John Marco - Page 1
| British Pbk Original - Gollancz (2005) |
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The Sword of Angels
Lukien, the Bronze Knight of Liiria, was once the kingdom’s greatest champion - and then he betrayed his king. Consumed by guilt, he now lives in self imposed exile, devoting himself to the protection of the mountain fortress of Grimhold and wearing on of the magical amulets known as the Eyes of God. But Grimhold is threatened by a murderous magic secret, the Devil’s Armour, which has at last found a wearer. Only the hidden Sword of Angels can defeat the Devil’s Armour.
If Lukien can find it before it is too late.
Following on from The Eyes Of God and The Devil’s Armour, The Sword Of Angels carries John Marco’s trademark combination of morally ambiguous and complex action, tight plotting and vivid
characterisation. This is action-driven fantasy, packed with magic, betrayal and battle, from one of the most exciting authors in world fantasy.
Set in a richly built world, detailed in its dissection of motive, and compelling in its characters, The Sword Of Angels is the latest work from a natural and mature storyteller revelling in his ability.
Building on the success of the acclaimed ‘Tyrants and Kings’ trilogy, and his growing fan base in the UK and US, this is a perfect novel for new readers and old fans of John Marco’s work alike.
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First British Edition Gollancz (2004) |
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| Paperback - Gollancz (2005) |
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The Devil's Armour
LUKIEN
The Bronze Knight, champion to Akeela, king of Liiria. Until his betrayal drove Akeela to his death and tore the kingdom apart. Now he lives in the desert mountain fortress of Grimhold, consumed by guilt.
JAZANA CARR
The Diamond Queen. She has ousted King Lorn from Norvor and now she is turning her greedy eye on Liiria, beset by chaos since the death of Akeela. The rape of Liiria will be a fitting vengeance on the man who jilted her;
BARON GLASS
Friend of Lukien, fellow exile from Liiria. When the news reaches Grimhold that his one-time lover is poised to attack Liiria he rides to the kingdom’s defence… and opens the door to hell.
For Baron Glass has torn out the dark heart of Grimhold; the Devil’s Armour. Wearing it he is invincible, but the armour carries a terrible curse of corruption and madness and sure enough Glass succumbs…
And it falls to Lukien to stop the Baron and rein in the evil that threatens to overwhelm the world.
Following on from the epic story of betrayal and madness, The Eyes Of God, John Marco’s new novel takes his readers ever deeper into his world of dangerous magics and hearts both false and true. It confirms his place as one of the rising stars of world fantasy.
'Marco is writing at the top of his form… a cracking good read' SFX
| Paperback - Gollancz Millenium (2003) |
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First British Edition Gollancz (2002) |
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The Eyes of God
Akeela, King Of Liiria
Young and idealistic, determined to bring peace to his kingdom - a land that has been plagued by war with the neighboring kingdom of Reec for decades. He has come to parley in Hes, capital city of Reec, with Liiria’s age-old enemy, King Karis. With him are his Royal Chargers, led by a man as feared as the young king is loved:
Lukien, The Bronze Knight
Not yet thirty, peerless with a sword, a reputation earned the hard way. War is his life, his true calling, Reec his sworn enemy. But he is Akeela’s champion. His loyalty, stronger than blood, knows no limits. It is an unfortunate foe who faces the Bronze Knight’s wrath.
As Akeela and Lukien enter the gates of their enemy’s stronghold, neither man foresees the turmoil this historic journey will wreak on their lives. For to seal the peace, King Karis of Reec bestows upon Akeela his most valued treasure:
Cassandra, charming, beautiful, accomplished
But unknown to anyone, Cassandra hides a terrible secret, a disease which will threaten her life, and cause unimaginable strife for all who love her. And for Akeela and Lukien, the quest for Cassandra’s salvation will overwhelm every bond of loyalty, every point of honor, every dream of peace.
The eyes of god will see their world torn apart.
'Marco can hold his own as a writer with other major fantasists, including Stephen Donaldson and Terry Brooks' Publishers Weekly
‘John Marco will surprise you. Every time you think you recognize which branch of the Tree of Story you’re on, you’ll find you’re on another one entirely - and pretty far out on a limb as weII. Best of all, The Eyes Of God isn’t just about warfare, magic, and monsters, although it’s got all of those: it’s about the terrible burden of making choices, and the way the seeds of victory are in every failure, and tragedy’s beginnings are in every triumph.’ Tad Williams
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First British Edition Gollancz (2001) |
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| Paperback - Gollancz Millenium (2002) |
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The Saints of the Sword
Book Three of Tyrants and Kings
John Marco’s epic fantasy of dark magic and bitter conflict draws to a triumphant conclusion with a naïve young prince and a war-weary soldier holding the key to the future.
