I’m sure that the vast majority of Fantasy-Faction fans have heard of John Gwynne by now. John is the author of the hugely successful Malice, which won the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for best fantasy debut of 2012. For good reason then the sequel, Valour, has been highly anticipated and is undoubtedly on many of your 2014 pre-order lists.
The cover art of John’s first book was rather subtle and elegant and it’s nice to see that the artists have run with that same style. Although it’s not as fancy as some of today’s covers, it matches the covers of the more traditional authors such as George R. R. Martin, David Gemmell, Terry Brooks and Robert Jordan that John is so often compared to.
Here is is:
For those who haven’t read it already, here’s the blurb:
The Banished Lands are torn by war as the army of High King Nathair sweeps the realm challenging all who oppose his holy crusade. Allied with the manipulative Queen Rhin of Cambren, there are few who can stand against him. But Rhin is playing her own games and has her eyes on a far greater prize . . .Left for dead – her kin have fled and her country is overrun with enemies – Cywen fights to survive. But any chance of escape is futile once Nathair and his disquieting advisor Calidus realize who she is. They have no intention of letting such a prize slip from their grasp. For she may be their one chance at killing the biggest threat to their power.Meanwhile, the young warrior Corban flees from his conquered homeland with his exiled companions, heading for the only place that may offer them sanctuary. But to get there they must travel through Cambren, avoiding warbands, giants and the vicious wolven of the mountains. And all the while Corban struggles to become the man that everyone believes him to be – the Bright Star and saviour of the Banished Lands.Embroiled in struggles for power and survival, the mortal world is unaware of the greatest threat of all. In the Otherworld, dark forces scheme to bring a host of the Fallen into the world of flesh to end the war with the Faithful, once and for all.
The book is due for release in the UK on March 27th 2014… If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Malice, head over to Amazon UK
Jennie Ivins