The Edge of Worlds: Volume Four of the Books of the Raksura

Description

Nominated for the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Series An expedition of groundlings from the Empire of Kish have traveled through the Three Worlds to the Indigo Cloud court of the Raksura, shape-shifting creatures of flight that live in large family groups. The groundlings have found a sealed ancient city at the edge of the shallow seas, near the deeps of the impassable Ocean. They believe it to be the last home of their ancestors and ask for help getting inside. But the Raksura fear it was built by their own distant ancestors, the Forerunners, and the last sealed Forerunner city they encountered was a prison for an unstoppable evil. Prior to the groundlings' arrival, the Indigo Cloud court had been plagued by visions of a disaster that could destroy all the courts in the Reaches. Now, the court's mentors believe the ancient city is connected to the foretold danger. A small group of warriors, including consort Moon, an orphan new to the colony and the Raksura's idea of family, and sister queen Jade, agree to go with the groundling expedition to investigate. But the predatory Fell have found the city too, and in the race to keep the danger contained, the Raksura may be the ones who inadvertently release it. The Edge of Worlds, from celebrated fantasy author Martha Wells, returns to the fascinating world of The Cloud Roads for the first book in a new series of strange lands, uncanny beings, dead cities, and ancient danger. Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of titles for readers interested in science fiction (space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, near-future dystopia), fantasy (grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, alternative history), and horror (zombies, vampires, and the occult and supernatural), and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we are committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors.

Martha Wells is the author of more than a dozen science fiction and fantasy novels, including the Ile-Rien series (The Death of the Necromancer) and the Books of the Raksura (The Cloud Roads). Her work has been nominated for the Nebula and Compton Crook awards, and published in seven languages. Wells lives in College Station, Texas.

Praise for The Edge of Worlds and The Books of the Raksura "Breathtakingly surprising and fun. Wells is a master worldbuilder."-The New York Times "Wildly original world-building, diverse and engaging characters, and a thrilling adventure plot. It's that rarest of fantasies: fresh and surprising, with a story that doesn't go where ten thousand others have gone before."-N. K. Jemisin, author of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms "Truly inventive and stunningly imaginative world building perfectly melded with vivid, engaging characters make the Books of the Raksura one of my all-time favorite science-fiction series."-Kate Elliott, author of the Crown of Stars series "Far from mindless sock-em action, The Edge of Worlds provide conflicts with stakes, with choices . . . I am going to be impatiently awaiting the resolution of the cliffhanger in the next volume."-The Skiffy and Fanty Show "This novel is an irresistible tour-de-force of excellent storytelling and fine characterization . . . . I consider The Edge of Worlds to be one of the most addictive and entertaining fantasy novels of the year."-Rising Shadow "That rarity-a completely unique and stunning fantasy world."-Hugo Award-winning author Elizabeth Bear "Martha Wells writes fantasy the way it was meant to be-poignant, evocative, and astonishing. Prepare to be captivated 'til the sun comes up."-Kameron Hurley, author of The Mirror Empire and God's War "With these books Wells is writing at the top of her game, and given their breadth, originality, complexity, this series is showing indications it could become one of the landmark series of the genre."-Adventures Fantastic "An imaginative world of engaging characters . . . the dramatic battles, tough decisions, and character dynamics shine through."-Publishers Weekly "Martha Wells' Raksura books are dense, and complex, with truly amazing world building, and non-human characters who are quite genuinely alien, yet still comprehensible and sympathetic."-Kelly McCullough, author of the WebMage series and the Fallen Blade novels Praise for The Edge of Worlds and The Books of the Raksura "Breathtakingly surprising and fun. Wells is a master worldbuilder."-The New York Times "Wildly original world-building, diverse and engaging characters, and a thrilling adventure plot. It's that rarest of fantasies: fresh and surprising, with a story that doesn't go where ten thousand others have gone before."-N. K. Jemisin, author of The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms "Truly inventive and stunningly imaginative world building perfectly melded with vivid, engaging characters make the Books of the Raksura one of my all-time favorite science-fiction series."-Kate Elliott, author of the Crown of Stars series "Far from mindless sock-em action, The Edge of Worlds provide conflicts with stakes, with choices . . . I am going to be impatiently awaiting the resolution of the cliffhanger in the next volume."-The Skiffy and Fanty Show "This novel is an irresistible tour-de-force of excellent storytelling and fine characterization . . . . I consider The Edge of Worlds to be one of the most addictive and entertaining fantasy novels of the year."-Rising Shadow "That rarity-a completely unique and stunning fantasy world."-Hugo Award-winning author Elizabeth Bear "Martha Wells writes fantasy the way it was meant to be-poignant, evocative, and astonishing. Prepare to be captivated 'til the sun comes up."-Kameron Hurley, author of The Mirror Empire and God's War "With these books Wells is writing at the top of her game, and given their breadth, originality, complexity, this series is showing indications it could become one of the landmark series of the genre."-Adventures Fantastic "An imaginative world of engaging characters . . . the dramatic battles, tough decisions, and character dynamics shine through."-Publishers Weekly "Martha Wells' Raksura books are dense, and complex, with truly amazing world building, and non-human characters who are quite genuinely alien, yet still comprehensible and sympathetic."-Kelly McCullough, author of the WebMage series and the Fallen Blade novels