyn and Adare is their brother Kaden, rightful heir to the Unhewn Throne, who has infiltrated the Annurian capital with the help of two strange companions. The knowledge they possess of the secret history that shapes these events could save Annur or destroy it.

***

The Boy Who Wept Blood
Erebus Sequence book 2
Den Patrick
January 29th

With his rich evocation of the Italian Renaissance-like realm of Landfall, his uniquely appealing way with flawed yet empathic characters and his ability to write gripping scenes of both action and subterfuge, Den Patrick has already established himself as a new favourite for fans of Scott Lynch and Robin Hobb alike. 

Ten years have passed since the disappearence of Lucien and his protege, the young swordsman Dino, is struggling to live up to Lucien's legacy. Sworn to protect the silent queen Anea as she struggles to bring a new democracy to Demesne, Dino finds himself drawn into a deadly game of political intrigue as the aristocratic families of Landfall conspire to protect their privilege. Always ready to prove himself as a swordsman Dino is anguished to discover that in order to fulfil his vow he must become both spy and assassion. 

And all the while the dark secret at the heart of Demesne is growing towards fulfilment.

***

Adopest has fallen... 

Field Marshal Tamas returns to his beloved country to find that for the first time in history, the capital city of Adro lies in the hands of a foreign invader. His son is missing and his allies are indistinguishable from his foes, and reinforcements are several weeks away. 

With the Kez still bearing down upon them and without clear leadership, the Adran army has turned against itself. Inspector Adamat is drawn into the very heart of this new mutiny with promises of finding his kidnapped son. 

And Taniel Two-shot, hunted by men he once thought his friends, must safeguard the only chance Adro has of getting through this war without being destroyed...

Sometimes a girl is touched by Mother War. 

Thorn is such a girl. Desperate to avenge her dead father, she lives to fight. But she has been named a murderer by the very man who trained her to kill. 

Sometimes a woman becomes a warrior. 

She finds herself caught up in the schemes of Father Yarvi, Gettland’s deeply cunning minister. Crossing half the world to find allies against the ruthless High King, she learns harsh lessons of blood and deceit. 

Sometimes a warrior becomes a weapon. 

Beside her on the journey is Brand, a young warrior who hates to kill, a failure in his eyes and hers, but with one chance at redemption. 

And weapons are made for one purpose. 

Will Thorn forever be a pawn in the hands of the powerful, or can she carve her own path?

***

Those Above

The Empty Throne book 1

Daniel Polansky

February 26th

They enslaved humanity three thousand years ago. Tall, strong, perfect, superhuman and near immortal they rule from their glittering palaces in the eternal city in the centre of the world. They are called Those Above by their subjects. They enforce their will with fire and sword.  

Twenty five years ago mankind mustered an army and rose up against them, only to be slaughtered in a terrible battle. Hope died that day, but hatred survived. Whispers of another revolt are beginning to stir in the hearts of the oppressed: a woman, widowed in the war, who has dedicated her life to revenge; the general, the only man to ever defeat one of Those Above in single combat, summoned forth to raise a new legion; and a boy killer who rises from the gutter to lead an uprising in the capital.

***

The Iron Ghost
The Copper Promise book 2
Jen Williams
February 26th

Beware the dawning of a new mage... 

Wydrin of Crosshaven, Sir Sebastian and Lord Aaron Frith are experienced in the perils of stirring up the old gods. They are also familiar with defeating them, and the heroes of Baneswatch are now enjoying the perks of suddenly being very much in demand for their services. 

When a job comes up in the distant city of Skaldshollow, it looks like easy coin - retrieve a stolen item, admire the views, get paid. But in a place twisted and haunted by ancient magic, with the most infamous mage of them all, Joah Demonsworn, making a reappearance, our heroes soon find themselves threatened by enemies on all sides, old and new. And in the frozen mountains, the stones are walking...

