New Releases by Brian McClellan

Twelve year-old Montego al''Bou is an orphan, a provincial peasant boy left alone by the recent death of his grandmother. Possessing nothing more than his grandmother''s cudgel, he strikes out to the capital where the influential Grappo have offered to bring him up in the luxury of an Ossan guild-family. He finds his welcome frosty, his new home full of confusing responsibilities. He quickly discovers that the greatest sin in the capital is to be born without money, and the classist elite will not hesitate to remind him of his humble origins. Montego dreams of being his own man, of making it in the cudgeling arenas of the Empire''s deadly spectator sport where even a provincial can be worshipped like a god. But skill isn''t the only barrier for a wannabe cudgelist. Without allies, cunning, and a helping of daring, he can''t hope to make it in the capital.

From Brian McClellan, author of The Powder Mage trilogy, comes the first novel in the Glass Immortals series, In the Shadow of Lightning, an epic fantasy where magic is a finite resource—and it’s running out. "Excellent worldbuilding and a truly epic narrative combine into Brian''s finest work to date. Heartily recommended to anyone who wants a new favorite fantasy series to read."—Brandon Sanderson Demir Grappo is an outcast—he fled a life of wealth and power, abandoning his responsibilities as a general, a governor, and a son. Now he will live out his days as a grifter, rootless, and alone. But when his mother is brutally murdered, Demir must return from exile to claim his seat at the head of the family and uncover the truth that got her killed: the very power that keeps civilization turning, godglass, is running out. Now, Demir must find allies, old friends and rivals alike, confront the powerful guild-families who are only interested in making the most of the scraps left at the table and uncover the invisible hand that threatens the Empire. A war is coming, a war unlike any other. And Demir and his ragtag group of outcasts are the only thing that stands in the way of the end of life as the world knows it. "Powerful rival families, murderous conspiracies, epic battles, larger-than-life characters, and magic."—Fonda Lee, author of The Green Bone Saga "Engaging, fast-paced and epic."—James Islington, author of In The Shadow of What Was Lost "Clever, fun, and by turns beautifully bloody, In the Shadow of Lightning hits like a bolt through a stained glass window."—Megan E. O''Keefe, author of Chaos Vector At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

From Brian McClellan, author of The Powder Mage, comes In the Shadow of Lightning, a brand-new epic fantasy where magic is a finite resource—and it’s running out. Download a FREE sneak peek today! Demir Grappo is an outcast—he fled a life of wealth and power, abandoning his responsibilities as a general, a governor, and a son. Now he will live out his days as a grifter, rootless, and alone. But when his mother is brutally murdered, Demir must return from exile to claim his seat at the head of the family and uncover the truth that got her killed: the very power that keeps civilization turning, godglass, is running out. Now, Demir must find allies, old friends and rivals alike, confront the powerful guild-families who are only interested in making the most of the scraps left at the table and uncover the invisible hand that threatens the Empire. A war is coming, a war unlike any other. And Demir and his ragtag group of outcasts are the only thing that stands in the way of the end of life as the world knows it. "Powerful rival families, murderous conspiracies, epic battles, larger-than-life characters, and magic."—Fonda Lee, author of The Green Bone Saga "Engaging, fast-paced and epic."—James Islington, author of In The Shadow of What Was Lost At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Alek Fitz is the lead reaper for Valkyrie Collections, an agency that gathers debts for the paranormal elements of the world. Bound into modern-day slavery by a contract he cannot break, sold by parents he never knew, Alek works alongside demons, spirits, witches, and even Death himself to collect on deals made with humanity. When Alek is forced to take a job from a local vampire hunting down a run-away thrall, he is immediately thrust into a world of blackmail and backstabbing, where the Rules are nothing more than an inconvenience to ancient, supernatural predators. For the first time, Alek has more to fear from his clients than from his debtors. But Alek is the best in the business. It’ll take more than a Vampire Lord to keep a good reaper down.

