The Tower of Living and Dying (Empires of Dust, Book 2)

KING OF RUIN. KING OF DUST AND SHADOWS. KING OF DEATH. HE WILL RULE ALL. THE KING IS COMING.Marith Altrersyr – father-killer, dragonlord, leader of the blood-soaked Amrath Army – is keeping his promises. He is determined to become King of all Irlast and take back the seat of his ancestors.Only Thalia, once high priestess of the Lord of Living and Dying, the holiest woman in the Empire, might stop Marith and his army’s deadly march. But she is torn between two destinies – and if she was to return home, what would she fi nd there? A city on the brink of ruin: diseased, despairing, dying?Crawling through a tunnel deep under the ruins of her city, Landra Relast vows vengeance. Her family has been burned, her home destroyed, and now Marith – once her betrothed – must die.But as Landra cuts through the wasteland left in the wake of Marith’s army, she finds that she is not the only one who wishes him ill…

Grimdark Magazine on The Tower of Living and Dying

"Marked by intense, action-packed battle scenes, this grimdark epic fantasy is the escape you need right now."―Kirkus on The Tower of Living and Dying 'One of the most exciting voices not just in grimdark but in fantasy [...] eclipses almost everything else I've read this year'.

Miles Cameron, author of The Traitor Son Cycle on The Court of Broken Knives

"Gritty and glorious! A great read."

Adrian Tchaikovsky, Arthur C. Clarke Award winner for Children of Time on The Court of Broken Knives

"Fierce, gripping fantasy, exquisitely written; bitter, funny, and heart-rending by turns."

Andy Remic, author of the Blood Dragon Empire series on The Court of Broken Knives

"Grim, gritty, and fast paced; with great battles scenes! Anna Smith-Spark is one to watch."

Adrian Collins, Grimdark Magazine on The Court of Broken Knives

"Anna Smith-Spark writes in a unique voice with such pace and veracity your imagination has to struggle to keep up with your eyes."

Marc Turner, author of the Chronicles of the Exile series on The Court of Broken Knives

"Captivating."

Michael R. Fletcher, author of Beyond Redemption on The Court of Broken Knives

"All hail the queen of grimdark fantasy!"

Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Court of Broken Knives

"Spark's gripping debut is definitely one to read and prize."

Grim Tidings on The Court of Broken Knives

"Holy crap, this is good!"

RT Book Reviews on The Court of Broken Knives

"Spark's first novel lives up to its billing as a 'grimdark' tale. The setting may be bleak and dreary, but the worldbuilding is well done and the characters fit right in. Troubled, solitary and downright drug-addled as the protagonist is, readers will come around to his side as the reasons why he seeks for the throne he lost are revealed."

The Daily Mail (UK) on The Court of Broken Knives

"This outstanding, unputdownable debut holds and horrifies like a blood-spattered tapestry. There's rough humour, high drama and a love of story-telling that shines through every page. Plus it's got dragons with bad breath. Brilliant."

Mark Lawrence on The Court of Broken Knives

"It's a bold experiment and feels like something new. An interesting book to read and fascinating to discuss afterwards!"

Booklist on The Court of Broken Knives

"Exciting twists and turns...Spark keeps the surprises coming all the way to the end. "

About the Author

Anna Smith Spark lives in London, UK. She loves grimdark and epic fantasy and historical military fiction. Anna has a BA in Classics, an MA in history and a PhD in English Literature. She has previously been published in the Fortean Times and the poetry website www.greatworks.org.

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