The Emperor's Knife: Tower and Knife Book I - Tapa dura

'A fascinating, original and enthralling début that will leave the reader eagerly awaiting the next instalment' The Founding Fields. (Founding Fields)

'A riveting and intense debut ... compelling characterizations will keep fans of grim fantasy entirely enthralled' Publisher's Weekly. (Publisher's Weekly)

'An ambitious debut novel ... demonstrates great deal of promise in its author' Justin Landon, Staffer's Musings. (Staffer's Musings)

A must read - it's fresh, it's exciting and [...] looks set to get even better!' Fantasy Faction. (Fantasy Faction)

A debut with great potential' Stefan Fergus, Civilian Reader. (Civilian Reader)

'A strong fantasy novel with a fresh setting, rich characters and an enjoyable storyline' Adam Whitehead, The Wertzone. (Wertzone)

An ambitious, sophisticated and thoughtful debut novel' SF Signal. (SF Signal)

''Fans of fantasy intrigue will want to try this new author' Library Journal. (Library Journal)

'It makes for a rich and entertaining storytelling environment, and Williams creates a twisty and enjoyable tale ... this is strongly recommended' SFX. (SFX)

'It's a highly complex novel, filled with devious sub-plots, and enough twists to satisfy even the most demanding reader' Popcorn Reads. (Popcorn Reads)

There is a cancer at the heart of the mighty Cerani Empire: a plague that attacks young and old, rich and poor alike. Geometric patterns spread across the skin, until you die in agony, or become a Carrier, doing the bidding of an evil intelligence, the Pattern Master. Anyone showing the tell-tale marks is put to death; that is Emperor Beyon's law...but now the pattern is running over his arms. His body servants have been executed, he ignores his wives, but he is doomed, for soon the pattern will reach his face. While Beyon's agents scour the land for a cure, Sarmin, the Emperor's only surviving brother, awaits his bride, Mesema, a windreader from the northern plains. Unused to the Imperial Court's stifling protocols and deadly intrigues, Mesema has no one to turn to but an ageing imperial assassin, the Emperor's Knife. When Beyon's patterns are revealed and the Grand Vizier seizes the throne, the Knife spirits her to safety. As long-planned conspiracies boil over into open violence, the invincible Pattern Master appears from the deep desert. Now only three people stand in his way: a lost prince, a world-weary killer, and a young girl from the steppes who saw a path in a pattern once, among the waving grasses - a path that just might save them all.