Master of the House of Darts / Aliette de Bodard
Praise for Servant of the Underworld
“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 co-author of The Winds of Dune
“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
The year is Three Rabbit, and the storm is coming…
The coronation war for the new Emperor has just ended in a failure, the armies retreating with a mere forty prisoners of war – not near enough sacrifices to ensure the favor of the gods.
When one of those prisoners of war dies of a magical illness, ACATL, High Priest for the Dead, is summoned to investigate.
File Under: Fantasy [ Magical Murder | Aztec Mystery | Human Sacrifice | The Gods Walk ]
Aliette de Bodard is the hottest rising star in world SF and Fantasy, blending ancient crimes with wild imagination. This the conclusion to her magical Obsidian and Blood trilogy.
More Praise:
“Like the previous books, the third in the Obsidian and Blood series abounds with suspects and red herrings. It’s a twisty and colourful tale filled with strange gods who demand sacrifices and pain for the least favour.”
- WarpCore SF
Praise for Harbinger of the Storm
“de Bodard’s writing is polished and striking, as she convincingly fills in the colorful elements of the Aztec culture–even if those colors tend to be of blood and bile as well as flowers and hummingbirds… beautiful, grimy, breathtaking, and morbid. 5 ***** ”
- Examiner
More praise for Servant of the Underworld…
“A gripping mystery steeped in blood and ancient Aztec magic. I was enthralled.”
– Sean Williams
“This is Book 1 in a trilogy and I am eager to get my hands on the next book when it is released.”
- Loudmouth Man
“This book is beautifully written and a pleasure to lose oneself in… Please see for yourself and pick up a copy!”
- Candyman
“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.”
- Fantasy Book Critic
“Servant of the Underworld is an incredibly strong and promising debut, showing her talents at full effect – she can create amazing, believable worlds; her characters are solid and relatable, and she knows how to do interesting magic, great action and creepiness in spades.”
- Fantasy and SciFi Weblog
“I am finding it rather difficult to express my opinions of this novel without resorting to gushing like a schoolgirl about it… It is a book which is like a fresh breeze of crisp air.”
- Lateral Books
“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.”
- FantasyLiterature.com
“de Bodard weaves a substantial air of magic and wonder into her narrative.”
- Booksquawk
“Part murder mystery, part well-researched historical novel and part fantasy… The fantasy element blends neatly with the other parts. 4****”
- SFX Magazine
“The book starts out a slow, steady pace and builds momentum from there. It’s not some huge action scene that hooks you. It’s the atmosphere. The blood spilled to gain favor from the gods. The cultural details Bodard infuses in each moment.”
- Examiner.com
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.
- Speculative Book Review
“This is an eclectic urban fantasy written with verve and style … if you’re looking to read outside the typical, this is an excellent choice.”
- Drying Ink
MASTER OF THE HOUSE OF DARTS (Obsidian & Blood Book III)
Aliette de Bodard
Fantasy
Cover: Spring London
UK/RoW
3 November 2011
400pp B-format paperback
£7.99 UK
ISBN 9780857661593
US/CAN
25 October 2011
448pp mass-market paperback
$7.99 US $8.99 CAN
ISBN 9780857661609
eBook
25 October 2011
£5.49
ePub ISBN 9780857661616
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