Fantasy - Dark Fantasy Genre

Word Count: Click here to reveal85000 (Click here to hide)

Summary: With the world clinging to a fragile peace forced on the Fae by humanity after the Faerie Wars, metalsmith Alex Blackwood is plunged into the world of the half-fae who traffick in illegal magical artifacts. Her best friend’s murder and his cryptic last message place her in the crosshairs of a scheme to reignite the decade-old war between humans and fae. Worse, violent attacks against her and the arrival of a fae knight on a mission force Alex to face a devastating revelation of who and what she is. To catch a killer, retrieve a dangerous artifact, and stop a war, Alex will have to accept that she’s an unregistered fae “halfer” with a unique magical talent—a talent that would change everything she believes about her past, her art, and her future. Her world is crumbling around her, and Alex will have to decide who to trust if she and the world are going to survive.

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Summary: Science Fiction & Fantasy Translation Award Winner Best Translated Book Award Shortlist “The celebrated Châteaureynaud, who over the course of a distinguished career has created short tales that are not exactly contes cruels but which linger on the edge of darkness and absurdity.” —New York Times Georges-Olivier Châteaureynaud is well known to readers of French literature. This comprehensive collection—the first to be translated into English—introduces a distinct and dynamic voice to the Anglophone world. In many ways, Châteaureynaud is France’s own Kurt Vonnegut, and his stories are as familiar as they are fantastic. A Life on Paper presents characters who struggle to communicate across the boundaries of the living and the dead, the past and the present, the real and the more-than-real. A young husband struggles with self-doubt and an ungainly set of angel wings in “Icarus Saved from the Skies,” even as his wife encourages him to embrace his transformation. In the title story, a father’s obsession with his daughter leads him to keep her life captured in 93,284 unchanging photographs. While Châteaureynaud’s stories examine the diffidence and cruelty we are sometimes capable of, they also highlight the humanity in the strangest of us and our deep appreciation for the mysterious. Reviews “Châteaureynaud is a master craftsman, encapsulating weighty themes with pith and heart. In his hands, the short story is a Gothic cathedral whittled from a wine cork.” —The Believer “Châteaureynaud celebrates the quiet, hidden beauties of the world and the objects or knowledge we hold tight like talismans to protect us from its losses and horrors.” —The Quarterly Conversation “Châteaureynaud makes expert thematic use of both light and shadow to reveal his fantastical realms of wonder and fear. His unassuming prose startles as it entrances, holding readers on the edge of elegantly rendered, fantastical dream-worlds while all at once alluding to their more nightmarish qualities. In the style of Kafka and Poe, Châteaureynaud makes the supernatural seem not only present, but ubiquitous, inclined to encroach at any moment on the humdrum lives of unsuspecting mortals. More sinister than fairy tales, yet not quite definable as horror stories, Châteaureynaud’s whimsical writings leave one unsettled and alert, appreciating anew the possibilities of the chilly night air while simultaneously feeling the urge to draw nearer to the fire—just in case.” —Catherine Bailey, Three Percent “The collection will perhaps appeal especially to those who enjoy their fiction short and concise, not to mention intense and decidedly peculiar. If you . . . are interested in dream-logic, fantastic situations, the unexplainable and/or macabre . . . this volume delivers again and again.” —Neon Magazine “Châteaureynaud’s stories are disorienting, bizarre, mythical. The stories don’t end with epiphanies or a tidy wrapping-up. Some of the endings are abrupt, even unsatisfying; they feel more like a beginning. So what? A Life on Paper is fantastic in both meanings: it’s fantastic, as in strange, unreal, weird, imaginary; and it’s fantastic, as in absolutely fucking awesome. People will call A Life on Paper magical realism. A few will call it irrealism. I don’t care what you call it. I just want you to read it.” —Bookslut “Both classic and modern, strange and simple, Châteaureynaud’s stories remind not only of Vonnegut but of Gogol and Kafka. What’s endearing about the stories is the amount of tenderness running through them. Even in stories about bizarre cruelty (the title story tells of a father who had his daughter photographed a dozen times a day for her entire life), affection provides the glue.” —Time Out Chicago “A Life on Paper is a brief selection from more than thirty years of fiction. Châteaureynaud has a backlist for American readers that this book makes enticingly tangible, almost real. His own work is such that it might be subject of one of his stories. This might be all there is, the rest pure fabrication. The unreal, awaiting translation.” —Rick Kleffel, The Agony Column “These 22 curious tales verging on the perverse will strike new English readers of Châteaureynaud’s work as a wonderful find. Beautiful prose featuring ingenuous protagonists and clever, unexpected forays into horror are the hallmarks of these mischievous stories.” —Publishers Weekly “Georges-Olivier Châteaureynaud is 63 and has never published a book in English until now. A Life on Paper: Selected Stories, brilliantly translated by Edward Gauvin, opens the door at last. . . . Nothing matters in this book unless it has been told, everything is told. Open this book.” —John Clute, Strange Horizons “Châteaureynaud’s dance steps are so nimble that he seems, without effort, to show us what is best in others.” —Brooklyn Rail “Châteaureynaud has sometimes been called the Kurt Vonnegut of France. However, this collection of 22 of Châteaureynaud’s stories—which are often other-worldly and not infrequently unsettling—may speak to some readers more directly of Kafka.” —Christian Science Monitor “As weird as they are elegant, as delicious as they are unsettling, these fables place Châteaureynaud in the secret brotherhood that has only exemplars, no definition: Kafka, Bruno Schulz, Nathanael West, Aimee Bender. We are lucky indeed to have them, in a very skilled translation.” —John Crowley (Little, Big) Table of Contents Foreword by Brian Evenson

