THE DEATHLESS

RELEASED OUT NOW! 436 pages | Hardcover/ebook/ audiobook Author Peter newman Publisher HarperVoyager

Peter Newman follows his Vagrant series by launching a new high fantasy trilogy. The Deathless takes place in a world where the Wild – a forest inhabited by demons and predators aplenty – threatens to overrun humanity, and only the hunters of the seven noble crystal houses possess the power to hold it at bay. The titular Deathless are immortals whose souls outlive their bodies by passing into new hosts, but when assassins attempt to stop the rebirth of Lord Rochant, long-hidden secrets threaten to tear House Sapphire asunder. Simultaneously, Lord Vasin learns his mother, banished to the Wild and thought dead, still lives and plots revenge on those who cast her out...

Newman doesn’t stand on ceremony, jumping straight into his tale of intrigue and wisely filling in details as the plot demands, sparing the reader awkward exposition dumps while ensuring that his world brims with mystery. Although there’s a large supporting cast, the main thread of the adventure is tightly wound around a small, compelling core, so it’s easy to follow the shifting loyalties and revelations. The action scenes are thoroughly intense, and there’s even a streak of horror lurking in the shadows of the Wild, where the sense of menace is ever palpable. A compelling, vivid and skilfully crafted tale. David West