The Boy Who Wept Blood

Description

With his rich evocation of the Italian Renaissance-like realm of Landfall, his uniquely appealing way with flawed yet empathic characters and his ability to write gripping scenes of both action and subterfuge, Den Patrick has already established himself as a new favourite for fans of Scott Lynch and Robin Hobb alike. Ten years have passed since the disappearance of Lucien and his protege, the young swordsman Dino, is struggling to live up to Lucien's legacy. Sworn to protect the silent queen Anea as she struggles to bring a new democracy to Demesne, Dino finds himself drawn into a deadly game of political intrigue as the aristocratic families of Landfall conspire to protect their privilege. Always ready to prove himself as a swordsman Dino is anguished to discover that in order to fulfil his vow he must become both spy and assassin. And all the while the dark secret at the heart of Demesne is growing towards fulfilment.

Den Patrick worked as a comics writer for Titan, a copywriter and as a bookseller before becoming a writer full time. His War Manuals were published by Gollancz in 2013, followed by THE BOY WITH THE PORCELAIN BLADE in 2014. He lives in south east London.

Stylistically the book is well-balanced between lush sensory descriptions of place and person (the details of clothing are particularly well-tailored) and taut, economic writing in the action sequences. The dialogue is crisp and acerbic and the characterization displays much nicely textured writing...This book has style! - British Fantasy Society fast-paced, bloody and darkly satisfying... roll on 2016 and Book 3, The Girl on the Liar's Throne. I'm now well and truly hooked. - The Book Bag Den Patrick continues to impress with his compelling world building and addictive prose...This makes for some compelling reading, and the author's gentle yet sardonic style makes the novel all the more delicious. - Starburst Magazine I was most impressed by the book's gothic-ness, its secure world-building and deft characterisation - The Boy Who Wept Blood is an exciting page turner that didn't disappoint. - SFF World the horror fantasy that sits beneath the surface continues to fester, providing plot twists and shocks - Sci-Fi Now I might be emotionally ruined, but damn it, I'm still hooked...I just found one of my favourite fantasy books of 2015. - Ovrer the Effing Rainbow The Boy Who Wept Blood was a very enjoyable, character-driven fantasy with intriguing mystery and cracking action. If you are a fan of Scott Lynch, or just fantasy in general, then you should check this book out! - Smash Dragons With this novel, Patrick firmly establishes his well-deserved place as part of new breed of UK based fantasy authors. If he keeps on producing output like this it won't be long before reviewers will be using terms like 'unmissable' and 'classic' to describe his work. - The Eloquent Page