Amazon Cover
In-your-face, action-packed, down-and-dirty, sword-and-blood fantasy wanted? Got you an author right here: Jay Requard. Yes, he is a fantasy author, but it isn’t the high-elf, long-quest version over green and fantastic landscapes.
My relationship with this author started when I read his Saga of the Panther through the Thief of Destiny omnibus. If you like things in smaller packages, the individual novellas are available as Thief of Shadows, Thief of Secrets, & Thief of Nations. This storyline builds – so stick around to the end.
Initially when I read Shadows, I was “meh, typical sword&sorcery action-adventure light on the sorcery”. Each novella actually is three short stories so it is easy to pick up or put down.
Then I read Secrets, “oooh, political intrigue and layers to the world. Characters all have their own motivations. The good not completely good and the bad not irredeemably bad. Perfect for a thief-hero. Plus all the action-adventure in a African-like setting. This is good.”
Finally I hit Nations. This was beyond good and stepped into amazing. Moments during the reading felt like I was diving into a new hero mythology from the times of legends – The Odyssey and Beowulf.
Now here is the fun part for me. I am working with him on his next series, the Salt Songs, which follows a group of sea marauders from The Curse of Shallow Bay to The Silver Queen. It’s set in the same world as the Saga of the Panther, but you don’t need to read the one to enjoy the other. The action of the two novella series happen in completely different areas on the planet.
The Curse of Shallow Bay will keep you on the edge of your seat – the raiders’ trireme is surrounded by salt water and the crew about to die of dehydration, being inexplicably anchored in the opens waters of Shallow Bay. The captain and crew fight for survival against creatures and each other, not sure if the cause of the curse is from within or without.
Look for the novellas to come out in late 2020!
