Praise for Twelve Kings in Sharakhai:
Best Book of 2015 by Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BuzzFeed
“Çeda and Emre share a relationship seldom explored in fantasy, one that will be tried to the utmost as similar ideals provoke them to explore different paths. Wise readers will hop on this train now, as the journey promises to be breathtaking.” —Robin Hobb, bestselling author of Fool’s Assassin
“I am impressed.... An exceedingly inventive story in a lushly realized dark setting that is not your uncle’s Medieval Europe. I’ll be looking forward to the next installment.” —Glen Cook, author of The Black Company
"Fantasy and horror, catacombs and sarcophagi, resurrections and revelations: the book has them all, and Beaulieu wraps it up in a package that's as graceful and contemplative as it is action-packed and pulse-pounding." —NPR
"Beaulieu's intricate world-building and complex characters are quickly becoming the hallmarks of his writing, and if this opening volume is any indication, [this series] will be one of the next great fantasy epics." —B&N SF&F Blog
“Beaulieu has crafted a rich, fascinating world, filled it with compelling characters, and blended them into an epic tale that grabbed my attention on the first page and refused to let go. I look forward to more stories of Sharakhai.” —D.B. Jackson, author of the Thieftaker Chronicles
“Sumptuous and incredibly entertaining, Beaulieu has created memorable characters in a richly imagined world.” —Michael J. Sullivan, author of The Riyria Chronicles
“Beaulieu’s new fantasy epic is filled with memorable characters, enticing mysteries, and a world so rich in sensory detail that you can feel the desert breeze in your hair as you read.” —C.S. Friedman, author of Dreamwalker
“A memorable heroine, a poetically told tale of revenge, and superb worldbuilding make Twelve Kings in Sharakhai a splendid read.” —John Marco, author of The Eyes of God
“Twelve Kings in Sharakhai isn’t the same as the last epic fantasy you read. Like the desert sands of Sharakhai, this first volume of Beaulieu’s new series is a constantly shifting narrative of betrayal and friendship, loyalty and vengeance. Leave the farm boys to their chickens and the scullions to their pots, because Çeda’s bringing a knife to this fight. It’s vivid and diverse, full of complex relationships, eye-opening magic, and world building for this new age of fantasy that’s broken out of its medieval shackles.” —Aidan Moher, A Dribble of Ink
And speaking of covers, since then, we’ve also brought you your first of Çeda herself on the cover of book two, With Blood Upon the Sand, and today, we’re sharing the artwork that will adorn Beneath the Twisted Trees, created by Micah Epstein. Check it out below the official summary, and then keep reading for a […]
Two years ago, Bradley Beaulieu’s Twelve Kings in Sharakhai took me by surprise. From the cover and blurb, I expected it to be epic. I expected swashbuckling. I expected…well, a lot of kings. Because I’ve read a lot of fantasy, I didn’t expect to be so impressed by the enveloping worldbuilding, or the fascinating magic […]
In 2015, Bradley P. Beaulieu wowed us with Twelve Kings in Sharakhai, the first volume of an expansive fantasy epic set in an immersive desert landscape. This week sees the arrival of the sequel, With Blood Upon the Sand, and below, the author tells us how he found inspiration for his worldbuilding in an incongruous […]
Bradley P. Beaulieu’s Twelve Kings of Sharahkai was one of the most delightfully vivid and promising fantasy novels of 2015, building a gorgeous tapestry of a world worth reveling in—and revisiting. So after a brief return trip in the tightly plotted prequel Of Sand and Malice Made last year, it’s glorious to be back in the desert for an extended stay in […]