***

***

The Black Dream

Heart of the World book 3

Col Buchanan

March 12th

THE VOYAGE INTO DARKNESS HOLDS NO MERCY 

As the empire of Mann threatens the world with enslavement, only a single island nation continues to stand in its way - the Free Ports of the democras. For ten years they have held their own, but now the empire draws its noose even tighter over them. 

Rallying to its defence are those from the secretive network known as the Few, including the cripple and troubleshooter Coya Zeziké. Coya has hopes of enlisting the forest contrarè in the aid of the besieged city of Bar-Khos. With him is Shard, the only Dreamer of the Free Ports, a woman capable of manipulating waking reality or the strange dimensions of the Black Dream. 

The Roshun order of assassins have also engaged in the war at last. But Ash, their ailing farlander, has more urgent business to overcome. Facing him is a skyship voyage into the Great Hush, then further journeying to the fabled Isles of Sky, where he hopes bring his dead apprentice Nico back to life. Yet, his voyage into the unknown may save more than just Nico . . . it may save the Free Ports themselves. 

***

Old Man's Ghosts 

The Empire of a Hundred Houses book 2

Tom Lloyd

March 19th

Some men can never outrun their ghosts. 

Enchei thought he'd found a home at last - a life of quiet obscurity far removed from the horror of his military days. After a decade in the Imperial City his mistakes have been few, but one has now returned to haunt him. 

As Narin's pregnant lover comes to term, life has never been so perilous. There couldn't be a worse time for a nightmare to be unleashed on the Imperial City, but luck's rarely been on Narin's side. 

Once, Enchei swore he'd take his own life rather than let his past catch up with him, but now it's not just his own in the balance. Demons, rogue mages and vengeful noblemen haunt the city - and a man's ghosts are always watching and waiting...

***

The Skull Throne

Demon Cycle book 4

Peter V. Brett

31st March

***

The Voyage of the Basilisk
Memoir by Lady Trent book 3
Marie Brennan
March 31th

Devoted readers of Lady Trent’s earlier memoirs, A Natural History of Dragons and The Tropic of Serpents, may believe themselves already acquainted with the particulars of her historic voyage aboard the Royal Survey Ship Basilisk, but the true story of that illuminating, harrowing, and scandalous journey has never been revealed—until now. Six years after her perilous exploits in Eriga, Isabella embarks on her most ambitious expedition yet: a two-year trip around the world to study all manner of dragons in every place they might be found. From feathered serpents sunning themselves in the ruins of a fallen civilization to the mighty sea serpents of the tropics, these creatures are a source of both endless fascination and frequent peril. Accompanying her is not only her young son, Jake, but a chivalrous foreign archaeologist whose interests converge with Isabella’s in ways both professional and personal. 

Science is, of course, the primary objective of the voyage, but Isabella’s life is rarely so simple. She must cope with storms, shipwrecks, intrigue, and warfare, even as she makes a discovery that offers a revolutionary new insight into the ancient history of dragons.

***

***

The Warring States
 The Wave Trilogy book 2
Aidan Harte
April 1st

After the rout at Rasenna, Concord faces enemies on all fronts, and nobody believes that the last surviving Apprentice is equal to these crises – but Torbidda didn’t become Apprentice by letting himself be manipulated. 

While Sofia is struggling to understand her miraculous pregnancy, the City of Towers grows wealthy. But it’s not long before the people of Rasenna start arguing again, and as the city falls apart once more, Sofia realises she must escape Etruria to save her baby. 

When prophecy leads her to another cesspit of treachery, the decadent Crusader kingdom of Oltremare, Sofia begins to despair, for this time she can see no way out… 

***

An outstanding, game-changing epic fantasy debut featuring an unforgettable female warrior. 

FIVE VILLAINS. ONE LEGENDARY GENERAL. A FINAL QUEST FOR VENGEANCE. 

Twenty years ago, feared general Cobalt Zosia led her five villainous captains and mercenary army into battle, wrestling monsters and toppling an empire. When there were no more titles to win and no more worlds to conquer, she retired and gave up her legend to history. 