As their final battle approaches, a sellsword, a spy, and a general must find unlikely and dangerous allies in order to turn the tides of war in the final book of Brian McClellan''s epic fantasy trilogy. The Dynize have unlocked the Landfall Godstone, and Michel Bravis is tasked with returning to Greenfire Depths to do whatever he can to prevent them from using its power; from sewing dissension among the enemy ranks to rallying the Palo population. Ben Styke''s invasion of Dynize is curtailed when a storm scatters his fleet. Coming ashore with just twenty lancers, he is forced to rely on brains rather than brawn -- gaining new allies in a strange land on the cusp of its own internal violence. Bereft of her sorcery and physically and emotionally broken, Lady Vlora Flint now marches on Landfall at the head of an Adran army seeking vengeance against those who have conspired against her. While allied politicians seek to undo her from within, she faces insurmountable odds and Dynize''s greatest general. Continue the epic fantasy series by the author whose debut novel Brandon Sanderson called "just plain awesome!" Gods of Blood and PowderSins of EmpireWrath of EmpireBlood of Empire For more from Brian McClellan, check out: Powder MagePromise of BloodThe Crimson CampaignThe Autumn Republic

Alek Fitz is a reaper, a collection agent who works for the supernatural elements of the world, tracking down debtors and solving problems for clients as diverse as the Lords of Hell, vampires, Haitian loa, and goblins. He’s even worked for the Tooth Fairy on occasion. Based out of Cleveland, Ohio, Alek is the best in the game. As a literal slave to his job, he doesn’t have a choice. When Death comes looking for someone to track down a thief, Alek is flung into a mess of vengeful undead, supernatural bureaucracy, and a fledgling imp war. As the consequences of failure become dire, he has few leads, and the clock is ticking. Only with the help of his friend Maggie—an ancient djinn with a complex past—can he hope to recover the stolen property, save the world, and just maybe wring a favor out of the Great Constant himself. It’s a hell of a job, but somebody’s got to do it . . .

In a world where mages control gunpowder and bullets, a brilliant general must defend his country from both war and insurrection. Check out the complete Powder Mage Trilogy in this omnibus edition, a series that Brandon Sanderson called "Just plain awesome!" In Promise of Blood: Field Marshal Tamas'' coup against his king sent corrupt aristocrats to the guillotine and brought bread to the starving. But it also provoked war with the Nine Nations, internal attacks by royalist fanatics. Stretched to his limit, Tamas is relying heavily on his few remaining powder mages, including the embittered Taniel, a brilliant marksman who also happens to be his estranged son, and Adamat, a retired police inspector whose loyalty is being tested by blackmail. In The Crimson Campaign: Drastically outnumbered and pursued by the enemy''s best, Tamas must lead his men on a reckless march through northern Kez to safety, and back over the mountains so that he can defend his country from an angry god, Kresimir. In The Autumn Republic: Field Marshal Tamas returns to his beloved country to find that for the first time in history, the capital city of Adro lies in the hands of a foreign invader. His son is missing, his allies are indistinguishable from his foes, and reinforcements are several weeks away.

A brand new novella from the author of the acclaimed Powder Mage series. Teado is a Changer, a shape-shifting military asset trained to win wars. His platoon has been stationed in the Bavares high plains for years, stranded. As they ration supplies and scan the airwaves for news, any news, their numbers dwindle. He''s not sure how much time they have left. Desperate and starving, armed with aging, faulting equipment, the team jumps at the chance for a risky resupply mission, even if it means not all of them might come. What they discover could change the course of the war. At the Publisher''s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

