Today I’m pretty damned excited because Tor Books have been in touch and given me permission to host an extract for one of the best books I’ve read in the last few years. The book is called Drakenfeld and it is the latest by British author, Mark Charan Newton; who many of you will know for the fantastic Legends of the Red Sun series. To whet your appetite a little, here’s the blurb:
The monarchies of the Royal Vispasian Union have been bound together for two hundred years by laws maintained and enforced by the powerful Sun Chamber. As a result, nations have flourished but corruption, deprivation and murder will always find a way to thrive.
Receiving news of his father’s death Sun Chamber Officer Lucan Drakenfeld is recalled home to the ancient city of Tryum and is rapidly embroiled in a mystifying case. The King’s sister has been found brutally murdered – her beaten and bloody body discovered in a locked temple. With rumours of dark spirits and political assassination, Drakenfeld has his work cut out for him trying to separate superstition from certainty. His determination to find the killer quickly makes him a target as the underworld gangs of Tryum focus on this new threat to their power.
Embarking on the biggest and most complex investigation of his career, Drakenfeld soon realises the evidence is leading him towards a motive that could ultimately bring darkness to the whole continent. The fate of the nations is in his hands.
I was lucky enough to read an early draft of Drakenfeld and I have to say that I was mightily impressed. Fantasy’s answer to Sherlock Holmes and a break away from the ‘dark’ and ‘gritty’ fantasy that has become this decade’s trend.
Mark Newton is an author I am always impressed with, his prose are flawless and his imagination is one of the genre’s finest. Bloggers and critics alike often wonder why Mark hasn’t done even better over the years, and I think it’s because Mark’s imagination is so good that he sometimes falls into the ‘new weird’ bracket, that has a much smaller audience than mainstream fantasy’s. If I’m right, I’m pleased to say that Drakenfeld is Mark’s key to the mainstream and the recognition he deserves.
Anyway, see for yourselves with the extract below and, if you enjoy it, please let us know! 🙂
http://fantasy-faction.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Mark-Charan-Newton-Drakenfeld.pdf
Drakenfeld is available now. For more information on this book and the rest of Mark’s work you can visit his website or follow him on Twitter.
Richard Marpole
Jennie Ivins