The release of R.R. Virdi‘s THE FIRST BINDING is fast approaching! The first novel in the Tales of Tremaine epic fantasy series, it is due to be published in the UK by Gollancz, on August 18th! Check out the synopsis…

All legends are born of truths. And just as much lies. These are mine. Judge me for what you will. But you will hear my story first.

I buried the village of Ampur under a mountain of ice and snow. Then I killed their god. I’ve stolen old magics and been cursed for it. I started a war with those that walked before mankind and lost the princess I loved, and wanted to save. I’ve called lightning and bound fire. I am legend. And I am a monster.

My name is Ari.

And this is the story of how I let loose the first evil.

Thus begins the tale of a storyteller and a singer on the run and hoping to find obscurity in a tavern bar. But the sins of their past aren’t forgotten, and neither are their enemies. Their old lives are catching up swiftly and it could cost them the entire world. No one can escape their pasts and all stories must have an ending.

A special, limited and signed edition of the novel is available for order from The Broken Binding (EU only).

The book has been generating a lot of pre-publication buzz. Here’s just a small sampling of it…

‘An ode to storytelling, complete with a rich mythology, turbulent adventures, and a flawed hero you’ll root for… Approached with patience, this epic fantasy will satisfy any fan of the genre.’ — Kirkus

‘THE FIRST BINDING is the first volume in a new magnificent and ambitious high fantasy series to obsess over.’ — Novel Notions

‘R.R. Virdi’s THE FIRST BINDING is engrossing and beautiful, joyous and painful—always entertaining, sometimes profound. This book makes me remember why I love epic fantasy.’ — Kevin J. Anderson, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Dune: House Atreides

‘Crafted with patience, passion, and most importantly, tremendous love. Read R.R. Virdi!’ — Jim Butcher, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Dresden Files

‘An epic like no other—grand, sweeping, dramatic, a love letter to fantasy burning with with the dust and heat and mythos of South Asia. It reads like magic and tastes like saffron.’ — Yudhanjaya Wijeratne, Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia, Washington Post bestselling author of the Salvage Crew and the Commonwealth Empire

‘THE FIRST BINDING was one of my most anticipated releases of 2022 and I am happy to say that it met my expectations. A worthy Epic South Asian Fantasy to look out for.’ — Book A Fiction

‘[A] new favourite of mine, and I can’t wait for the next book to come out!’ — Library of a Viking

Zeno represents R.R. Virdi in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.