Cathexis is a four-book high fantasy epic following the Ardellen family, drawn into a world war by a necromantic conspiracy that begins as a local plot and expands to threaten the entire civilized world.
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The Ardellen family, gifted with the power of aura, must face necromancers, dark creatures, alternate planes of existence, and ancient evil as the threads of intrigue multiply with each book.","verdict":"A traditional high fantasy epic that delivers compelling aura-magic battles, twisting conspiracies, and a deeply satisfying conclusion for readers who love good triumphing over genuine evil.","why_love":{"title":"Why Readers Love This","points":["The aura-magic system is logical and unique, lending the battles a satisfying internal consistency.","Layered conspiracy plotting rewards patient readers with a dramatically satisfying final confrontation.","Themes of friendship, loyalty, and family honor give the epic stakes genuine emotional grounding."]},"why_enjoy":{"title":"You'll Enjoy This If You Like","points":["Traditional high fantasy in the vein of classic good-versus-evil epics with complex plotting.","Magic systems that feel earned and logical rather than arbitrary or unlimited.","Multi-book series where each installment adds layers and pays off in a grand finale."]},"protagonist":"The Ardellen family is an ensemble cast defined by loyalty, friendship, and competence. The young sorcerer who develops his aura powers across the series is the central figure, but the family's bonds — and the friendships they forge along the way — give the series its emotional core.","considerations":{"title":"Things to Consider","points":["The series has a very small reader footprint with only a handful of reviews; discovery is limited.","The writing is described as fast-paced and adventure-focused rather than deeply literary.","The series is older (2011) and self-published; production values reflect the era."]}},"data_quality":{"level":"partial","total_books":4,"books_with_genres":0,"books_with_reviews":2,"total_review_count":40,"books_with_categories":0,"books_with_goodreads_404":null},"generated_at":"2026-05-05T00:00:00Z"},"fallbackDescription":"Cathexis is a four-book high fantasy epic following the Ardellen family, drawn into a world war by a necromantic conspiracy that begins as a local plot and expands to threaten the entire civilized world.
\nAcross four books, a young sorcerer masters his aura power, leads rescue missions against necromantic councils, and faces a titanic final siege to protect everyone he loves. Featuring unique aura-magic battles, deep conspiracy plotting, and classic good versus evil high fantasy stakes with a deeply satisfying conclusion.
"}]]}] 3d:null 4f:T4a3,From Book 1:Cathexis is a four book epic fantasy series. It is high fantasy, based on true good and evil. In the first book, Necromancer's Dagger, the epic saga of the Ardellen family begins. It starts them on a journey that will embroil much of the world before the epic conclusion in the fourth and final novel of the Cathexis Series. The story starts out fairly simply as you follow a dark plot by a necromancer, a noble and a mercenary who are bent on the destruction of the ruling family of Lindankar. But as the story continues through the series more and more is revealed until everything is wrapped up into a Gordian knot that will all be resolved in the grand climax. Join the Ardellen family on this exciting action packed adventure. Wars, magic battles, ancient evil, alternate planes of existence, horrid creatures and dark plots all tangled in a battle for control of the world. This is high fantasy with the darkest of evil against the purest of good. Love, sacrifice, friendship, revenge, betrayal, and triumph all wrapped up in one massive tale. Come join the Ardellens and experience the world of Cathexis as the story begins to unfold in book one, Necromancer's Dagger.50:T497,Cathexis is a four book epic fantasy series. It is high fantasy, based on true good and evil. In the first book, Necromancer's Dagger, the epic saga of the Ardellen family begins. It starts them on a journey that will embroil much of the world before the epic conclusion in the fourth and final novel of the Cathexis Series. The story starts out fairly simply as you follow a dark plot by a necromancer, a noble and a mercenary who are bent on the destruction of the ruling family of Lindankar. But as the story continues through the series more and more is revealed until everything is wrapped up into a Gordian knot that will all be resolved in the grand climax. Join the Ardellen family on this exciting action packed adventure. Wars, magic battles, ancient evil, alternate planes of existence, horrid creatures and dark plots all tangled in a battle for control of the world. This is high fantasy with the darkest of evil against the purest of