Word Count: Click here to reveal11500 (Click here to hide)

Summary: A dark fairy tale in a modern Welsh setting. The lives of a diver and a reclusive mermaid collide. Will one be the death of the other? When Erin comes to the aid of a sea creature caught in fishing nets, she's shocked to discover she's rescued an injured mermaid. Though it quickly disappears, Erin is determined to find the creature again. A twist of circumstance finds her trapped in the mermaid's lair, wrestling with her own conscience and the instinct to survive... This is a standalone novelette of about 11,500 words, and is the third installment in the Dark Folklore series.

Word Count: Click here to reveal73,151 (Click here to hide)

Summary: Time travel. For mages, it violates their number one rule: what the Mother has written, let no one unwrite. The Mother writes the destinies of the creatures on the world of Karishian. If her writings were undone, it is feared that Creation itself could be undone. The dark mage Morgorth takes this rule to heart, but there are others who do not. Morgorth is about to claim a stone of power when it is stolen from him by a female mage he hasn't seen in decades. As they struggle for the stone, she activates it, and Morgorth is unwillingly plunged into another time and another place. It isn't long before he realizes what time he's found himself in and there are a few familiar faces. Most notable is a much younger version of Aishe. His mate. Living with a tribe who will be massacred, caring for a young lad who will become his mate, and fighting a battle against a mage who can travel from past to future at a whim—Morgorth's life has never been easy but now he must contend with the will of the Mother. Unable to change the future and the tragedies of Aishe's life, he must decide what his role in his mate's past will be, and ask himself one vital question: how does one defeat time?

Word Count: Click here to reveal65000 (Click here to hide)

Summary: Loner, bumpkin, self-destructive teenager, Matina thought her life’s adventures would reach no further than paddling under night cypress or falling through the parchment of a good book. But she owns a great secret, one coming with her approaching womanhood like the mouths of gnashing teeth. Boraor Rehton, the inept shaman, would love nothing more than to leave this wretched town, continuously appointing him their spiritual leader. He knows little about the earthly arts, but the same cannot be said for black magic; tools he uses, which, if caught, would earn him a place on Amden’s impaling stakes. Add Pauthor Quithot, recluse, Grubilius Motty, lowlife drunkard, and other malcontents all involved with a mysterious force let loose upon the bog. As the force’s mystery wanes, old feuds are inflamed, murder is ready to run rampant, and the threshold separating the living from the dead is hopped over with wicked glee. The second book to expose the grim world of Mulgara: Alluring, unpredictable, dripping with idiosyncratic folk, AMDEN BOG is dark fantasy where beauty and brutality often hang from the same sagging vine.