Now the peace she carved for herself has been shattered by the unprovoked slaughter of her village. Seeking bloody vengeance, Zosia heads for battle once more, but to find justice she must confront grudge-bearing enemies, once-loyal allies, and an unknown army that marches under a familiar banner. 

A CROWN FOR COLD SILVER is an outstanding epic fantasy debut featuring an unforgettable warrior.

LEADERS ARE FORGED IN THE FIRES OF WAR 

Iron Age warriors Dug and Lowa captured Maidun castle and freed its slaves. But now they must defend it. 

A Roman invasion is coming from Gaul, but rather than uniting to defend their home, the British tribes go to battle with each other -- and see Maidun as an easy target. 

Meanwhile, Lowa's spies infiltrate Gaul, discovering the Romans have recruited British druids. And Maidunite Ragnall finds his loyalties torn when he meets Rome's charismatic general, Julius Caesar. 

War is coming. Who will pay its price?

***

Greatcoat's Lament
Greatcoats book 2
Sebastien de Castell
April 28th

Falcio val Mond is the first Cantor of the Greatcoats. Trained in the fighting arts and the laws of Tristia, the Greatcoats are travelling Magisters upholding King’s Law. They are heroes. Or at least they were, until they stood aside while the Dukes took the kingdom and then began fighting among themselves.

The horrifying murder of a duke and his family sends Falcio in a deadly pursuit to capture the killer. But Falcio soon discovers his own life is in mortal danger from a poison administered as a final act of revenge by one of his deadliest enemies. As chaos and civil war begin to overtake the country, Falcio has precious little time left to stop those determined to destroy his homeland. 

Greatcoat's Lament is a dark swashbuckling tale of idealism and betrayal in a country crushed under the weight of its rulers' corruption. It is the second book in the Greatcoat's series that began with Traitor's Blade.

***

***

The Vagrant
Peter Newman
May 1st

The Vagrant is his name. He has no other. Friendless and alone he walks across a desolate, war-torn landscape, carrying nothing but a kit-bag, a legendary sword and a baby. His purpose is to reach the Shining City, last bastion of the human race, and deliver the sword, the only weapon that may make a difference in the ongoing war. But the Shining City is far away and the world is a very dangerous place.

***

Some legends never die... 

In The Grim Company, Luke Scull introduced a formidable and forbidding band of anti-heroes battling against ruthless Magelords and monstrous terrors. The adventure continues as the company—now broken—face new dangers on personal quests….  

As Davarus Cole and his former companions were quick to discover, the White Lady’s victorious liberation of Dorminia has not resulted in the freedom they once imagined. Anyone perceived as a threat has been seized and imprisoned—or exiled to darker regions—leaving the White Lady’s rule unchallenged and absolute. But the White Lady would be wiser not to spurn her former supporters: Eremul the Halfmage has learned of a race of immortals known as the Fade, and if he cannot convince the White Lady of their existence, all of humanity will be in danger.

Far to the north, Brodar Kayne and Jerek the Wolf continue their odyssey to the High Fangs only to find themselves caught in a war between a demon horde and their enemy of old, the Shaman. And in the wondrous city of Thelassa, Sasha must overcome demons of her own.

The gods who created this world have abandoned it. In their mercy, however, they chained the rogue god—and the monstrous creatures he created to plague mortalkind—in the vast and inhospitable wasteland of the Bourne. The magical Veil that contains them has protected humankind for millennia and the monsters are little more than tales told to frighten children. But the Veil has become weak and creatures of Nightmare have come through. To fight them, the races of men must form a great alliance to try and stop the creatures. 

But there is dissent. One king won’t answer the call, his pride blinding him even to the poison in his own court. Another would see Convocation fail for his own political advantage. And still others believe Convocation is not enough. Some turn to the talents of the Sheason, who can shape the very essence of the world to their will. But their order is divided, on the brink of collapse. 