There was nothing Biagio, Emperor of Nar, would not do to gain power.
Now he wants peace. The irony is that no one believes him. Instead, the cruelest of his minions – Elrad Leth, Governor of Aramoor, and King Tassis Gayle of Talistan – are massing an army to usurp his throne. But the wily Biagio, has one more desperate plan…
At the heart of the scheme is Alazrian Leth, bastard son of Elrad. Barely sixteen, bookish and untrained, this young prince secretly possesses rare magical talents. Biagio sends Alazrian on a near-impossible mission: to convince outlawed priest Jahl rob and his fearless Saints of the Sword, to search for the exiled ruler of Aramoor, and the mysterious people called the Triin.
If these ancient enemies can unite into one great army, a boy’s strange and wonderful magic may be the spark to heal a wounded world… or set into motion an unimaginable betrayal.
Destiny is not finished with the Jackal of Nar…
'finely crafted, fluid writing and fully rendered characters' Publishers Weekly
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First British Edition Gollancz (2000) |
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The Grand Design
Book Two of Tyrants and Kings
From John Marco comes the epic sequel to his thrilling debut fantasy, The Jackal of Nar, an infamous warrior is once again caught between two irresistible forces, and his choice may change the world ...
In the wake of Arkus' terrible war, Prince Richius Vantran, the Jackal of Nar, has fled into exile with his wife Dyana and their young daughter Shani.
Meanwhile, with the emperor's death, Nar has exploded in civil strife and a new war is being waged between the religious fanatics of Bishop Herrith who follow the Light of God, and the ruthless followers of Count Biagio and his Black Renaissance. Each man believes he has been chosen to lead, and the terrifying slaughter mounts, fuelled by the development of hideous new war machines.
Biagio, a master of deception and intrigue, has a grand design to gain total power. As for Vantran, Biagio's own most hated enemy, the count, too, has a devious, but far more personal plan: to strike the warrior-prince's only weakness ... Vantran's innocent daughter. And Vantran himself will unwittingly seal his daughter's fate.
‘A marvellous new voice in the world of fantasy’ Allan Cole
‘John Marco has now joined the ranks of Robert Jordan, Terry Brooks, Stephen Donaldson, and, of course, J.R.R. Tolkien.’ Bookpage
`This is a great read, and it isn’t necessary to have read the previous book to appreciate Marco’s skill as a superb manipulator of plot. His many characters are complex and multi-faceted; he succeeds in writing about children without the slightest hint of cuteseyness, and the psychological intricacies he depicts are both startling and surprisingly realistic. Indeed, his way of tweaking the familiar to turn it into something grossly evil makes his villains far more repulsive than those in more overtly violent novels. He manages to surprise even the jaded reader with his inventive twists and side-steps, and he has a fiendish ability to ally skulduggery and sword-and-dagger fighting with the ghastliest aspects of chemical warfare, brainwashing and drug addiction without striking a false note. All this, and it’s well written, too, in an appealingly easy-going, flowing style that keeps you riveted. This is a really good novel.’ British Fantasy Society Newsletter
`Well-developed characters and a satisfying wind-up - in a field where, all too often, authors provide neither.’ Kirkus Reviews
`Nary a dull moment . . . Fantasy readers should keep a close eye on John Marco.’ SF Site (http://www.sfsite.com/)
`One can leap from high point to high point while appreciating the author’s attention to detail and ambitious stabs at originality.’ Publishers Weekly
Bibliography
N.B. dates and publishers in dark red indicate British First Editions. Dates and publishers in black indicate recent reprints.
The Sword of Angels
(Gollancz Pbk,
2005)
The Devil's Armour
(Gollancz,
2004)
Gollancz Pbk Mar 05
The Eyes of God
(Gollancz,
2002)
Gollancz Millenium Pbk Feb 03
The Saints of the Sword
(Gollancz,
2001)
Gollancz Millenium Pbk Mar 02
The Grand Design
(Gollancz,
2000)
Gollancz Millenium Pbk Apr 01
The Jackal of Nar
(Gollancz Millenium,
1999)
Gollancz Millenium Pbk Mar 00
The Sword of Angels
by John Marco
