Showing results by author "Matthew P. Gilbert" in All Categories

The Empire is dead! And Captain Josiah Bleys, smuggler and charmer though he may be, is likely to soon follow unless he is willing to at least pretend to be something he loathes: a hero. His "pal" Chief Ragnar Kane, one of the Emperor's finest warriors, likewise harbors no aspirations toward gallantry, just increasing his kill count. Fate, however, has other plans.

Long ago, powerful sorcerers stole the power of a god. Only the courage and sacrifice of great heroes stopped them from conquering the known world. They thought it was over. But the god who was robbed so long ago remained. He swore that long after the heroes were dead, when his power returned, he would have his vengeance on all of humanity. Now, the time of his prophecy is at hand. A band of elite desert warriors crosses the sea, hoping faith and courage will be enough to turn aside the coming apocalypse. Their leader, Prelate Yazid Valerian, seeks the mythical city of sorcerers.

The good news is that Armageddon has plenty of variety, lots of choices on how to die. Short term, there's being devoured by terrifying new alien hybrids, silver-skinned, hulking brutes capable of tearing a man limb from limb. Long term, if Captain Josiah Bleys and his pals can't reopen the jumpgates, there's a good chance of slow and miserable starvation.

Yazid Valerion is alone with the truth, but his warnings fall on deaf ears. Eons ago, the Dead God promised a world of ash, and the time of that prophecy is now at hand. His only hope is to cross the sea with his few followers in search of ancient enemies, the Meites, and pray he can sway them to his cause. But the Meites are no mere mortals; they are powerful sorcerers prone to outbursts of destructive terror. Even if he can find them, there's no guarantee they won't slaughter him and his men upon first sight.

If a place named Zion isn't the right location for humanity's last stand, where is? Legendary final battles are not on Captain Bleys's to-do list, but then, neither was being a hero.... Yet here he is, girl and all.

The Nihlosians and Xanthians have united to thwart the dead God’s prophecy, but as tempers flare or pride prickles, the alliance hangs by a thread. Meanwhile, the political situation in Nihlos grows worse every day. Two Council members have been assassinated, some are in open rebellion, and many blame the Empress herself for all of it. Amidst this chaos, Llaweh commands Ahmed to enter Nihlos alone and place himself at the mercy of the Meite sorcerers. But they too are torn apart by civil war and have fled their city. For now, they can’t help.

Ahmed’s faith is strong, and so is his sword-arm, but as for details, those were for his fallen master. Now, he must somehow rise to the task of leading his men and, by Ilaweh's grace, thwart the Dead God's apocalyptic prophecy. If Ahmed can earn his men's respect, there might still be time to do as his master had hoped - ally with the sorcerers of Nihlos. Ahmed will need that power, for their ultimate destination is the true heart of darkness. An ancient city of evil and death that none survive.