I’ve been teasing my upcoming adult fantasy book for a while now, and it’s almost here! I am excited to announce THE THIRTEENTH HOUR, the first in The Cruel Gods series!
The Thirteenth Hour is a gaslamp fantasy featuring magical portals, gothic cosmic deities, quaint Britishisms, and steampunk vibes. It’s far darker in tone compared to the Sand Dancer series, with plenty of profanity, which means it’s not suitable for younger readers. If that hasn’t put you off, then keep reading to find out more!
When the saints fail, the sinners step up.
Cruel gods rule the steam-powered city of Chime, demanding worship and tribute from their mortal subjects. Kayl lost her faith in them long ago, and now seeks to protect vulnerable and downtrodden mortals from their gods’ whims. But when Kayl discovers powers that she didn’t know she had—and destroys a mortal’s soul by accident—she becomes Chime’s most wanted.
Quen’s job was to pursue sinners, until the visions started. Haunted by foreboding images of his beloved city’s destruction, Quen hunts soul-sucking creatures made of aether who prey on its citizens—and Kayl is his number one target.
To ensure Chime’s future, Kayl and Quen must discover the truth of Kayl’s divine abilities before the gods take matters into their own hands.
For a city that bows to cruel gods, it’ll take godless heathens to save it.
The Thirteenth Hour is available to preorder on Amazon and will be releasing on October 13th 2021!
Add The Thirteenth Hour to your Goodreads!
While I started working on The Thirteenth Hour last year, this story has been a work-in-progress ever since I was twelve. Back then, I had this idea of fantasy worlds based around elements and a main character called Kayl who could travel between them via magical portals or gates. I’d always looked for ways to turn that story into something tangible, and now I’ve finally brought Kayl’s world to life – albeit a somewhat different world! In The Thirteenth Hour, there are twelve worlds or domains ruled by twelve cruel gods. These worlds are connected via a magical portal located in the steam-powered city of Chime, a city of brick and brass where the gods’ mortals coexist together – or try to!
This magical portal cycles through the twelve domains at the turn of the hour, which means you can cross into them only once per twelve hours. Miss your crossing? Then you’ll have to wait for the next one! But to help you remember which domains correspond to their time on the clock, here is this amazing map and timetable of the twelve domains:
As designed by the legendary cartographer, Soraya Corcoran!
Much thanks also to Beneath a Thousand Skies and Fantasy Book Nerd for helping me to reveal this map to the world. Do check out their blogs for more details regarding the map, and an interview with the cartographer.
I can’t wait for you all to enter Chime and meet Kayl and Quen. I am absolutely in love with this story and world, and these are two of my favourite characters I’ve ever written. While we still have a month until release, join my newsletter for a chance to sign up for Advance Reader Copies!
And come back next Monday on September 6th for the cover reveal to The Thirteenth Hour. Trust me, you don’t want to miss it!