Emperor Tenet intends to pull all people into the Sienese Empire. Wen Alder must play a dangerous game if he wants to protect his people, as he enters the service of the empire to learn all its magical secrets. 'The closest I've ever come to finding something comparable to The Name of the Wind ' The Chronicler My name is Wen Alder. My name is Foolish Cur. All my life, I have been torn between two legacies: my father's, whose family trace their roots back to the right hand of the Emperor. My mother's, whose family want to bring the Empire to its knees. I can choose between them - between the safety of empire or the freedom of rebellion - or I can seek out a better path . . . one filled with magic and secrets, unbound by suffocating legacy, but one which could shake my world to its very foundation. For my quest will bring me face to face with the gods themselves. And they have been watching. Waiting to make their move . . . The first book in the Pact and Pattern series. Fans of Robin Hobb, Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn and R.F. Kuang's The Poppy War will love the magic running through every page. Read what everyone is saying about The Hand of the Sun King: 'Brilliantly told and immediately engrossing' Andrea Stewart, critically acclaimed author of The Bone Shard Emperor 'Seriously, this book has everything . . . a beautiful and breathtaking fantasy work' Goodreads reviewer, 'A captivating epic of conflicted loyalties and dangerous ambition' Anthony Ryan, New York Times bestselling author of The Pariah 'I cannot praise this book highly enough, it's just brilliant' Fantasy Book Nerd 'Greathouse's writing flows like silk . . . a complex magic system, a coming of age story, a morally conflicted protagonist, ancient and mysterious gods and a massive world-spanning empire . . . full of magic, intricate detail and richly imagined fantasy elements' Goodreads reviewer, 'The magic system is complex and fascinating . . . also, J.T. Greathouse's prose is beautiful and poetic . . . It has an intricate plot. political manoeuvring, and tragic events that Robin Hobb's fans would love' Goodreads reviewer, 'I felt fear and excitement and never being able to predict what was to come next aided in my helpless immersion into this story' Goodreads reviewer, 'Alder is a phenomenal main character . . . As close to a perfect debut as any fantasy fan could ask for' Goodreads reviewer, 'An exciting new voice in epic fantasy' SFX

J.T. Greathouse delivers an epic conclusion to his British Fantasy Award-nominated Pact and Pattern fantasy series in which a magical warrior must undo his greatest feat—which became his greatest failure… In an ill-fated attempt to prevent the tyrannical Emperor from rekindling war with the gods, young rebel Foolish Cur made the dreadful mistake of wielding incredibly powerful but forbidden magic. In doing so, he himself fell into a trap of the gods' own making, inadvertently setting them free. Now, after uncountable years, the gods are free to wreak their own chaos upon the world, transforming the lands into a nightmare for mortals while horrific new creatures emerge to terrorize all in their path. The Empire, the rebellion, and existence itself stand on the brink of destruction. To undo the damage he caused, Foolish Cur must use every ounce of skill, intelligence, and guile within him while gathering those who still have the will to fight. But while this may be a battle Foolish Cur can win, it may not be one he can survive…

The thrilling conclusion to the acclaimed Pact and Pattern series, which started with The Hand of the Sun King. Perfect for fans of Robin Hobb and Shelley Parker-Chan. THE PACTS HAVE BEEN BROKEN. THE REBELLION HAS FAILED. Foolish Cur has fallen into a trap. By resorting to forbidden magic when he failed to overthrow the Emperor, he has done exactly as the gods wanted. Now they are free to wage their war, twisting the world into new forms, as strange and terrible beasts walk the earth. To fix what he has caused will take every ounce of Foolish Cur's cunning. But mending the pattern of the world is too large a task for one man alone. As the Empire, rebellion and the landscape itself crumble, he and those still fighting for freedom will be drawn together to end the struggle against Emperor Tenet and the gods for good. But Foolish Cur does not know what such a task will ask of him. And, powerful though he may be, the costs may be more than he is willing to pay . . . The breath-taking conclusion to the Pact and Pattern series, this British Fantasy Award-nominated story is filled to the brim with magic, mystery and political intrigue.

WAR MAKES MONSTERS OF EVERYONE. Foolish Cur, once named Wen Alder, finds that his allies in the rebellion might cross any line if it means freedom from the Empire. But he can't overcome a foe as strong as Emperor Tenet alone. REBELLION HAS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. Koro Ha, Foolish Cur's former tutor, discovers the Empire is not so forgiving of those who raise a traitor. And their suspicion may cost him and his people more than he can imagine. THE GODS ARE LURKING IN THE SHADOWS. As war against the Empire rages, Foolish Cur knows there is a greater threat. The emperor plans his own coup against the gods, and they will wreak destruction if he tries. To stop him, Foolish Cur might have to risk everything - and resort to ancient magics that could tear the world apart. This is perfect for fans of Robin Hobb and Shelley Parker-Chan.

'A captivating epic of conflicted loyalties and dangerous ambition' Anthony Ryan, New York Times bestselling author 'Brilliantly told and immediately engrossing, filled with magic, mistakes, and their merciless consequences' Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter 'An exciting new voice in epic fantasy' SFX 'This is one of the best debuts I've ever read' Novel Notions My name is Wen Alder. My name is Foolish Cur. All my life, I have been torn between two legacies: my father's, whose family trace their roots back to the right hand of the Emperor. My mother's, whose family want to bring the Empire to its knees. I can choose between them - between the safety of empire or the freedom of rebellion - or I can seek out a better path . . . one filled with magic and secrets, unbound by suffocating legacy, but one which could shake my world to its very foundation. For my quest will bring me face to face with the gods themselves. And they have been watching. Waiting to make their move . . . The first book in the Pact and Pattern series. Fans of Robin Hobb, Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn and R.F. Kuang's The Poppy War will love the magic running through every page. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 'J.T. Greathouse is about to take Patrick Rothfuss's crown' Mike Shackle 'A coming-of-age narrative with the energy of a modern fantasy and the gravity of a classic' M.L. Wang 'Entertaining, richly imaginative and full of conflict' Anna Stephens 'An absolute triumph' The Fantasy Hive 'A staggering fantasy debut' FanFiAddict