The Dragons of Deepwood Fen

Look inside
Hardcover
$29.00 US
| $39.00 CAN
On sale Dec 05, 2023 | 496 Pages | 9780756418120

See Additional Formats
This 1st book in a new fantasy series from the author of the acclaimed Song of the Shattered Sands series follows an unlikely pair as they expose the secrets at the heart of the mountain city of Ancris.

Lorelei Aurelius is the smartest inquisitor in the mountain city of Ancris. When a mysterious tip leads her to a clandestine meeting between the Church and the hated Red Knives, she uncovers a plot that threatens not only her home but the empire itself.

The trail leads her to Rylan Holbrooke, a notorious thief posing as a dragon singer. Rylan came to Ancris to solve the very same mystery she stumbled onto. Knowing his incarceration could lead to the Red Knives’ achieving their goals, Lorelei makes a fateful decision: she frees him.

Now branded as traitors, the two flee the city on dragonback. In the massive forest known as the Holt, they discover something terrible. The Red Knives are planning to awaken a powerful demigod in the holiest shrine in Ancris, and for some reason the Church is willing to allow it. It forces their return to Ancris, where the unlikely allies must rally the very people who’ve vowed to capture them before it’s too late.

Explore the mountain city of Ancris, where fast-paced adventure and intrigue abound. in this new offering from the author of the acclaimed Song of the Shattered Sands series.
Praise for The Dragons of Deepwood Fen

"Cinematic and heartwarming...Beaulieu delivers plenty of witty repartee and brings old tropes to life with new intricacies. Epic fantasy fans will feel right at home in this fun, familiar world." —Publishers Weekly

"This book will appeal to fans of sprawling epic fantasy with multiple points of view à la Robert Jordan and Guy Gavriel Kay and also to readers who can’t get enough dragons." —Booklist

"Beaulieu again shows why he's one of the best world and character builders in fantasy today. Highly recommended."
—Gregory A. Wilson, author of the award-winning Gray Assassin Trilogy

Praise for the work of Bradley P. Beaulieu

“Çeda and Emre share a relationship seldom explored in fantasy, one that will be tried to the utmost as similar ideals provoke them to explore different paths. Wise readers will hop on this train now, as the journey promises to be breathtaking.” —Robin Hobb, bestselling author of Fool’s Assassin

"Fantasy and horror, catacombs and sarcophagi, resurrections and revelations: the book has them all, and Beaulieu wraps it up in a package that's as graceful and contemplative as it is action-packed and pulse-pounding." —NPR

"The Song of Shattered Sands series is both gripping and engrossing." —Kirkus Reviews

"Beaulieu richly imagines several multifaceted societies, a variety of arcane systems, and a host of supernatural entities." —Publishers Weekly

"Bradley P. Beaulieu continues to move the story forward in an intriguing fashion, weaving his plotlines into a great tapestry that promies a lot of great things to come." —Pat's Fantasy Hotlist

"Beaulieu's intricate world-building and complex characters are quickly becoming the hallmarks of his writing, and if this opening volume is any indication, [this series] will be one of the next great fantasy epics." —B&N SF&F Blog

"The city of Sharakhai and surrounding area is a living, breathing thing and I revel in it. Beautiful writing, a deep and exciting story and characters you care about." —Shelf Inflicted

"[Beaulieu's] writing is more an immersive experience than anything else; he draws the reader in with such great skill. The first novel was an electrifying start to the series, providing a spectacular introduction to a multi-layered and captivating character living in a world whose layers match her own." —SFF World

"[With Blood Upon the Sand] is an ambitious sequel, larger in scope than its predecessor – and it pulls it off magnificently. It’s intelligent, well drawn and a lot of fun to read—and so I’d recommend it wholeheartedly." —Sci-fi and Fantasy Reviews
© Lawrie Photography
Bradley P. Beaulieu fell in love with fantasy from the moment he began reading The Hobbit in the third grade. While Bradley earned a degree in computer science and engineering and worked in the information technology field for years, he could never quite shake his desire to explore other worlds. He began writing his first fantasy novel in college. It was a book he later trunked, but it was a start, a thing that proved how much he enjoyed the creation of stories. It made him want to write more. He went on to write The Lays of Anuskaya series as well as The Song of the Shattered Sands series. He has published work in the Realms of Fantasy magazine, Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, Writers of the Future 20, and several anthologies. He has won the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Award and earned a Gemmell Morningstar Award nomination. Learn more about Bradley by visiting his website, quillings.com. View titles by Bradley P. Beaulieu

About

This 1st book in a new fantasy series from the author of the acclaimed Song of the Shattered Sands series follows an unlikely pair as they expose the secrets at the heart of the mountain city of Ancris.

