Cold-Forged Flame (#1)
The sound of the horn pierces the apeiron, shattering the stillness of that realm. Its clarion call creates ripples, substance, something more. It is a summons, a command. There is will. There is need.
And so, in reply, there is a woman.
At the beginning―no―at the end―she appears, full of fury and bound by chains of prophecy.
Setting off on an unexplained quest from which she is compelled to complete, and facing unnatural challenges in a land that doesn’t seem to exist, she will discover the secrets of herself, or die trying. But along the way, the obstacles will grow to a seemingly insurmountable point, and the final choice will be the biggest sacrifice yet.
This is the story of a woman’s struggle against her very existence, an epic tale of the adventure and emotional upheaval on the way to face an ancient enigmatic foe. This could only have been spun from the imagination of Marie Brennan, award-winning author and beloved fantasist, beginning a new series about the consequences of war―and of fate.C
Reviews
“The heroine is fierce of mind, strong of will, and quite the warrior. Brennan delights readers with this exciting, fast-paced start to a fantasy novella series.”
“An intriguing mix of folklore and fantasy. The heroine’s quest may be a long-standing trope in fantasy, but her character and situation are by no means dated. These mere 100 pages will fly by, leaving readers anticipating the next steps of her journey.”
“It’s a tight, tense, gripping narrative, that builds to an excellent climax.”
“Marie Brennan brings the same thoughtful and fresh worldbuilding and character development to this small novella as she does to her longer books, and it’s proof that epic fantasy doesn’t need to be of epic size to work […] COLD-FORGED FLAME is an exciting and engaging start to a new series.”
“I enjoyed this novella a good deal. Brennan’s writing is very good, as can be expected — her prose well-crafted, descriptions evocative […] Her characters are interesting and all feel real and well-rounded.”
“If you’re looking for smart, exciting stories of fantastical adventure, look no further: Marie Brennan will deliver.”Kate Elliott, author of BLACK WOLVES