Melissa Caruso

The mage-marked granddaughter of a ruler of Vaskandar, Ryx was destined for power and prestige at the top of Vaskandran society. But her magic is broken; all she can do is uncontrollably drain the life from everything she touches, and Vaskandar has no place for a mage with unusable powers. Then, one night, two terrible accidents befall her: Ryx accidentally kills a visiting dignitary in self-defense, activating a mysterious magical artifact sealed in an ancient tower in the heart of her family’s castle. Ryx flees, seeking a solution to her deadly magic. She falls in with a group of unlikely magical experts investigating the disturbance in Vaskandar—and Ryx realizes that her family is in danger and her domain is at stake. She and her new colleagues must return to the family stronghold to take control of the artifact that everyone wants to claim—before it destroys the world.

In the Raverran Empire, magic is scarce and those born with power are strictly controlled – taken as children and conscripted into the Falcon Army. Zaira has lived her life on the streets to avoid this fate, hiding her mage-mark and thieving to survive. But hers is a rare and dangerous magic, one that threatens the entire empire. Lady Amalia Cornaro was never meant to be a Falconer. Heiress and scholar, she was born into a treacherous world of political machinations. But fate has bound the heir and the mage. War looms on the horizon. A single spark could turn their city into a pyre. The Tethered Mage is the first novel in a spellbinding new fantasy series.

The final volume of the Gemmell Morningstar Award-shortlisted Swords and Fire fantasy trilogy, in which political scion Amalia and her bound fire warlock Zaira must save the Empire from a ruthless, magical enemy. Perfect for fans of Tamora Pierce, The Queen of the Tearling, and Uprooted. 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.

Across the border, the Witch Lords of Vaskandar are preparing for war. But before an invasion can begin, they must call a rare gathering of all seventeen lords to decide a course of action. Lady Amalia Cornaro knows that this Conclave might be her only chance to stifle the growing flames of war, and she is ready to make any sacrifice if it means saving Raverra from destruction. Amalia and Zaira must go behind enemy lines, using every ounce of wit and cunning they have, to sway Vaskandar from war. Or else it will all come down to swords and fire.

The Last Soul Among Wolves is the brilliant second installment in Melissa Caruso's Echo Archives series, a whip-smart adventure fantasy featuring cursed relics, sapphic romance, and a magical murder mystery. All Kembral Thorne wants is to finish her maternity leave in peace. But when her best friend asks for help, she can’t say no, even if it means a visit to a run-down mansion on an isolated island for a will reading. She arrives to find an unexpected reunion of her childhood friends—plus her once-rival, now-girlfriend Rika Nonesuch, there on a mysterious job. Then the will is read, and everything goes sideways. Eight potential heirs, half of them Kem’s oldest friends. Three cursed relics. The rules: one by one, the heirs will die. The prize for the lone survivor: A wish. And wishes are always bad business. To save their friends, Kem and Rika must race against the clock and descend into other realities once more. But the mansion is full of old secrets and new schemes, and soon the game becomes far more dangerous—and more personal—than they could have imagined.

La magie est peu fréquente dans l'Empire raverrain, et ceux qui naissent avec ce pouvoir sont étroitement contrôlés : repérés dès l'enfance, ils se retrouvent enrôlés de force dans le régiment des Faucons.Zaira a évité ce sort ; elle a grandi dans les rues en volant pour survivre et en dissimulant sa nature. Mais elle cache une magie rare et dangereuse, une magie qui pourrait menacer l'Empire tout entier. Amalia Cornaro n'était pas destinée à devenir Fauconnière. Héritière d'une puissante famille, érudite, elle vit dans le monde dangereux des machinations politiques. Mais le sort va réunir l'héritière et la sorcière en une alliance improbable. Alors que la menace de la guerre se profile, il pourrait suffire d'une étincelle pour transformer leur cité en un brasier incandescent... Une série dans la lignée de La Trilogie du magicien noir de Trudy Canavan.

La magie est peu fréquente dans l'Empire raverrain, et ceux qui naissent avec ce pouvoir sont étroitement contrôlés: repérés dès l'enfance, ils se retrouvent enrôlés de force dans le régiment des Faucons. Zaira a évité ce sort; elle a grandi dans les rues en volant pour survivre et en dissimulant sa nature. Mais elle cache une magie rare et dangereuse, une magie qui pourrait menacer l'Empire tout entier. Amalia Cornaro n'était pas destinée à devenir Fauconnière. Héritière d'une puissante famille, érudite, elle vit dans le monde dangereux des machinations politiques. Mais le sort va réunir l'héritière et la sorcière en une alliance improbable. Alors que la menace de la guerre se profile, il pourrait suffire d'une étincelle pour transformer leur cité en un brasier incandescent...

