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Formats
Paperback Book Details
  • 02/2016
  • 9780997259407 099725940X
  • 594 pages
  • $14.99
Ebook Details
  • 02/2016
  • 978-0-9972594-2-1 B01BO6MBBY
  • 594 pages
  • $4.99
Joel Manners
Author
The Martyr's Blade (The Chronicles of the Martyr) (Volume 1)
Joel Manners, author

Adult; Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror; (Market)

When a series of gruesome rituals are discovered in the icy hinterlands of Albyn, three of the realm’s most storied guardians are sent to track down and bring those responsible to justice. 

Lord Bradon, veteran commander and warrior, driven by his unabating love for a woman forever beyond his reach.  Sir Killock, a Templar knight more at home in the endless wilderness than in any castle or court.  The paragon Danielle d’Lavandou, heir to the Martyr’s Blade, a legendary weapon guarded by her ancestors for generations.

What they uncover is far more than simple murder: a terrifying threat to all the realms of mankind, thought sealed away so long ago that it now exists only as legend.  

The fate of her friends, and of the entire kingdom, rests in Danielle’s hands.  Will she be able to wield the Martyr’s Blade when it is most needed, and what sacrifice will it demand, this time?  

As crown and temple clash over control of the Blade, Danielle must decide if she will sacrifice life, friendship, and even love, to defy the coming darkness.

A tale of courage, camaraderie, and sacrifice, The Martyr’s Blade has earned critical praise for its epic story of enduring characters and the stunning world in which they live.

 

Reviews
Mixing the usual ingredients (dungeon crawls, sword of destiny, good corrupted by evil, betrayal by trusted colleague) with an unusual amount of fellowship, debut novelist Manners fashions a tasty if roughly mixed fantasy. Centuries after the defeat of the evil Nameless King, malefactors begin performing blood sacrifices to raise his undead servants. Trying to stop them, a band of temple guardians, rangers, thieves, and adepts, including the queen’s sister, Danielle, ride into the snow-swept northern marches of this fantasy world, hoping to rediscover a path to Highward Tor, the lost legendary stronghold. While the party chases increasingly horrific foes, crown and temple clash over Danielle’s control of the Martyr’s Blade, the sword that dispelled the Nameless King. Manners injects a considerable amount of positive emotions and camaraderie into a narrative that mercilessly does away with a number of its heroes. He also addresses hot-button topics such as rape and taboos around same-sex relationships in ways that bolster the oppressed rather than blaming the victims. Fans of heroic adventures will be gratified. (BookLife)
Portland Book Review

"4 out of 5 stars.  ... an epic fantasy in the style of JRR Tolkien, with a dash of George R. R. Martin's brutal realism ... an exceptional debut novel, and a great fantasy novel in general. Definitely worth a read." ~ Portland Book Review

Readerviews

"5 out of 5 stars.  Manners' writing style is impeccable. His descriptions were vivid, his characters were colorful and engaging, and his plot was captivating, suspenseful and filled with action. ... an impressive first novel worthy of five out of five stars as an epic fantasy read that the audience will find very difficult to put down. Manners has definitely won me over personally, as a fan that will wait impatiently for the next book in this series."~Reader Views

San Francisco Book Review

"4.5 out of 5 stars.  This is fantasy fiction you can sink your teeth into ... a book I want to hand to everyone I love and say, 'Here, read this. Don't ask me any questions. Just do it.' If you are a fantasy/sci-fi lover with a healthy love of adventure and romance of the best kind, you will not regret this investment." ~San Francisco Book Review

Self-Publishing Review

"5 out of 5 stars. The Martyr's Blade welcomes readers into an incredibly dense and meticulously crafted world that becomes more enrapturing with every chapter. The world-crafting on display in this novel, particularly in the complexity of the plot and the thorough development of each character, makes this an epic tale from the very start, and something very special in the genre. The only real problem is the difficulty one will have trying to put the book down." ~Self-Publishing Review

Formats
Paperback Book Details
  • 02/2016
  • 9780997259407 099725940X
  • 594 pages
  • $14.99
Ebook Details
  • 02/2016
  • 978-0-9972594-2-1 B01BO6MBBY
  • 594 pages
  • $4.99
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