The Conqueror’s Shadow (#1)
It is a curse to be haunted by the past.
It is worse to be hunted by it…
In the realm of Imphallion, there once was a nightmare—a living nightmare known only as the Terror of the East. Nigh invulnerable in his magical black armor and aided by unholy minions, he laid waste to all in his path on his all-consuming quest to bring order to the land. His order.
Then, at what should have been his moment of triumph, his will failed. And his army fell. Taking a young noblewoman as hostage, he escaped, vanishing into darkest memory.
Years later, Corvis Rebaine is a simple man, content with his loving wife and children. The terrible deeds and glories of his past life are dead and buried along with his former name and its monstrous legacy—until his daughter is taken by fiends under a maniacal young warlord looking to complete the Terror’s conquest.
Now, spurred to action by a newborn fury and thirst for vengeance, Rebaine must do the unthinkable—don the dark armor once again, gather his once-loyal cadre of killers, and fight to save both the family he loves and the country he once almost destroyed. And all who stand in his way will have one final thought before death…
The Terror has returned.
Reviews
“This action-packed, morally gray fantasy has an intriguingly twisty plot, full of magic and political intrigue.”Booklist
“Superior storytelling and deft dialog make this a top-notch choice [...] filled with dark humor as well as scenes of brutal battle and high magic.”Library Journal
“Ari Marmell has a remarkable flair for the sinister.”Scott Lynch, author of The Lies of Locke Lamora
“THE CONQUEROR’S SHADOW is a powerful fantasy, with well drawn heroes and delightfully wicked, yet complicated, villains. Ari Marmell has made his mark in the genre.”Paul S. Kemp, author of the Erevis Cale trilogy
“THE CONQUEROR’S SHADOW offers readers a tale that begins where most stories end and features a most unlikely protagonist. Twists of humor leaven this story of desperate people in dangerous times, as a conqueror discovers that perhaps those who live by the sword are sometimes doomed to face the business end of one. A great mix of character and action.”Robin Hobb, author of Dragon Keeper
“It’s not often that a fantasy starts off with the victorious conqueror of a city and a land almost immediately and deliberately vanishing at the height of his victory—but that’s exactly what happens with THE CONQUEROR’S SHADOW. From that decision flows a plot jammed with action, repercussions, a tender love story, and a most humorously intriguing conclusion.”L. E. Modesitt, Jr., author of the Saga of Recluce