good. Love, sacrifice, friendship, revenge, betrayal, and triumph all wrapped up in one massive tale. Come join the Ardellens and experience the world of Cathexis as the story begins to unfold in book one, Necromancer's Dagger.51:T469,Cathexis is a four book epic fantasy series. It is high fantasy, based on true good and evil. In the second book, Conspirator's Coin, the epic saga of the Ardellen family continues. Much of the world is aligned against them, and they must go through the darkness before reaching the epic conclusion in the fourth and final novel of the Cathexis Series. This second book begins with the forging of a young boy learning to tap the power of his aura, but as the story continues through the series more and more is revealed until everything is wrapped up into a Gordian knot that will all be resolved in the grand climax. Join the Ardellen family on this exciting action packed adventure. Wars, magic battles, ancient evil, alternate planes of existence, horrid creatures and dark plots all tangled in a battle for control of the world. This is high fantasy with the darkest of evil against the purest of good. Love, sacrifice, friendship, revenge, betrayal, and triumph all wrapped up in one massive tale. Come join the Ardellens and experience the world of Cathexis as the story continues to unfold in book two, Conspirator's Coin.52:T5e2,Cathexis is a four book epic fantasy series. In this, the third book, Sorcerer's Ring, the epic saga of the Ardellen family continues. The evil necromantic council is aligned against the Ardellens, and they must go through the darkness before reaching the epic conclusion in the fourth and final novel of the Cathexis Series. This third book sees the young sorcerer unlocking his full aura power, and leaving his school on a rescue mission that can change the course of a world war. He only has his aura skills and the support of his small group of friends against enemies of vast power and resources. An evil has been working in secret for hundreds of years, and this band of heroes must walk through the fire and dark halls of history to save the lives of two women, one kidnapped by necromancers, one frozen by evil priests. In Sorcerer’s Ring many of the secrets previously only foreshadowed are fully revealed. The Gordian knot is tightening, but all will be resolved in the grand climax. Join the Ardellen family on this exciting action packed adventure. Wars, magic battles, ancient evil, alternate planes of existence, horrid creatures and dark plots all tangled in a battle for control of the world. This is high fantasy with the darkest of evil against the purest of good. Love, sacrifice, friendship, revenge, betrayal, and triumph all wrapped up in one massive tale. Come join the Ardellens and experience the world of Cathexis as the story continues to unfold in book three, Sorcerer's Ring.53:T687,Desecrator's Sword is the fourth and final novel in the epic fantasy series: Cathexis. Follow the adventures of the Ardellen family in a world of magic and adventure. A war between the necromancers and the sorcerers will culminate in a titanic siege and battle. The heroes of this fantasy tale of good and evil will finally meet in a battle arcane, and face destruction by the Desecrator's Sword. The necromantic council has been taken over by a new leader, and he brings vast armies to overpower the Sorceress and her army. They lay siege to her capital, where she digs in for a final stand against their attack. The Ardellen family and all of their friends must give everything they have. They face superior numbers, dark necromancers, horrid monsters brought across from the darkness, and an evil mastermind that has been working in secret for thousands of years. To succeed, they will need a weapon foretold of in ancient verse, hidden away for just this time. Kingdoms must fall, rulers change, and a quest to find the secret weapon completed before the siege ends, or all may be lost. The Gordian knot has tightened, but all will be resolved in the grand climax. Join the Ardellen family on this exciting action packed adventure. Wars, magic battles, ancient evil, alternate planes of existence, horrid creatures and dark plots all tangled in a battle for control of the world. This is high fantasy with the darkest of evil against the purest of good. Love, sacrifice, friendship, revenge, betrayal, and triumph all wrapped up in one massive tale. 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Features an intricate conspiracy unfolding across multiple storylines, a unique aura-magic system, and the series' distinctive high-fantasy tone of loyal family bonds tested against forces of genuine darkness.
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Features aura-magic apprenticeship, escalating faction conflict, and the series' trademark layering of revelations that reward patient readers who see each mystery connect to the last.
