Description

A gritty and epic adventure to appeal to fans of Mark Lawrence, Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher and Joe Abercrombie – The Winter Road is a fantasy novel which remembers that battles leave all kinds of scars.

‘A bold, assured storyteller’ PETER NEWMAN author of The Vagrant

The greatest empire of them all began with a road.

The Circle – a thousand miles of perilous forests and warring clans. No one has ever tamed such treacherous territory before, but ex-soldier Teyr Amondsen, veteran of a hundred battles, is determined to try.

With a merchant caravan protected by a crew of skilled mercenaries, Amondsen embarks on a dangerous mission to forge a road across the untamed wilderness that was once her home. But a warlord rises in the wilds of the Circle, uniting its clans and terrorising its people. Teyr’s battles may not be over yet . . .

All roads lead back to war.

Praise for Adrian Selby:

‘This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster . . . Highly recommended’ JOHN GWYNNE

‘Perfect for fans of Joe Abercrombie’ RT BOOK REVIEWS

‘A lot to enjoy, especially if you are a fan of dark, gritty, old-soldier stories’ FANTASY FACTION

‘Wears its grimdark on its sleeve . . . a thrilling tale of adventure, betrayal, triumph and loss’ INTERZONE

‘I give it nothing but the highest recommendation’ GRIMDARK MAGAZINE

For more epic fantasy action from Adrian Selby, check out SNAKEWOOD or follow him on twitter at @adrianlselby for updates.

Publisher Review

This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster. It's adult and grim, but instead of the nihilism and bleakness of much Grimdark these days it has a streak of love and hope running through the heart of it. Most of that is to be found in the central character, Teyr Amondsen. She's flawed, vulnerable and also as hard as nails. I loved her, I loved this book. Highly recommended. * John Gwynne * A very dark fantasy story with a distinct western flair . . . absolutely fascinating and incredibly original * Sense of Wonder * Covering ground well-trodden by Joe Abercrombie, with a similar use of earthy language and extreme violence, the story offers an original and effective twist with the use of potions, plants, and poisons on the battlefield . . . relish the well-choreographed action scenes in this debut fantasy * Library Journal * Immensely readable . . . a fantasy novel that remembers that battles leave all kinds of scars * B&N Science Fiction and Fantasy blog * Set in a brutal world of subtle magic, clashing empires, and commercial interests, this is an impressive fantasy debut. Selby demonstrates the command of style, character, plotting, and world building of a seasoned author * Booklist * Uniquely dark and gritty fantasy. An intriguing debut * Bibliosanctum * Snakewood's narrative voices are the real strength here . . . contemporary and as grimdark as it comes * British Fantasy Society * A lot to enjoy, especially if you are a fan of dark, gritty, old-soldier stories * Fantasy Faction * Grim mercenaries and badass alchemists brought to life by a bold, assured storyteller -- Peter Newman, author of THE VAGRANT