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Description

A political scion and her magically bound fire warlock must face their greatest fears to save the Empire from a ruthless enemy in the explosive conclusion of a spellbinding fantasy trilogy from David Gemmell Award-nominated author Melissa Caruso. 

While winter snows keep the Witch Lord Ruven's invading armies at bay, Lady Amalia Cornaro and the fire warlock Zaira attempt to change the fate of mages in the Raverran Empire forever, earning the enmity of those in power who will do anything to keep all magic under tight imperial control. But in the season of the Serene City's great masquerade, Ruven executes a devastating surprise strike at the heart of the Empire — and at everything Amalia holds most dear.

To stand a chance of defeating Ruven, Amalia and Zaira must face their worst nightmares, expose their deepest secrets, and unleash Zaira's most devastating fire.

Praise for Swords and Fire:

"Charming, intelligent, fast-moving, beautifully atmospheric, with a heroine and other characters whom I really liked as people. I couldn't put it down."―Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library

"Breathtaking… Worth every moment and every page, and should make anyone paying attention excited about what Caruso will write next."―BookPage

"A riveting read, with delicious intrigue, captivating characters, and a brilliant magic system. I loved it from start to finish!"―Sarah Beth Durst, author of The Queen of Blood

Swords and Fire
The Tethered Mage
The Defiant Heir
The Unbound Empire


For more from Melissa Caruso, check out:

Rooks and Ruin
The Obsidian Tower
 

What's Inside

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Praise

"Caruso admirably refuses to pull her punches.... Thrilling." —Kirkus (starred review)
"Caruso's worldbuilding is brilliant and complex." —Library Journal
"Caruso astutely plays off the political and the personal.... A fitting capstone to the trilogy." —Publishers Weekly
"Takes the series to the next level in every way.... I absolutely loved The Defiant Heir. It's extraordinarily fun with wonderful characters and intriguing mysteries.... I can hardly contain my excitement for the third installment." —Fantasy Book Cafe on The Defiant Heir
"An entirely new level of awesome.... Absolutely addictive." —Powder & Page on The Defiant Heir
"An inspiration for geeks everywhere.... Satisfyingly action-packed and bittersweet." —Kirkus on The Defiant Heir
"I love this book and series. It is a refreshing and lively fantasy that has characters that I just can't get enough of.... Highly recommend!" —The Speculative Herald on The Defiant Heir
"A joy to read.... Melissa Caruso is well on her way to making a very big splash in the fantasy genre, and I can't wait for the third book to get here." —Bibliosanctum on The Defiant Heir
"Everything I hoped for and much more.... Beautifully crafted.... Pick up this fantastic series now." —Girls in Capes on The Defiant Heir
"A fast moving and frequently fun story that gives readers a lot to chew on." —RT Book Reviews on The Defiant Heir (4 stars)
"The Tethered Mage is the best kind of fantasy: intricate world-building, the most intriguing of court intrigues, and a twisty plot. But while readers might pick it up for those elements, they'll stay for the engaging characters and the unlikely friendships at the story's heart." —Rosalyn Eves, author of Blood Rose Rebellion on The Tethered Mage
"The Tethered Mage is a riveting read, with delicious intrigue, captivating characters, and a brilliant magic system. I loved it from start to finish!" —Sarah Beth Durst, author of The Queen of Blood, on The Tethered Mage
"Charming, intelligent, fast-moving, beautifully atmospheric, with a heroine and other characters whom I really liked as people. (I overstayed my lunch break in order to finish it.) I would love to read more set in this world." —Genevieve Cogman, author of The Invisible Library, on The Tethered Mage
"Intricate and enticing as silk brocade. Caruso's heroine is a strong, intelligent young woman in a beguiling, beautifully evoked Renaissance world of high politics, courtly intrigue, love and loyalty - and fire warlocks." —Anna Smith Spark, author of The Court of Broken Knives, on The Tethered Mage
"Engaging and entertaining with intrigue, a good pace, and strong characters. Zaira and Amalia are bright, bold heroes in a smartly constructed world." —James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost, on The Tethered Mage
"One of the best first novels in a brand new high fantasy series that I've read in ages.... If you're hungry for a new fantasy series with awesome, nuanced characters, powerful worldbuilding, and solid writing - look no further. The Tethered Mage is the book you need right now. Absolutely recommended." —Book Smugglers on The Tethered Mage
"Breathtaking... Worth every moment and every page, and should make anyone paying attention excited about what Caruso will write next." —BookPage on The Tethered Mage
"An enchanting voice and an original world you won't want to leave." —p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Calibri; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000}span.s1 {font-kerning: none}RJ Barker, author of Age of Assassins, on The Tethered Mage
"A rich world, political intrigue, and action that keeps you turning pages--The Tethered Mage is classic fantasy with a fresh voice." —p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 14.0px Calibri; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000}span.s1 {font-kerning: none}Jeff Wheeler, author of The Queen's Poisoner, on The Tethered Mage
"The Tethered Mage is the best kind of fantasy: intricate world-building, the most intriguing of court intrigues, and a twisty plot. But while readers might pick it up for those elements, they'll stay for the engaging characters and the unlikely friendships at the story's heart." —Rosalyn Eves, author of Blood Rose Rebellion, on The Tethered Mage
"It's a pleasure to journey with shy and slightly awkward Amalia as she puts her scholarship in magic and puzzle-solving skills to good use.... Charming." —Kirkus on The Tethered Mage
"Caruso skillfully maintains her plot." —Publishers Weekly on The Tethered Mage
"The plotting is good, the characters interesting.... Something really special." —RT Book Reviews on The Tethered Mage
"A gorgeous, fresh fantasy debut filled with political intrigue and ethical quandary.... Highly recommend." —Girls in Capes on The Tethered Mage
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