Pact and Pattern

The Hand of the Sun King

"An excellent mix of classic and modern fantasy with a grimdark undertone of despair."

Grimdark Magazine

"The Hand of the Sun King deserves a mark of excellence. It is a spellbinding debut with terrific characterizations, immersive world-building, and prose that swept me away. The Hand of the Sun King is hands down the best debut of the year."

Novel Notions

"The Hand of the Sun King fundamentally explores the right to make our own choices in life, to make sacrifices to serve the greater good and to use power to uplift the oppressed. Greathouse delivers a debut full of complexities, passion and grace, and I’m already longing for more."

Fantasy Hive

“HAND OF THE SUN KING is an exotic, original fantasy filled with magic and culture, the story of a character torn between two names, two loyalties, and two definitions of good and evil.”

Kevin J. Anderson, New York Times bestselling author of Spine of the Dragon

"The Hand of the Sun King is not the gentle story of a boy’s rise to power; instead, it digs its fingernails into the layers of an empire that would consume and erase half that boy’s identity. Brilliantly told and immediately engrossing, filled with magic, mistakes and their merciless consequences."

Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

"A great coming of age story about a foolish boy who seeks to unravel the secrets of magic and maybe do something good in the process. I absolutely loved it."

Nick Martell, author of The Two-Faced Queen

"Sublime prose and pin-sharp characterisation combine to produce a captivating epic of conflicted loyalties and dangerous ambition."

Anthony Ryan, author of the Raven's Shadow Novels

"Sometimes a book comes along that is truly special. J.T. Greathouse is about to take Patrick Rothfuss's crown with The Hand of the Sun King. It's a beautiful tale about someone trying to discover the magic within themselves, in a world where they'll never truly fit in. Be prepared to be swept along on a unique journey where the consequences of choice echo through an empire."

Mike Shackle, author of We Are the Dead

"Well written, thought provoking and enjoyable, The Hand of the Sun King is an impressive debut novel that left me eager for more."

Lisbeth Campbell, author of The Vanished Queen

"[The Hand of the Sun King] creates a rich and intricate world with magic, politics, ambition and resistance."

Maria Haskins