In The Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley, the emperor of Annur is dead, slain by enemies unknown. His daughter and two sons, scattered across the world, do what they must to stay alive and unmask the assassins. But each of them also has a life-path on which their father set them, destinies entangled with both ancient enemies and inscrutable gods.Kaden, the heir to the Unhewn Throne, has spent eight years sequestered in a remote mountain monastery, learning the enigmatic discipline of monks devoted to the Blank God. Their rituals hold the key to an ancient power he must master before it's too late. An ocean away, Valyn endures the brutal training of the Kettral, elite soldiers who fly into battle on gigantic black hawks. But before he can set out to save Kaden, Valyn must survive one horrific final test. At the heart of the empire, Minister Adare, elevated to her station by one of the emperor's final acts, is determined to prove herself to her people. But Adare also believes she knows who murdered her father, and she will stop at nothing―and risk everything―to see that justice is meted out.Chronicle of the Unhewn ThroneThe Emperor's BladesThe Providence of FireThe Last Mortal BondOther books in the world of the Unhewn ThroneSkullsworn (forthcoming)

The Emperor's Blades: Book One: Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne (Chronicles of the Unhewn)

Science Fiction & Fantasy

Staveley, Brian

Fantasy

Tor Books

The Providence of Fire (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne)

1st UK ed. Signed Limited eds. 1/100 includes a fine dust jacket, in a Mylar cover

Tor UK

Villains take center stage in this collection of 19 dark and magical stories. Readers will be cheering for all the wrong heroes as some of the most fearsome, devious, and brutal antagonists perform savage deeds towards wicked ends. And why not? These characters are the champions of their own stories—evil is a matter of perspective. Contributors also include Mark Adler, Bradley P. Beaulieu, E.V. Morrigan, Peter Orullian, Matthew Ward, Kaaron Warren, Deborah A. Wolf, and Janny Wurts.

Evil Is a Matter of Perspective

TCHAIKOVSKY, ADRIAN

Marshall, Alex

Speakman, Shawn

Turner, Marc

Fletcher, Michael R.

Williams, Mazarkis

Salyards, Jeff

Schafer, Courtney

Frohock, Teresa

Bakker, R.Scott

Grimdark Magazine

The Emperor's Blades: Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, Book I (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, 1)

In The Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley, the emperor of Annur is dead, slain by enemies unknown. His daughter and two sons, scattered across the world, do what they must to stay alive and unmask the assassins. But each of them also has a life-path on which their father set them, destinies entangled with both ancient enemies and inscrutable gods.
Kaden, the heir to the Unhewn Throne, has spent eight years sequestered in a remote mountain monastery, learning the enigmatic discipline of monks devoted to the Blank God. Their rituals hold the key to an ancient power he must master before it's too late. 
An ocean away, Valyn endures the brutal training of the Kettral, elite soldiers who fly into battle on gigantic black hawks. But before he can set out to save Kaden, Valyn must survive one horrific final test. 
At the heart of the empire, Minister Adare, elevated to her station by one of the emperor's final acts, is determined to prove herself to her people. But Adare also believes she knows who murdered her father, and she will stop at nothing―and risk everything―to see that justice is meted out.
Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne The Emperor's Blades The Providence of Fire The Last Mortal Bond
Other books in the world of the Unhewn Throne Skullsworn (forthcoming)

Literature & Fiction

United States

The Providence of Fire: Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, Book II (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, 2)

Brian Staveley's The Providence of Fire, the second novel in the Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, a gripping new epic fantasy series.
The conspiracy to destroy the ruling family of the Annurian Empire is far from over.
Having learned the identity of her father's assassin, Adare flees the Dawn Palace in search of allies to challenge the coup against her family. Few trust her, but when she is believed to be touched by Intarra, patron goddess of the empire, the people rally to help her retake the capital city. As armies prepare to clash, the threat of invasion from barbarian hordes compels the rival forces to unite against their common enemy.
Unknown to Adare, her brother Valyn, renegade member of the empire's most elite fighting force, has allied with the invading nomads. The terrible choices each of them has made may make war between them inevitable. 
Between Valyn and Adare is their brother Kaden, rightful heir to the Unhewn Throne, who has infiltrated the Annurian capital with the help of two strange companions. The knowledge they possess of the secret history that shapes these events could save Annur or destroy it.
Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne The Emperor's Blades The Providence of Fire The Last Mortal Bond
Other books in the world of the Unhewn Throne Skullsworn (forthcoming)

