Servant of the Underworld (#1)
Next: Harbinger of the Storm (#2)
Year One-Knife, Tenochtitlan the capital of the Aztecs. Human sacrifice and the magic of the living blood are the only things keeping the sun in the sky and the earth fertile.
A Priestess disappears from an empty room drenched in blood. It should be a usual investigation for Acatl, High Priest of the Dead–except that his estranged brother is involved, and the the more he digs, the deeper he is drawn into the political and magical intrigues of noblemen, soldiers, and priests-and of the gods themselves…
Reviews
"...gripping mystery steeped in blood and ancient Aztec magic. I was enthralled."Sean Williams
"Part murder mystery, part well-researched historical novel and part fantasy… The fantasy element blends neatly with the other parts. 4*"SFX Magazine
"An Aztec priest of the dead tries to solve a murder mystery, and finds that politics may be even more powerful than magic. A vivid portrayal of an interesting culture in a truly fresh fantasy novel."Kevin J. Anderson, New York Times bestselling author
"Amid the mud and maize of the Mexica empire, Aliette de Bodard has composed a riveting story of murder, magic and sibling rivalry."Elizabeth Bear
"I haven’t enjoyed a proper detective story this much in ages, and the rich setting, monsters and magic just added an extra layer of delight."David Devereux
"From page one I was drawn into Acatl’s world… a remarkable historically-based fantasy, using the myths and legends of the Aztec people as a background to a twisting murder mystery."
"The world-building is exquisite and we *believe* we are transported to the 15th century Tenotichtlan and together with the superb voice they formed the main reason I enjoyed this book so much… Highly recommended… Ms. de Bodard is a writer to watch.
"SERVANT OF THE UNDERWORLD is a highly original debut novel. Thanks to a solid mystery plot and Aliette de Bodard’s extensive research into pre-Conquest Meso-America, this novel should strike a chord with more than just fantasy readers."