The City
A spellbinding and captivating epic fantasy that will keep you on the edge of your seat
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3.8 • 37 Ratings
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- $15.99
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
Perfect for fans of Game of Thrones, Joe Abercrombie and Robin Hobb, a stunningly imagined and thrilling epic fantasy from bestselling author Stella Gemmell.
'One of the best fantasy novels I've read in a long time - and I read a lot . . . utterly compelling . . . an awesome example of the genre' SF BOOK REVIEWS
'An astonishing book . . . Easily the best fantasy novel I've read in the last decade' JAMES BARCLAY
'Vast, immersive and accomplished' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
'Superbly executed . . . I found myself absolutely hooked' THE ELOQUENT PAGE
'Grips you from the first page' ***** Reader review
'This ticked all the boxes for me' ***** Reader review
'Such a great read, she has very much her own style of writing and I loved it' ***** Reader review
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THEIR HOPES REST ON ONE MAN . . . EVEN THOUGH HE IS BELIEVED TO BE DEAD.
The City, ancient and vast, has been waging almost constant war for centuries.
At its heart resides the Emperor. Few have ever seen him. Those who have recall a man in his prime and yet he should be very old. Some wonder if he's no longer human; other question whether he ever truly was.
A group of rebels have come to a desperate conclusion: the only way to halt the ceaseless slaughter is to end the emperor's unnaturally long life.
From the crumbling catacombs beneath the City, where the poor struggle to stay alive, to the blood-soaked fields of battle where so few heroes survive, the rebels emerge.
Their hopes rest on one man. A man who was once the Emperor's foremost general, a revered soldier who could lead an uprising and unite the City. A man who was betrayed, imprisoned, tortured and is now believed to be dead . . .
The story continues in The Immortal Throne...
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
The first standalone novel from David Gemmell’s widow makes us wish she’d started writing sooner. Grand in scale and scope, this epic fantasy revolves around a city at war for generations. Gemmell’s masterful writing makes it one of 2013’s most impressive fantasy novels.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Gemmell (Troy: Fall of Kings with her late husband, David Gemmell) proves more than capable of standing on her own with this powerful epic fantasy, heavier on combat than on magic. Ten-year-old Elija and his younger sister, Em, have lived in a sewer deep beneath the City for years. In the layers and layers of buildings and streets that were abandoned and then built over, survival is constantly in doubt. (Even in sleep, on the tiny ledge they can call their own, the siblings must stay very still to avoid falling to a watery death.) A devastating flood separates the pair, and Em ends up being reared by an old soldier, Bartellus, who was once a famous general. The plot centers on efforts to overthrow the City's emperor, Araeon, who was responsible for the death of Bartellus's family; now malcontents hope Bartellus will lead their revolt. Richly textured prose and settings distinguish this novel, and fans of grimdark fantasy will hope it spawns many sequels.
Customer Reviews
Gripping thrilling fantasy
Best book I’ve read in ages. Great characters, and utterly enjoyable