Tahn Junell remembers friends who despaired in a place left barren by war. One of the few who have actually faced the unspeakable horde in battle, Tahn sees something else at work and wonders about the nature of the creatures on the other side of the Veil. He chooses to go to a place of his youth, a place of science, daring to think he can find a way to prevent slaughter, prevent war.  

And his choices may reshape a world . . . .

The eyes of the mighty are on the North. Loki’s key has been found and lies in the hands of a feckless prince and a weary warrior. 

Winter has locked Prince Jalan Kendeth far from the luxury of his southern palace. The North may be home to Viking Snorri ver Snagason but he is just as eager to leave. However, even men who hold a key that can open any door must wait for the thaw. 

As the ice unlocks its jaws the Dead King moves to claim what was so nearly his. But there are other players in this game, other hands reaching for Loki’s key.

Jalan wants only to return to the wine and women of the south, but Snorri has a different and terrifying goal. The warrior aims to find the very door into death and throw it wide. Snorri ver Snagason will challenge all of Hell if that’s what it takes to bring his wife and children back into the living world. He has found the key – now all he needs is to find the door. 

But pawns are played to sacrifice and the Red Queen set both these men upon her board. How many moves ahead has the Silent Sister seen? How far will they get before their part in the game is over?

An empire at war. Three fates intertwined.

The Magician. Horace has destroyed the Temple of the Sun, but now he finds his slave chains have been replaced by bonds of honor, duty, and love. Caught between two women and two cultures, he must contend with deadly forces from the unseen world.

The Rebel. Jirom has thrown in his lot with the slave uprising, but his road to freedom becomes ever more dangerous as the rebels expand their campaign against the empire. Even worse, he feels his connection with Emanon slipping away with every blow they strike in the name of freedom.

The Spy. Alyra has severed her ties to the underground network that brought her to Akeshia, but she continues the mission on her own. Yet, with Horace’s connection to the queen and the rebellion’s escalation of violence, she finds herself treading a knife’s edge between love and duty.

Dark conspiracies bubble to the surface as war and zealotry spread across the empire. Old alliances are shattered, new vendettas are born, and all peoples—citizen and slave alike—must endure the ravages of storm and steel.

***

Blood Will Follow

The Valhalla Saga book 2

Snorri Kristijansson

June 5th

Ulfar Thormodsson and Audun Arngrimsson have won the battle for Stenvik, although at huge cost, for they have suffered much worse than heartbreak. They have lost the very thing that made them human: their mortality. 

While Ulfar heads home, looking for the place where he thinks he will be safe, Audun runs south. But both men are about to discover that they can not run away from themselves. 

King Olav might have been defeated outside the walls of Stenvik, but now Valgard leads him north, in search of the source of the Vikings’ power. 

All the while there are those who watch and wait, biding their time, for there are secrets yet to be discovered…

***

Ruin

The Faithful and the Fallen book 3

John Gwynne

June 18th

The Banished Lands are engulfed in war and chaos. The cunning Queen Rhin has conquered the west and High King Nathair has the cauldron, most powerful of the seven treasures. At his back stands the scheming Calidus and a warband of the Kadoshim, dread demons of the Otherworld. They plan to bring Asroth and his host of the Fallen into the world of flesh, but to do so they need the seven treasures. Nathair has been deceived but now he knows the truth. He has choices to make, choices that will determine the fate of the Banished Lands. 

Elsewhere the flame of resistance is growing - Queen Edana finds allies in the swamps of Ardan. Maquin is loose in Tenebral, hunted by Lykos and his corsairs. Here he will witness the birth of a rebellion in Nathair's own realm. 

Corban has been swept along by the tide of war. He has suffered, lost loved ones, sought only safety from the darkness. But he will run no more. He has seen the face of evil and he has set his will to fight it. The question is, how? With a disparate band gathered about him - his family, friends, giants, fanatical warriors, an angel and a talking crow he begins the journey to Drassil, the fabled fortress hidden deep in the heart of Forn Forest. For in Drassil lies the spear of Skald, one of the seven treasures, and here it is prophesied that the Bright Star will stand against the Black Sun.

