Richard Swan

The Sovan Empire teeters on the brink of collapse, ravaged by war and internal strife, with the looming threat of an anc… The Sovan Empire teeters on the brink of collapse, ravaged by war and internal strife, with the looming threat of an ancient prophecy threatening to tear it asunder. High Justice Konrad Vonvalt and his clerk, Helene, must navigate a treacherous landscape of political betrayal and open rebellion, seeking to uphold a justice that seems increasingly lost. As the lines between allies and enemies blur, they confront not only the dark forces aiming to seize power but also the horrifying truths buried deep within the Empire's history. The fate of their shattered world, and perhaps all of civilization, rests on their ability to weather the ultimate trials of their fractured empire. read more

'An absolutely unputdownable read' Grimdark Magazine The Tyranny of Faith is the epic sequel to the Sunday Times bestsel… 'An absolutely unputdownable read' Grimdark Magazine The Tyranny of Faith is the epic sequel to the Sunday Times bestselling debut The Justice of Kings, where Sir Konrad Vonvalt - the most powerful and feared of the Emperor's Justices - must face down a growing threat to the Empire. A Justice's work is never done. The Battle of Galen's Vale is over, but the war for the Empire's future has just begun. Concerned by rumours that the Magistratum's authority is waning, Sir Konrad Vonvalt returns to Sova to find the capital city gripped by intrigue and whispers of rebellion. In the Senate, patricians speak openly against the Emperor, while fanatics preach holy vengeance on the streets. Yet facing down these threats to the throne will have to wait, for the Emperor's grandson has been kidnapped - and Vonvalt is charged with rescuing the missing prince. His quest will lead Vonvalt - and his allies Helena, Bressinger and Sir Radomir - to the Empire's southern frontier, where they will once again face the puritanical fury of Bartholomew Claver and his templar knights . . . and a dark power far more terrifying than they could have imagined. Praise for the Empire of the Wolf series 'Utterly compelling, thoroughly engrossing and written with such skilful assurance I could barely put it down' Nicholas Eames 'The Justice of Kings is equal parts heroic fantasy and murder mystery . . . Richard Swan's sophisticated take on the fantasy genre will leave readers hungry for more' Sebastien de Castell 'Great characters, compelling and wonderfully written. A brilliant debut and fantastic start to the series' James Islington The Empire of the Wolf series The Justice of Kings The Tyranny of Faith The Trials of Empire read more

In this quintessential Shakespeare tragedy, a young prince's halting pursuit of revenge for the murder of his father unf… In this quintessential Shakespeare tragedy, a young prince's halting pursuit of revenge for the murder of his father unfolds in a series of highly charged confrontations that have held audiences spellbound for nearly four centuries. Those fateful exchanges, and the anguished soliloquies that precede and follow them, probe depths of human feeling rarely sounded in any art. The title role of Hamlet, perhaps the most demanding in all of Western drama, has provided generations of leading actors their greatest challenge. Yet all the roles in this towering drama are superbly delineated, and each of the key scenes offers actors a rare opportunity to create theatrical magic. Hamlet is a unique pleasure to read as well as to see and hear performed. read more

Melody has already encountered a unicorn in Faërie. Now a dragon's command leads her on a perilous quest through the lan… Melody has already encountered a unicorn in Faërie. Now a dragon's command leads her on a perilous quest through the land of Wales, whose lakes and castles offer daunting portals into the Otherworld. She finds unexpected allies and unexpected dangers, and meets Rhiannon, a Welsh girl who has a special affinity with horses. Rhiannon will accompany Melody as she returns to the realm of Faërie to fulfil a destiny she never asked for. And what can be worse than confronting a dragon? Melody's Dragon follows on from Melody's Unicorn, but can be read separately. Both books, in the style of Alan Garner, mix events and places in the real world with fantasy and magic that goes beyond the borders, and are suitable for all readers from the age of 11 to 90. read more

Melody is on a quest to discover her real identity and purpose when she encounters a dryad on Ealing Common! After heari… Melody is on a quest to discover her real identity and purpose when she encounters a dryad on Ealing Common! After hearing the dryad's prophecy, Melody's day becomes even stranger when she spots a unicorn in Oxford Street, and follows it into the mysterious Otherworld. Returning to the human world, further adventures finally lead Melody to Tower Bridge and a confrontation with a dragon... Melody's Unicorn is the first volume in a new children's fantasy trilogy which continues with Melody’s Dragon and Melody’s World. read more