The trilogy that began with The Emperor's Blades and continued in The Providence of Fire reaches its epic conclusion, as war engulfs the Annurian Empire in Brian Staveley's The Last Mortal Bond 
The ancient csestriim are back to finish their purge of humanity; armies march against the capital; leaches, solitary beings who draw power from the natural world to fuel their extraordinary abilities, maneuver on all sides to affect the outcome of the war; and capricious gods walk the earth in human guise with agendas of their own. 
But the three imperial siblings at the heart of it all--Valyn, Adare, and Kaden--come to understand that even if they survive the holocaust unleashed on their world, there may be no reconciling their conflicting visions of the future.
Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne The Emperor's Blades The Providence of Fire The Last Mortal Bond
Other books in the world of the Unhewn Throne Skullsworn

The Last Mortal Bond: Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, Book III

The Providence of Fire is the second novel in Brian Staveley's Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, a gripping new epic fantasy series The conspiracy to destroy the ruling family of the Annurian Empire is far from over.
Having learned the identity of her father's assassin, Adare flees the Dawn Palace in search of allies to challenge the coup against her family. Few trust her, but when she is believed to be touched by Intarra, patron goddess of the empire, the people rally to help her retake the capital city. As armies prepare to clash, the threat of invasion from barbarian hordes compels the rival forces to unite against their common enemy.
Unknown to Adare, her brother Valyn, a renegade member of the empire's most elite fighting force, has allied with the invading nomads. The terrible choices each of them has made may make war between them inevitable. 
Between Valyn and Adare is their brother Kaden, rightful heir to the Unhewn Throne, who has infiltrated the Annurian capital with the help of two strange companions. The knowledge they possess of the secret history that shapes these events could save Annur or destroy it.
Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne The Emperor's Blades The Providence of Fire The Last Mortal Bond
Other books in the world of the Unhewn Throne Skullsworn (forthcoming)

Literary

The Last Mortal Bond: Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, Book III (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, 3)

Brian Staveley’s new standalone, Skullsworn, returns to the critically acclaimed Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne universe, following a priestess-assassin for the God of Death.
“Brilliant.” ―V. E. Schwab, New York Times bestselling author 
From the award-winning epic fantasy world of The Emperor’s Blades…
Pyrre Lakatur is not, to her mind, an assassin, not a murderer―she is a priestess. At least, she will be once she passes her final trial. 
The problem isn’t the killing. The problem, rather, is love. For to complete her trial, Pyrre has ten days to kill the seven people enumerated in an ancient song, including “the one who made your mind and body sing with love / who will not come again.”
Pyrre isn’t sure she’s ever been in love. And if she fails to find someone who can draw such passion from her, or fails to kill that someone, her order will give her to their god, the God of Death. Pyrre’s not afraid to die, but she hates to fail, and so, as her trial is set to begin, she returns to the city of her birth in the hope of finding love . . . and ending it on the edge of her sword.
"A complex and richly detailed world filled with elite soldier-assassins, mystic warrior monks, serpentine politics, and ancient secrets." ―Library Journal, starred review, on The Emperor's Blades
Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne The Emperor's Blades The Providence of Fire The Last Mortal Bond
Other books in the world of the Unhewn Throne Skullsworn

Skullsworn: A Novel in the World of The Emperor's Blades (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne)

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Staveley, Brian. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Staveley, Brian

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Staveley, Brian. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Emperor's Blades: Book One: Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne (Chronicles of the Unhewn)

The Providence of Fire (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne)

Evil Is a Matter of Perspective

The Emperor's Blades: Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, Book I (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, 1)

The Providence of Fire: Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, Book II (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, 2)

The Last Mortal Bond: Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, Book III

The Emperor's Blades: Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, Book I (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, 1)

The Providence of Fire: Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, Book II (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, 2)

The Last Mortal Bond: Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, Book III (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne, 3)

Skullsworn: A Novel in the World of The Emperor's Blades (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne)