The Granite Shield

Description

Galactic Spectrum Award nomination • Locus Recommended Reading List • Epic fantasy series with character-driven intrigue and spectacular magic

Marsellus was the rightful ruler of Branion, by virtue of both birth and the power of the Flame contained within him. Yet he had betrayed his heritage, cleaving to the opposing Essusiate religion and denying the Flame’s power.
 
But now Llewellynne, a prince and seer in the neighboring kingdom of Gwyneth, has been granted a Flame vision of herself bearing a child of Marsellus—a child who would become the new vessel of the Flame and who can lead Gwyneth forces to victory in Branion.
 
Llewellynne succeed in transforming the vision into reality, giving birth to a son named Rhys. Gwyneth begins preparations, waiting for the day when Rhys will claim his heritage. For with the power of the Flame and the aid of his younger brother Llewen, is there any doubt that Rhys will triumph?
 
However, nothing is certain in a struggle fueled by the gods. And though Rhys and Llewen have been raised together, the fortunes of war may well drive them apart.Praise for the Branion series
 
“I was hooked from the first chapter.” —Mercedes Lackey

“Patton weaves a brilliant tapestry of loves, lusts, and loyalties…. Her characters are subtle, complex, and extremely believable…. One of the best fantasies I have read in a very long time.” —Dave Duncan, award-winning author of the Seventh Sword series
 
 “Takes a complex plot with tangled threads of magic and politics and deftly weaves it into a thrilling fantasy that is hard to put down.” —RT Reviews
 
“Moves quickly through charming scenes…. A nice touch is the gender blending in traditional roles…. Despite a large cast of characters, they are all well developed, believable, and in most cases, extremely likeable.” —Kliatt
 
“An epic tale of intrigue and battles, or betrayals and romances, of misunderstandings and magic…. Refreshingly avoids the common tropes or themes in much contemporary gay fiction.” ­­—Lambda Book Report
 
“A complex conflict full of intrigue and rousing adventures…in an increasingly engaging series about a (literally) hot-headed family and the nation they rule, in a fascinatingly distorted, yet tantalizingly familiar, alternate history.” —Locus
 
“Although supernatural forces both benign and inimical abound in this tale, The Stone Prince is not about a cosmic, predestined struggled between the forces of good and evil…. The vast sweep of the novel fits well with the deeply personal perspective used in the telling…. Patton writes with clarity and conviction, rare and required qualities for a writer of epic fantasy.” —SF Site
 
 “Rousing adventure, full of color and spectacular magic.” —Locus
 
“Patton writes in a mesmerizing fashion as she weaves uniquely engaging characters, a complicated plot, and some nifty magical concepts into a fascinating whole.” —RT ReviewsFiona Patton lives on seventy-five acres of rural Ontario scrubland with her partner Tanya Huff, six cats, and one tiny little dog. She has written more than twenty short stories ranging from heroic fantasy to horror to science fiction, as well as fantasy novels The Stone Prince, The Painter Knight, The Granite Shield, and The Golden Sword.US

Additional information