The Warden

(Hardback)

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Description

There was a plan. She had the money, the connections, even the brains. It was simple: become one of the only female necromancers, earn as many degrees as possible, get a post in one of the grand cities, then prove she's capable of greatness. The funny thing about plans is that they are seldom under your control. Now Aelis de Lenti, a daughter of a noble house and recent graduate of the esteemed Magisters' Lyceum, finds herself in the far-removed village of Lone Pine. Mending fences, matching wits with goats, and serving people who want nothing to do with her. But, not all is well in Lone Pine, and as the villagers Aelis is reluctantly getting to know start to behave strangely, Aelis begins to suspect that there is far greater need for a Warden of her talents than she previously thought. Old magics are restless, and an insignificant village on the farthest border of the kingdom might hold secrets far beyond what anyone expected. Aelis might be the only person standing between one of the greatest evils ever known and the rest of the world.

Reviews

A Most Anticipated Book of the Year for GoodReads and FanFiAddict
An Amazon Editor's Pick for Best Science Fiction and Fantasy

Praise for The Warden
"An appealing new fantasy series filled with adventure, action, and old magic."--Library Journal

"Captures an endearing fish out of water vibe in this pleasantly romantic fantasy about the importance of supporting one's local necromancer. . . . The charming misfit cast is the highlight here. Readers who enjoy the maturing mages and heroes of Robin McKinley and Melissa Caruso will find another youngster on the rise to cheer for in these pages."--Publishers Weekly

"A great first entry in a series, setting up an interesting sword-and-sorcery world whose secondary cast clearly has stories to tell, from retired soldiers turned innkeeping couple Rus and Martin to a pair of dwarves who are bankers turned adventurers. Fans of Brandon Sanderson will enjoy details about the
complex magical system. It will be fascinating to see where Aelis, and her world, goes from here."--Booklist

"I was hooked. . . . It's refreshing to read a fantasy adventure with a female main character who feels realistic. . . . I had a lot of fun with The Warden."--Geekly Inc

"I would definitely recommend this book if you are looking for a quick fantasy read that features a strong female protagonist, really cool magic, and some fascinating worldbuilding that transports the reader into a wondrous setting "--Out of This World SFF

Praise for Daniel M. Ford
"With a brisk plot, believable characters who balance wit with grit, and a complex world rife with intrigue and moral quandaries, Ford completely banishes all thoughts of middle-book sag. This is heroic fantasy far above the usual hack-and-slash, raising compelling questions about morality and belief in a tale full of excitement and high-stakes action." --Publishers Weekly Starred Review, on Stillbright

"In Body Broker, we meet Jack Dixon, the literary world's newest wise-cracking, swashbuckling, bad decision-making P.I. All his follies and scrapes and bruises and bizarre enemies are bad news for him, but make for exciting reading for us. Don't miss this one." --Rion Amilcar Scott, author of The World Doesn't Require You

Author Bio

Daniel M. Ford is a native of Baltimore. He has an M.A. in Irish Literature from Boston College, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from George Mason University. Ford lives in Delaware and teaches at a college prep high school in rural Maryland. When he isn't writing, you can find him reading, playing RPGs, lifting weights, or mixing cocktails. His previous work includes The Paladin Trilogy and the Jack Dixon novels.