With the Dead

Annalyn Hale doesn't believe in the gods. If they do exist, they've only ever taken from her.

After her father dies, Anna lives a small, quiet life with her mother, gathering what their bakery needs from the woods. For fun, she treks deep into the trees surrounding her home to find dangerous ruins and the treasure they hold within. Her world shifts when she returns home to find debt collectors harassing her mother. They give her a choice—either her mother goes to jail for missing payments, or Anna joins the governor's armed forces and they take the money out of her wage. Anna enlists and when the commander gives her a mission that would pay off half her debt, she accepts, even though she doesn't think she's ready.

But the mission is steeped in treachery before it can begin. Is the team strong enough to triumph over the conspiracy set against them? Will Anna succeed despite her shortcomings, or are they too much for her to overcome? If the gods do exist, what will they take from her now?

"An epic fantasy that successfully doubles as an intricately woven tale of grief, survival, and friendship."—Kirkus Reviews

"Speak with the Dead is one of the more enjoyable fantasy novels I've come across this year. Taylor's novel takes a world which could become another grimdark saga...and instead becomes a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired romp, with a little political drama tossed in for flavor."—Seattle Book Review