Talon Duology
2 primary works Complete
Book 1
Uncover a world of mythical creatures, ruthless religion, and a magical past that refuses to be forgotten, perfect for fans of Samantha Shannon, John Gwynne and Andrea Stewart. Winner of the British Fantasy Award for Best Novel 2024.
When soldier Leven was transformed into a Herald - a magical killing machine in the Imperium's brutal conquests - her mind was wiped clean. But strange visions still show her glimpses of the ancient and mysterious island of Brittletain. Now, with the war won and the Imperium satisfied, she wants to find out who she really is.
Envoy Kaeto has done a number of important little jobs for the Imperium, most of them nasty, all of them in the shadows. His newest assignment is to escort the bone-crafter Gynid Tyleigh as she travels across the Imperium. But Tyleigh's ambition alarms even Kaeto, and her conviction that she has found a new source of Titan bones, buried deep in the earth, could lead to another, even bloodier war.
Ynis was raised by the griffins and has never seen another human face. She lives wild on Brittletain with her talonsister, T'rook. By choosing not to kill Ynis when she was just a baby, the griffins may have doomed themselves - because the girl's past is coming for her, and it carries a lethal blade...
Book 2
The stunning sequel to the award-winning Talonsister, full of romance and treachery, powerful magic and devastating choices. Perfect for fans of Andrea Stewart, John Gwynn and Samantha Shannon.
The Othanim have conquered Brittletain. Their murderous leader, Icaraine, plans to feed Brittletain’s queens to her monstrous son. But total victory over the Othanim’s ancient enemy, the griffins, still eludes her. If Brittletain’s resistance, led by Princess Epona, can secure an alliance with the griffins, they may still stand a chance.
Envoy Kaeto has returned to the Imperium, hiding Felldir and Belise in a ruined castle. He believes both his friends and his attempt to murder Gynid Tyleigh have escaped the empress’s notice. Yet secrets are not so easy to keep in the Imperium. Kaeto will do anything to protect the people he loves – and so finds himself en route to Brittletain as ambassador to the Othanim.
Leven, Cillian and Ynis have spent the last two years tracking Ynis’s griffin sister, T’rook, a prisoner of Tyleigh. Meanwhile, Leven’s health is deteriorating, and Cillian – exiled and disgraced – is tormented by strange voices, who tell him of the return of the mythic Green Man to Brittletain.
There is no hope for humanity in a world ruled by Icaraine. But the price of defeating her might be almost too heavy to bear.