Richard Swan – författare

**THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER**

''A stunning piece of modern fantasy writing'' RJ Barker

''Utterly compelling, thoroughly engrossing and written with such skilful assurance I could barely put it down'' Nicholas Eames

NO MAN IS ABOVE THE LAW

The Empire of the Wolf simmers with unrest. Rebels, heretics and powerful patricians all challenge the power of the imperial throne.

Only the Order of Justices stands in the way of chaos. Sir Konrad Vonvalt is the most feared Justice of all, upholding the law by way of his sharp mind, arcane powers and skill as a swordsman. At his side stands Helena Sedanka, his clerk and protégé, orphaned by the wars that forged the empire.

When the pair investigate the murder of a provincial aristocrat, they unearth a conspiracy that stretches to the very top of imperial society. As the stakes rise and become ever more personal, Vonvalt and Helena must make a choice: will they abandon the laws they''ve sworn to uphold in order to protect the empire?

Introducing an unforgettable protagonist destined to become a fantasy icon, The Justice of Kings is an unmissable debut where action, intrigue and magic collide.

The Empire of the Wolf trilogy:The Justice of KingsThe Tyranny of FaithThe Trials of Empire

Praise for The Justice of Kings

''A fantastic debut'' Peter McLean

''The Justice of Kings is equal parts heroic fantasy and murder mystery . . . Richard Swan''s sophisticated take on the fantasy genre will leave readers hungry for more'' Sebastien de Castell

''Great characters, compelling and wonderfully written. A brilliant debut and fantastic start to the series'' James Islington

''Totally addictive'' Novel Notions

''A brilliant book, with intrigue, excellent character arcs, a brutal magic system and a story I just could not put down'' Grimdark Magazine

''An absorbing fantasy murder mystery . . . I have been thoroughly hooked by this series and cannot wait for the next helping of political upheaval'' Fantasy Book Critic

''Fantasy, mystery, drama, intrigue, action - The Justice of Kings has it all'' Bibliosanctum

''One of those utterly compelling and believable books that begs to be read in one sitting. This is going to be one of the standouts of the year'' British Fantasy Society

''Swan''s debut is a thrilling epic fantasy with a murder mystery and supernatural twist that will delight fans of Sherlock Holmes. It certainly delighted me'' Fantasy Hive

''Swan has built a dark and gritty world, filled it with beautifully written characters and lays out a master-crafted story to create an incredible book that you can''t put down'' FanFiAddict

''A brilliant book, with intrigue, excellent character arcs, a brutal magic system and a story I just could not put down'' Grimdark Magazine

''An absolutely unputdownable read'' Grimdark MagazineThe Tyranny of Faith is the epic sequel to the Sunday Times bestselling debut The Justice of Kings, where Sir Konrad Vonvalt - the most powerful and feared of the Emperor''s Justices - must face down a growing threat to the Empire. A Justice''s work is never done.The Battle of Galen''s Vale is over, but the war for the Empire''s future has just begun. Concerned by rumours that the Magistratum''s authority is waning, Sir Konrad Vonvalt returns to Sova to find the capital city gripped by intrigue and whispers of rebellion. In the Senate, patricians speak openly against the Emperor, while fanatics preach holy vengeance on the streets. Yet facing down these threats to the throne will have to wait, for the Emperor''s grandson has been kidnapped - and Vonvalt is charged with rescuing the missing prince. His quest will lead Vonvalt - and his allies Helena, Bressinger and Sir Radomir - to the Empire''s southern frontier, where they will once again face the puritanical fury of Bartholomew Claver and his templar knights . . . and a dark power far more terrifying than they could have imagined.Praise for the Empire of the Wolf series ''Utterly compelling, thoroughly engrossing and written with such skilful assurance I could barely put it down'' Nicholas Eames''The Justice of Kings is equal parts heroic fantasy and murder mystery . . . Richard Swan''s sophisticated take on the fantasy genre will leave readers hungry for more'' Sebastien de Castell''Great characters, compelling and wonderfully written. A brilliant debut and fantastic start to the series'' James IslingtonThe Empire of the Wolf seriesThe Justice of Kings The Tyranny of Faith The Trials of Empire