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Features the series' most direct hero-on-mission structure, aura power at full expression, and the emotional stakes of the entire Ardellen family's fate hanging on one young man's courage.
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","position_in_series":0,"rating":null,"ratings":null,"pages":null,"word_count":null,"book_image":null,"release_date":null,"has_kindle":true,"has_audiobook":false,"audiobook_asin":null,"audiobook_length":null,"has_paperback":false,"paperback_asin":null,"hardcover_asin":null,"audiobook_publisher":null,"audiobook_release_date":null,"created_at":"2026-05-05T15:07:50.268Z","updated_at":"2026-08-08T10:50:18.162Z","contributors":"$3a:props:children:props:book:contributors"}}]}]]}] 60:T635,The first novel in the First Law Trilogy and debut fantasy novel from New York Times bestseller, Joe Abercrombie. Logen Ninefingers, infamous barbarian, has finally run out of luck. Caught in one feud too many, he's on the verge of becoming a dead barbarian -- leaving nothing behind him but bad songs, dead friends, and a lot of happy enemies. Nobleman, dashing officer, and paragon of selfishness, Captain Jezal dan Luthar has nothing more dangerous in mind than fleecing his friends at cards and dreaming of glory in the fencing circle. But war is brewing, and on the battlefields of the frozen North they fight by altogether bloodier rules. Inquisitor Glokta, cripple turned torturer, would like nothing better than to see Jezal come home in a box. But then Glokta hates everyone: cutting treason out of the Union one confession at a time leaves little room for friendship. His latest trail of corpses may lead him right to the rotten heart of government, if he can stay alive long enough to follow it. Enter the wizard, Bayaz. A bald old man with a terrible temper and a pathetic assistant, he could be the First of the Magi, he could be a spectacular fraud, but whatever he is, he's about to make the lives of Logen, Jezal, and Glokta a whole lot more difficult. Murderous conspiracies rise to the surface, old scores are ready to be settled, and the line between hero and villain is sharp enough to draw blood. Unpredictable, compelling, wickedly funny, and packed with unforgettable characters, The Blade Itself is noir fantasy with a real cutting edge.56:["$","li","57cc5391-509d-4afa-9e1f-0661b1eb8695",{"children":["$","$L54",null,{"series":{"id":"57cc5391-509d-4afa-9e1f-0661b1eb8695","slug":"the-first-law-trilogy","title":"The First Law Trilogy","asin":"B074CF56D5","cover_image":null,"description":"$60","ai_description":"The First Law Trilogy is a landmark grimdark epic following three morally compromised characters — the legendary barbarian Logen Ninefingers, the selfish nobleman Jezal, and the torturer-inquisitor Glokta — through a war that tests every assumption about heroism and honor.
\nJoe Abercrombie systematically deconstructs epic fantasy tropes across three tightly plotted books, building to a conclusion that is shocking not for its violence but for its bleak honesty about power and human nature.
\nFeaturing one of fantasy's great antiheroes in Glokta, sharp dark humor, and a devastating genre-interrogating finale.