"A classic, breathtaking adventure brimful of dangerous magic and clever politics."  ―Tasha Suri, author of  The Jasmine Throne on The Obsidian Tower The Rooks and Ruin series concludes with this epic fantasy bursting with intrigue and ambition, questioned loyalties, and broken magic as Ryx fights to defeat the demons and save everything she loves. The Dark Days have returned. The Demon of Carnage mercilessly cuts through villagers and armies. The Demon of Corruption rots the land. The Serene Empire and the Witch Lords race towards war. And in the middle of it all stands Rxyander, the Warden of Gloamingard.    Burdened by conflicting loyalties and guilt, Ryx searches desperately for a way to defeat the demons before the world she loves is completely destroyed. To find answers, she’ll have to return to where it all started…the black tower at the heart of Gloamingard.  By blood the Door was opened and only by blood will the Dark Days end.  Praise for Rooks and "A must-read for lovers of high fantasy." ―C. L. Polk “Brimming with gripping suspense, bombastic magic, political scheming, fascinating creatures, and ill-advised romance.” ―Jon Skovron Rooks and Ruin The Obsidian Tower The Quicksilver Court The Ivory Tomb For more from Melissa Caruso, check Swords and Fire The Tethered Mage The Defiant Heir The Unbroken Empire

The Quicksilver Court continues the wildly original epic fantasy series bursting with intrigue and ambition, questioned loyalties, and broken magic that began with The Obsidian Tower.   Ryxander, Warden of Gloamingard, has failed. Unsealed by her blood, the Door hidden within the black tower has opened. Now, for the first time since the age of the Graces, demons walk the world.   As tensions grow between nations, all eyes-and daggers are set on Morgrain, fallen under the Demon of Discord's control. In an attempt to save her home from destruction, Ryx and the Rookery set out to find a powerful artifact. But powerful enemies are on the hunt and they're closing in fast. Praise for Rooks and Ruin:"Block out time to binge this can't-stop story filled with danger and unexpected disaster. From the fresh take on time-honored tropes to a crunchy, intrigue-filled story, The Obsidian Tower is a must-read for lovers of high fantasy."―C. L. Polk, World Fantasy award-winning author of WitchmarkThis is a truly excellent fantasy, and an epic beginning for a new trilogy."―Locus"A classic, breathtaking adventure brimful of dangerous magic and clever politics. This is a book that will thrill and delight any fantasy fan."―Tasha Suri, author of Empire of Sand Rooks and Ruin The Obsidian TowerThe Quicksilver Court For more from Melissa Caruso, check out: Swords and FireThe Tethered MageThe Defiant HeirThe Unbroken Empire

In questo gioco nulla è come sembra e neppure la morte è la fine di tutto. Il tempo scorre inesorabile.Chi farà la prossima mossa?È la vigilia del nuovo anno e, dopo settimane passate in casa con la figlia appena nata, Kembral Thorne, membro in congedo della gilda dei Segugi, si prende una serata libera per andare a uno sfarzoso ballo, a cui parteciperanno tutte le personalità più in vista della città di Acantis. Nonostante la stanchezza per le notti insonni, Kem tenta di godersi la festa e di ignorare la presenza di Rika, attraente spia dagli occhi grigi e penetranti e sua acerrima nemica. Quando però gli invitati iniziano a morire e i rintocchi di un antico orologio a pendolo fanno precipitare la realtà Alfa in una serie di dimensioni parallele sconosciute e pericolose, Kem sarà costretta a prendere in mano la situazione. E per salvare la città dall’imminente catastrofe e sconfiggere lo spaventoso cavaliere dagli occhi d’argento dovrà contare proprio sull’aiuto di Rika.Con il ritmo incalzante di una spy story, in L’ultima ora tra i mondi Melissa Caruso ci trascina tra inquietanti mondi paralleli e sontuosi balli dalle atmosfere vittoriane, costruendo un meccanismo diabolico e misterioso che terrà il lettore incollato fino all’ultima pagina.«L’orologio riecheggiava ancora nelle mie orecchie, il suo suono metallico che mi rimbombava nelle ossa. Il suo ultimo rintocco mi fece rabbrividire, avvertendomi che il tempo stava passando, che le nostre possibilità diminuivano, e il Vuoto si stava precipitando verso di noi».

Follow a star investigator and her rival as they journey through layers of reality to save the world as they know it in this whip-smart adventure fantasy about rival guilds, reality-bending magic and unexpected mystery. Kembral Thorne is spending a few hours away from her newborn, and she's determined to enjoy the party no matter what. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work. She's a member of the Guild of Hounds, after all, and she can't help picking up the scent of trouble. She's not the only one. Her professional and personal nemesis, notorious burglar Rika Nonesuch, is on the prowl. They quickly identify what's causing the mayhem: a mysterious grandfather clock that sends them down an Echo every time it chimes. In each strange new layer of reality, time resets and a sinister figure appears to perform a blood-soaked ritual. As Kem and Rika fall into increasingly macabre versions of their city, they'll need to rely on their wits - and each other - to unravel the secret of the clock and save their city.