Play of Shadows: Thrills, Wit And Swordplay with a new generation of the Greatcoats!

by Sebastien de Castell

Overview

Swordplay, magic, intrigue and friendships stronger than iron: the first volume in the new swashbuckling fantasy series set in the universe of THE GREATCOATS.

Damelas Chademantaigne picked a poor night to flee a judicial duel.

He has precious little hope of escaping the wrath of the Vixen, the most feared duellist in the entire city, until he stumbles through the stage doors of the magnificent Operato Belleza and tricks his way into the company of actors. An archaic law provides a temporary respite from his troubles - until one night a ghostly voice in his head causes Damelas to fumble his lines, inadvertently blurting out a dreadful truth: the city's most legendary hero may actually be a traitor and a brutal murderer.

With only the help of his boisterous and lusty friend Bereto, a beautiful assassin whose target may well be Damelas himself, and a company of misfit actors who'd just as soon see him dead, this failed grandson of two Greatcoats must somehow find within himself the courage to dig up long-buried truths before a ruthless band of bravos known as the Iron Orchids come for his head.

Oh, and there's still that matter of the Vixen waiting to duel him . . .

Readers love Play of Shadows!

'De Castell's masterful writing weaves an impressive tale with a fantastic plot, intriguing characters, and wondrous storybuilding. Another masterpiece' - 5* reader review

'If you are looking for a swashbuckling adventure with a dash of romance and a leaven of humour, then go out and get a copy of this book' - 5* reader review

'Everything that you come to expect from a Greatcoats world book - swashbuckling, emotional rollercoaster, a hero to root for and a great cast of characters some you will love and some you will hate' - 5* reader review

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781787471443
Publisher:	Quercus Publishing
Publication date:	03/28/2024
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	71,445
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Sebastien de Castell had just finished a degree in Archaeology when he started work on his first dig. Four hours later he realised how much he actually hated archaeology and left to pursue a very focused career as a musician, ombudsman, interaction designer, fight choreographer, teacher, project manager, actor and product strategist. His only defence against the charge of unbridled dilettantism is that he genuinely likes doing these things and that, in one way or another, each of these fields plays a role in his writing. He sternly resists the accusation of being a Renaissance Man in the hopes that more people will label him that way.

Sebastien's acclaimed swashbuckling fantasy series The Greatcoats was shortlisted for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Fantasy. the Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Debut, the Prix Imaginales for Best Foreign Work and the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. His YA fantasy series Spellslinger was nominated for the Carnegie Medal and is published in more than a dozen languages.

Sebastien lives in Vancouver, Canada with his lovely wife and two belligerent cats.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Greatcoats


"Traitor's Blade is a swashbuckling romp packed with charisma, camaraderie, quick wit and even quicker swordplay. That said, it's far from candy-coated - and it packs some serious substance . . . darkness is served up deliciously in Traitor's Blade—only de Castell uses it as the sauce, not the soup . . . What makes the book truly sing, though, is its rich historical backdrop . . . De Castell's fight scenes are as sumptuously detailed as the world Falcio inhabits. . . In its own way, Traitor's Blade is as grim and dark as the edgiest fantasy series on the shelves. It's also shot through with heroics, hope and a dazzling aptitude for fun."—Jason Heller, NPR

"Like the sword its disgraced protagonist carries, Traitor's Blade is short and sharp and smart, and very well wielded, really . . . With a tip of his hat at Alexandre Dumas, Sebastien de Castell make a fine first impression in this entertaining debut."—Tor

"How wonderful it is to be back into this world . . . wildly entertaining . . . Greatcoats is now up there on my list of favorite fantasy series, and I never miss a chance to recommend it to my fellow readers and friends."—Bibliosanctum

"[Knight's Shadow] will blow you away . . . Sebastien de Castell has really, really outdone himself. . . I probably will have to wait another year for the third book in the series but it is definitely worth the wait. The Greatcoats series should be on every reading list."—The Book Plank

"If you enjoy fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat adventure and compelling, believable characters battling overwhelming odds yet never giving in, you can't beat the Greatcoats series. To read them is to love them."—The Oklahoman

"This is a great series, that gets better with each book, while Traitor's Blade was good, an impressive debut and decent start to the series, Knight's Shadow improved on it in every way and with Saint's Blood de Castell has managed yet again to top his previous book by creating what will surely be one of the best fantasy books of the year. You're pulled in from the first page through to the last in this fast paced, character driven epic where come the final page you are left wanting more!"—Tattooed Book Geek

"Once again de Castell has raised the stakes of his series with a fantastic new villain, and he has pulled together the threads of his past four books to create a very memorable conclusion. Tyrant's Throne has everything you love about the previous books; heartbreaking moments, laugh out loud humor, a loveable/hateable cast of characters, a fascinating world, and a fantastic author's voice."—The Quill to Live

"This final adventure had heartache and loss, but also ended on that most uplifting and enduring of human conditions: hope. It is a beautiful ending to a fabulous series that ranges from swashbuckling fun to deep philosophical ponderations."—A Fantastical Librarian

From the Publisher