The Tower and Knife Trilogy

by Mazarkis Williams

Only a forgotten prince and a girl from the grasslands can stop the Pattern Master in this 'compelling' (Publishers Weekly starred) fantasy trilogy, perfect for fans of Mark Lawrence and Brandon Sanderson. This omnibus edition includes The Emperor's Knife, Knife-Sword and The Tower Broken.There is a cancer at the heart of the mighty Cerani a plague that first marks its victims, then covers the skin in geometric patterns until they die in agony - or are subsumed, their bodies now in thrall to the Pattern Master, a sorcerer of immense power. Emperor Beyon's law is that any hint of the pattern means death, before they become another puppet for the Pattern Master to use for his own evil ends - for he will see the Cerani Empire reduced to dust and whispers.No one but his mother knows the emperor himself is infected. Now she looks to her only other living son, Prince Sarmin, locked in a tower since Beyon ascended the throne. A bride is chosen, a girl from the grasslands quite unused to the politics and intrigue of the imperial court - but she is strong-willed and determined, and she once saw a path in a pattern in the waving a path that might just save them all.'I highly recommend this tight storytelling, several interesting viewpoints, complex characters' SciFi Fan Letter

Kindle Edition

First published February 19, 2015

About the author

Mazarkis Williams is a writer with roots in both the US and the UK, having worked in and been educated in both countries. Each year is divided between Boston and Bristol and a teleport booth is always top of the Christmas wish-list.

Mazarkis has degrees in history and physics, and a diverse set of interests accumulated while mispending a hectic youth. Cooking has always been a passion, and in addition to feeding six children and a sizeable herd of cats, Mazarkis regularly caters for crowds of permanently hungry friends.

The Emperor's Knife is Mazarkis' first novel.

Reviews

[Lydia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Starts very strong but became a slog by the third book. I skimmed all the chapters with male characters.