Crystal War

by Joshua Palmatier

Rebellion Brings With It…
Daunting Responsibility

Devon Alamort, Lane Illea, and Dalton Trent have escaped the city of Iandolo, hoping to find refuge in Brovetto…with the Iandolan army on their heels. When they arrive, they find the city controlled by Prefect Raias Burdock, who attempts to arrest the entire group of refugees at the gate. But after being captured and imprisoned in Iandolo—with Lane sent to be executed and Devon tortured for the knowledge he possesses about how the magic within the Crystal Cities works—the two are willing to die rather than be retaken. Realizing that Lane could destroy him, even with his own Iandolan mages on hand, Burdock agrees to a stalemate, allowing Lane and the refugees into the city unmolested…but taking her parents, Dalton, and others as hostage.

Devon knows what the Iandolans are capable of when it comes to the treatment of their prisoners, and Lane has no intention of leaving her mother in Burdock’s hands for long. Both of them know it’s only a matter of time before Councilor Havvelan, Proctor Favian, and Prefect Arctus lead the Iandolan army down the wayfare to attack Brovetto. After the riots incited in Iandolo, those from Iridesque plan to wipe the rebellious city and all of its people out, no matter the cost. Lane, Devon, and the citizens of Luminesque have only a short time to prepare. But Brovetto is a shell, a mining city depleted of its resources by the voracious Council. Only three of its levels have running water, one entire section is a burned-out husk, and almost none of its lucent works. Lane and Devon face an impossible

Defend a city already half deserted with a handful of untrained mages and ordinary citizens as an army.

380 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2025

About the author

Joshua Palmatier started writing science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories in the eighth grade, when the teacher assigned a one page Twilight Zone-ish short story. He wrote a story about Atlantis. It was from the perspective of one of the inhabitants as he escaped in a spaceship, watching his world being destroyed by water from one of the viewports of the ship. He got an A. Joshua hasn't stopped writing since.

"The Skewed Throne" is Joshua's first published novel, but it's the fourth novel he's written. The sequels--"The Cracked Throne" and "The Vacant Throne"--are now all available. His next series--comprising the novels "Well of Sorrows," "Leaves of Flame," and "Breath of Heaven"--was initially published under the pseudonym Benjamin Tate, but is being released in June 2016 under his real name. He is currently hard at work on the third book in his latest series, "Reaping the Aurora," with the first book "Shattering the Ley" now available and the second "Threading the Needle" due out in July 2016. He's also managed to write a few short stories, included in the anthologies "Close Encounters of the Urban Kind," "Beauty Has Her Way," "River," and "Apollo's Daughters."

Joshua is also the founder of a small press called Zombies Need Brains, which is focused on producing SF&F themed anthologies. There are two anthologies currently available--"Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs Aliens" and "Temporally Out of Order"--with two new anthologies due in August 2016 titled "Alien Artifacts" and "Were-". Find out more about Zombies Need Brains at www.zombiesneedbrains.com.

Bibliography: Novels:

Throne of Amenkor series:
The Skewed Throne
The Cracked Throne
The Vacant Throne

Well of Sorrows series:
Well of Sorrows
Leaves of Flame
Breath of Heaven (forthcoming)

Novels of The Ley:
Shattering the Ley
Threading the Needle (July 2016)
Reaping the Aurora (forthcoming)

Bibliography: Short Stories:

"Mastihooba" in Close Encounters of the Urban Kind edited by Jennifer Brozek (APEX).
"Tears of Blood" in Beauty Has Her Way edited by Jennifer Brozek (Dark Quest).
"An Alewife in Kish" (as Benjamin Tate) in After Hours: Tales from the Ur-Bar edited by Joshua Palmatier & Patricia Bray (DAW).
"The River" in River edited by Alma Alexander (Dark Quest).

Bibliography: As Editor:

After Hours: Tales From the Ur-Bar (DAW)
The Modern Fae's Guide to Surviving Humanity (DAW)
Clockwork Universe: Steampunk vs Aliens (ZNB)
Temporally Out of Order (ZNB)
Alien Artifacts (ZNB; forthcoming)
Were- (ZNB; forthcoming)