Fall of the Argosi

Overview

A brilliant story of adventure, wit, and philosophy from the origins of the Spellslinger series to enrapture devotees as well as newcomers alike.

New to the ways of the Argosi, the tribe of wandering philosophers who seek to defeat evil by wit and guile, Ferius Parfax encounters a hideous plague—the Red Scream. Highly contagious, caught by the hearing of a deadly verse, it turns its victims into mindless monsters that destroy all human life they come into contact with. With the help of a deaf boy whom she has saved from two horrifying victims of the plague, she sets out to find the source of the Red Scream and overcome its terrifying power. Along the way she is joined by another Argosi, Rosie, who purports to be so much wiser and more adept than Ferius, but who turns out to have her own dark secrets.

Reviews

"A fun, fast-moving adventure, with surprising depth and insight." Jim C. Hines, Hugo Award-winning author, on Spellslinger

"An intriguing system of magic, wry humor, and a twisting plot make for an entertaining series debut. Kirkus Reviews on Spellslinger

"Exotic, original and gripping from the get-go, Spellslinger is a must-read. Jonathan Stroud, New York Times bestselling author, on Spellslinger

"Told with the conviction of Ursula Le Guin and the dash of Alexandre Dumas." New Statesman on Spellslinger

"Spellslinger is the start of something truly special. Sebastien de Castell is a master of breakneck pacing, dagger-sharp dialogue, and twists you didn't see coming--and this series has it all." Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of the Wyld on Spellslinger

"Hugely enjoyable - fast-paced, compassionate, wise and with terrific characters." Amanda Craig, author of Hearts and Minds on Spellslinger

"A tremendously fun read full of wit and action." James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost on Spellslinger

"A bucket-load of tension is offset with humour, power struggles, lots of magic and some great characters. Fantasy junkies will devour with relish." Guardian on Spellslinger

"Written with such obvious joy and brio that it demands to be read." RJ Barker, author of Age of Assassins on Spellslinger

"There's room for wit and playfulness amid the high-stakes duels and death matches, and Kellen's career is likely to run and run." Observer on Spellslinger

"We can confidently say that de Castell's new series has hit the ground running." Starburst Magazine on Spellslinger

"It has cliff hangers, pace, humour, life lessons, and a memorably feisty squirrel cat." Sunday Times on Spellslinger

Author Biography

Sebastien de Castell is the author of the acclaimed and swashbuckling adult fantasy series The Greatcoats, which is published in the US, UK, France, Germany, Canada, Poland, Hungary, and Bulgaria. Sebastien De Castell lives in Vancouver with his lovely wife and two belligerent cats. Follow Sebastien at www.decastell.com or on Twitter: @decastell