Word Count: Click here to reveal70,034 (Click here to hide)

Summary: Every story has more than one point of view. As the mate to the dark mage Morgorth, Aishe has learned a lot about magick, love, and himself. He tries to find a home with Morgorth, to be accepted into his world; to survive in a world full of magick, treachery, and deception. But all the while he struggles to keep a secret about his past and their intertwined destinies. Despite all the obstacles thrown at both of them, Aishe is determined to stay by Morgorth’s side, no matter what the future brings—even if that future turns dark with death should Morgorth embrace his grim destiny. But when Morgorth leaves with his mentor to collect another stone of power, Aishe is left behind. It is then a surprise attack comes and Aishe, determined to protect and defend his new home, decides to take the invaders on by himself. It might prove too much for him to handle...especially when he learns the one who leads the invaders is a mage. This book allows us a glimpse inside the mind of Lord Morgorth’s better half, a dialen named Aishe: his motivations, his personal sorrows, and his struggle to find a place to call home.

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Summary: Arianh had one wish. Yewlow made it real. And Time turned it into a regret.   Anachrony takes you on a journey to the bleak future of Aegea and the darkest places of the mind. Can fate be avoided, or is the future just someone else's past?

Word Count: Click here to reveal110000 (Click here to hide)

Summary: Mistakes were made. The future is uncertain. And Time doesn't care.   As the story ends, we'll finally learn how it started. The world is breaking apart. Only the combined willpower of Hades and Hel can save it. But Love has other plans. Meanwhile, the gods need to deal with the outcomes of their choices; everyone else needs to survive them. And Psyche must finally face her greatest foe. Can free will cheat fate, or is fate the consequence of free will?

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Summary: There will be time to crown a king, but first a warlord must rise. Arthur’s battle summer is upon him, and he must be victorious if he is to claim his throne and rid the land of Saxon invaders. The teenage king has pulled the sword from the stone, but still the petty kings will not accept his rule. The Saxons are invading, Lot and Uriens are united against him, and he still has to prove himself to the common folk of the land. Next stop: the mysterious standing stones of the Giants’ Dance and the Beltane ritual. Warfare does not wait for Arthur to catch his breath. Battle follows battle. Love is lost and found. Allies fall, enemies rise, and betrayals come to the young High King. If he stays strong, he can lead his people through a bloody summer. If not, all of Britannia will fall. Arthur alone will be responsible for the glory or ruin to come. Merlin will help him to see it through. But what secrets is the druid keeping? Arthur Rex: Dux Bellorum is the third installment in an epic retelling of the King Arthur legend. You only think you know the story.

Word Count: Click here to reveal82290 (Click here to hide)

Summary: Merlin has devised a test. All of the petty kings have gathered in Londinium to see who will be the next High King. Arthur and his retinue travel to the city in secret, but they are not the only ones with an interest in the Sword in the Stone. Morgana, Arthur's half-sister and the renegade queen of Rheged, has journeyed there with her Saxon lover, and petty kings have come with no kind welcome for the young High King. Arthur pulls the sword, but the kings will not accept him. He is given the temporary title of Dux Bellorum, and with Merlin at his side, he sets out to unite the tribes of Britannia as the Saxon threat grows more menacing on their eastern shore. Some battles are easy. Others are carried out in secret. It is the secret battles that Arthur will need to fear. "Arthur Rex: Ex Lapis" is the second installment of an epic retelling of the Arthurian legend. You only think you know the story.

Word Count: Click here to reveal100260 (Click here to hide)

Summary: The High King is dead. While royal bastards and petty kings squabble for the power to take the vacant throne, only the druid Merlin and his succubus mother know where to find the late king’s only legal heir. Arthur is young, idealistic, and living a quiet life at Caer Gai, protected by his foster father. Merlin put him there, and he will take him back out when the time is right, but first he has to set the stage and sweep away distractions… like the boy that Arthur loves. Merlin and his mother have plans for the hidden king, and they will stop at nothing to get him where they want him to go. But Arthur is no mere pawn, and though Merlin is a master manipulator, Arthur has ideas of his own about how his life should be. “ARTHUR REX: In Principio” is the first installment of an epic retelling of the Arthurian legend. You only think you know the story.