","ai_overview":{"overview":{"hook":"In a world where heroes are frauds, villains are necessary, and every victory comes at a cost nobody wanted to pay, the line between good and evil dissolves entirely.","why_love":{"points":["Glokta's dry, self-lacerating inner monologue is one of fantasy's great narrative voices.","Abercrombie's 'grimdark' deconstruction of fantasy tropes feels earned rather than nihilistic.","The ending is genuinely shocking — not because of violence, but because of how little things change."]}}},"contributors":[{"id":"04fd82b6-c451-4147-b8cf-7b343c14e153","name":"Steven Pacey","slug":"steven-pacey","role":"narrator"},{"id":"bbf5fe35-bfac-449d-a395-a2f31b249738","name":"Joe Abercrombie","slug":"joe-abercrombie","role":"author"},{"id":"04fd82b6-c451-4147-b8cf-7b343c14e153","name":"Steven Pacey","slug":"steven-pacey","role":"author"}],"genres":[{"id":"cb63c3ab-71f6-4eee-a090-e2a19038a14e","name":"Dark/Grimdark Fantasy","slug":"dark-grimdark-fantasy"},{"id":"b86f246f-afe9-4b07-8b6d-1389149cdc81","name":"Epic/High Fantasy","slug":"epic-high-fantasy"},{"id":"ff7bab6c-c357-449f-974c-ad77904f437f","name":"Sword & Sorcery","slug":"sword-and-sorcery"}],"tags":[{"id":"0a198513-8f16-413b-88cb-e4e1cb8e13ee","name":"antihero","slug":"antihero","display_name":"Anti-Hero","colour":"#FF6B6B","confidence_score":98},{"id":"52b38b9b-175f-4f4b-9e95-b4b6c6e8671c","name":"ensemble-cast","slug":"ensemble-cast","display_name":"Ensemble Cast","colour":"#FF6B6B","confidence_score":92},{"id":"b1477459-64cf-498a-ac59-8bcd03277153","name":"multiple-pov","slug":"multiple-pov","display_name":"Multiple POV","colour":"#FF6B6B","confidence_score":90},{"id":"6f87e5f0-b7a7-497c-b9b9-ab4be3dad288","name":"no-romance","slug":"no-romance","display_name":"No Romance","colour":"#FF69B4","confidence_score":80},{"id":"cb92f95e-4186-480a-a908-11daead4b602","name":"grimdark","slug":"grimdark","display_name":"Grimdark","colour":"#4ECDC4","confidence_score":97},{"id":"e94db1e5-bc76-42f6-851b-7c00c9400b0b","name":"dark","slug":"dark","display_name":"Dark","colour":"#4ECDC4","confidence_score":95},{"id":"63d282d2-b42f-49cc-b7e4-873bce0d540f","name":"mixed-tone","slug":"mixed-tone","display_name":"Mixed Tone","colour":"#4ECDC4","confidence_score":85},{"id":"abefc0fc-4f37-4318-8e88-3ae0cdafef7b","name":"slow-burn","slug":"slow-burn","display_name":"Slow Burn","colour":"#45B7D1","confidence_score":82},{"id":"fd412991-9d91-4b65-bea9-1c194581fc6c","name":"heavy-worldbuilding","slug":"heavy-worldbuilding","display_name":"Heavy Worldbuilding","colour":"#96CEB4","confidence_score":88},{"id":"e03702ef-59a1-4f81-bb0e-35a799e4531e","name":"political-focus","slug":"political-focus","display_name":"Political Intrigue","colour":"#96CEB4","confidence_score":90},{"id":"928e653f-df47-45d9-b58d-09a0af9197a1","name":"military-focused","slug":"military-focused","display_name":"War & Strategy","colour":"#96CEB4","confidence_score":85},{"id":"4f686d07-6376-411d-99a0-594891e929ab","name":"gore","slug":"gore","display_name":"Gore","colour":"#FFA500","confidence_score":88},{"id":"7198951d-8483-4f53-b0f2-6cc9bacfe4c8","name":"no-stats","slug":"no-stats","display_name":"No Stats","colour":"#96CEB4","confidence_score":95}],"stats":{"no_of_books":3,"no_of_audiobooks":3,"total_pages":1822,"total_audiobook_length":4318,"start_date":"2015-09-07","end_date":"2015-09-07"}},"showSimilarityScore":false,"isAboveFold":true}]}] 61:T4d4,Royce Melborn, a skilled thief, and his mercenary partner, Hadrian Blackwater, make a profitable living carrying out dangerous assignments for conspiring nobles-until they are hired to pilfer a famed sword. What appears to be just a simple job finds them framed for the murder of the king and trapped in a conspiracy that uncovers a plot far greater than the mere overthrow of a tiny kingdom. Can a self-serving thief and an idealistic swordsman survive long enough to unravel the first part of an ancient mystery that has toppled kings and destroyed empires? And so begins the first tale of treachery and adventure, sword fighting and magic, myth and legend. When author Michael J. Sullivan self-published the first books of his Riyria Revelations, they rapidly became ebook bestsellers. Now, Orbit is pleased to present the complete series for the first time in bookstores everywhere. Theft of Swordswas originally published as:The Crown ConspiracyandAvempartha. BOOKS IN THE RIYRIA REVELATIONS Theft of Swords(The Crown Conspiracy&Avempartha) Rise of Empire(Nyphron Rising&The Emerald Storm) Heir of Novron(Wintertide&Percepliquis)57:["$","li","8cc23753-61d8-4456-93be-c3d6661f41b1",{"children":["$","$L54",null,{"series":{"id":"8cc23753-61d8-4456-93be-c3d6661f41b1","slug":"riyria-revelations","title":"Riyria Revelations","asin":"B074CG96KL","cover_image":null,"description":"$61","ai_description":"Riyria Revelations is a beloved sword-and-sorcery epic following Royce Melborn and Hadrian Blackwater — a cynical thief and an idealistic swordsman who operate as Riyria, taking on dangerous assignments for nobles who need absolute discretion.
