The Kirilli Matter: The First Book of the Qavnerian Protectorate

Gripping, imaginative, and a tour-de-force of thrilling storytelling, New York Times bestselling author Kristine Kathryn Rusch's The Kirilli Matter launches her acclaimed Fey series into exciting new territory.

When the investigation of a brutal murder scene points to terrifying suspects, Augusta Kirilli must find a way to protect her family's secrets—secrets so long buried, she must discover their meaning or risk her own destruction. Set in the world of The Fey and masterfully blending fantasy and steampunk elements, Kristine Kathryn Rusch's Qavnerian Protectorate saga adds rich new dimension to this powerfully written series.

From its shocking opening to the deepening mystery at its conclusion, this groundbreaking novel takes epic fantasy in a whole new direction and proves Rusch's place as the greatest storyteller of our time.

"It's a delight to return to a popular fantasy setting after so many years, and to see a skilled author like [Kristine Kathryn] Rusch finally realize her ambition for this series."

—Black Gate

"A very good, very large fantasy...nicely done and with a particularly satisfying and unexpected resolution."

—Science Fiction Chronicle on The Sacrifice

"Rusch's greatest strength…is her ability to close down a story and leave the reader feeling that the author could not possibly have wrung any more satisfaction out of the piece."

—The Kansas City Star

"Kristine Kathryn Rusch integrates the fantastic elements so rigorously into her story that it is often hard to remember she is not merely recording the here and now."

—Science Fiction Weekly

"Whether [Rusch] writes high fantasy, horror, sf, or contemporary fantasy, I've always been fascinated by her ability to tell a story with that enviable gift of invisible prose.  She's one of those very few writers whose style takes me right into the story—the words and pages disappear as the characters and their story swallows me whole…. Rusch has style."

—Charles de Lint