Of Swords and Starships

Of Swords and Starships

The Trail of Flame, out now!

It's almost summertime, that season of beach reads and bandit raids. You'll find one of those in The Trail of Flame, but I shan't spoil which. It's been a busy spring around these parts, and that pace won't stop as we head into warmer weather. Which, hey, if the stories need to be told, what else am I supposed to do except tell them?

Below you'll find a whole slew of announcements, updates, and other neat stuff, not least being a dark fantasy storybundle offering 16 books by a stellar collection of writers for $20 (or smaller amounts for less, you know how it goes). The Riven Trilogy's in there, recently revised and re-covered.

If you're into games, and particularly those of the physical, some might say 'board' variety, you'll find some pieces by yours truly adorning Noble Knight Games' Gaming Hall, which is less about getting you to read my writing and more about an insidious attempt to nudge you towards my favorite hobby. Strange how sitting in front of screens all day pushes me away from them in the evening . . .

Or perhaps not.

As to the future of this busy summer, you can expect the third book in The Seven Isles before too long. Definitely by August, if not sooner. As the little kiddos get older, my writing pace improves, and with it, more frequent releases and more fun for you all.

Sever Squad continues its transition into narrated audio as well, with the first 3 books now out and about in your favorite vendor. I'd expect the 4th book sometime this summer, with five and six this fall. After that, the pace should pick up a bit as we shift away from dual narration and split into single-voice series. Regardless, you shouldn't have to wait long to hear your favorites.

That's the update for May, and with it, I'll be stepping out to engage my feisty lawn in a battle to, well, if not death, then at least grooming. Tis that time of year.

Thanks, as ever, for reading, and I hope you're having a marvelous year so far.

~Adam


The 2023 Dark Fantasy Bundle

Things go bump in the night all year round, and this StoryBundle—curated
by New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson—contains 16
books that will keep you on the edge of your seat. We've selected a range
of ghost stories, monsters, Lovecraftian horror, epic fantasy with a dark
twist, and even snarky black humor.

Take a look. Or don't, if it's too scary.

The Dark Fantasy Bundle - 4 books for $5, all 16 books for $20

The Trail of Flame is out, and The Price of Peace gets a launch discount!

The Renewal has begun, and Wax’s journey across the seven isles with it. First up comes Foti, a lava-blasted rock known for its ale and iron. Crossing from its coasts to the Great Forge is an adventure filled with watchful eyes, glittering creatures, and unseen knives.

Deep beneath the surface, Svarde continues his quest to find where the fiends emerge, a dive into depths unknown and deadly in ways the old warrior cannot foresee. Yet, like Wax, there is no turning back from this quest, not until Svarde discovers something he cannot, will not lose, no matter what tries to tear it from his grasp.

And in Noctia’s capital, beneath its stone towers, Ami searches for a way to save her friend’s life, a path pushing her into power struggles between sides both dangerous and promising. If she makes the right decision, gets the right chance, then the unending cycle might finally stop for good.

The Trail of Flame is the second book in The Seven Isles, a fantasy action-adventure series. Filled with sword-and-sorcery, mysterious secrets, and magical creatures, The Seven Isles is your next ticket to a great story.

The Price of Peace - Book 1 - dive in with a $1 ebook launch discount

The Trail of Flame - Book 2


The Wild Nines come roaring back at May's end in Trick Moon, the follow-up to Rogue Bet

Find the Alissa, stop the war. Sounds easy, but nobody knows where Alissa is, save some grubby scum intent on ruining Davin’s well-deserved R&R.

Dealing with criminals is messy business, and the Nines find themselves pulled into a spiraling disaster when Eden gets wind of their work. Pursued by a vengeful captain and his frigate, while trying to solve Alissa’s disappearance, the Nines dash towards Earth. Whether they’ll arrive intact or in pieces is an open question, one that’ll be answered with a healthy dose of shooting, shields, and sarcasm.

Trick Moon continues the slick space opera of the Wild Nines series, where quick trigger fingers and slow burn mysteries collide. Hitch a ride on the Whiskey Jumper and hang on, because it’s going to be fun.

Trick Moon is up for pre-order everywhere now, and will be released in print and ebook on May 30th!


Those round out the major announcements, but for smaller updates, like new audiobooks, large print editions and the like, check back at www.blackkeybooks.com every now and then and click on Blips.

Updates and such also get crossposted to the Black Key Books page on Facebook too. They used to go to Twitter as well, but we all know how that's going . . .

Anyway, thanks for reading, and take care!

A.R. Knight

A.R. Knight