\nWhen a routine job frames them for the murder of a king, they are pulled into a conspiracy that reaches back centuries, toward a lost heir and a church that will do anything to preserve its power.
\nDefined by masterfully clean plotting, one of fantasy's great character duos, and a complete, deeply satisfying arc across three omnibus volumes.
","ai_overview":{"overview":{"hook":"When two infamous mercenaries are framed for a king's murder, they must unravel a conspiracy centuries in the making — or hang for a crime that was never meant to be solved.","why_love":{"points":["Royce and Hadrian's partnership — cynical thief and idealistic swordsman — is one of the warmest and most believable bromances in epic fantasy.","The plotting is extraordinarily clean: mysteries set up in early chapters pay off perfectly in later ones, making re-reads deeply rewarding.","The tone strikes a rare balance — genuinely funny without undercutting the stakes, and emotionally resonant without becoming grimdark."]}}},"contributors":[{"id":"c731ee58-1104-4983-9b79-3f2f9b887257","name":"Michael J. Sullivan","slug":"michael-j-sullivan","role":"author"},{"id":"1b303dc2-b26b-41c7-9367-bf6d9abbb7c0","name":"Andrew Quilpa","slug":"andrew-quilpa","role":"author"},{"id":"2094f3ba-8830-4b7d-8b72-c86f5a2938bd","name":"Christopher Walker","slug":"christopher-walker","role":"author"},{"id":"22bd6c70-a03b-4f7e-8d9c-0f0843b58ad7","name":"Dylan Lynch","slug":"dylan-lynch","role":"author"},{"id":"2f54917e-6218-4ca2-a7e1-efad59b4cd01","name":"Jonathan Feuer","slug":"jonathan-feuer","role":"author"},{"id":"4166958b-8feb-4598-8826-80b288e2bdbb","name":"Henry Kramer","slug":"henry-kramer","role":"author"},{"id":"42804c71-75da-4f32-82e3-bd44357eadbf","name":"Chris Genebach","slug":"chris-genebach","role":"author"},{"id":"61886080-aa8e-412e-8fcf-201fec313ce4","name":"Chris Stinson","slug":"chris-stinson","role":"author"},{"id":"704c7ce8-bdc2-435b-b5af-3c648923d936","name":"Bradley Smith","slug":"bradley-smith","role":"author"},{"id":"7a82633f-6b7c-4e4c-a663-fbd7afac903d","name":"Andy Brownstein","slug":"andy-brownstein","role":"author"},{"id":"861bc0ec-4309-496f-91c9-15beca2e02b2","name":"Jeff Allin","slug":"jeff-allin","role":"author"},{"id":"93db3028-0e58-4fcd-9114-024d9acd81b0","name":"Colleen Delany","slug":"colleen-delany","role":"author"},{"id":"9bb55355-53fd-4994-b588-9494c00d5a63","name":"Amanda Forstrom","slug":"amanda-forstrom","role":"author"},{"id":"a912464d-60a2-4115-b0e9-78a34fb6378f","name":"Andy Clemence","slug":"andy-clemence","role":"author"},{"id":"baf173bd-451a-454d-975e-ca91e653b70d","name":"Bruce Alan Rauscher","slug":"bruce-alan-rauscher","role":"author"},{"id":"ef0acc68-c787-43cd-b9d3-d2709c8a52d0","name":"David Jourdan","slug":"david-jourdan","role":"author"},{"id":"7039dcd8-7a2f-49b1-a1e4-6a44139caf6f","name":"Tim Gerard Reynolds","slug":"tim-gerard-reynolds-olds","role":"author"}],"genres":[{"id":"ff7bab6c-c357-449f-974c-ad77904f437f","name":"Sword & Sorcery","slug":"sword-and-sorcery"},{"id":"b86f246f-afe9-4b07-8b6d-1389149cdc81","name":"Epic/High Fantasy","slug":"epic-high-fantasy"}],"tags":[{"id":"52b38b9b-175f-4f4b-9e95-b4b6c6e8671c","name":"ensemble-cast","slug":"ensemble-cast","display_name":"Ensemble