THE FREE by Brian Ruckley – Out Today!
Three things that I love in epic/heroic fantasy: action (preferably involving lots of swords), impossible odds, and genuinely terrifying magic. Oh, and a fast pace: I like stories that hit the ground running and only get faster as they progress.
THE FREE by Brian Ruckley is all of these things. The action is plentiful and extremely well written, the odds of the protagonists’ survival are very long indeed, and the magic is both deeply frightening and very cool at the same time. The novel also starts like a rocket going off, and never slows down.
All of which is extremely pleasing. Yet what I like the most about THE FREE is the sheer humanity (or lack thereof) that Brian has imbued in each and every character. This is a tale about a mercenary company – The Free of the title – and there’s no doubt that they’re hard men and women, no strangers to violence or suffering. But they’re not heartless, steely-eyed killers: they all have their flaws, doubts, and weaknesses. They’re compassionate too, and are bound by the ties that they’ve forged over many years, both on and off the battlefield. Brian’s deft characterisation lends a real emotional depth and resonance to the novel, something that is sometimes lacking in heroic fantasy.
THE FREE is the thrilling story of this extraordinary mercenary company, about what they’ve done – and, perhaps more importantly, about what they’ve failed to do – and how they plan to right past wrongs. There is blood, certainly. There is pain, and there is death. But there is also love, and loyalty, and most of all, hope.
Some bonds cannot be broken.
Praise for THE FREE:
The Free is a blast to read, merging the standard medieval fantasy with Seven Samurai, complete with phenomenal set pieces of warfare and magic’ – Justin Landon, Staffer’s Book Review
‘Mesmerising, magical and human’ – Publishers Weekly (starred review)
‘Wonderfully composed action scenes and a thrilling climax’ – The Bookbag
‘Deliberate pacing, complicated characters and vivid descriptions elevate this far above run-of-the-mill epic fantasy’ – Library Journal (starred review)
‘An engaging mix of action and introspection . . . A gripping read’ – Graeme’s SFF
THE FREE is out now in paperback, ebook and audio editions.
