This is just a reminder that J. T. Greathouse‘s highly-anticipated debut novel, THE HAND OF THE SUN KING is due out in the UK in two weeks! Published by Gollancz on August 5th, it is the first novel in the Pact & Pattern series. Here’s the synopsis…

My name is Wen Alder. My name is Foolish Cur.

All my life, I have been torn between two legacies: that of my father, whose roots trace back to the right hand of the Emperor. That of my mother’s family, who reject the oppressive Empire and embrace the resistance.

I can choose between them – between protecting my family, or protecting my people – or I can search out a better path… a magical path, filled with secrets, unbound by empire or resistance, which could shake my world to its very foundation.

But my search for freedom will entangle me in a war between the gods themselves…

The novel has been racking up a great number of positive early reviews. Here are just a few of them…

‘HAND OF THE SUN KING is an exotic, original fantasy filled with magic and culture, the story of a character torn between two names, two loyalties, and two definitions of good and evil.’ — Kevin J. Anderson

‘Sublime prose and pin-sharp characterisation combined to produce a captivating epic of conflicted loyalties and dangerous ambition’ — Anthony Ryan, New York Times bestselling author

‘Hands down the best debut of the year. Scratch that; this is one of the best debuts I’ve ever read’ — Novel Notions

‘A great coming of age story about a foolish boy who seeks to unravel the secrets of magic and maybe do something good in the process. I absolutely loved it’ — Nick Martell

‘THE HAND OF THE SUN KING fundamentally explores the right to make our own choices in life, to make sacrifices to serve the greater good and to use power to uplift the oppressed. Greathouse delivers a debut full of complexities, passion and grace, and I’m already longing for more.’ — Fantasy Hive

‘An excellent mix of classic and modern fantasy with a grimdark undertone of despair.’ — Grimdark Magazine

‘Sometimes a book comes along that is truly special. J.T. Greathouse is about to take Patrick Rothfuss’s crown with The Hand of the Sun King. It’s a beautiful tale about someone trying to discover the magic within themselves, in a world where they’ll never truly fit in. Be prepared to be swept along on a unique journey where the consequences of choice echo through an empire.’ — Mike Shackle

‘A sublime debut fantasy novel set in a unique world that, through the eyes of Wen Alder, shares the delightful intricacies of world-building’ — Eternal Bookcase

‘THE HAND OF THE SUN KING is not the gentle story of a boy’s rise to power; instead, it digs its fingernails into the layers of an empire that would consume and erase half that boy’s identity. Brilliantly told and immediately engrossing, filled with magic, mistakes and their merciless consequences.’ — Andrea Stewart

For audiobook fans, there will be an audio edition released on the same day, narrated by Jeremy Ang Jones, and published by Orion Audio. For collectors, a signed edition is available for pre-order in the UK, via The Broken Binding.

Zeno represents J.T. Greathouse in the UK and Commonwealth, on behalf of the JABberwocky Literary Agency in New York.