The Kirilli Matter

Qavnerian Protectorate #1

by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Gripping, imaginative, and a tour-de-force of thrilling storytelling, New York Times bestselling author Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s The Kirilli Matter launches her acclaimed Fey series into exciting new territory. When the investigation of a brutal murder scene points to terrifying suspects, Augusta Kirilli must find a way to protect her family’s secrets—secrets so long buried, she must discover their meaning or risk her own destruction. Set in the world of The Fey and masterfully blending fantasy and steampunk elements, Kristine Kathryn Rusch’s Qavnerian Protectorate saga adds rich new dimension to this powerfully written series. From its shocking opening to the deepening mystery at its conclusion, this groundbreaking novel takes epic fantasy in a whole new direction and proves Rusch’s place as the greatest storyteller of our time. “A very good, very large fantasy...nicely done and with a particularly satisfying and unexpected resolution.” —Science Fiction Chronicle on The Sacrifice “Rusch’s greatest strength…is her ability to close down a story and leave the reader feeling that the author could not possibly have wrung any more satisfaction out of the piece.” —The Kansas City Star “Kristine Kathryn Rusch integrates the fantastic elements so rigorously into her story that it is often hard to remember she is not merely recording the here and now.” —Science Fiction Weekly “Whether [Rusch] writes high fantasy, horror, sf, or contemporary fantasy, I’ve always been fascinated by her ability to tell a story with that enviable gift of invisible prose. She’s one of those very few writers whose style takes me right into the story—the words and pages disappear as the characters and their story swallows me whole…. Rusch has style.” —Charles de Lint

Genres: Fantasy

562 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 21, 2023

About the author

Kristine Kathryn Rusch is an award-winning mystery, romance, science fiction, and fantasy writer. She has written many novels under various names, including Kristine Grayson for romance, and Kris Nelscott for mystery. Her novels have made the bestseller lists –even in London– and have been published in 14 countries and 13 different languages.

Her awards range from the Ellery Queen Readers Choice Award to the John W. Campbell Award. In the past year, she has been nominated for the Hugo, the Shamus, and the Anthony Award. She is the only person in the history of the science fiction field to have won a Hugo award for editing and a Hugo award for fiction.

In addition, she's written a number of nonfiction articles over the years, with her latest being the book "A Freelancer's Survival Guide".

She has also published as:
Sandy Schofield (collaborations with husband Dean Wesley Smith)
Kristine Grayson - romances
Kathryn Wesley (collaborations with husband Dean Wesley Smith)
Kris Nelscott - mysteries
Kris Rusch - historical fiction
Kris DeLake - romances

Reviews

[Justine Mailliot · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is good, but I was left hungry for more. Not because of a cliff-hanger, but more because of a slight lack of content? It was slightly below my expectations after reading the whole Fey series and after reading the recent short story "The Reflection on Mount Vitaki", which was really good in my opinion. I am still impatient for the next book of the "Qavnerian Protectorate" series, as I think that "The Kirilli Matter" is certainly an introductory book, to set up the context before the real action starts.

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Kirilli Matter is the first book in this series, (though it's apparently book 9 overall), and it's an interesting murder mystery with plenty of fantasy thrown in for good measure. Plus the fay folk, but you knew that already. It's an interesting tale, and if you're even a slight fan of this author's work, you should not let this one pass by, it's very well told, and a very good read.

[Justine Mailliot · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is good, but I was left hungry for more. Not because of a cliff-hanger, but more because of a slight lack of content? It was slightly below my expectations after reading the whole Fey series and after reading the recent short story "The Reflection on Mount Vitaki", which was really good in my opinion. I am still impatient for the next book of the "Qavnerian Protectorate" series, as I think that "The Kirilli Matter" is certainly an introductory book, to set up the context before the real action starts.