Empire of Exiles

"e;Detailed and mysterious, a place to explore and relish. Empire of Exiles is highly recommended!"e;-R.A. Salvatore, author or "e;The Legend of Drizzt"e; and the DemonWars novelsThe Imperial Archives holds the treasures of the ten nations that fled the collapse of the world to settle in Semilla behind a wall of salt and iron. When Quill, an apprentice scribe, arrives to request the loan of several artifacts for a client, he's hoping for a tour and maybe a glimpse of some of the rarer relics the archives' sorcerous caretakers are rumored to protect.Instead, Quill finds himself a witness to a ghastly murder tangled in present-day politics and the history of the empire-worse, the accused killer is his own shy and scholarly best friend, a very unlikely assassin.Quill's amateur investigations run afoul of an archivist dodging questions about her buried past, an investigator eyeing Quill's motives too closely, and threads that lead back to a long-dead usurper-nothing makes sense, and Quill doesn't know who to trust. But if he can't find allies, the next victim may be the empire of Semilla itself.This edition includes a brand-new illustrated guide to the peoples of the empire.Praise for Empire of Exiles:"e;Readers will be drawn in by the memorable cast, vibrantly drawn fantasy cultures, and vivid prose. Epic fantasy fans will be eager to see where the series goes."e;-Publishers Weekly"e;An excellent new fantasy series by Evans (The Devil You Know), perfect for fans of Katherine Addison or those who enjoy slow-burning and complex court intrigue."e;-Library Journal"e;From the rich world building as these remnants of humanity hide from changelings behind a Salt Wall, to the interesting culture, a unique magic system, and a variety of humanoids, readers will be delighted that nothing is predictable in this intriguing story."e;-Booklist"e;Empire of Exiles by Erin M. Evans is a triumph of fantasy, murder mystery, and political thriller that handles grief, PTSD, panic, and anxiety disorder with tact.... I cannot wait to read what Evans has cooking up for the follow-up."e;-Geekly Inc"e;Empire of Exiles has it all: characters I love, intertwined compelling mysteries in the past and present, plot twists that keep coming, and a unique and fascinating world and magic system! One of my favorite books of the year!"e;-Melissa Caruso, author of the Swords and Fire Trilogy