***

July

***

The Chart of Tomorrows

Gaunt and Bone book 3

Chris Willrich

July 7th

The poet Persimmon Gaunt and the thief Imago Bone had sought only to retire from adventuring and start a family, but they never reckoned on their baby becoming the chosen vessel of the mystical energies of a distant Eastern land. With their son Innocence hunted by various factions hoping to use him as a tool, they kept him safe at the cost of trapping him in a pocket dimension of accelerated time.  

Now free, the thirteen-year-old Innocence has rejected his parents and his "destiny" and has made dangerous friends in a barbaric Western land of dragon-prowed ships and rugged fjords. Desperately, Gaunt and Bone seek to track him down, along with their companion Snow Pine and her daughter A-Girl-Is-A-Joy, who was once trapped with Innocence too. 

But as the nomadic Karvaks and their war-balloons strike west, and a troll-king spins his webs, and Joy is herself chosen by the spirit of the very land Innocence has fled to, Gaunt and Bone find themselves at the heart of a vast struggle -- and their own son is emerging from that conflict as a force of evil. To save him and everything they know, they turn to a dangerous magical book, The Chart of Tomorrows, that reveals pathways through time. Upon the treacherous seas of history, Gaunt and Bone must face the darkness in each other’s pasts, in order to rescue their future.

***

Queen of Fire

Raven's Shadow book 3

Anthony Ryan

July 7th

“The Ally is there, but only ever as a shadow, unexplained catastrophe or murder committed at the behest of a dark vengeful spirit. Sorting truth from myth is often a fruitless task.” 

After fighting back from the brink of death, Queen Lyrna is determined to repel the invading Volarian army and regain the independence of the Unified Realm. Except, to accomplish her goals, she must do more than rally her loyal supporters. She must align herself with forces she once found repugnant—those who possess the strange and varied gifts of the Dark—and take the war to her enemy’s doorstep. 

Victory rests on the shoulders of Vaelin Al Sorna, now named Battle Lord of the Realm. However, his path is riddled with difficulties. For the Volarian enemy has a new weapon on their side, one that Vaelin must destroy if the Realm is to prevail—a mysterious Ally with the ability to grant unnaturally long life to her servants. And defeating one who cannot be killed is a nearly impossible feat, especially when Vaelin’s blood-song, the mystical power which has made him the epic fighter he is, has gone ominously silent…

***

The Mortal Tally
Bring Down Heaven book
Sam Sykes
July 7th

The heart of civilization bleeds. 

Cier'Djaal, once the crowning glory of the civilized world, has gone from a city to a battlefield and a battlefield to a graveyard. Foreign armies clash relentlessly on streets laden with the bodies of innocents caught in the crossfire. Cultists and thieves wage shadow wars, tribal armies foment outside the city's walls, and haughty aristocrats watch the world burn from on high. 

As his companions struggle to keep the city from destroying itself, Lenk travels to the Forbidden East in search of the demon who caused it all. But even as he pursues Khoth-Kapira, dark whispers plague his thoughts. Khoth-Kapira promises him a world free of war where Lenk can put down his sword at last. And Lenk finds it hard not to listen. 

When gods are deaf, demons will speak.

***

The Darkling Child
 The Defenders of Shannara book 2
Terry Brooks
July 7th

Paxon Leah has joined the Druid Order as a paladin, tasked with protecting the Druids with the aid of his magical sword. But Paxon’s toughest assignment will come when he must track down a young musician with newly-manifested magic before a rival sorcerer can corrupt the boy.

***

The Price of Valour

The Shadow Campaigns book 3

Django Wexler

July 9th

In the latest Shadow Campaigns novel, Django Wexler continues his “epic fantasy of military might and magical conflict”* following The Shadow Throne and The Thousand Names, as the realm of Vordan faces imminent threats from without and within. 

