Blade of Dream

In Blade of Dream, Daniel Abraham returns to the living, breathing city of Kithamar that he introduced in Age of Ash. The stakes remain high, the action gripping, and the atmosphere vital as we encounter the son of a merchant house, Garreth Left, and the daughter of the city’s prince, Elaine a Sal, each soon to be entangled in conspiracy and treason, even as they find themselves equally entangled with one another. Garreth’s family is on its last legs, risking all on a trade relationship with another culture which will see their eldest son married to a foreign woman. Garreth’s relationship with his betrothed gets off to a rocky start—they do not even share a language—and only gets rockier after he meets Elaine. Elaine’s father has inherited rulership of the city from his recently departed uncle, elevating Elaine to the position of heir apparent. Noble families with marriageable sons begin to circle like vultures. Elaine’s rebellion takes the form of a secret night out in the city with her cousin, a night that ends with her in the arms of a certain merchant’s son. But the relationship of these two viewpoint characters is far from the only thread woven in the skillfully braided Blade of Dream. The blade of the title will be known to readers of Age of Ash. It is still missing, it is still hunted by gods and men, and it still poses an existential threat to the city. Garreth and Elaine get swept up in events they at first cannot understand, events related to this blessed, cursed blade.

In Blade of Dream, Daniel Abraham returns to the city of Kithamar. The story follows the son of a merchant house, Garreth Left, and the daughter of the city’s prince, Elaine a Sal, each soon to be entangled in conspiracy and treason, even as they find themselves equally entangled with one another. Garreth’s family is on its last legs, risking all on a trade relationship with another culture which will see their eldest son married to a foreign woman. Garreth’s relationship with his betrothed gets off to a rocky start—they do not even share a language—and only gets rockier after he meets Elaine. Elaine’s father has inherited rulership of the city from his recently departed uncle, elevating Elaine to the position of heir apparent. Noble families with marriageable sons begin to circle like vultures. Elaine’s rebellion takes the form of a secret night out in the city with her cousin, a night that ends with her in the arms of a certain merchant’s son. The blade of the title is still missing, it is still hunted by gods and men, and it still poses an existential threat to the city. Garreth and Elaine get swept up in events they at first cannot understand, events related to this blessed, cursed blade.

From the New York Times bestselling author and co-author of The Expanse comes an "atmospheric and fascinating" novel that unfolds within the walls of a single great city, over the course of one tumultuous year (Joe Abercrombie, author of A Little Hatred). Kithamar is a center of trade and wealth, an ancient city with a long, bloody history where countless thousands live and their stories endure.This is Garreth’s. Garreth Left is heir to one of Kithamar’s most prominent merchant families. The path of his life was paved long before he was born. Learn the family trade, marry to secure wealthy in-laws, and inherit the business when the time is right. But to Garreth, a life chosen for him is no life at all. In one night, a chance meeting with an enigmatic stranger changes everything. He falls in love with a woman whose name he doesn’t even know, and he will do anything to find her again. His search leads him down corridors and alleys that are best left unexplored, where ancient gods hide in the shadows, and every deal made has a dangerous edge. The path that Garreth chooses will change the course of not only those he loves, but the entire future of Kithamar’s citizens. In Kithamar, every story matters ― and the fate of the city is woven from them all."Abraham’s patient storytelling pays off, perfectly setting up the trilogy’s finale, and his intricate worldbuilding makes Kithamar a pleasure to explore. Readers will not be disappointed." ― Publishers Weekly (starred review) NOTE: The book will not be signed by Daniel Abraham. The author is signing numbered Signed Page bookplates that will be included with your order.