The Root: A Novel of the Wrath & Athenaeum

(Paperback)

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Description

A dark, gritty urban fantasy debut set in modern-day San Francisco, filled with gods, sinister government agencies, and worlds of dark magic hidden just below the surface.

When a secret government agency trying to enslave you isnt the biggest problem youre facing, youre in trouble.

Erik, a former teen star living in San Francisco, thought his life was complicated; having his ex-boyfriend in jail because of the scandal that destroyed his career seemed overwhelming. Then Erik learned he was Blooded: descended from the Gods.

Struggling with a power he doesnt understand and can barely control, Erik discovers that a secret government agency is selling off Blooded like lab rats to a rival branch of preternatural beings in ZebubSan Franciscos mirror city in an alternate dimension.

Lil, a timid apprentice in Zebub, is searching for answers to her parents sudden and mysterious deaths. Surrounded by those who wish her harm and view her as a lesser being, Lil delves into a forgotten history that those in power will go to dangerous lengths to keep buried.

What neither Erik nor Lil realize is that a darkness is coming, something none have faced in living memory. It eats. It hunts. And it knows them. In The Root, the dark and surging urban fantasy debut from Naamen Tilahun, two worlds must come together if even a remnant of one is to survive.

Skyhorse Publishing, under our Night Shade and Talos imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of titles for readers interested in science fiction (space opera, time travel, hard SF, alien invasion, near-future dystopia), fantasy (grimdark, sword and sorcery, contemporary urban fantasy, steampunk, alternative history), and horror (zombies, vampires, and the occult and supernatural), and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller, a national bestseller, or a Hugo or Nebula award-winner, we are committed to publishing quality books from a diverse group of authors.

Reviews

Tilahun creates a fantasy world you'll want to get lost in, and fills it with fascinating, diverse characters. This is a whole new exciting kind of portal fantasy.
Charlie Jane Anders, author of All the Birds in the Sky

An intense, emotional ride that combines libraries, monsters, fallen angels, magical powers, and secret societies fighting an ancient war. This is catnip for my reading soul.
Kate Elliott, author of Cold Magic and Black Wolves

The Root is a grandiose feat of imagination and cross-dimensional storytelling . . . a story thats firmly rooted in human drama, exploring themes such as the nature of race, celebrity, the media and societys perceptions of sexual orientation, gender and class division . . . Tilahun has laid the foundations for a very promising trilogy.
Starburst

A refreshing, diverse urban fantasy story that managed to stand out while still capturing the kick-butt, monster-fighting essence that I think many readers look for in the UF genre . . . I loved the diversity, the creativity of the magic and creatures, and the refreshingly different urban fantasy story, and I feel invested enough that I want to continue the series!Metaphors and Moonlight
Tilahun creates a fantasy world you'll want to get lost in, and fills it with fascinating, diverse characters. This is a whole new exciting kind of portal fantasy.
Charlie Jane Anders, author of All the Birds in the Sky

An intense, emotional ride that combines libraries, monsters, fallen angels, magical powers, and secret societies fighting an ancient war. This is catnip for my reading soul.
Kate Elliott, author of Cold Magic and Black Wolves

The Root is a grandiose feat of imagination and cross-dimensional storytelling . . . a story thats firmly rooted in human drama, exploring themes such as the nature of race, celebrity, the media and societys perceptions of sexual orientation, gender and class division . . . Tilahun has laid the foundations for a very promising trilogy.
Starburst

A refreshing, diverse urban fantasy story that managed to stand out while still capturing the kick-butt, monster-fighting essence that I think many readers look for in the UF genre . . . I loved the diversity, the creativity of the magic and creatures, and the refreshingly different urban fantasy story, and I feel invested enough that I want to continue the series!Metaphors and Moonlight

Author Bio

Naamen Tilahun is a bookseller and freelance writer who split his early years between Los Angeles and San Francisco. His fiction, poetry, and critical writing are published across the web, and he is the cocreator and cohost of the geek podcast, The Adventures of Yellow Peril + Magical Negro. The Root is his debut novel.