In the wake of the King’s death, war has come to Vordan. 

The Deputies-General has precarious control of the city, but it is led by a zealot who sees traitors in every shadow. Executions have become a grim public spectacle. The new queen, Raesinia Orboan, finds herself nearly powerless as the government tightens its grip and assassins threaten her life. But she did not help free the country from one sort of tyranny to see it fall into another. Placing her trust with the steadfast soldier Marcus D’Ivoire, she sets out to turn the tide of history. 

As the hidden hand of the Sworn Church brings all the powers of the continent to war against Vordan, the enigmatic and brilliant general Janus bet Vhalnich offers a path to victory. Winter Ihernglass, newly promoted to command a regiment, has reunited with her lover and her friends, only to face the prospect of leading them into bloody battle. 

And the enemy is not just armed with muskets and cannon. Dark priests of an ancient order, wielding forbidden magic, have infiltrated Vordan to stop Janus by whatever means necessary…

***

Chaos Unleashed
Chaos Born book 3
Drew Karpyshyn
July 14th

Long ago the gods chose a great hero to act as their agent in the mortal world and to stand against the demonic spawn of Chaos. The gods gifted their champion, Daemron, with three magical Talismans: a sword, a ring, and a crown. But the awesome power at his command corrupted Daemron, turning him from savior to destroyer. Filled with pride, he dared to challenge the gods themselves. Siding with the Chaos spawn, Daemron waged a titanic battle against the Immortals. In the end, Daemron was defeated, the Talismans were lost, and Chaos was sealed off behind the Legacy—a magical barrier the gods sacrificed themselves to create. 

Now the Legacy is fading. On the other side, the banished Daemron stirs. And across the scattered corners of the land, four children are born of suffering and strife, each touched by one aspect of Daemron himself—wizard, warrior, prophet, king. 

Bound by a connection deeper than blood, the Children of Fire will either restore the Legacy or bring it crashing down, freeing Daemron to wreak his vengeance upon the mortal world.

***

August

***

The Spider's War

The Dagger and the Coin book 5

Daniel Abraham

August 4th

Lord Regent Geder Palliako's great war has spilled across the world, nation after nation falling before the ancient priesthood and weapon of dragons. But even as conquest follows conquest, the final victory retreats before him like a mirage. Schism and revolt begin to erode the foundations of the empire, and the great conquest threatens to collapse into a permanent war of all against all. 

In Carse, with armies on all borders, Cithrin bel Sarcour, Marcus Wester, and Clara Kalliam are faced with the impossible task of bringing a lasting peace to the world. Their tools: traitors high in the imperial army, the last survivor of the dragon empire, and a financial scheme that is either a revolution or the greatest fraud in the history of the world.

***

The Fifth Season

The Broken Earth book 1

N.K. Jemisin

August 4th

This is the way the world ends. Again. 

Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze—the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization's bedrock for a thousand years—collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman's vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries. 

Now Essun must pursue the wreckage of her family through a deadly, dying land. Without sunlight, clean water, or arable land, and with limited stockpiles of supplies, there will be war all across the Stillness: a battle royale of nations not for power or territory, but simply for the basic resources necessary to get through the long dark night. Essun does not care if the world falls apart around her. She'll break it herself, if she must, to save her daughter.

***

Black Heart
The Barrow book 2
Mark Smylie
August 5th

The last survivors of the raid on the Barrow of Azharad have scattered to the four winds, each walking a separate path. For some, it is the path of noble service, as the households of great kings and warlords beckon, offering a chance to enter the fray of politics with the fate of nations on the line. For others, it is the path of secrets and magic, as the veil of the world parts to reveal the hidden truths that dwell in shadow and spirit. 

And for Stjepan Black-Heart, royal cartographer and suspected murderer, it is the path of battle and sacrifice, as he is summoned to attend the household of the Grand Duke Owen Lis Red, the Earl Marshal to the High King of the Middle Kingdoms, on his latest campaign to find and kill Porloss, the Rebel Earl: an elusive quarry lurking behind an army of ruthless renegade knights in the wild hills of the Manon Mole, a land where every step could be your last, and where lie secrets best left undisturbed.

