Fade to Black: Book 1 of the Rojan Dizon Novels

Description

Mahala: a city built in the dark depths of a valley. A city built up in layers, not across - where streets are built upon streets, buildings balance precariously upon buildings. A city that the Ministry rules from its lofty perch at the sunlit summit & where the forsaken lurk in the shadowy depths of the Pit. Rojan is a bounty hunter trying to make his way in the city. Everyone knows he's a womaniser, a shirker of all responsibility, but they don't know he's also a pain-mage: able to draw magic from his own & other people's pain. He's not keen on using it (not least because it's outlawed), but when his niece is abducted and taken to the dark depths of the Pit, he may just be forced to unleash his power. . .

Francis Knight was born and lives in Sussex, UK. She has held a variety of jobs from being a groom in the Balearics, where she punched a policeman and got away with it, to an IT administrator. When not living in her own head, she enjoys SFF geekery, WWE geekery, teaching her children Monty Python quotes and boldly going and seeking out new civilisations.

A savage stab at organised religion and social control . . . emotionally powerful * SUN * Brilliantly explored and a great metaphor for urban corruption * DAILY MAIL * Full of fierce energy, fast-paced and inventive * Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of the Shadows of the Apt series * The world building is crazy interesting, the characters are very noir, and the plot was enough to keep me on my toes . . . I'm very excited to read the second in the series! * Felicia Day * A very strong debut from a novelist of vision who has built an intriguing sandbox to play in, with plenty of twists, turns and surprising moments * FANTASY FACTION * A great fantasy debut . . . The beginning of something really quite brilliant . . . very highly recommended * CIVILIAN READER * Knight's debut recalls the vibrant, urban-based fantasies of China Mieville * Library Journal * Full of witty quips, strong emotion, broken yet charming characters, and jam packed with astonishing revelations and fantastic ideas, Fade to Black is a must-read for 2013 * WILDER'S BOOK REVIEW * Top notch prose alongside a cast that really adds flavour all round makes this a cracking debut * Falcata Times * A thoroughly enjoyable read with plenty of twists and turns, and darkness enough to make the title perfectly apt. Highly recommended * TheBookBag.co.uk *