Cast","colour":"#FF6B6B","confidence_score":88},{"id":"0a198513-8f16-413b-88cb-e4e1cb8e13ee","name":"antihero","slug":"antihero","display_name":"Anti-Hero","colour":"#FF6B6B","confidence_score":82},{"id":"6f87e5f0-b7a7-497c-b9b9-ab4be3dad288","name":"no-romance","slug":"no-romance","display_name":"No Romance","colour":"#FF69B4","confidence_score":80},{"id":"e5564974-71ce-4eb0-8e51-fc6fdcff28b7","name":"humor-light","slug":"humor-light","display_name":"Humor Light","colour":"#4ECDC4","confidence_score":88},{"id":"4af7a819-d64d-4f5a-9ab8-1cd14349535e","name":"fast-paced","slug":"fast-paced","display_name":"Fast Paced","colour":"#45B7D1","confidence_score":90},{"id":"fd412991-9d91-4b65-bea9-1c194581fc6c","name":"heavy-worldbuilding","slug":"heavy-worldbuilding","display_name":"Heavy Worldbuilding","colour":"#96CEB4","confidence_score":85},{"id":"e21c3a67-320f-44e6-90e9-617cb5079f5a","name":"mystery","slug":"mystery","display_name":"Mystery","colour":"#96CEB4","confidence_score":88},{"id":"e03702ef-59a1-4f81-bb0e-35a799e4531e","name":"political-focus","slug":"political-focus","display_name":"Political Intrigue","colour":"#96CEB4","confidence_score":85},{"id":"73923075-a3ab-46be-b5bc-49da753a4d75","name":"unique-magic-system","slug":"unique-magic-system","display_name":"Unique Magic System","colour":"#96CEB4","confidence_score":75},{"id":"9e55816a-9f46-4e69-98a0-16c3b0ee1ce5","name":"no-gore","slug":"no-gore","display_name":"No Gore","colour":"#FFA500","confidence_score":78}],"stats":{"no_of_books":3,"no_of_audiobooks":3,"total_pages":2442,"total_audiobook_length":4514,"start_date":"2011-11-23","end_date":"2012-01-31"}},"showSimilarityScore":false,"isAboveFold":true}]}] 62:T483,NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The first book of the epic fantasy caper Gentleman Bastard Sequence about a roguish group of conmen, which George R. R. Martin says “captured me right on the first page and never let me go.” “If you haven’t read [The Lies of Locke Lamora], you should. If you have read it, you should probably read it again.”—Patrick Rothfuss An orphan’s life is harsh—and often short—in the mysterious island city of Camorr. But young Locke Lamora dodges relentless danger, becoming a thief under the tutelage of a gifted con artist. As leader of the band of light-fingered brothers known as the Gentlemen Bastards, Locke is soon infamous, fooling even the underworld’s most feared ruler. But in the shadows lurks someone still more ambitious and deadly. Faced with a bloody coup that threatens to destroy everyone and everything that holds meaning in his mercenary life, Locke vows to beat the enemy at his own brutal game—or die trying. Don’t miss any of Scott Lynch’s epic fantasy Gentleman Bastard Sequence: THE LIES OF LOCKE LAMORA • RED SEAS UNDER RED SKIES • THE REPUBLIC OF THIEVES58:["$","li","6e72ac09-6223-483e-b94b-95fdc24c6f3c",{"children":["$","$L54",null,{"series":{"id":"6e72ac09-6223-483e-b94b-95fdc24c6f3c","slug":"the-gentleman-bastard-sequence","title":"The Gentleman Bastard Sequence","asin":"B074C2XKT4","cover_image":null,"description":"$62","ai_description":"The Gentleman Bastard Sequence is an epic fantasy caper series following Locke Lamora, an infamous orphan and gifted con artist in the mysterious island city of Camorr. Locke leads a band of thieves known as the Gentlemen Bastards, known for fooling even the underworld’s most feared ruler. But danger lurks, forcing Locke to fight to protect everything he holds dear.
