Berren has lived in the city all his life. He has made his way as a thief, paying a little of what he earns to the Fagin like master of their band. But there is a twist to this tale of a thief.
One day Berren goes to watch an execution of three thieves. He watches as the thief-taker takes his reward and decides to try and steal the prize. He fails. The young thief is taken. But the thief-taker spots something in Berren. And the boy reminds him of someone as well. Berren becomes his apprentice.
And is introduced to a world of shadows, deceit and corruption behind the streets he thought he knew.
Full of richly observed life in a teeming fantasy city, a hectic progression of fights, flights and fancies and charting the fall of a boy into the dark world of political plotting and murder this marks the beginning of a new fantasy series for all lovers of fantasy - from fans of Kristin Cashore to Brent Weeks.
Trois amis d'enfance se retrouvent aux États-Unis pour un voyage dont ils ont toujours rêvé. Entre visions fulgurantes et paroles libératrices, le trio nous entraîne dans un voyage à travers l'Amérique du Nord où les visages s'éclairent et les barrières tombent : genre, sexualité, violence, intimité. Cette épopée fascinante se transforme alors en une folle et inexorable découverte de soi-même. Un premier roman où la profondeur se mêle à l'humour et où le poétique sublime le politique.
Alors que les factions rivales se disputent le contrôle du Palais Adamantin, la Némésis des hommes approche. Tous les dragons des royaumes s'éveillent de la torpeur alchimique dans laquelle ils étaient artificiellement plongés depuis des siècles, et leur nature furieuse reprend le dessus. Ils se rappellent leur passé, qui se confond avec la création du monde lui-même, et ils comprennent peu à peu ce que les hommes leur ont infligé... Leur vengeance sera brutale. Et tandis qu'une centaine d'entres eux menacent de déclencher l'apocalypse, seule une poignée de Gardes Adamantins peut encore sauver l'humanité de l'extinction. Le prince Jehal saura-t-il à la fois lutter contre ceux qui veulent sa mort et obtenir de ses ennemis l'union sacrée qui, seule, peut les épargner tous ?
L'Ordre des écailleux conclut la trilogie des Rois-dragons. Stephen Deas se montre une fois de plus le digne successeur d'une fantasy sombre et violente, dans la droite lignée du Trône de fer de George R.R. Martin.
Jehal est parvenu à ses fins : Zafir, sa maîtresse, occupe le trône de l'Orateur, la reine Shezira croupit dans les geôles du Palais Adamantin, et son mariage avec la princesse Lystra, l'une des filles de cette dernière, lui assure la jouissance d'un des plus puissants royaumes. La seule chose qu'il n'avait pas prévue, après ces années d'empoisonnement et de trahisons en tout genre, c'est... l'ennui ! Pourtant, entre les manigances coupables de Zafir, la menace constante des armées du Roi des cimes et la rébellion des Écuyers Rouges, les royaumes ne sont pas près de connaître la paix. D'autant moins que le dragon blanc, sevré du traitement alchimique qui abrutit ses semblables, est toujours en liberté. Et il semble bien décidé à se venger...
Second volet de la trilogie des Rois-dragons, Le Roi des cimes explore plus avant le monde unique créé par Stephen Deas dans Le Palais Adamantin. Au contact des dragons les plus grandioses que la fantasy ait connus, les personnages y acquièrent une nouvelle dimension psychologique et épique.
« Une lecture frénétique et sans pitié. »
Joe Abercrombie
Le Palais Adamantin se dresse au coeur d'un empire né sur les cendres d'un monde autrefois dominé par les dragons. La race des hommes faillit bien disparaître sous les crocs de ces êtres tyranniques, mais ils découvrirent un jour un procédé alchimique grâce auquel ils soumirent leurs prédateurs.
Les terribles créatures de jadis servent aujourd'hui de montures aux chevaliers impériaux et de monnaie d'échange dans le jeu de pouvoir auquel se livrent les grandes maisons aristocratiques. L'empire a prospéré, attirant bien des convoitises, comme celle de cet homme qui rêve de le diriger. Un homme prêt à empoisonner l'empereur comme il a empoisonné son propre père. Un homme prêt à assassiner sa maîtresse et à coucher avec la fille de cette dernière.
Mais, bien qu'il l'ignore encore, des flammes vont lui barrer la route du pouvoir. Un dragon s'est échappé. Or, un dragon insoumis retrouve ses pleines capacités intellectuelles, toute sa fureur... À lui seul, il pourrait déjà bien causer la perte de l'empire.