Lorelei Aurelius is the smartest inquisitor in the mountain city of Ancris. When a mysterious tip leads her to a clandestine meeting between the Church and the hated Red Knives, she uncovers a plot that threatens not only her home but the empire itself.

The trail leads her to Rylan Holbrooke, a notorious thief posing as a dragon singer. Rylan came to Ancris to solve the very same mystery she stumbled onto. Knowing his incarceration could lead to the Red Knives’ achieving their goals, Lorelei makes a fateful decision: she frees him.

Now branded as traitors, the two flee the city on dragonback. In the massive forest known as the Holt, they discover something terrible. The Red Knives are planning to awaken a powerful demigod in the holiest shrine in Ancris, and for some reason the Church is willing to allow it. It forces their return to Ancris, where the unlikely allies must rally the very people who’ve vowed to capture them before it’s too late.

Explore the mountain city of Ancris, where fast-paced adventure and intrigue abound. in this new offering from the author of the acclaimed Song of the Shattered Sands series.

Reviews

Praise for The Dragons of Deepwood Fen

"Cinematic and heartwarming...Beaulieu delivers plenty of witty repartee and brings old tropes to life with new intricacies. Epic fantasy fans will feel right at home in this fun, familiar world." —Publishers Weekly

"This book will appeal to fans of sprawling epic fantasy with multiple points of view à la Robert Jordan and Guy Gavriel Kay and also to readers who can’t get enough dragons." —Booklist

"Beaulieu again shows why he's one of the best world and character builders in fantasy today. Highly recommended."
—Gregory A. Wilson, author of the award-winning Gray Assassin Trilogy

Praise for the work of Bradley P. Beaulieu

“Çeda and Emre share a relationship seldom explored in fantasy, one that will be tried to the utmost as similar ideals provoke them to explore different paths. Wise readers will hop on this train now, as the journey promises to be breathtaking.” —Robin Hobb, bestselling author of Fool’s Assassin

"Fantasy and horror, catacombs and sarcophagi, resurrections and revelations: the book has them all, and Beaulieu wraps it up in a package that's as graceful and contemplative as it is action-packed and pulse-pounding." —NPR

"The Song of Shattered Sands series is both gripping and engrossing." —Kirkus Reviews

"Beaulieu richly imagines several multifaceted societies, a variety of arcane systems, and a host of supernatural entities." —Publishers Weekly

"Bradley P. Beaulieu continues to move the story forward in an intriguing fashion, weaving his plotlines into a great tapestry that promies a lot of great things to come." —Pat's Fantasy Hotlist

"Beaulieu's intricate world-building and complex characters are quickly becoming the hallmarks of his writing, and if this opening volume is any indication, [this series] will be one of the next great fantasy epics." —B&N SF&F Blog

"The city of Sharakhai and surrounding area is a living, breathing thing and I revel in it. Beautiful writing, a deep and exciting story and characters you care about." —Shelf Inflicted

"[Beaulieu's] writing is more an immersive experience than anything else; he draws the reader in with such great skill. The first novel was an electrifying start to the series, providing a spectacular introduction to a multi-layered and captivating character living in a world whose layers match her own." —SFF World

"[With Blood Upon the Sand] is an ambitious sequel, larger in scope than its predecessor – and it pulls it off magnificently. It’s intelligent, well drawn and a lot of fun to read—and so I’d recommend it wholeheartedly." —Sci-fi and Fantasy Reviews

Author

© Lawrie Photography
Bradley P. Beaulieu fell in love with fantasy from the moment he began reading The Hobbit in the third grade. While Bradley earned a degree in computer science and engineering and worked in the information technology field for years, he could never quite shake his desire to explore other worlds. He began writing his first fantasy novel in college. It was a book he later trunked, but it was a start, a thing that proved how much he enjoyed the creation of stories. It made him want to write more. He went on to write The Lays of Anuskaya series as well as The Song of the Shattered Sands series. He has published work in the Realms of Fantasy magazine, Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show, Writers of the Future 20, and several anthologies. He has won the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Award and earned a Gemmell Morningstar Award nomination. Learn more about Bradley by visiting his website, quillings.com. View titles by Bradley P. Beaulieu
  • More Websites from
    Penguin Random House
  • Common Reads
  • Library Marketing