Age of Assassins
(The Wounded Kingdom Book 1) To catch an assassin, use an assassin...
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4.2 • 87 Ratings
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- £3.99
Publisher Description
***Look out for The Bone Ships, the start of a new fantasy series by RJ Barker!***
'Age of Assassins reveals its mysteries with the style of a magic show and the artful grace of a gifted storyteller' Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld
TO CATCH AN ASSASSIN, USE AN ASSASSIN...
Girton Club-Foot, apprentice to the land's best assassin, still has much to learn about the art of taking lives. But his latest mission tasks Girton and his master with a far more difficult challenge: to save a life. Someone, or many someones, is trying to kill the heir to the throne, and it is up to Girton and his master to uncover the traitor and prevent the prince's murder.
In a kingdom on the brink of civil war and a castle thick with lies Girton finds friends he never expected, responsibilities he never wanted, and a conspiracy that could destroy an entire land.
***SHORTLISTED FOR THE DAVID GEMMELL AWARDS 2018***
***SHORTLISTED FOR THE KITSCHIE AWARDS 2018***
'Dead gods, dread magic, and a lead that feels like a breath of fresh air. Great fun' Peter Newman, author of The Vagrant
'Outstanding. Beautifully written, perfectly paced and assured. Kept me reading well into the early hours of the morning. A wonderful first book - a wonderful book, period - that should be at the very top of your to-read list' James Islington, author of The Shadow of what was Lost
'Simply unputdownable . . . the perfect mix of fantasy and mystery' Fantasy Book Review
'With an original, immersive world that wouldn't let me go and a pair of assassins worth rooting for, Age of Assassins is a pleasure to read. I can't wait for more!' Melissa Caruso, author of The Tethered Mage
'A dark-humored game of cat and mouse between assassins, with traitors on all sides' David Dalglish, author of the Shadowdance series
'Age of Assassins builds a compelling fantasy world and peoples it with characters you can care about. Riddled with intrigue and dangerous magic, this is a hugely enjoyable debut' Jen Williams, author of The Copper Promise
'Age of Assassins is a beguiling story of action and intrigue combined with a poignancy and humour that are as sharp as any blade' Jon Skovron, author of Hope and Red
'Compellingly complex political intrigue and steel-sparking action sequences leavened by warm humour and genuine emotional depth' Chris Brookmyre, author of the Jack Parlabane novels
The Wounded Kingdom trilogy begins with AGE OF ASSASSINS, continues with BLOOD OF ASSASSINS and will continue with KING OF ASSASSINS.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In Barker's uneven epic fantasy debut, a disabled teen hero faces down mighty adversaries. Girton the Club-Foot was enslaved as a child; since being rescued, he's become an apprentice assassin roaming the cursed land to distribute deadly justice. To sniff out a killer targeting the heir to the throne, Girton disguises himself as a son of a lesser noble family come to court to train as a squire. As he and his master, Merela Karn, carry on their investigations, they peel back the layers of court intrigue and hidden alliances to find that nearly every person from the priests to the lower classes seems to have reason to kill the cruel, spoiled prince. Girton tries to sort out who is actually behind the plot while also contending with more typical teenage concerns (including first crushes, a sexual relationship, and cliquey friendships) and learning to behave as a noble in a highly stratified society. Girton's maturity and skill seem occasionally inconsistent: with his peers he acts in accordance with his 15 years, but he can also stare down the powerful and speak his mind with adults. Impressionistic flashbacks offer moving reflections on his prior life, and readers will appreciate Barker's complex mythology and smoothly flowing plot.
Customer Reviews
A Fantastic Diversion from High Fantasy…
As someone who has read: WoT, Dune, Cosmere etc. it’s sometimes nice to read something ‘fun’.
Yes, this book is that! The sarcasm, wit & tomfoolery is excellent.
Highly recommended.
Diamond in the rough !
In a genre that has been over done,and yet found to be lacking, there is hope ! Well written and a really great story. It’s the mark of a good author when you despise a character so much you feel physical loathing towards them and love a character so much you wish you were friends ! It’s rare that I look forward to next books of a series so eagerly ! A great start and I hope the following books will live up to the first if not outshine it.