The Kaygryn Empire is coming. Amidst the embers of the Ascendancy War, old enmities must be forgotten and new alliances… The Kaygryn Empire is coming. Amidst the embers of the Ascendancy War, old enmities must be forgotten and new alliances forged if the UN is to rally against the Imperial Fleet of Reclamation. Yet even on the eve of battle, the beleaguered forces of Tier Three are far from prepared. Power-hungry politicians, duplicitous generals and terrorists from all races threaten to destroy the fragile new alliance.In the face of annihilation, one last throw of the dice: a suicide mission deep into Andromeda, to the heart of the Kaygryn Empire.Its only objective: to stop the invasion at all costs... read more

Centuries in the future, humankind, an interstellar hegemony operating under the umbrella of the UN, exists alongside fi… Centuries in the future, humankind, an interstellar hegemony operating under the umbrella of the UN, exists alongside five other advanced alien races. Together they form "Tier Three", bound by a diplomatic and trade accord by which little is certain except distrust and conflict. When the kaygryn launch a suicidal assault against an Ascendancy crusade fleet, the fragile imperial compact is thrown into disarray. The Ascendancy is quick to retaliate by massacring the kaygryn, and with a human colony in the midst of the crisis, the UN launches a series of heavy-handed military interventions which succeed only in embroiling it in a deadly alien war. Four UN officials - a petulant strike commander, an ill-informed mecha pilot, a decapitated intelligence agent and an elite, narcissistic diplomat - unwittingly share reservations about the provenance of the conflict. And when the Ascendancy's crusade fleets - vast naval armadas which have been mysteriously pouring into the next galaxy for centuries - begin to slow down, it soon becomes clear that the very survival of the human race is at stake... read more

The Ascendancy War has raged for six months. After two enormous fleet actions at New Port Louis and the Pillars of Cain,… The Ascendancy War has raged for six months. After two enormous fleet actions at New Port Louis and the Pillars of Cain, the seemingly unstoppable provari advance into UN space has finally been forced to a grinding halt. In the respite of stalemate, the UN gears up for its biggest counter-offensive of the war: Operation Talisman, a do-or-die effort to open up the coreward flank of the Ascendancy. Succeed, and the UN will seize the upper hand; fail, and defeat is inevitable. Andrea Constance, President of the UN and an anxious coalition of Tier Three allies, must prepare for either outcome as D-Day draws closer. But she knows that every human lost and every provar killed means two fewer soldiers to fight the Kaygryn Empire... read more

After a day of horse racing, someone will leave the track with cash stuffed in their pockets. Jett, a twenty-two year ol… After a day of horse racing, someone will leave the track with cash stuffed in their pockets. Jett, a twenty-two year old college student, wants to steal it from them. He asks Billy to join him. Together they form a business venture. Jett, working inside the grandstand, identifies the target. Billy, waiting outside the track grounds, collects the cash. Jett tells Billy to carry a gun, but only to scare the victim; no violence of any kind. Billy agrees. Several counties report random shootings. All victims are killed after a day at the races. The Attorney General orders a task force to find the racetrack serial killer. Jake Manor, a private detective, conducts his own investigation. After Jett's father is killed, he discovers Billy's madness. The statewide manhunt leads to Billy, the next victim. Jett, removing all evidence, dissolves the partnership. He forms another venture, only this time he fails to identify The Marked Wager. read more

A HAUNTED LIGHTHOUSE A JUSTICE ACCUSED OF MURDER AND A SINGLE QUESTION What is The Scour? In the dying port town of Gdan… A HAUNTED LIGHTHOUSE A JUSTICE ACCUSED OF MURDER AND A SINGLE QUESTION What is The Scour? In the dying port town of Gdansburg, Sir Konrad Vonvalt finds the unthinkable: a fellow Justice imprisoned for the murder of a young boy. Despite the furious insistence of the townsfolk, the only evidence is a question written on a piece of paper by a dead man: what is The Scour? The answer begins in the town's haunted lighthouse and ends in its past-where Vonvalt may dig up more than he bargained for. read more

