Traitor’s Blade

Description

With swashbuckling action that recalls Dumas’s Three Musketeers, Sebastien de Castell has created a dynamic new fantasy series. In Traitor’s Blade, a disgraced swordsman struggles to redeem himself by protecting a young girl caught in the web of a royal conspiracy.

The King is dead, the Greatcoats have been disbanded, and Falcio Val Mond and his fellow magistrates Kest and Brasti have been reduced to working as bodyguards for a nobleman who refuses to pay them. Things could be worse, of course. Their employer could be lying dead on the floor while they are forced to watch the killer plant evidence framing them for the murder. Oh wait, that’s exactly what’s happening.

Now a royal conspiracy is about to unfold in the most corrupt city in the world. A carefully orchestrated series of murders that began with the overthrow of an idealistic young king will end with the death of an orphaned girl and the ruin of everything that Falcio, Kest, and Brasti have fought for. But if the trio want to foil the conspiracy, save the girl, and reunite the Greatcoats, they’ll have to do it with nothing but the tattered coats on their backs and the swords in their hands, because these days every noble is a tyrant, every knight is a thug, and the only thing you can really trust is a traitor’s blade.

“Traitor’s Blade is a swashbuckling romp packed with charisma, camaraderie, quick wit and even quicker swordplay. That said, it’s far from candy-coated – and it packs some serious substance . . . darkness is served up deliciously in Traitor’s Blade–only de Castell uses it as the sauce, not the soup . . . What makes the book truly sing, though, is its rich historical backdrop . . . De Castell’s fight scenes are as sumptuously detailed as the world Falcio inhabits. . . In its own way, Traitor’s Blade is as grim and dark as the edgiest fantasy series on the shelves. It’s also shot through with heroics, hope and a dazzling aptitude for fun.”— Jason Heller, NPR“Like the sword its disgraced protagonist carries, Traitor’s Blade is short and sharp and smart, and very well wielded, really . . . With a tip of his hat at Alexandre Dumas, Sebastien de Castell make a fine first impression in this entertaining debut.”—Tor“Traitor’s Blade is the first ‘new’ fantasy of 2014 that met and even exceeded my expectations.”—Fantasy Book Critic“If this isn’t your most anticipated debut novel of 2014, then you’re doing it wrong. Traitor’s Blade may well end up going down as one of the strongest first fantasy novels of recent times–it’s an absolute stunner that you can’t afford to miss.”—Bane of Kings, The Founding Fields“Traitor’s Blade never falters, with writing as smooth and decisive as a rapier’s swish through the air and a story as passionate as life itself. I can’t wait to read more about these wonderful characters. Highly recommended!”—Julie E. Czerneda, author of A Turn of Light“In short, I loved loved loved Traitor’s Blade. I would recommend it to everyone . . . Seriously, this is one excellent and remarkably entertaining book! Read it.”—BiblioSanctum“A gripping plot . . . I was utterly fascinated by the female characters in the book . . . written with vivid narration and humor. It made me laugh out loud and it made me shed an occasional tear. It dragged me right in to the world of Tristia. Traitor’s Blade is a great book.”—Fantasy Faction“Like a master-crafted rapier, Traitor’s Blade is perfectly-balanced, sharp and to the point. Very highly recommended, this is a must read.”—Civilian Reader“Some books you can’t put down. This one won’t even let you try; it whirls you along in a wild dance of fights, treachery, and jaw-dropping surprises.”—Dave Duncan, author of King of Swords“In Traitor’s Blade, Sebastien de Castell combines the best of Joe Abercrombie and Alexandre Dumas. He can break your heart and spike your adrenaline with the same sentence. Riveting.”—Violette Malan, author of Path of the Sun and The Storm WitchBest Debut Book 2014