As war rages, both sides are in a race to find the one thing that could turn the tides to their favor -- a stone with the power to turn humans into gods -- in the second book of Brian McClellan''s epic fantasy tale of magic and gunpowder. The country is in turmoil. With the capital city occupied, half a million refugees are on the march, looking for safety on the frontier, accompanied by Lady Flint''s soldiers. But escaping war is never easy, and soon the battle may find them, whether they are prepared or not. Back in the capital, Michel Bravis smuggles even more refugees out of the city. But internal forces are working against him. With enemies on all sides, Michel may be forced to find help with the very occupiers he''s trying to undermine. Meanwhile, Ben Styke is building his own army. He and his mad lancers are gathering every able body they can find and searching for an ancient artifact that may have the power to turn the tides of war in their favor. But what they find may not be what they''re looking for. Continue the pistol-packing fantasy series by the author whose debut novel Brandon Sanderson called "just plain awesome!" Gods of Blood and PowderSins of EmpireWrath of Empire For more from Brian McClellan, check out: Powder MagePromise of BloodThe Crimson CampaignThe Autumn Republic

It is the height of the Gurlish Wars. Sergeant Tamas, a young infantryman in the Adran Army, struggles to keep his squad alive despite the blundering incompetence of their superior officers. Not only does Tamas have the curse of being an ambitious commoner in an army where rank is purchased rather than earned, he is also a powder mage. His magical ability to manipulate gunpowder is frowned upon by officers and feared by Privileged sorcerers. When the Adran Army is about to give up on the siege of an enemy fortress, Tamas seizes upon the opportunity to prove his worth as a strategist and mage. But breaking the enemy on his own won’t be easy, no matter how strong he is. Powder Mage short story first published in the UNBOUND Anthology on December 1st, 2015.

In the colonial cities and towns of Fatrasta, peace has never been easy. Immigrants fight amongst themselves or turn on the native population, while the governing power of the Kez Army steps in only to enforce the will of apathetic local governors assigned by a distant crown. Young war hero Ben Styke commands a colonial garrison in a sleepy frontier suburb. When the governor’s cruel brother stops for the night, rising continental tensions force Styke to protect the people of his town in a brutal escalation that threatens to destroy everything—and everyone—he has fought for. Occurs twelve years before the events in Sins of Empire.

A new epic fantasy trilogy about a young nation at odds with with the ancient forces that have begun to stir as fortune seekers and sorcerers flock to the frontier. Set in of Brian McClellan''s Powder Mage trilogy. A world on the cusp of a new age... The young nation of Fatrasta is a turbulent place -- a frontier destination for criminals, fortune-hunters, brave settlers, and sorcerers seeking relics of the past. Only the iron will of the lady chancellor and her secret police holds the capital city of Landfall together against the unrest of an oppressed population and the machinations of powerful empires. Sedition is a dangerous word... The insurrection that threatens Landfall must be purged with guile and force, a task which falls on the shoulders of a spy named Michel Bravis, convicted war hero Mad Ben Styke, and Lady Vlora Flint, a mercenary general with a past as turbulent as Landfall''s present. The past haunts us all... As loyalties are tested, revealed, and destroyed, a grim specter as old as time has been unearthed in this wild land, and the people of Landfall will soon discover that rebellion is the least of their worries. For more from Brian McClellan, check out: The Powder Mage Trilogy Promise of Blood The Crimson Campaign The Autumn Republic

Enter a new world or return to see old friends in four Powder Mage Universe novellas featuring Erika, Tamas, Adamat, Taniel, Ka-poel, and Ben Styke. Forsworn Servant of the Crown Murder at the Kinnen Hotel Ghosts of the Tristan Basin.

Not bound, as a book. Free.Like Unfettered before it, the contributing writers of Unbound were allowed to submit the tales they wished fans of genre to read--without the constraints of a shackling theme. The result is magical. Twenty-three all-original stories are sure to captivate you--some will move you to tears while others will keep you turning the pages long into the night. The power of Unbound lies in its variety of tales and the voices behind them. If you are a fan of discovering new writers or reading the works of beloved authors, Unbound is for you.Return to Landover with Terry Brooks. Go to trial with Harry Dresden and Jim Butcher. Enter the Citadel and become remade with Rachel Caine. Survive a plague with John Marco and his robot companion Echo. Be painted among the stars by Mary Robinette Kowal. These tales and the others that comprise the anthology are only bound by how enchanting and enthralling they are.Unbound is filled with spectacularly wonderful stories, each one as diverse as its creator. You will be changed upon finishing it.And that is the point.

