I’m delighted to reveal the cover for the US edition of The Black Song – Book Two of The Raven’s Blade. Thanks to everyone at Ace/Roc for their work on this.
The Black Song will be released in the USA and Canada on August 4th this year and in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa on July 2nd. Pre-order links and description are on the book page.
Also, for any aspiring fantasy authors who have a Twitter account, I’m offering a 10,000-word manuscript critique in aid of the #authorsforfireys campaign to support volunteer firefighters battling the Australian bush-fires. The critique will cover plot, character, and prose clarity. To bid simply reply to the tweet below with your bid amount in Australian dollars. The auction will run until Jan 12th when the winner will be notified and asked for proof of their donation to the Bush-fire Disaster Appeal.
There are plenty of authors offering signed books and other goodies to support this cause so be sure to click the hashtag #authorsforfireys to check out the auctions. Full auction rules and more info can be found at https://authorsforfireys.wixsite.com/website.
My novella A Pilgrimage of Swords was released by Subterranean Press in September and, somewhat to my surprise, has since sold out in hardcover.
In the spirit of the season, and to express my gratitude for the response to this novella, I thought I’d give readers who missed out another chance to win a signed copy. Therefore, I’m holding a quickie giveaway for existing subscribers to my mailing list and anyone who subscribes between now and midnight GMT December 25th.
Five lucky winners will receive a signed limited edition hardcover of A Pilgrimage of Swords. Winners will be chosen at random and notified on December 26th.
A Pilgrimage of Swords is the first in a series entitled The Seven Swords. The next volume, The Kraken’s Tooth, will be released by Subterranean Press in September 2020. Check back in the new year for a cover reveal – once again the illustration is by Didier Graffet and is really something special.
Thanks to the nice people at Deep Magic Magazine for publishing my new novella Fire Wings in their Winter 2019 issue. This is a never-before-published 35,000-word tale set in the same world as my short story The Hall of the Diamond Queen.
You don’t have to have The Hall of the Diamond Queen to follow the novella but if you want to check it out for completeness it’s available free to subscribers of my mailing list or as part of the Unbound anthology from Grim Oak Press.
In addition to Fire Wings this issue has two short stories, a novelette and one other novella to enjoy. Here’s the full table of contents:
Forged in Iron and Blood by Jeanna Mason Stay
The Job Prospects of History Majors by Alyssa Eckles
Fairy Lights by Laurie Lucking
A Power Arcane Caitlyn McFarland
Fire Wings by Anthony Ryan
The issue also has extended sample chapters for the following novels:
The US and UK editions of The Black Song – the second and final book in The Raven’s Blade series – are now available for pre-order. No covers yet but watch this space for a reveal soon. As usual, the audiobook pre-order won’t appear for a while, I’ll post an update when it does.
The Black Song is currently scheduled for release next year in the UK on July 2nd and in the US on August 4th. These dates may change so be sure to check back for updates closer to publication day.
Here’s the description for the US edition:
A matchless warrior is pitted against a near-God in the second epic installment of the Raven’s Blade series.
It has long been our lot in life, brother, to do what others can’t.
Vaelin Al Sorna was known across the realm as the greatest of warriors, but he thought battles were behind him. He was wrong. Prophecy and rumor led him across the sea to find a woman he once loved, and drew him into a war waged by the Darkblade, a man who believes himself a god—and one who has gathered a fanatical army that threatens all of the known world.
After a costly defeat by the Darkblade, Vaelin’s forces are shattered, while the self-proclaimed immortal and his army continue their terrible march. But during the clash, Vaelin regained some of the dark magic that once gave him unrivalled skill in battle. And though the fight he has been drawn into seems near unwinnable, the song that drives him now desires the blood of his enemy above all else…
The sales are certainly coming thick and fast this month. The UK Kindle edition of The Waking Fire – Book One of the Draconis Memoria – is currently on sale at £0.99 as part of the Cyber Monday promotion. This price will only last until December 2nd so now’s the time if you’ve been thinking about giving this series a try.
The Kindle edition of Blood Song – Book One of the Raven’s Shadowtrilogy – is now on sale at £0.99. This price will only last until 29th November so be sure to tell your friends (or your enemies if you think they’d hate it).
The e-book edition of Blood Song – Book One of the Raven’s Shadow Trilogy – is now on sale in the US for only $0.99. This price will be in effect until November 24th so be sure to tell your friends. (Sorry, non-Americans, this sale is US only).
I’m pleased to report that a possible TV adaptation of the Raven’s Shadow books has taken a step closer to reality with BCDF Pictures acquiring the option. I should stress that this doesn’t mean a series is definitely happening, but a pilot script has been written and development work is in progress. Of course, I’ll update you all on news of any progress when I get it. Here’s the full text of the press release:
BCDF Pictures has acquired the rights to Anthony Ryan’s bestselling RAVEN’S SHADOW book series. Joseph Muszynski (Peace, Love and Misunderstanding) is adapting BLOOD SONG, the first novel in the fantasy epic which has sold over one million copies worldwide. Claude Dal Farra, Brice Dal Farra, Brian Keady, and Ryan are executive producers.
RAVEN’S SHADOW took the fantasy world by storm when BLOOD SONG landed on many “best of” lists of 2012. The sequels, TOWER LORD and QUEEN OF FIRE, were both New York Times Bestsellers and International Bestsellers.
BLOOD SONG tells the story of Vaelin Al Sorna, who was only a child of ten when his father left him at the iron gate of the Sixth Order to be trained and hardened to the austere, celibate and dangerous life of a warrior of the Faith. Vaelin’s father was Battle Lord to King Janus, ruler of the Unified Realm—and Vaelin’s rage at being abandoned and deprived of his birthright knows no bounds. Even his cherished memories of his mother are soon challenged by what he learns within the Order. But one truth overpowers all the rest: Vaelin Al Sorna is destined for a future he has yet to comprehend. A future that will alter not only the Realm but the world.
On this agreement, Ryan said “I am very excited at the prospect of my work making it to the screen and delighted that fans of the Raven’s Shadow series may finally get the adaptation so many have been asking for. Joseph Muszynski has produced a terrific pilot script that does justice to the story and fully captures the spirit of the books.”
BCDF has recently been developing an array of book franchises for film and TV, including New York Times Bestseller THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS, which will star Nick Robinson and Kiersey Clemons; runaway New York Times Bestseller THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY; USA Today Bestseller THE HATING GAME, starring Lucy Hale and Robbie Amell; International Bestselling supernatural romance series HUSH, HUSH; and Alexandra Daddario starrer CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET?, which was released last month.
Ryan is repped by Paul Lucas of Janklow & Nesbit. BCDF is repped by Sheri Jeffrey at Hogan Lovells.
Das Imperium aus Asche – Draconis Memoria Buch 3 – published today by Hobbit Presse with this rather spectacular cover.
Many thanks to my translators Sara Riffel and Birgit Maria Pfaffinger and my German editor Stephan Askani for all their hard work in making this happen.
Click here to buy the book in hardcover, ebook or audiobook.
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