Hello!

Today in a first for the blog as in conjunction with FantasyBookNerd I have a map reveal for Trudie Skies’ upcoming Gaslamp fantasy series The Cruel Gods. The first book ‘The Thirteenth Hour’ will be released 13th October 2021, and the cover reveal is next Monday and organised by Storytellers on Tour.

I have been excited for this book ever since Trudie started talking about it and sharing snippets about, and it is one of my most anticipated reads for the last part of 2021, so it was an honour to be asked to help out with the reveal. Also, I love maps (as anyone familiar with the blog will have noticed) and this one while unconventional is absolutely beautiful. However, before we get to that below is the summary for the book to whet your appetite (and even better, at the bottom you’ll find the pre-order links, because October isn’t that far away), and also an interview with the cartographer Soraya Corcoran as well as some examples of her other work, and I hope that you will check out her work.

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Book Summary:

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.