The Vacant Throne

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The final book in the gripping and gritty fantasy Throne of Amenkor trilogy, the story of an unlikely heroine in a city devastated and altered by the mysterious White Fire

The city of Amenkor has stood for well over a thousand years as a premier trading center. Ruled by the Mistress of the Skewed Throne, Amenkor has weathered attacks by invaders and the madness, drought, famine, and disease brought by the mysterious White Fire.

But now―betrayed from within and barely surviving a devastating attack by the mysterious Chorl―Amenkor reels on the brink of ruin. In Amenkor’s time of greatest need, Varis―raised in the slums of the city, and trained not only to survive but to kill at need―has unwillingly become the ruler of the city―the new Mistress of the Skewed Throne.

Untrained, unprepared, and not certain who she can trust, Varis takes the Throne at one of the most perilous points in Amenkor’s long history, and is forced to draw on all of Amenkor’s limited resources, both ordinary and magical, when the Chorl invade. And perhaps the price Varis pays is too high, as the very heart and soul of Amenkor’s power―the Skewed Throne―is destroyed during the final desperate confrontation with the invaders.

Now, with the threat of the Chorl’s return still hanging over them, Varis has no choice but to turn to Amenkor’s sometime ally, the city of Venitte, home to the only other throne that is a repository of magical power.

Yet Varis and the people of Amenkor are not the only ones looking toward Venitte. The Chorl invaders are on the march, and whether Venitte will fare any better against the Chorl than Amenkor remains to be seen.Praise for the Throne of Amenkor series:

“I give The Skewed Throne four and a half out of five really creepy-ass iconic chairs, and a strong suggestion that it not walk down any dark alleys alone. I highly recommend it.” ―Seanan McGuire, New York Times bestselling author of the Toby Daye series

“A gritty, edgy, unsettling book. This tough young woman makes her choices in a world where good and evil often look like twins. I was riveted by her story!” ―Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author of the Song of the Lioness series

“Joshua Palmatier has written a vivid, passionate story about a tough-minded heroine fighting for survival. What makes her especially compelling is her own struggle to understand right and wrong, and to confront what necessity can force you to do. This promising first novel should lead to equally confident sequels.” ―Kate Elliott, New York Times bestselling author of Spiritwalker series

“The strength of Palmatier’s book lies in Varis. Varis is a bitter girl, hardened by years of living in the Dredge, but she retains a core of humanity. Her ability to slip into what she calls the river, where threats stand out as splashes of red in the currents of the world around her, makes her an intriguing point of view character…if you enjoy grittier fantasy, I would recommend picking up The Skewed Throne.” ―Jim C. Hines, author of the Magic ex Libris series

“If you are familiar with Arya Stark in George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series, you’ll love Varis, who has a similar tenacity and toughness. I highly recommend The Skewed Throne and fans of gritty fantasy will love this book.” ―Paul Genesse, author of the Iron Dragon series

“This novel grips the reader with a swift-moving tale of political intrigue and economic survival in a world where the most dangerous secrets are never forgotten.” ―Publishers WeeklyJoshua Palmatier is a writer and a mathematician. He was born in Pennsylvania, but has lived in numerous states over his life and currently resides in Binghamton, New York, and is a tenured professor of mathematics at Oneonta. He can be found at jpsorrow.livejournal.com.US

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