Word Count: Click here to reveal125,000 (Click here to hide)

Summary: For the past few years Yarroway L’Estrella has lived in exile, gathering arcane power.  But that power came at a price, and he carries the scars to prove it. Now he must do his duty: his uncle, the king, needs him to escort Prince Garith to his wedding, a union that will create an alliance between the two strongest countries in the known world. But Yarrow isn’t the prince’s only guard. A whole company of knights is assigned to the mission, and Yarrow’s not sure he trusts their leader. Knight Duncan Purefroy isn't sure he trusts Yarrow either, but after a bizarre occurrence during their travels, they have no choice but to work together—especially since the incident also reveals a disturbing secret, one that might threaten the entire kingdom. The precarious alliance is strained further when a third member joins the cause for reasons of his own—reasons that may not be in the best interests of the prince or the kingdom. With enemies at every turn, no one left to trust, and the dark power within Yarrow pulling dangerously away from his control, the fragile bond the three of them have built may be all that stands between them and destruction.

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Summary: The Dragon is awake, and he's ready to rejoin the game. When the Valsharess compelled the novice Sister Sirana to leave for the Surface, she also commanded the Lead Sister Jaunda to leave her beloved city for the dark labyrinth of the underground wilderness. Jaunda seeks the lair of a legendary creature who's been asleep since before she was born. After spans of searching, she approaches her goal at last, only to discover he just woke up ... and he wants to play. Meanwhile, Sirana waits for her bodyguard to rise out of an abrupt and powerful sleep. In the aftermath of the Temple City's fall, surrounded by battle-weary refugees and bustling Dwarves, she and others around her discover the wounds which must be healed before fighting continues. Sister Seekers is dark epic fantasy for adults with an ever-broadening scope. The saga genre-hops a bit so things never get stale. Found Family is a core theme throughout. Perfect for fans of entwined plots, challenging themes, immersive worldbuilding, and elements of erotic horror. Sexuality and inner conflict play into character growth with nuanced intrigue, intense action, and fantastical magic.

Word Count: Click here to reveal174300 (Click here to hide)

Summary: My sister is in grave danger, captive in the city of Witch Hunters. As Manalar prepares for war, her only chance lies with infiltrators from Augran. I shall join them. The prosperous port of Augran thrives in diverse trade with the Dwarven Clans. The Bishops of Manalar have withdrawn defiantly into the Temple of the Sun, scorning their past allies. The Ma’ab Empire has sent their dark army out of the Far North, seeking not riches but a small, well-protected spring high upon a mountain. The sacred pool of Manalar is said to bless all mages who control it. On the fringe, there’s Gavin and me. Each dedicated to our purpose, we garner allies from Augran and the Clans of Taiding willing to see them through. My Dragonblood bodyguard, Mourn, reinforces our strengths as we expect others like us to jump out of hiding and into the fray. I failed one sister. I will not fail another. Sirana’s desperate search upon the Surface reaches its culmination in Battle for Manalar, where foes and allies unite and clash in this transformative event driven by opportunity, righteousness, and reprisal. Sister Seekers is dark epic fantasy for adults with an ever-broadening scope. The saga genre-hops a bit so things never get stale. Found Family is a core theme throughout. Perfect for fans of entwined plots, challenging themes, immersive worldbuilding, and elements of erotic horror. Sexuality and inner conflict play into character growth with nuanced intrigue, intense action, and fantastical magic.

Word Count: Click here to reveal11500 (Click here to hide)

Summary: A dark fairy tale in a modern Greek setting. Hiding in the mountains, a harpy and her adopted daughter struggle to survive. Iphis has always known that survival comes hand in hand with loneliness, but when she catches feelings for a girl in the nearby town, her heart yearns for a different kind of future. When she's suddenly attacked by a group of enraged harpies, things only become more complicated... and dangerous.

