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Leven has no memory of her life before she was a soldier. The process of turning her into a Herald - a magical killing machine - was traumatic enough that it wiped her mind clean. Now, with the war won and the Imperium satisfied, she finds herself unemployed and facing a bleak future. Her fellow Heralds are disappearing, and her own mind seems to be coming apart at the seams. Strange visions, memories she shouldn't have, are resurfacing, and none of them make any sense. They show her Brittletain, the ancient and mysterious island that the Imperium was never able to tame. Leven resolves to go to this place of magic and warring queens, with the hope of finding who she really is. Envoy Kaeto has done a number of important little jobs for the Imperium, most of them nasty, all of them in the shadows. His newest assignment is to escort the bone-crafter Gynid Tyleigh as she travels across the Imperium - as the woman responsible for creating the Heralds, his employers owe her a great deal. But Tyleigh's ambition alarms even Kaeto, and her conviction that she has found a new source of Titan bones, buried deep in the earth, could lead to another, even bloodier war.
About the author
Jen Williams has published two trilogies - The Copper Promise series and The Winnowing Flame series - and has won multiple British Fantasy Awards. In 2015 she was nominated for Best Newcomer in the BFAs. Both The Iron Ghost and The Silver Tide have also been nominated for BFAs and she was involved in founding the Super Relaxed Fantasy Club, a social group that meets in London to celebrate a love of fantasy. Jen lives in London and Tweets @sennydreadful
Summary
Uncover a world of mythical creatures, ruthless religion, and a magical past that refuses to be forgotten, perfect for fans of Samantha Shannon, John Gwynne and Andrea Stewart. Winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Novel 2024.