\nIn the second book, Locke and his sidekick, Jean, target the Sinspire, the world’s most exclusive gambling house, but someone intends to make them pay for their sins.
\nBy the third book, Locke is poisoned and near death. His only hope is to become a political pawn in exchange for healing, but this requires him to face Sabetha, the love of his life and his equal in skill. She is now his rival.
\nLocke must choose between fighting or wooing her, a decision with life-or-death consequences.
\n","ai_overview":{"overview":{"hook":"Enter a world where the line between hero and villain blurs, and the grandest schemes are often the most dangerous.","why_love":{"points":["Intricate, twist-filled plots that keep you guessing until the very end.","The thrill of elaborate, high-stakes heists and cons that defy expectation.","A compelling ensemble cast, especially the witty, complex antihero Locke and his steadfast companion, Jean."]}}},"contributors":[{"id":"53a81e46-fbcb-4a06-907d-a343b17b4336","name":"Michael Page","slug":"michael-page","role":"narrator"},{"id":"c1d19069-8f85-49c7-9b63-935c9096c371","name":"Scott Lynch","slug":"scott-lynch","role":"author"},{"id":"53a81e46-fbcb-4a06-907d-a343b17b4336","name":"Michael Page","slug":"michael-page","role":"author"}],"genres":[{"id":"ff7bab6c-c357-449f-974c-ad77904f437f","name":"Sword & Sorcery","slug":"sword-and-sorcery"}],"tags":[{"id":"e02248ec-e921-4eaf-814b-af1a8bbcf73f","name":"smart-mc","slug":"smart-mc","display_name":"Smart MC","colour":"#FF6B6B","confidence_score":100},{"id":"0a198513-8f16-413b-88cb-e4e1cb8e13ee","name":"antihero","slug":"antihero","display_name":"Anti-Hero","colour":"#FF6B6B","confidence_score":95},{"id":"52b38b9b-175f-4f4b-9e95-b4b6c6e8671c","name":"ensemble-cast","slug":"ensemble-cast","display_name":"Ensemble Cast","colour":"#FF6B6B","confidence_score":90},{"id":"6f87e5f0-b7a7-497c-b9b9-ab4be3dad288","name":"no-romance","slug":"no-romance","display_name":"No Romance","colour":"#FF69B4","confidence_score":95},{"id":"a6817718-9d5f-475c-81b1-f38f74b0adcc","name":"found-family","slug":"found-family","display_name":"Found Family","colour":"#FF69B4","confidence_score":100},{"id":"e94db1e5-bc76-42f6-851b-7c00c9400b0b","name":"dark","slug":"dark","display_name":"Dark","colour":"#4ECDC4","confidence_score":90},{"id":"e5564974-71ce-4eb0-8e51-fc6fdcff28b7","name":"humor-light","slug":"humor-light","display_name":"Humor Light","colour":"#4ECDC4","confidence_score":90},{"id":"4af7a819-d64d-4f5a-9ab8-1cd14349535e","name":"fast-paced","slug":"fast-paced","display_name":"Fast Paced","colour":"#45B7D1","confidence_score":100},{"id":"29bda93e-2031-4a09-9a26-3cacef27c1c0","name":"survival-focused","slug":"survival-focused","display_name":"Survival","colour":"#96CEB4","confidence_score":95},{"id":"e21c3a67-320f-44e6-90e9-617cb5079f5a","name":"mystery","slug":"mystery","display_name":"Mystery","colour":"#96CEB4","confidence_score":90},{"id":"815fd844-a9f2-49fe-a9f7-18f1dfb5298b","name":"revenge","slug":"revenge","display_name":"Revenge","colour":"#96CEB4","confidence_score":95},{"id":"73923075-a3ab-46be-b5bc-49da753a4d75","name":"unique-magic-system","slug":"unique-magic-system","display_name":"Unique Magic