Et il n'est pas seul...
William Falkland is a dead man.
A Royalist dragoon who fought against Parliament, he is currently awaiting execution at Newgate prison. Yet when he is led away from Newgate with a sack over his head, it is not the gallows to which they take him, but to Oliver Cromwell himself.
Cromwell has heard of Falkland's reputation as an investigator and now more than ever he needs a man of conscience. His New Model Army are wintering in Devon but mysterious deaths are sweeping the camp and, in return for his freedom, Falkland is despatched to uncover the truth.
With few friends and a slew of enemies, Falkland soon learns there is a dark demon at work, one who won't go down without a fight. But how can he protect the troops from such a monster and, more importantly, will he be able to protect himself?
Praised by Joe Abercrombie and Brent Weeks alike - the dragon fantasy that heralded the arrival of an exciting new talent on the fantasy scene
The Adamantine Palace lies at the centre of an empire that grew out of ashes. Once dragons ruled the world and man was little more than prey. Then a way of subduing the dragons through alchemy was discovered and now the dragons are bred to be mere mounts for knights and highly valued tokens in the diplomatic power-players that underpin the rule of the competing aristocratic houses. The Empire has grown fat.
And now one man wants it for himself. A man prepared to poison the king just as he has poisoned his own father. A man prepared to murder his own lover and then bed her daughter. A man fit to be king?
But unknown to him there are flames on the way. A single dragon has gone missing. And even one dragon on the loose, unsubdued and returned to its full intelligence, its full fury, could spell disaster for the Empire.
But because of the actions of one unscrupulous mercenary the rivals for the throne could soon be facing hundreds of dragons ...
Stephen Deas has written a fast moving and action-fuelled fantasy laced with irony, a razor sharp way with characters, dialogue to die for and dragons to die by.
Noted for its blistering pace, awesome dragons and devious politicking Stephen Deas' landmark fantasy trilogy moves to a terrifying epic conclusion in The Order of the Scales. Perfect for all fans of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series
As the various factions fight for control of the Adamantine Palace, mankind's nemesis approaches. The realm's dragons are awakening from their alchemical sedation and returning to their native fury. They can remember why they were created and they now know what mankind has done to them. And their revenge will be brutal.
As hundreds of dragons threaten a fiery apocalypse only the Adamantine Guard stand between humanity and extinction. Can Prince Jehal fight off the people who want him dead and unite their armies in one final battle for survival?
Prince Jehal has murdered, poisoned and betrayed his way to the top. There is a new speaker for the realms, his opposition has been crushed, now he just has to enjoy the fruits of power. And yet he feels more for the wife he married for power than perhaps he should and his lover knows it.
Out in the realms those loyal to the old regime are still plotting. and there are rumours that the Red Riders, heralds of revolution and doom are on the ride.
And still no-one has found the famous white dragon. The dragon that, if it lived, will have long since recovered from the effects of the alchemical liquid fed to the dragons of the realms to keep them docile, to block their memories of a time when they ruled and the world burned.
Stephen Deas has created an epic world, vivid characters, a plot full of betrayals and the most awesome dragons fantasy has seen.
Praised by the likes of Joe Abercrombie and Brent Weeks, Stephen Deas has made dragons his own.
The Silver King, half-god, legend and myth, is returning. Once he fought his brother, the Black Moon, and his dragons, and was defeated. But the Black Moon was also weakened, and a millennia has passed. Humanity has grown used to a world without gods, a world where they were masters of all - including the terrifying dragons.
But the dragons have awakened, the hole in reality is expanding, and the shackles that kept the half-gods controlled have been broken. The Black Moon lives on in the body of Berren Crowntaker, and has taken control. With an army behind him, the dragons above and the Dragon Queen at his side, he goes to war with his brother.
The worlds are turning, and only one thing is sure - there will be an ending.
THE SILVER KING is the triumphant conclusion to one of the most brutal and wide-ranging fantasy series of recent years.
This groundbreaking collaboration between two Gollancz authors tells of the invasion of Earth by two different alien races - at the same time. Two men become aware of the threat, and must work to sabotage the invasion plans and see off the aliens.
Each book follows one hero, uncovering the threat to humanity and the world from their point of view. Each book can be read on its own, and will give the reader a complete, kinetic, fast-paced military SF story. But read both books and the reader gets something else - another view of (some of) the same events and crossover points, culminating in a bloody battle at Canary Wharf.