***

The Fool's Quest

The Fitz and the Fool trilogy book 2

Robin Hobb

August 11th

***

Fall of Light

Kharkanas trilogy book 2

Steven Erikson

August 13th

It is a bitter winter and civil war now ravages Kurald Galain, as Urusander's Legion prepares to march upon the city of Kharkanas.The rebels' only opposition lies scattered, bereft of a leader since Anomander's departure in search of his estranged brother, Andarist. The last brother remaining, Silchas Ruin, rules in Anomander's stead. He seeks to gather the Houseblades of the Highborn Noble families and resurrect the Hust Legion in the southlands, but is fast running out of time. 

The officers and leaders of Urusander's Legion, led by Hunn Raal, want the Consort, Draconus, cast aside and Vatha Urusander wedded to Mother Dark, taking his place on a throne at the side of the Living Goddess. But this union will be far more than political, as a sorcerous power has claimed those opposing Mother Dark - given form by the exiled High Priestess Syntara, the Cult of Light rises in answer to Mother Dark and her Children. 

Far to the west, an unlikely army has gathered, seeking an enemy without form, in a place none can find, and commanded by a Jaghut driven mad with grief. Hood's call has been heard, and the long-abandoned city of Omtose Phellack is now home to a rabble of new arrivals. From the south have come Dog-Runners and Jheck warriors. From the Western Sea strange ships have grounded upon the harsh shore, with blue-skinned strangers arriving to offer Hood their swords. And from the North, down from mountain fastnesses and isolated valleys, Toblakai arrive, day and night, to pledge themselves to Hood's impossible war. Soon, all will set forth - or not at all - under the banners of the living. Soon, weapons will be drawn, with Death itself the enemy. 

Beneath the chaos of such events, and spanning the realm and those countless other realms hidden behind its veil, magic now bleeds into the world. Unconstrained, mysterious and savage, the power that is the lifeblood of the Azathanai, K'rul, runs loose and wild. Following its scent, seeking the places of wounding where the sorcery rushes forth, entities both new and ancient are gathering. And they are eager to feed. 

Comprehending the terrible risk of his gift of blood, a weakened, dying K'rul sets out, in the company of a lone guardian, to bring order to this newborn sorcery - alas, his choice of potential allies is suspect. In the name of order, K'rul seeks its greatest avowed enemy.

***

Twelve Kings in Sharakhai

 The Song of the Shattered Sands book 1

Bradley P. Beaulieu

In the cramped west end of Sharakhai, the Amber Jewel of the Desert, Çeda fights in the pits to scrape a living. She, like so many in the city, pray for the downfall of the cruel, immortal Kings of Sharakhai, but she’s never been able to do anything about it. This all changes when she goes out on the night of Beht Zha’ir, the holy night when all are forbidden from walking the streets. It’s the night that the asirim, the powerful yet wretched creatures that protect the Kings from all who would stand against them, wander the city and take tribute. It is then that one of the asirim, a pitiful creature who wears a golden crown, stops Çeda and whispers long forgotten words into her ear. Çeda has heard those words before, in a book left to her by her mother, and it is through that one peculiar link that she begins to find hidden riddles left by her mother. 

As Çeda begins to unlock the mysteries of that fateful night, she realizes that the very origin of the asirim and the dark bargain the Kings made with the gods of the desert to secure them may be the very key she needs to throw off the iron grip the Kings have had over Sharakhai. And yet the Kings are no fools—they’ve ruled the Shangazi for four hundred years for good reason, and they have not been idle. As Çeda digs into their past, and the Kings come closer and closer to unmasking her, Çeda must decide if she’s ready to face them once and for all.

