Blackwing by Ed McDonald – UK Cover Reveal

I first heard that Ed McDonald had written a book through our Facebook Group. He happened to be a member and commented about having recently won a book contract. I followed Ed’s posts for a while and they all proved he was someone passionate about the genre and who obviously had real knowledge on the darker epic fantasies that are currently in trend. A few weeks after that, Gollancz got in touch and told me they had a cover reveal looking for a home – it was for a book by an author they were hugely excited about named Ed McDonald.

When Gollancz gave me the title of the book, Blackwing, and the following back cover blurb, I was even quicker to say, “Yes! Let us host it!”

The republic faces annihilation, despite the vigilance of Galharrow’s Blackwings. When a raven tattoo rips itself from his arm to deliver a desperate message, Galharrow and a mysterious noblewoman must investigate a long dead sorcerer’s legacy. But there is a conspiracy within the citadel: traitors, flesh-eaters and the ghosts of the wastelands seek to destroy them, but if they cannot solve the ancient wizard’s paradox, the Deep Kings will walk the earth again, and all will be lost.

The war with the Eastern Empire ended in stalemate some eighty years ago, thanks to Nall’s ‘Engine’, a wizard-crafted weapon so powerful even the Deep Kings feared it. The strike of the Engine created the Misery – a wasteland full of ghosts and corrupted magic that now forms a No Man’s Land along the frontier. But when Galharrow investigates a frontier fortress, he discovers complacency bordering on treason: then the walls are stormed, and the Engine fails to launch. Galharrow only escapes because of the preternatural magical power of the noblewoman he was supposed to be protecting. Together, they race to the capital to unmask the traitors and restore the republic’s defences. Far across the Misery a vast army is on the move, as the Empire prepares to call the republic’s bluff.

Blackwing is a gritty epic fantasy for fans of Mark Lawrence, Scott Lynch, and Daniel Polansky.

Raven tattoos ripping themselves from someone’s body to deliver a message? Mark Lawrence/Scott Lynch/Daniel Polansky – esque’, dead sorcerer’s legacy, conspiracies, traitors, flesh-eaters, ghosts, scarily powerful weapons, corrupted magic, armies, battles – it’s like a checklist of stuff I love.

Now, if only the cover could feature a raven. Wait for it…

Pretty cool isn’t it? It’s actually not that typical of a fantasy cover either. There’s no hooded man, no shields or house symbols, it’s just an awesome looking raven with some cool abstract features. I like it a great deal and it’s certainly something I’d grab from a shelf.

Let us know what you think through Facebook, Twitter, or the comment sections below!

Blackwing is released on 27th July 2017. Until then, visit his website or follow him on Twitter @EdMcDonaldTFK.

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