Twist of the Blade

by Edward Willett

Overview

The power of Excalibur is changing Ariane in scary ways. As she and Rex Major race for the second shard, Wally's no longer sure whose side he should be on . . .

When Ariane seriously hurts Wally's sister, Flish, his belief in her is shaken. Meanwhile, the second shard is in France, and Rex Major already knows it's there. Ariane's powers from the Lady of the Lake enable her to travel magically through freshwater, but now there's a saltwater ocean in the way . . .

As Major uses Wally's doubts to cause a rift between the friends, Ariane takes the chance to go it alone. But if the first shard's power is barely controllable, how will she fare when two shards are united?

Twist of the Blade is an exciting modern-day young-adult fantasy by award-winning author Edward Willett, perfect for anyone who thrills to stories of modern-day magic and tales of King Arthur.

Adventure awaits high in the clouds and deep underground in this second installment of the five-book Shards of Excalibur series.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781989398159
Publisher:	Shadowpaw Press Reprise
Publication date:	12/12/2022
Series:	Shards of Excalibur , #2
Edition description:	2nd ed.
Pages:	262
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

EDWARD WILLETT is the author of more than sixty books of science fiction, fantasy, and nonfiction for readers of all ages. Marseguro (DAW Books) won the Aurora Award (honouring Canadian science fiction and fantasy) for Best Long-Form Work in English; his young adult fantasy Spirit Singer won a Saskatchewan Book Award. Several other of his books have been shortlisted for those and other awards.

Ed's most recent novel is the far-future humorous outer-space adventure The Tangled Stars (DAW Books). Other recent titles include Star Song, a finalist for both the Aurora Award and Saskatchewan Book Award for Young Adult Literature, published by Shadowpaw Press; Blue Fire (written as E.C. Blake), also from Shadowpaw Press; and the Worldshapers series (Worldshaper, Master of the World, and The Moonlit World) from DAW. His nonfiction runs the gamut from science books to biographies to history. He hosts Aurora Award-winning podcast The Worldshapers podcast (theworldshapers.com), in which he talks to other science fiction and fantasy authors about their creative process, and has Kickstarted several Shapers of Worlds anthologies featuring guests of the podcast.

In addition to being a writer, Ed is a professional actor and singer who has performed in numerous plays, musicals, and operas, and sung in several auditioned choirs, including the Canadian Chamber Choir. He lives in Regina, Saskatchewan, with his wife, Margaret Anne Hodges, P. Eng., a past president of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan. They have one daughter, Alice, and a black Siberian cat, Shadowpaw. You can find Ed online at www.edwardwillett.com.

Editorial Reviews

"A satisfying second instalment...Twist of the Blade offers an enticing sense of danger and excitement as Ariane pursues her mission, but the narrative doesn't shy away from the story's human elements...It's refreshing to read a story in which the heroes and villains are not cut-and-dried, and readers can look forward to three more instalments in this genuinely entertaining myth-based series." - Quill & Quire

From the Publisher

2014-07-29
The sequel to The Song of the Sword (2014) improves on its foundation. Ariane Forsythe is changing. She can feel the recently claimed shard of Excalibur, the legendary sword of King Arthur, infecting her thoughts and feelings with its cold desire to kill. It's this drive to violence that leads to Ariane's vigorous defense of herself against school bullies landing said bullies in the hospital. Wally Knight, Ariane's friend and partner in her quest to reclaim the shards of Excalibur, is shocked when Ariane doesn't visit him when he is hospitalized after an accident and is further horrified to learn Ariane's powers have hospitalized his sister, one of the bullies. Wally's discomfort with Ariane's recent behavior is further deepened when Rex Major (Merlin, in his contemporary guise) encourages Wally to question the motives of the Lady of the Lake, who tasked Ariane and Wally with the quest. When Ariane discovers new powers, she uses them to travel to the location of the next shard—but her unpredictable actions there lead to danger and distrust. Willett realistically explores the difficulties Ariane and Wally face and paints Rex Major in such a light that readers may be unsure as to whether he is a master manipulator or misunderstood hero.Engrossing and more nuanced than its predecessor. (Fantasy. 12-16)

Kirkus Reviews