Taniel Two-Shot is a powder mage with the Tristan Ghost Irregulars, a band of volunteers who have made a name for themselves fighting in the Fatrastan Revolution. They range through the swamps of the frontier, cutting off enemy supplies and raiding towns while Taniel hunts the Privileged sorcerers that make the Kez armies so powerful. When a desperate call for help comes from the nearby city of Planth, the Irregulars aren''t the only ones to answer and Taniel must deal with another hero of the revolution: Mad Colonel Styke. But not all is well within the young Fatrastan government, and more hangs on the defense of Planth than Taniel and his companions could possibly know.

Five stories from the Powder Mage Universe, including the never-before-published "Green-Eyed Vipers" Hope''s End The Girl of Hrusch Avenue Green-Eyed Vipers The Face in the Window Return to Honor

"Just plain awesome" -- Brandon Sanderson Tamas, Taniel, and Adamat have been betrayed and Adro now lies in the hands of a foreign invader. But it remains the duty of the powder mages to defend their homeland unto death in the explosive conclusion the Brian McClellan''s Powder Mage trilogy. The capital has fallen. . . Field Marshal Tamas returns to his beloved country to find that for the first time in history, the capital city of Adro lies in the hands of a foreign invader. His son is missing, his allies are indistinguishable from his foes, and reinforcements are several weeks away. An army divided. . . With the Kez still bearing down upon them and without clear leadership, the Adran army has turned against itself. Inspector Adamat is drawn into the very heart of this new mutiny with promises of finding his kidnapped son. All hope rests with one. . . And Taniel Two-shot, hunted by men he once thought his friends, must safeguard the only chance Adro has of getting through this war without being destroyed. . . The Autumn Republic is the epic conclusion that began with Promise of Blood and The Crimson Campaign.

Captain Vlora is one of Adro''s finest powder mages - disciplined sharpshooters who can control bullets and explode gunpowder with a mere gesture. Yet an illicit affair has lost her the favour of Field Marshal Tamas, her commander and the closest thing she has to a father. As the invading army of Kez pushes deeper into Adro''s territory, Vlora finds herself on the sidelines. Yet when news emerges of an escaped traitor who is planning on selling military secrets to the enemy, Vlora is tasked with hunting the man down. Failure will not only put her beloved country at risk, but may lose her the goodwill of Field Marshal Tamas for ever . . .

Captain Vlora is a powder mage in the Adran army. Once the favored, adopted daughter of the field marshal, she is now a pariah amongst those she called her family. Her superior officers would like nothing more than to send her to a far off posting and forget about her, but no one is exempt when there is a war -- and powder mages are desperately needed. When a traitorous guard captain goes on the run with information that could harm the war effort, Vlora is sent on his trail. She has three days to find him; she will have to make new friends and test the limits of her skills. Fail, and good soldiers will die. Succeed and maybe, just maybe, she can begin to work her way back into the field marshal''s good graces. A new story set in the world of the Powder Mage trilogy, the most acclaimed and action-packed new epic fantasy series in recent years. Return to Honor takes place directly following the events of book one, Promise of Blood.

Special Detective Constable Adamat may be the most capable young investigator in all of Adopest. He''s sharp, thoughtful, and his particular sorcery gives him a flawless memory. A transfer to the First Precinct seems like the perfect opportunity to showcase his abilities and advance his career. But things work differently in the First Precinct. The murder of a businessman''s mistress quickly pulls Adamat into an unexpected world of conspiracy and politics where he''s forced to use all his wits to stay one step ahead of unseen enemies and keep his friends—and himself—from the guillotine. Occurs twenty-two years before the events in Promise of Blood.

Captain Tamas is an ambitious young officer in the Adran army. As a commoner, he is one of very few without noble blood to hold a rank. When he challenges the son of a duke over an insult, the subsequent duel lands him in hot water with the nobility and the royal cabal of Privileged sorcerers. Tamas is soon drawn into a conflict that goes to the very highest office in the land, and his only ally is the most unlikely of people; a young noblewoman named Erika, who needs Tamas to teach her how to wield her powers as a powder mage.