Word Count: Click here to reveal8700 (Click here to hide)

Summary: A dark fairy tale in a modern Norwegian setting. Ida, a young girl grieving the loss of her mother, is wandering in the snowy wilderness when she meets the mysterious Maja - a huldra from myth and legend. Taking comfort in Maja's kind arms, Ida makes a desperate wish for her family to be whole again... and gets far more than she bargained for. With her own home turned against her, Ida must race across the wild valley to save her Pappa and confront the huldra before time runs out.

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Summary: Billy Ninefingers knows three things. First, the feud that cost him the use of his sword hand is not over. Second, if he doesn’t pull himself together and become the leader the Rowdies need, he’ll lose everything his father left him. Third, despite Bastard John’s best efforts, there’s no way he’ll ever take up farming. All he needs is a plan, a mountain of luck, and the love of a good woman. Well, she doesn’t have to be good, but a few scruples would make a nice change. A plan would be nice too, since luck is never on Billy’s side. Billy Ninefingers knows one thing. He’s doomed.

Word Count: Click here to reveal135000 (Click here to hide)

Summary: I am the dark foreigner among pale-skinned mercenaries, crossing exposed grasslands. My only ally is a sinister scholar hiding scars from past rituals. He alone knows I carry a child. Each day assaults my senses and leads me farther away from home. Inevitably, my mission will lead out of isolation to the first Human settlement in my path. With few watching my back and more tempted to exploit it, I wade into an unforgiving test of my training and vigilance, determined not to be pulled down. Twisted portents and pious zealotry expose danger in every direction, while new, threatening dreams of distant sands muddle my Queen's past with my present. As all close in around me, I must find a way to serve the Valsharess and slip free of man-made chains which would enslave me. In Black Witch, Death Mage, far-reaching threads and mystical visions constrict to bind those within it, pulling the tales of present and past closer than they've been in thousands of years. Sister Seekers is dark epic fantasy for adults with an ever-broadening scope. The saga genre-hops a bit so things never get stale. Found Family is a core theme throughout. Perfect for fans of entwined plots, challenging themes, immersive worldbuilding, and elements of erotic horror. Sexuality and inner conflict play into character growth with nuanced intrigue, intense action, and fantastical magic.

Word Count: Click here to reveal75000 (Click here to hide)

Summary: Sleepwalking may be the death of me… again. I thought things would get better now that I no longer had assassins after my head. Although it’s fun eating people who misgender me, I’m just so thirsty all the time. And until I improve, I’m barred from seeing Jack, my were-jackal boyfriend. My babysitter, I mean ‘vampire mentor,’ isn’t much help either. As if things weren’t bad enough, the amulet that started this mess is whispering to me. Calling me somewhere. I think it might be my mysterious maker. Judging by the trail of bodies they’re leaving across the globe, I don’t want to know what will happen if I can’t keep resisting.

Word Count: Click here to reveal73,667 (Click here to hide)

Summary: Lord Morgorth is haunted by dreams of his father. Though Morgorth killed him, his father's presence and brutality won't completely die. But now he has more to worry about—in the form of the Council of Mages' inquiry into the duel between Morgorth and an elder of the council. Morgorth expects sabotage and prepares accordingly. He fears for Aishe's life, knowing that the best way to sabotage the inquiry is to eliminate the witnesses. He sets into motion a desperate plan that, though it will protect Aishe, could put a strain on their relationship not easily removed. Yet the true danger lurks unseen, and it will take all of Morgorth's skill, strength, and devotion to Aishe, to save his mate from the hold of a foe Morgorth has yet to tangle with: a dream demon. Now Morgorth must throw aside caution, restraint, and fear if he is to save the one most dear to him. He must call upon the power of the one thing he hates more than even his father: a stone of power. But even if he manages to save Aishe, his mate's experiences in Dreamworld—at the mercy of the dream demon—have changed him forever and could shatter their bond irrevocably.