Blood once turned the wheels of empire. Now it is money. A new age of exploration and innovation has dawned, and the Emp… Blood once turned the wheels of empire. Now it is money. A new age of exploration and innovation has dawned, and the Empire of the Wolf stands to take its place as the foremost power in the known world. Glory and riches await. But dark days are coming. A mysterious plague has broken out in the pagan kingdoms to the north, while in the south, the Empire's proxy war in the lands of the wolfmen is weeks away from total collapse. Worse still is the message brought to the Empress by two heretic monks, who claim to have lost contact with the spirits of the afterlife. The monks believe this is the start of an ancient prophecy heralding the end of days--the Great Silence. It falls to Renata Rainer, a low-ranking ambassador to an enigmatic and vicious race of mermen, to seek answers from those who still practice the arcane arts. But with the road south beset by war and the Empire on the brink of supernatural catastrophe, soon there may not be a world left to save... read more

In this blistering science fiction epic, international bestselling author Richard Swan presents a thrilling tale of surv… In this blistering science fiction epic, international bestselling author Richard Swan presents a thrilling tale of survival and an eviscerating examination of totalitarianism. THE INFINITE STATE begins at a flashpoint in the lives of a widowed party member, a disgraced investigator, and a hypersled pilot—entangled in a plot to escape the suffocating authority of a fascist state. WHO GIVES YOU LIFE? PATER AETERNUS. Katherine Fuller’s husband is dead. As an esteemed member of Pater Aeternus—governing party of the fascist, galaxy-spanning Decurion Empire—he has left behind an estate of immeasurable wealth. And Katherine is going to inherit it. WHO GIVES YOU PURPOSE? PATER AETERNUS. Life under the Eternal Father is rigidly stratified, surveilled, and controlled—each new day to be endured, not lived. But with Katherine’s newfound fortune, she is presented with a rare and dangerous opportunity: purchase a virgin world, and create a better, fairer society. WHO GIVES YOU JOY? PATER AETERNUS. But the Empire cannot allow its wayward daughter to succeed. And as Katherine works in secret, recruiting allies she's not even sure she can trust, she will discover exactly how far Pater Aeternus is willing to go to stop her. Because Katherine is going to create something nobody has seen for many years. A democracy. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied. read more

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION BECKONS. SPIRITUAL CATASTROPHE LOOMS. AND THE EMPIRE OF THE WOLF TEETERS ON THE BRINK The true hor… INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION BECKONS. SPIRITUAL CATASTROPHE LOOMS. AND THE EMPIRE OF THE WOLF TEETERS ON THE BRINK The true horror of the Great Silence has been revealed. As nation after nation succumbs to the mind-plague and Sova scrambles to enlist help from across the globe, Ambassador Renata Rainer has been given a simple task: save the world. While she travels to the Principality of Casimir to enlist the help of the Empire's oldest enemy, Lieutenant Peter Kleist returns to the haunted forests of the New East to search for ancient answers - and finally confront the terrible fate that awaits him. In their wake, a task force of engineers, soldiers, and arcane experts will try and unpick the final secrets of the Great Silence - on both sides of the mortal plane. But time is running out. Count Lamprecht von Oldenburg has returned to the capital, armed with a terrible vision and enough madness to see it through. Those who stand in his way face a simple choice: join the revolution, or die. As the world tips towards chaos, all paths converge on the Eye of the Sea, where the fabric of reality wears thin - and where the Empire of the Wolf must confront the most terrible enemy it has ever known. Steel Gods is the second novel in the Great Silence trilogy from Sunday Times bestselling author Richard Swan - a dark flintlock fantasy filled with epic adventure, arcane mysteries and creeping dread Praise for the series 'Dazzling and immersive epic fantasy' Publishers Weekly (starred review) 'An absolute treat . . . crammed with imagination, horror, epic scale, and characters I simply could not put down' Grimdark Magazine 'A truly remarkable page-turning, flintlock fantasy horror' Fantasy Hive The Great Silence Grave Empire Steel Gods The Empire of the Wolf The Justice of Kings The Tyranny of Faith The Trials of Empire read more