The Guns of Ivrea
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- £5.99
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- £5.99
Publisher Description
Patrick O'Brian meets George R. R. Martin in a gritty new fantasy epic.
Acquel Galenus, former thief and now monk, uncovers a terrible secret under the Great Temple at Livorna, one that could shake the faith to its core. A secret that could get him killed. A secret that could enable an older, more sinister form of worship to be reborn.
Pirate princeling Nicolo Danamis, mercenary to the King and captain of the largest fleet in Valdur, has made one deal too many, and enemies are now closing in to destroy him.
Citala, fair-haired and grey-skinned, the daughter of the chieftain of the merfolk, finds herself implacably drawn to the affairs of men. She puts events in motion that will end her people’s years of isolation but that could imperil their very existence.
All their fates will intertwine as they journey across the land, through duchies and free cities riven by political intrigue, religious fervour, and ancient hatreds. Alliances are being forged anew and after decades of wary peace, war is on the wind once again...
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This book's dedication to those authors who are "recreating the Middle Ages not as they were but as they ought have been" is entirely appropriate for this merrily anachronistic adventure. Beal (The Raven's Banquet) introduces the kingdom of Valdur as a land chock-full of seafaring fantasy the swashbuckling pirates don't feel the least bit medieval and religious politicking. After Brother Acquel discovers a long-kept secret about the legendary Saint Elded that threatens his entire church, he goes on the run, bearing an ancient artifact that links him irrevocably to Elded. Elsewhere, a coastal noble's trade with the merfolk yields mutiny and betrayal, and a young merwoman becomes fascinated by those who live on land. These threads weave together into a grand web of intrigue and adventure that will change the kingdom forever. Beal keeps the action balanced expertly with complex political machinations, and though his prose can be somewhat blunt and lacking in subtlety, it does help keep things concise in a plot that might easily grow out of hand. The climax doesn't entirely satisfy, but it sets up several solid openings for a sequel.