System","colour":"#96CEB4","confidence_score":90},{"id":"fd412991-9d91-4b65-bea9-1c194581fc6c","name":"heavy-worldbuilding","slug":"heavy-worldbuilding","display_name":"Heavy Worldbuilding","colour":"#96CEB4","confidence_score":95},{"id":"4f686d07-6376-411d-99a0-594891e929ab","name":"gore","slug":"gore","display_name":"Gore","colour":"#FFA500","confidence_score":85}],"stats":{"no_of_books":3,"no_of_audiobooks":3,"total_pages":2035,"total_audiobook_length":4510,"start_date":"2006-06-26","end_date":"2013-10-07"}},"showSimilarityScore":false,"isAboveFold":true}]}] 63:T649,HUGO AND LOCUS AWARD FINALIST • In the first book of an epic fantasy trilogy, master spy Shara Thivani investigates a murder in a mysterious city of dead gods, living assassins, and buried histories, from the nationally bestselling author of The Tainted Cup. “Readers seeking a truly refreshing fantasy milieu should travel to Bulikov, and welcome its conquest.”—N. K. Jemison, The New York Times With the gods on its side, the city of Bulikov was once rich beyond measure, using the power of the heavens to reign over the Continent—until a desperate people rose up and did the impossible, killing its divine protectors. Now the surreal landscape of the city itself—first shaped, now shattered, by the thousands of miracles its guardians once worked upon it—stands as a constant, haunting reminder of its former supremacy. Into this broken city steps Shara Thivani. Officially, the unassuming young woman is just another junior diplomat sent by Bulikov's oppressors. Unofficially, she is one of her country's most accomplished spies, dispatched to catch a murderer. But as Shara pursues the killer, she starts to suspect that the beings who ruled this terrible place may not be as dead as they seem—and that Bulikov's cruel reign may not yet be over. “A great world, original and unique, with a scent and a texture, a sense of deep, bloody history, and a naturally blended magic living in the stones.”—NPR Don’t miss any of Robert Jackson Bennet’s Divine Cities trilogy: CITY OF STAIRS • CITY OF BLADES • CITY OF MIRACLES59:["$","li","d236db61-5811-47ca-9401-57f367b7bcd8",{"children":["$","$L54",null,{"series":{"id":"d236db61-5811-47ca-9401-57f367b7bcd8","slug":"the-divine-cities","title":"The Divine Cities","asin":"B0841XX1MF","cover_image":null,"description":"$63","ai_description":"The Divine Cities is an epic fantasy series centered on the aftermath of a revolutionary event: the death of the gods who once empowered the city of Bulikov.\n Bulikov, now a colonial outpost haunted by its miraculous past, becomes the focus of intrigue when a diplomat/spy, Shara Thivani, investigates a murder that suggests the gods may not be as dead as believed.
\nLater, General Turyin Mulaghesh, a hero turned rumored war criminal, is tasked with a seemingly simple assignment in the ruined city of Voortyashtan. \n However, this mission quickly evolves into a quest to uncover a potentially world-altering secret.
\nThe series concludes with Sigrud je Harkvaldsson seeking revenge for the assassination of his ally, Shara Komayd. His pursuit unveils a secret war and forces him to confront powerful entities while unraveling the lingering mysteries of Bulikov.
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