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Nobody mourns the collapse of chivalry as they
should. The regression of knights from their historical roles as mounted
heroes, nobles, and stewards of the king's justice to common gutter
trash riding in wrinkled, red uniforms is a symptom of a greater
disease. When we lost our knights in shining armor, we lost that which
shines within ourselves.
It was not always
thus, although few now are old enough to remember. But I can still close
my eyes and feel the warm breeze on my back, hear the pennons snapping
in the wind, smell the scent of oiled leather, and see the sun shining
off that brilliant, burnished armor as the knights paraded down the
street, waving to the crowd. I must have been a lad of five or six, but
the memory lingers. The sun set that day and never rose again. The
knights rode to battle one last time, perchance to kill an upstart duke
for the glory of their monarch. But now that duke sits upon the throne, a
cold chair washed in the blood of our king while the blood of our
knights polishes the flagstones at his feet.
We
have replaced a kingdom with an empire, glory with greed, and chivalry
with cavalry. When the imperial soldiers ride through the streets, it is
no gay parade, but a grim patrol. The neighboring kingdoms fear us now,
and well they should, for we have conquered two of them and soon we
shall conquer the rest. Only Corel, by the grace of her dragons and her
mountains, remains secure. But the others? Farse, the land of Graceful
Mountains? Kindar, the quiet Kingdom by the Sea? They are shackled to
the empire, reduced to mere provinces.
Remember
the knights. Remember the brilliant knights in shining armor. A
darkness is spreading across the land and we will never shine again.
The
empire is harsh to those who refuse to conform. The Artifice Mage is
coming. Will he bring new light to the empire or his own brand of
darkness?
TITLE: Rotten Magic
AUTHOR: Jeffrey Bardwell
GENRE: fantasy/steampunk
SERIES: The Artifice Mage Saga, Book 0.5
BLURB: Devin will do anything to win. Even resort to magic.
Devin
competes to become the best artificer in the mage phobic Iron Empire.
Who needs magic when you can master the art of machinery? The other
apprentices envy his genius and skills . . . especially Benson. Every
apprentice hones their craft building and fighting in crude prototypes
of powered armor. Some add frills, others barbs or horns. When Devin
transforms himself into a mechanical dragon to slaughter the
competition, Benson steps into the role of dragon slayer.
But
Devin harbors a secret as he claws his way to the top of the
Artificer's Guild: he's a mage. These new abilities are thrilling and
frightening, and the voices more so. How long can Devin be content
wearing a steel dragon mask when the seductive promise of true arcane
power whispers in his ear?
Experience
the prequel to the Artifice Mage Saga: a fantasy steampunk brawl of
metal vs. magic where sorcery is bloody, science is greasy, and nobody's
hands are clean.
SALES PAGE: http://twigboatpress.com/
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AUTHOR BIO:
Jeffrey Bardwell is an ecologist with a Ph.D. who loves fantasy,
amphibians, and reptiles. The author devours fantasy and science fiction
novels, is most comfortable basking near a warm wood stove, and has
eaten a bug or two. The author populates his own novels with realistic,
fire breathing lizards. These dragons are affected by the self-inflicted
charred remains of their environment, must contend with the paradox of
allometric scaling, and can actually get eaten themselves.
The author lives on a farm, is perhaps overfond of puns and
alliterations, and is a gigantic ham. When not in use, he keeps his
degrees skinned and mounted on the back wall of his office. Email at: jhbardwell@gmail.com
Não conheço este autor. Obrigada por dar a conhecer outras leituras.
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