{"product_id":"the-hand-of-the-sun-king-9781625675477","title":"The Hand of the Sun King","description":"\u003cb\u003e\"An original fantasy filled with magic and culture, the story of a character torn between two names, two loyalties, and two definitions of good and evil.\"--Kevin J. Anderson, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eSpine of the Dragon\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eWen Alder was born into two worlds.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eOn his father's side, a legacy of proud loyalty and service to the god-like Sienese Emperor spanning generations. And it is expected that Alder, too, will follow this tradition by passing the Imperial exams, learning the accepted ways of magic and, if he serves with honor, enhancing his family's prominence by rising to take a most powerful position in Sien--the Hand of the Emperor. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBut from his mother he has inherited defiance from the Empire, a history of wild gods and magic unlike anything the Imperial sorcerers could yet control. It began when his spirited, rebellious grandmother took Alder into the woods and introduced him to her ways--ways he has never been able to forget. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eNow, on the verge of taking the steps that will forge the path of his life, Alder discovers that the conflict between the Empire and the resistance is only the beginning of a war that will engulf both heaven and earth, gods and man--and he may be the key to final victory for whichever side can claim him as their own... \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Sublime prose and pin-sharp characterisation combine to produce a captivating epic of conflicted loyalties and dangerous ambition.\" --Anthony Ryan, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eThe Hand of the Sun King\u003c\/i\u003e is not the gentle story of a boy's rise to power; instead, it digs its fingernails into the layers of an empire that would consume and erase half that boy's identity. Brilliantly told and immediately engrossing, filled with magic, mistakes and their merciless consequences.\" --Andrea Stewart, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Bone Shard Daughter\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eThe Hand of the Sun King\u003c\/i\u003e is an outstanding debut novel with very well-conceived world building and an excellent, original magic system, and twists that will keep you reading late into the night and guessing until the very end. The thing that really makes it shine is the main character--I really loved his development throughout the story. Alder is a character I look forward to following for multiple books to come.\" --Michael Mammay, author of the Planetside series\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"A great coming of age story about a foolish boy who seeks to unravel the secrets of magic and maybe do something good in the process. I absolutely loved it.\" --Nick Martell, author of \u003ci\u003eKingdom of Liars\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Well written, thought provoking and enjoyable, \u003ci\u003eThe Hand of the Sun King\u003c\/i\u003e is an impressive debut novel that left me eager for more.\" --Lisbeth Campbell, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Vanished Queen\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"A great debut novel.\" --SFFWorld\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"A spellbinding debut with terrific characterisations, immersive world-building, and prose that swept me away ... hands down the best debut of the year. Scratch that; this is one of the best debuts I've ever read.\" --Novel Notions\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Exquisite ... Greathouse's characterisation, his prose, and worldbuilding are an absolute triumph.\" --The Fantasy Hive\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"An excellent mix of classic and modern fantasy with a grimdark undertone of despair.\" --Grimdark Magazine\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eThe Hand of the Sun King\u003c\/i\u003e is an enjoyable novel that pays great homage to the traditions and mythologies it borrows from.\" --Quill to Live\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Teeming with culture, doused in war, political intrigue ... but strikes out its own path in the genre.\" --FanFiAddict\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"Set in a fantastical world of magic with a rich history, this novel fits beautifully into its genre while also addressing some failings of the genre by turning them on their head.\" --Dawn Vogel, History That Never Was\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJ.T. Greathouse has been writing fantasy and science fiction since he was eleven years old. He holds a BA in history and philosophy with a minor in Asian studies as well as a Master's in Teaching from Whitworth University, and spent four months of intensive study in Chinese language and culture at Minzu University of China in Beijing. His short fiction has appeared, often as Jeremy A. TeGrotenhuis, in \u003ci\u003eBeneath Ceaseless Skies\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eWriters of the Future 34\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eDeep Magic\u003c\/i\u003e, Orson Scott Card's \u003ci\u003eIntergalactic Medicine Show\u003c\/i\u003e, and elsewhere. In addition to writing, he has worked as an ESL teacher in Taipei, as a bookseller at Auntie's Bookstore in Spokane, and as a high school teacher. He currently lives in Spokane, Washington with his wife Hannah and several overflowing bookshelves.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Jab Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50629676663058,"sku":"9781625675477","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_328a6399-cc9c-4def-b57f-69b1a61d16c0.jpg?v=1732733413","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-hand-of-the-sun-king-9781625675477","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}