The two books can be read in any order, but together they tell the story of humanity caught in the crossfire between two deadly alien races, who have made Earth their battleground...
This groundbreaking collaboration between two Gollancz authors tells of the invasion of Earth by two different alien races - at the same time. Two men become aware of the threat, and must work to sabotage the invasion plans and see off the aliens.
Each book follows one hero, uncovering the threat to humanity and the world from their point of view. Each book can be read on its own, and will give the reader a complete, kinetic, fast-paced military SF story. But read both books and the reader gets something else - another view of (some of) the same events and crossover points, culminating in a bloody battle at Canary Wharf.
The two books can be read in any order, but together they tell the story of humanity caught in the crossfire between two deadly alien races, who have made Earth their battleground...
Two alien invasions. Two heroes. One Story. Collects EMPIRES: EXTRACTION and EMPIRES: INFILTRATION in one volume!
This groundbreaking collaboration between two Gollancz authors tells of the invasion of Earth by two different alien races - at the same time. Two men become aware of the threat, and must work to sabotage the invasion plans and see off the aliens.
Each book follows one hero, uncovering the threat to humanity and the world from their point of view. Each book can be read on its own, and will give the reader a complete, kinetic, fast-paced military SF story. But read both books and the reader gets something else - another view of (some of) the same events and crossover points, culminating in a bloody battle at Canary Wharf.
The two books can be read in any order, but together they tell the story of humanity caught in the crossfire between two deadly alien races, who have made Earth their battleground...
Autumn,1646. The First Civil War is over, but the killing is not yet done.
William Falkland, former favourite of King Charles turned reluctant investigator for Cromwell, seeks his missing family. As his hopes are once again dashed, a figure from his past reappears - Cromwell is not finished with him. Ordered to London, Falkland must help an irascible man of letters named John Milton, whose cherished sister was apparently abducted by the king's supporters.
Falkland's task will lead him towards a brutal act buried in the maelstrom of the War, and a secret that threatens not just his own life, but also the fragile peace England so desperately needs...
Praise for The Royalist, the first powerful mystery featuring William Falkland:
'A page-turning novel, unpredictable and suspenseful, haunted by intriguing twists and turns... The characters are vividly portrayed, three-dimensional and convincing' Historical Novels Review
'I take my hat off to the author for his ability and desire to portray all of this horror and dirt... Highly recommended' Parmenion Books
'Deas writes at a furious pace... It is his wonderful descriptions and his creation of a powerfully charged atmosphere that really capture the reader' We Love This Book
Pursued by government agents and angry aliens, Dalen and Gole are in a race against time to save both their own distant world and the fishing community of Port Angus.
With seconds to the finish line, Dalen and Gole lead the distant world of Budap's annual Junior-Jet Race. Suddenly they are overtaken. Left behind in a cloud of mysterious purple exhaust, they realize something doesn't add up. Looking for clues, the two friends uncover a tunnel that leads them to Earth. They arrive in Port Angus, once a lively west coast fishing community. The fishing industry is dying, and Dalen and Gole find themselves embroiled in a sinister plot to steal fish and send them to Budap.
This book introduces the psychological contract as a multi-level contextual construct and closes some of the knowledge gaps on the nature of the digital era psychological contract. The digital era psychological contract gives rise to a new type of employer-employee relationship manifesting at the nexus between people and technology in a post-COVID-19 world. The book volume provides promising new approaches for psychological contract research, offering a rich compendium of reflections on the shifts in employer-employee expectations and obligations, as well as suggestions for future research and practice.Chapter contributions are divided into four main sections:The Digital Era: Contextual Issues and the Psychological ContractManaging the Psychological Contract in the Digital Era: Issues for Organisational PracticeManaging the Psychological Contract in the Digital Era: Issues of DiversityIntegration and Conclusion Redefining the Psychological Contract in the Digital Era is an insightful examination of the evolving nature of the psychological contract, presenting novel insights into the antecedents, consequences, and facets of the new multi-level contextual digital era psychological contract. The primary audience for this book volume is advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students in industrial and organisational psychology and human resource management, as well as scholars in both academic and applied work settings. Human resource managers and professionals will also have an interest in this book volume.