"Just plain awesome" -- Brandon Sanderson A staggering defeat on the border of Adro and Kez leaves Tamas and his powder mages in grave danger and cut off from all aid. Meanwhile, deadly political games threaten his allies at home. When invasion looms. . . Tamas''s invasion of Kez ends in disaster when a Kez counter-offensive leaves him cut off behind enemy lines with only a fraction of his army, no supplies, and no hope of reinforcements. Drastically outnumbered and pursued by the enemy''s best, he must lead his men on a reckless march through northern Kez to safety, and back over the mountains so that he can defend his country from an angry god, Kresimir. But the threats are closer to home. . . In Adro, Inspector Adamat wants only to rescue his wife. To do so he must track down and confront the evil Lord Vetas. He has questions for Vetas concerning his enigmatic master, but the answers will lead Adamat on a darker journey. Who will lead the charge? Tamas''s generals bicker among themselves, the brigades lose ground every day beneath the Kez onslaught, and Kresimir wants the head of the man who shot him in the eye. With Tamas and his powder cabal presumed dead, Taniel Two-shot finds himself as the last line of defense against Kresimir''s advancing army. The Crimson Campaign continues the most acclaimed and action-packed new epic fantasy series in years, following on from Promise of Blood - an adrenaline-fuelled debut of flintlock mages, civil war, and cold-blooded murder in a world where gods walk the earth.

Erika ja Leora is a powder mage in northern Kez, a place where that particular sorcery is punishable by death. She is only protected by her family name and her position as heir to a duchy. When she decides to help a young commoner—a powder mage marked for death, fugitive from the law—she puts her life and family reputation at risk and sets off to deliver her new ward to the safety of Adro while playing cat and mouse with the king''s own mage hunters and their captain, Duke Nikslaus.

"Just plain awesome" -- Brandon Sanderson Civil unrest cripples the citizens of Adro in the aftermath of the revolution that obliterated the monarchy. Now, Field Marshal Tamas and his lieutenants must confront the true cost of freedom in book one of the Powder Mage Trilogy. It''s a bloody business overthrowing a king. . . Field Marshal Tamas'' coup against his king sent corrupt aristocrats to the guillotine and brought bread to the starving. But it also provoked war with the Nine Nations, internal attacks by royalist fanatics, and the greedy to scramble for money and power by Tamas''s supposed allies: the Church, workers unions, and mercenary forces. It''s up to a few. . . Stretched to his limit, Tamas is relying heavily on his few remaining powder mages, including the embittered Taniel, a brilliant marksman who also happens to be his estranged son, and Adamat, a retired police inspector whose loyalty is being tested by blackmail. But when gods are involved. . . Now, as attacks batter them from within and without, the credulous are whispering about omens of death and destruction. Just old peasant legends about the gods waking to walk the earth. No modern educated man believes that sort of thing. But they should. . . Winner of the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Debut Fantasy.

''I Love Black People! I Just Can''t Help It.'' ''A Love Letter to Black People: Audaciously Hopeful Thoughts on Race and Success'' by Brian McClellan is a book sure to challenge and inspire those who have this type of deep affection for the Black community but also deep concerns for its future. Inspired in part by the historic political success of Senator Barack Obama, ''Love Letter'' explores the unique way high achieving African Americans view race and success and why, for the love of the Black community, all Black people must apply these lessons. The insightfulness of McClellan''s discussion in ''Love Letter'' is bolstered by a supporting survey about race and success completed by more than 100 young, Black business and community leaders. Their opinions regarding provocative racially charged topics such as ''acting white'' are inspirational, thought-provoking and sometimes more provocative than the questions themselves. ''Love Letter'' is a must read for those who love Black people and just can''t help it!

Challenges readers to insist upon strong leadership, build self confidence, and refuse to make excuses for not controlling their own destiny. Using hip-hop culture as a metaphor for this new kind of freedom born from rebellion against the norm, the author pulls no punches.