The Trials of Empire is the epic conclusion to the bestselling Empire of the Wolf series, where Sir Konrad Vonvalt - the most powerful and feared of the Emperor''s Justices - must finally face the dark powers that seek to detroy the Empire.THE TIME OF JUDGEMENT IS AT HANDThe Empire of the Wolf is on its knees, but there''s life in the great beast yet.To save it, Sir Konrad Vonvalt and Helena must look beyond its borders for allies - to the wolfmen of the southern plains, and the pagan clans in the north. But old grievances run deep, and both factions would benefit from the fall of Sova.Even these allies might not be enough. Their enemy, the zealot Bartholomew Claver, wields infernal powers bestowed on him by a mysterious demonic patron. If Vonvalt and Helena are to stand against him, they will need friends on both sides of the mortal plane - but such allegiances carry a heavy price.As the battlelines are drawn in both Sova and the afterlife, the final reckoning draws close. Here, at the beating heart of the Empire, the two-headed wolf will be reborn in a blaze of justice . . . or crushed beneath the shadow of tyranny. Praise for the Empire of the Wolf series''A stunning piece of modern fantasy writing'' RJ Barker''Utterly compelling, thoroughly engrossing and written with such skilful assurance I could barely put it down'' Nicholas Eames''A fantastic debut'' Peter McLean''Equal parts heroic fantasy and murder mystery . . . Richard Swan''s sophisticated take on the fantasy genre will leave readers hungry for more'' Sebastien de Castell''Great characters, compelling and wonderfully written. A brilliant debut and fantastic start to the series'' James Islington''Totally addictive'' Novel Notions''A brilliant book, with intrigue, excellent character arcs, a brutal magic system and a story I just could not put down'' Grimdark Magazine''An absorbing fantasy murder mystery . . . I have been thoroughly hooked by this series and cannot wait for the next helping of political upheaval'' Fantasy Book Critic''Fantasy, mystery, drama, intrigue, action - The Justice of Kings has it all'' Bibliosanctum''One of those utterly compelling and believable books that begs to be read in one sitting. This is going to be one of the standouts of the year'' British Fantasy Society''Swan''s debut is a thrilling epic fantasy with a murder mystery and supernatural twist that will delight fans of Sherlock Holmes. It certainly delighted me'' Fantasy Hive''Swan has built a dark and gritty world, filled it with beautifully written characters and lays out a master-crafted story to create an incredible book that you can''t put down'' FanFiAddictThe Empire of the Wolf trilogyThe Justice of KingsThe Tyranny of FaithThe Trials of Empire

***THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER***''Dazzling and immersive epic fantasy'' Publishers Weekly (starred review)''An absolute treat . . . crammed with imagination, horror, epic scale, and characters I simply could not put down'' Grimdark Magazine''A truly remarkable page-turning, flintlock fantasy horror'' Fantasy Hive---Blood once turned the wheels of empire. Now it is money.A new age of exploration and innovation has dawned, and the Empire of the Wolf stands to take its place as the foremost power in the known world. Glory and riches await.But dark days are coming. A mysterious plague has broken out in the pagan kingdoms to the north, while in the south, the Empire''s proxy war in the lands of the wolfmen is weeks away from total collapse. Worse still is the message brought to the Empress by two heretic monks, who claim to have lost contact with the spirits of the afterlife. The monks believe this is the start of an ancient prophecy heralding the end of days-the Great Silence. It falls to Renata Rainer, a low-ranking ambassador to an enigmatic and vicious race of mermen, to seek answers from those who still practice the arcane arts. But with the road south beset by war and the Empire on the brink of supernatural catastrophe, soon there may not be a world left to save . . .Grave Empire is the first novel in an unmissable new series from Sunday Times bestselling author Richard Swan - a dark flintlock fantasy filled with epic adventure, arcane powers and creeping dreadPraise for Richard Swan''A stunning piece of modern fantasy writing'' RJ Barker''Utterly compelling, thoroughly engrossing and written with skilful assurance'' Nicholas Eames''Richard Swan''s sophisticated take on the fantasy genre will leave readers hungry for more'' Sebastien de Castell''Great characters, compelling and wonderfully written. A brilliant debut and fantastic start to the series'' James IslingtonBooks by Richard SwanEmpire of the Wolf The Justice of KingsThe Tyranny of FaithThe Trials of Empire The Great SilenceGrave Empire

In this blistering science fiction epic, international bestselling author Richard Swan presents a thrilling tale of survival and an eviscerating examination of totalitarianism. THE INFINITE STATE begins at a flashpoint in the lives of a widowed party member, a disgraced investigator, and a hypersled pilot-entangled in a plot to escape the suffocating authority of a fascist state.WHO GIVES YOU LIFE?PATER AETERNUS.Katherine Fuller's husband is dead. As an esteemed member of Pater Aeternus-governing party of the fascist, galaxy-spanning Decurion Empire-he has left behind an estate of immeasurable wealth. And Katherine is going to inherit it.WHO GIVES YOU PURPOSE?PATER AETERNUS.Life under the Eternal Father is rigidly stratified, surveilled, and controlled-each new day to be endured, not lived. But with Katherine's newfound fortune, she is presented with a rare and dangerous opportunity: purchase a virgin world, and create a better, fairer society. WHO GIVES YOU JOY?PATER AETERNUS.But the Empire cannot allow its wayward daughter to succeed. And as Katherine works in secret, recruiting allies she's not even sure she can trust, she will discover exactly how far Pater Aeternus is willing to go to stop her. Because Katherine is going to create something nobody has seen for many years.A democracy.