***

September
***

The Empire Ascendant
Worldbreaker Saga book 2
Kameron Hurley

***
October
***

The Dread Wyrm

The Traitor Son Cycle book 3

Miles Cameron

October 15th

***

November

***

The Dragon House

The Wild Hunt book 4

Elspeth Cooper

November 19th

In Gimrael no church, no believer is safe. The Lector of Dremen has declared a crisis of the faith and the Suvaeon Knights are riding to war for the first time in over twenty years. In the north, the Warlord is faced with a hopeless choice: marshal the Empire’s defences, or try to save his own people from the Hunt rampaging across the plains of his homeland. 

Too long at peace, the Empire is ill-equipped to face war on two fronts and its internal alliances begin to crumble. The ancient peoples of Astolar and Bregorin are finally roused to confront the damage that has been done to the Veil, and the Guardians gather their strength to reclaim the starseed so it can be used to banish the Hunt back to the Hidden Kingdom. 

In the Warlord’s absence, his predecessor Garimair – dubbed the Eagle of Leah during the desert wars – is recalled from retirement to help save what can be saved of the Empire. It will require bold tactics, and force Garimair to confront the legacy of a past mistake. 

Gair’s struggle with the after-effects of Savin’s reiving has stretched him to breaking point. Now he must learn to master the darkest and most deadly aspects of his gift and accept the consequences as he faces his enemy for the final time.

***

Shadow of Self

Mistborn book 5

Brandon Sanderson

November 19th

The sequel to The Alloy of Law.

***

 December

***

2015 without specific dates:

Half a War (The Shattered Sea book 3) by Joe Abercrombie
The Unholy Consult (The Aspect Emperor book 3) by R. Scott Bakker

The Thorn of Emberlain (Gentleman Bastards Sequence book 4) by Scott Lynch

Confirmed for beyond:

The Thousand and One ((The Crescent Moon Kingdoms book 2) by Saladin Ahmed

Winds of Winter (a Song of Ice and Fire book 6) by George R.R. Martin

The Doors of Stone (Kingkiller Chronicles book 3) by Patrick Rothfuss

Rhune (The First Empire book 1) by  Michael J. Sullivan

The Last King of Osten Ard (Memory, Sorrow and Thorn book 4) by Tad Williams

As the old gods awaken and satrapies splinter, the Chromeria races to find its lost Prism, the only man who may be able to stop catastrophe. But Gavin Guile is enslaved on a pirate galley. Worse, Gavin no longer has the one thing that defined him -- the ability to draft. 

Without the protection of his father, Kip Guile will have to face a master of shadows alone as his grandfather moves to choose a new Prism and put himself in power. With Teia and Karris, Kip will have to use all his wits to survive a secret war between noble houses, religious factions, rebels, and an ascendant order of hidden assassins, The Broken Eye.

Brent Weeks page

The Black Prism review

The Blinding Knife review

The Red Queen is old but the kings of the Broken Empire dread her like no other. For all her reign, she has fought the long war, contested in secret, against the powers that stand behind nations, for higher stakes than land or gold. Her greatest weapon is The Silent Sister—unseen by most and unspoken of by all. 

The Red Queen’s grandson, Prince Jalan Kendeth—drinker, gambler, seducer of women—is one who can see The Silent Sister. Tenth in line for the throne and content with his role as a minor royal, he pretends that the hideous crone is not there. But war is coming. Witnesses claim an undead army is on the march, and the Red Queen has called on her family to defend the realm. Jal thinks it’s all a rumor—nothing that will affect him—but he is wrong. 

After escaping a death trap set by the Silent Sister, Jal finds his fate magically intertwined with a fierce Norse warrior. As the two undertake a journey across the Empire to undo the spell, encountering grave dangers, willing women, and an upstart prince named Jorg Ancrath along the way, Jalan gradually catches a glimmer of the truth: he and the Norseman are but pieces in a game, part of a series of moves in the long war—and the Red Queen controls the board.

Mark Lawrence page

Prince of Thorns review

King of Thorns review
Emperor of Thorns review