This edition, we’re spoiling you with two fabulous fantasy reads, from Alexander Rowland and TJ Klune. In this issue of Fyne we hear from both authors who discuss LGBTQ+ representation in literature, and queer-normative fantasy.
By Alexandra Rowland
A sweeping queer fantasy romance set against the backdrop of an Ottoman Empire inspired world, perfect for fans of A Marvellous Light and The Goblin Emperor.
One false coin could topple an empire. Kadou, the shy prince of Arasht, has no intention of wrestling for imperial control with his sister, the queen. Yet he remains at odds with one of the most powerful ambassadors at court – the father of the queen’s new child. Then a hunting party goes terribly awry, and Kadou finds himself under suspicion of attempted murder.
To prove his loyalty to his sister and salvage his reputation, Kadou takes responsibility for the investigation of a break-in at one of their guilds. He enlists the help of his newly appointed bodyguard, the coldly handsome Evemer, who seems to tolerate him at best. But what appears to be a straightforward crime spirals into a complex counterfeiting operation, with a powerful enemy at its heart. In Arasht, where princes can touch-taste precious metals with their fingers and myth runs side by side with history, counterfeiting is heresy. The conspiracy they discover could cripple the kingdom’s financial standing – and bring about its ruin.
By TJ Klune
A heart-warming coming-of-age tale, packed with werewolves, magic and an electric romance, perfect for fans of The House in the Cerulean Sea, A Marvellous Light, and Shiver.
Ox Matheson was twelve when his father taught him a lesson: Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then he left.
Ox was sixteen when the energetic Bennett family moved in next door, harbouring a secret that would change him forever. For the family are shapeshifters, who can transform into wolves at will. Drawn to their magic, loyalty and enduring friendships, Ox feels a gulf between this extraordinary new world and the quiet life he’s known. He also finds an ally in Joe, the youngest Bennett boy. Joe is charming and handsome but haunted by scars he cannot heal.
Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his heart. Violence flared, tragedy split the pack and Joe left town, leaving Ox behind. Three years later, the boy is back. Except now he’s a man – and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.
