Steph Swainston's Blog, page 2

Review of Fair Rebel

Rob Weber’s review of Fair Rebel.

‘The novel reads like Swainston never really left Fourlands. It is a seamless continuation of the story and I think most readers will agree it was more than worth the wait. Swainston is clearly not done with her creation. She leaves us with the promise of a sixth novel in the making…’

Fair Rebel out today!

Fifteen years after the last devastating Insect attack, the immortal Circle is finally ready to launch an offensive against their implacable enemies. This time they have a new weapon – gunpowder. Hopes are high.

But the Circle’s plans are threatened when the vital barrels of gunpowder go missing. Jant, the Circle’s winged messenger, is tasked to investigate. Soon it becomes clear that the theft is part of a deadly conspiracy . . . and Jant and his friends are among the targets.

As tensions ri...

Aftermath

Aftermath is available now. It follows directly from Fair Rebel, and is the first two chapters of the next novel.

It deals with the aftermath of Fair Rebel, as new characters Gayle and Simoon deal with a world in turmoil.

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Aftermath also has a selection of background material, including the a timeline of the Fourlands.

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It is a beautifully-produced book of 76 pages, in a limited edition of 100 copies. 25 signed, numbered copies with bookplates are available.

Aftermath has been produced to the...

Review of The Modern World

Rob Weber reviews The Modern World:

‘There obviously is a lot more to this tale… You can feel the Castle is at a turning point.’

The story continues in Fair Rebel, which follows on from The Modern World.  But you don’t need to have read any previous Castle book to read Fair Rebel, you can jump straight in.

Grass Isle

Grass Isle. Ata Dei was originally a butcher’s girl from the village around September Tower bay. After she married Shearwater Mist and came to the Castle, she built a series of towers around the island, and ultimately fought him, for his place in the Circle, in The Year of Our War.[image error]

Drawn by Todd Sanders of AAN Press. Thank you, Todd.

Ask me Anything — Reddit Fantasy

I’ll be doing an Ask me Anything (AMA) session on Reddit Fantasy on Thursday 1 December, from 7am until midnight GMT, to celebrate the publication of Fair Rebel and Aftermath, and all the Castle books.

Everyone’s welcome to drop by and confound & enlighten me.

Timing worldwide:
2am to 7pm EST
11pm to 4pm PST
8am to 01am Friday Paris GMT+1
6pm to 6pm Friday Sydney GMT+11
On the day I’ll be chugging coffee and watching the board live. But after the session I’ll still check back and answer any q...

The Year of Our War e-book £1.99

A special offer on The Year of Our War e-book runs until Saturday 26 November — only £1.99!

From:  Amazon, Apple i-books, Google Play, Kobo, and ebooks.com

Good chance to pick this up ahead of the publication of Fair Rebel and Aftermath this Thursday – and the reprint of the first three Castle books in April 2017.

Review of Above the Snowline

Sarah Higbee's great review of Above the Snowline is here on her blog. She says: "the story moves along at a fair clip without being unduly slowed by superb descriptions."

Thanks, Sarah -- it means a lot to get this feedback while I'm writing.

Seamus Heaney

'Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests.
I’ll dig with it.'

 

RIP Seamus Heaney died today aged 74. One of my favourite poets.

 

I am neither internee nor informer;
An inner émigré, grown long-haired
And thoughtful; a wood-kerne
Escaped from the massacre

-- Heaney

Review of second and third Castle books

Lachlan Robertson's thoughtful review of 'No Present Like Time' and 'Dangerous Offspring' at Photonlongsword. Thank you, Lachlan.