Tout enfant porte en lui la mystérieuse expérience de l'humanité. C'est un potentiel de vie qui cherche à prendre ses dimensions : bourgeon qui veut éclore, battement d'ailes qui prépare l'envol. Ces flashes sont une invitation à prêter l'oreille à quelques paroles échappées au silence et à ouvrir les yeux sur des visages d'enfants sans bonheur : « fleurs blessées, oiseaux tombés du nid ». Les maisons spécialisées de nos campagnes et de nos cités sont peuplées de ces « enfants de l'oubli ». Mais un germe de vie et une quête timide de tendresse les habitent encore. Ils attendent un regard de tendresse et une main ouverte à l'amitié. « Si l'oiseau reprenait son vol. » Ce livre apporte l'espérance à tous ceux qui tendent les mains pour aider le printemps à devenir l'été.
Collected here are all ten of Stephen Deas' epic fantasy novels about a world ruled by dragons. Blood, fire, sex, politics and betrayal combine in this masterful and wide-ranging series.
Contains THE ADAMANTINE PALACE, THE KING OF THE CRAGS, THE ORDER OF THE SCALES, THE THIEF-TAKER'S APPRENTICE, THE WARLOCK'S SHADOW, THE KING'S ASSASSIN, THE BLACK MAUSOLEUM, DRAGON QUEEN, THE SPLINTERED GODS, THE SILVER KINGS
Praised by the likes of Joe Abercrombie and Brent Weeks, Stephen Deas has made dragons his own.
Captured by an unknown enemy and forced to wage war on his rivals, the Dragon Queen has found herself hated and feared by all the people of this new land. There is little they can do to hurt her while she has her dragon, but she cannot escape while the magic necklace she is forced to wear remains active - or it will throttle her. And the enemies of her new master are gathering for revenge ...
Lost in a body that isn't his own, Berren - the Bloody Judge - continues his search for the man who stole his life. Accompanied by a single Adamantine soldier, they scrabble to survive in a world shaken by the Dragon Queen's attack and suspicious of all those who are strangers. But there is another power inside Berren, one which escapes when he is in danger and has the habit of disintegrating those around him. And that power has its own agenda ... One that will lead it to the Dragon Queen, and battle.
The critics, fellow authors and readers alike are agreed - if you love dragons and epic fantasy, Stephen Deas is the writer for you. The man who brought dragons back to their full glory, might and terror.
Set in the world of bestselling computer game ELITE, and launched to tie in with the latest version, ELITE: DANGEROUS - a game almost 20 years in the making. One of three very distinct - but subtly linked - novels written by major authors who are fans of the game, this novel will be a must-buy not only for the 25,000+ people who funded the new game on kickstarter, but also for all of those fans of the original game.
When a routine bit of piracy goes wrong, the crew of the Song of Stone realise that there's a bounty hunter on their tail. One who might, finally, be able to outclass them. The Dragon Queen is feared across space, and for good reason. But even the bounty hunter doesn't realise what she's been hired to do. Or what is in the container she's been sent to retrieve.
And she's not the only hunter in the game...
Gavin Deas is the pseudonym used by Stephen Deas and Gavin Smith when writing together.
Praised by the likes of Joe Abercrombie and Brent Weeks, Stephen Deas has made dragons his own.
In the years before the Dragons laid waste to man's empire, the fearsome monsters were used for war and as gifts of surpassing wealth to buy favour in the constant political battles that tore at the kingdoms.
Notorious in these battles was the Dragon Queen. And now she is a prisoner. But no one is more dangerous than when caged ...
The critics, fellow authors and readers alike are agreed - if you love dragons and epic fantasy, Stephen Deas is the writer for you. The man who brought dragons back to their full glory, might and terror.
DRAGON QUEEN is a companion volume to the Memory of Flames trilogy and to THE BLACK MAUSOLEUM.
Two years have passed since the events of The Order of the Scales. Across the realms, dragons are still hatching. Hatching, and hatching free.
Skorl is an Ember, a soldier trained from birth to fight dragons. He is a living weapon, one-shot only, saturated with enough dragon-poison to bring down a monster all on his own. Misanthrope, violent and a drunk, to fulfil his purpose and slay a dragon, means to be eaten. Now Skorl has a choice: he can hang for his crimes, or he can go with the last of the Adamantine Men, fighting against an enemy he was born to face.
Rat is an Outsider. He's on the run and he's stumbled onto something that's going to make him rich beyond all his dreams. It's just a shame that the end of the world has started without him.
Kataros is an alchemist, one of the order responsible for keeping the dragons in check. One of the order that has just failed, and disastrously so.
Two men, one woman. One chance to save the world from a storm of dragons ...
