Monday, January 28, 2019

The Flood Dragon's Sacrifice (Tide Dragons, Book 1) by Sarah Ash

Release date: January 11, 2019
Subgenre: Historical fantasy, Asian fantasy

About The Flood Dragon's Sacrifice:

 

Two rival clans. Two sacred pearls, the Tide Jewels, that can summon the Tide Dragons to protect the empire.

Two young men, Kaito and Naoki, one a Black Crane healer, the other a Red Kite shinobi, are sucked into an ancient, unresolved conflict between the gods of land and sea, when the exiled Red Kites steal the Tide Jewels and re-ignite a bitter clan war. Kaito must find a way to restore the emperor’s jewels – but how can it be done without betraying his own clan or angering the gods?

 

Excerpt:

 

A whirr of wings, a scratch of claws alighting on the steeply sloping roof of the temple.
            “Only birds,” Kai murmured sleepily, turning over on his narrow mattress. But as he lay in the darkness of his little monastery cell, the thought nagged at his drowsy mind. Birds flying at night? Birds of ill omen, like owls?
            Owls – or Red Kites?
            Had the rival clan penetrated the monastery’s defenses?
            He sensed a faint flicker of energy, like a breeze gusting through the monastery compound, warning of a coming storm. And the Flood Dragon seal on his left wrist began to throb.
            “Someone is here.” Someone – or something – had just flitted swiftly and silently past his room. He sat up, fully awake now, his heart beating painfully fast, reaching for his robe. His hands shook as he knotted the belt about his waist. Should I sound the alarm? Perhaps he had been dreaming.
            His wrist throbbed again and, looking down, he saw in amazement that the tiny blue flame at the centre of the dragon tattoo had begun to glow in the darkness. And it only glows when the emperor takes the Tide Jewels from the temple to perform the yearly ritual…
The Red Kites knew secret, forbidden Shadow skills. Emperor Suzaku had banished them from Cipangu for using those deadly arts to kill his father. Surely they wouldn’t be so reckless as to try to steal the jewels?
            Another flicker of fleeting shadow set his skin crawling. The tiny flame throbbed again. 
            Am I the only one who’s heard them? And how many are there?     
            The sudden clanging of the monastery’s warning bell rang out. Men’s voices shouted out in the night, followed by the clatter of running feet.
            “Khoryeon invaders! We’re under attack!”
            “The Khoryeons are here!” The monks were awake at last and on the move. A flare of torches illuminated the darkness. Kai slid open his cell door to see the warrior monks thundering past, torchlight glinting red on the honed steel of their weapons. 
            Many years ago, the kingdom of Khoryeo had sent its vast war fleet into the bay below. Empress Himiko had used the Tide Jewels to summon the Tide Dragons to defend Cipangu – and the Khoryeon fleet was decimated. Ever since then, the monastery on the headland had kept the Tide Jewels safe in a temple especially dedicated to honor the dragons of Ebb and Flood.
            But lately there had been rumors about a renewed attack from the kingdom of Khoryeo; the ministers of Left and Right in the imperial court had warned the abbot that King Taejo would strike at the Tide Jewels first, so that the emperor could not use them to sink his warships. The warrior monks had even been training the acolytes in archery so that they could help ward off any invaders.
            A thunderous thud shook the monastery buildings. Kai seized his bow and quiver, ready to do what he could to defend the Tide Jewels. The Black Cranes were known throughout Cipangu for their skill in archery, but his palms were sweating as he fitted an arrow to the taut string. I’ve never fired my bow at another living person before.
            “The main gate!” went up the cry. “They’re trying to break down the main gate!”
***

 

Amazon.com | Amazon UK

 

About Sarah Ash: 

Sarah Ash trained as a musician but writing fantasy novels has allowed her to explore her fascination with the way mythology and history overlap and interact (her second published novel Songspinners is set in an ‘alternate’ eighteenth century Bath, her home city).The five novels in the epic fantasy Artamon sequence (Random House) are also set in an alternate eighteenth century world – with daemons and dragons. The new Tide Dragons series grew from Sarah’s love of all things Japanese (especially manga and anime which she regularly reviews for Anime UK News). It draws on the ancient legend of the Tide Jewels and the lifestyle of the Heian imperial court. Book 2 Emperor of the Fireflies is available in e-book format!

 

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