BOOK ONE OF THE PARIAH SAGA
So often, it's the forgotten who possess the power to change the world.
When an attempt is made on the life of Ashara, Keeper of Yurr, his young, hapless advisor Edvar must uncover and stop those behind it. With enemies in the capital and the belligerent Tesh, Keeper of neighboring nation Karrabar, stirring trouble in the Borderlands, can Edvar hold together Ashara's brittle reign?
The troubles ripple throughout Yurr, affecting an ancient race of people known as the Amast, who in their time of utmost need, turn to pariah Isy for salvation. Rejected by society, kith, and kin, can Isy guide the Amast to safety during the greatest turmoil Yurr has known since the War of the Damned?
An epic underdog's story, PARIAH'S LAMENT delivers action, adventure, romance, and original fantasy. Fans of Joe Abercrombie will appreciate the gritty realism and vivid battle scenes of Pariah's Lament, and those who adore the charismatic characters of Patrick Rothfuss will find a cast who can whisk you away on a journey of discovery, intrigue, friendship, and love.
◆ Reviews ◆
"I went from being hooked to utterly absorbed into the story. I picked up the book every moment I could snag a free minute or two." - Geeks Under Grace.
"A tale of acceptance and confidence with breathtaking worldbuilding." - Jessica Mack, Jem Edits Book Blog
"The story was perfectly paced, and I was so wrapped up in the story, wanting to know how it was going to end, that I read the entire thing in one go." - Worlds Unlike Our Own.
"There is a glorious balance of elements in Pariah's Lament. You have deep political intrigue, strong, engaging characters, humor in even the darkest moments, and dynamic pulse-quickening action." - Bookends and Bagends
"Other than Brandon Sanderson, Billing has written my favorite battle scenes where they're epic, grand, but not confusing, leaving me lost." - Sarah Lillian Books
◆ What is an Of Metal and Magic CORE story? ◆
CORE stories are all set in the high fantasy world of Soria. These novels, novellas, and short stories, by every-growing group of authors, overlap and interact to build one unified canon. Creating stories within this sort of large-scale shared universe is what OMAM does best. Within the whole of the OMAM CORE series, multi-volume novels, such as PARIAH'S LAMENT, are separated into sagas. You can expect to see more from Richie Billing in the future.
Regarding the world of Soria, refer to the words Professor Nasrin Arakat, of the famed Telsemar University, who writes, "Soria was once a battlefield of the gods. Ten thousand years ago, dragons warred with unicorns and warred among themselves, and men ultimately bore most of the burden. In the short history of this world, tribal warriors have challenged prophets, empires have risen and fell, new races of humans have emerged and been extinguished. Magic has since disappeared, so today we are left with only stories. Some believe these stories are little more than myth. I believe there is more truth to magic than most are willing to accept."
Other OMAM CORE books include:
CALL OF THE GUARDIAN
SCION OF THE ORACLE
A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE
ANCIENT HERITAGE
◆ More by Richie Billing ◆
FLYING ON THE GROUND - This short fiction anthology covers a wide-range of genres, including fantasy, dark fiction, general fiction, and crime.
A FANTASY WRITERS' HANDBOOK - In this work, Billing provides a complete guide on how to write a fantasy novel.
