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Emperor Tenet intends to pull all people into the Sienese Empire. Wen Alder must play a dangerous game if he wants to protect his people, as he enters the service of the empire to learn all its magical secrets.
‘The closest I’ve ever come to finding something comparable to The Name of the Wind ‘ The Chronicler
My name is Wen Alder. My name is Foolish Cur.
All my life, I have been torn between two legacies: my father’s, whose family trace their roots back to the right hand of the Emperor. My mother’s, whose family want to bring the Empire to its knees.
I can choose between them – between the safety of empire or the freedom of rebellion – or I can seek out a better path . . . one filled with magic and secrets, unbound by suffocating legacy, but one which could shake my world to its very foundation.
For my quest will bring me face to face with the gods themselves. And they have been watching. Waiting to make their move . . .
The first book in the Pact and Pattern series. Fans of Robin Hobb, Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn and R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War will love the magic running through every page.
Read what everyone is saying about The Hand of the Sun King:
‘A debut of incredible quality’ Richard Swan, Sunday Times bestselling author
‘Brilliantly told and immediately engrossing’ Andrea Stewart, critically acclaimed author of The Bone Shard Emperor
‘Seriously, this book has everything . . . a beautiful and breathtaking fantasy work‘ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
‘A captivating epic of conflicted loyalties and dangerous ambition’ Anthony Ryan, New York Times bestselling author of The Pariah
‘I cannot praise this book highly enough, it’s just brilliant’ Fantasy Book Nerd
‘Greathouse’s writing flows like silk . . . a complex magic system, a coming of age story, a morally conflicted protagonist, ancient and mysterious gods and a massive world-spanning empire . . . full of magic, intricate detail and richly imagined fantasy elements‘ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
‘The magic system is complex and fascinating . . . also, J.T. Greathouse’s prose is beautiful and poetic . . . It has an intricate plot. political manoeuvring, and tragic events that Robin Hobb’s fans would love‘ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
‘I felt fear and excitement and never being able to predict what was to come next aided in my helpless immersion into this story’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
‘Alder is a phenomenal main character . . . As close to a perfect debut as any fantasy fan could ask for’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
‘An exciting new voice in epic fantasy’ SFX
‘The closest I’ve ever come to finding something comparable to The Name of the Wind ‘ The Chronicler
My name is Wen Alder. My name is Foolish Cur.
All my life, I have been torn between two legacies: my father’s, whose family trace their roots back to the right hand of the Emperor. My mother’s, whose family want to bring the Empire to its knees.
I can choose between them – between the safety of empire or the freedom of rebellion – or I can seek out a better path . . . one filled with magic and secrets, unbound by suffocating legacy, but one which could shake my world to its very foundation.
For my quest will bring me face to face with the gods themselves. And they have been watching. Waiting to make their move . . .
The first book in the Pact and Pattern series. Fans of Robin Hobb, Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn and R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War will love the magic running through every page.
Read what everyone is saying about The Hand of the Sun King:
‘A debut of incredible quality’ Richard Swan, Sunday Times bestselling author
‘Brilliantly told and immediately engrossing’ Andrea Stewart, critically acclaimed author of The Bone Shard Emperor
‘Seriously, this book has everything . . . a beautiful and breathtaking fantasy work‘ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
‘A captivating epic of conflicted loyalties and dangerous ambition’ Anthony Ryan, New York Times bestselling author of The Pariah
‘I cannot praise this book highly enough, it’s just brilliant’ Fantasy Book Nerd
‘Greathouse’s writing flows like silk . . . a complex magic system, a coming of age story, a morally conflicted protagonist, ancient and mysterious gods and a massive world-spanning empire . . . full of magic, intricate detail and richly imagined fantasy elements‘ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
‘The magic system is complex and fascinating . . . also, J.T. Greathouse’s prose is beautiful and poetic . . . It has an intricate plot. political manoeuvring, and tragic events that Robin Hobb’s fans would love‘ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
‘I felt fear and excitement and never being able to predict what was to come next aided in my helpless immersion into this story’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
‘Alder is a phenomenal main character . . . As close to a perfect debut as any fantasy fan could ask for’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
‘An exciting new voice in epic fantasy’ SFX
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Reviews
An excellent mix of classic and modern fantasy with a grimdark undertone of despair
A story full of ambition, politics, betrayals, schemes, powerful magic and a boy trying to find his own way through
Wen Alder's pursuit for forbidden knowledge, while having to choose a future that will either make his parents proud or honor his legacy makes for an addicting journey full of magic
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
This is the closest I've ever come to finding something comparable to The Name of the Wind . . . This is undoubtedly my book of the year and could even be one of my favourite books of all time
A captivating look at growing up an outsider in a sprawling empire and finding your place between rebellion and duty, love and passion, dreams and fate. The Hand of the Sun King satisfies every level of my fantasy loving heart
A staggering fantasy debut with poetic prose and near-flawless characterisation
Exquisite . . . Greathouse's characterisation, his prose, and worldbuilding are an absolute triumph
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
Well written, well-paced, and thoroughly enjoyable to read. I loved it. Fantastic writing, and it's a 10/10 from me
A coming-of-age narrative with the energy of a modern fantasy and the gravity of a classic, sure to hit with readers who like their prose vivid and their world-building lovingly textured
The Hand of the Sun King 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
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
I cannot praise this book highly enough, it's just brilliant and shows me why I love this genre so much
J.T. Greathouse's debut is going to make waves . . . without a doubt one of the best books I've read in a long time
Sometimes a book comes along that is truly special. J.T. Greathouse is about to take Patrick Rothfuss's crown with The Hand of the Sun King. It's a beautiful tale about someone trying to discover the magic within themselves, in a world where they'll never truly fit in. Be prepared to be swept along on a unique journey where the consequences of choice echo through an empire
An excellent debut
Pact and Pattern is a meditative examination on the questions of identity, loyalty, personal desires, and the burden of family . . . Filled with all the things I love to read about: dangerous ambition, conflicted loyalties, and, of course, the alluring pursuit of secret magics. What more could you want of a fantasy series?
The Hand of the Sun King is a masterpiece. Wen Alder's growth as a character is supremely satisfying, his navigation of societal pressures and warring factions of an imperialist campaign captivating. J.T.'s writing is as smooth as silk; this is world-class modern fantasy with delightful undertones of the classic fantasy epics
Well written, thought provoking and enjoyable, The Hand of the Sun King is an impressive debut novel that left me eager for more
A well-realised philosophical meditation sprinkled with fun and delightfully clever moments with a strong fantasy atmosphere
Loyalties relentlessly tested, weighty consequences, a cast of meaningful, well-developed characters, and a lush world that carefully considers its lore, economic struggles, and religious history, it's easy for me to call The Hand of the Sun King one of my top reads of 2021
Sublime prose and pin-sharp characterisation combine to produce a captivating epic of conflicted loyalties and dangerous ambition
A sublime debut fantasy novel set in a unique world that, through the eyes of Wen Alder, shares the delightful intricacies of world-building
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
An excellent debut . . . I can't wait to continue the series
Entertaining, richly imagined and full of conflict
[The Hand of the Sun King] creates a rich and intricate world with magic, politics, ambition and resistance
Greathouse casts an engrossing spell, establishing himself as an exciting new voice in epic fantasy
A debut of incredible quality
The Hand of the Sun King is a beautifully crafted debut fantasy filled with magic, mystery, and characters as rich as the world around them. This is just the beginning for J.T. Greathouse
This is an elegantly written, dramatic story of the terrible cost of unexamined ambition and the impossibility of opting out from a conflict you've been born into.
