The Bloodless Princes - (Fireborne Blade) by Charlotte Bond (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A tale of death, honor and true love's embrace. Come for the journey through the underworld. Stay for the minacious dragon-cat. It seemed the afterlife was bustling. Cursed by the previous High Mage, and following an...incident...with a supremely powerful dragon, newly-promoted High Mage Saralene visits the afterlife with a boon to beg of the Bloodless Princes who run the underworld. But Saralene and her most trusted advisor/champion/companion, Sir Maddileh, will soon discover that there's only so much research to be done by studying the old tales, though perhaps there's enough truth in them to make a start. Saralene will need more than just her wits to leave the underworld, alive. And Maddileh will need more than just her Fireborne Blade. A story of love and respect that endures beyond death. And of dragons, because we all love a dragon!"--

Book Synopsis

A tale of honor, dragons, and a love that endures beyond death

Come for the journey through the underworld. Stay for the suspiciously familiar winged cat.

After their dubiously successful quest to slay the White Lady and recover the Fireborne Blade, Sir Maddileh and Saralene set about changing their world for the better. But the cursed and newly-promoted High Mage Saralene must visit the afterlife to ask a favor of the Bloodless Princes who run the underworld.

But Saralene and Sir Maddileh will soon discover that the old tales only hold so much truth in them, though perhaps there's enough to make a start on their new journey.

To escape the underworld alive, Saralene will need a lot more than just her wits. And Maddileh will need more than just her Fireborne Blade.

Review Quotes

"This gender-bent tale of knights and dragons takes the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, turns it into a sapphic romance, and adds a layer of unpacking what has been learned to find the shining truth within, with the bittersweet assistance of one very lonely dragon." --Library Journal

"Bond ramps up the action in this . . . successful follow-up to The Fireborne Blade. [The Bloodless Princes] expertly expands the lore of her series and ties up the loose ends." --Publishers Weekly

"The Bloodless Princes delivers more of the wonderful fantasy duo of Sir Maddileh and Saralene, and I'm hoping to read more about them in the years to come." --Grimdark Magazine

Praise for The Fireborne Blade

"A quick, delicious bite of a dragon-slayer fantasy with clever worldbuilding and twists that'll catch in your throat... if you're not careful." --C.L. Clark on The Fireborne Blade

"The Fireborne Blade is fresh, well-crafted, and engaging. A knight, squire, and dragon adventure like none you've ever read!" --Juliet Marillier

"A monstrously clever gem, chilling, dark and full of character." --Adrian Tchaikovsky

"The Fireborne Blade is a delightful romp through a vibrant, surprising world of mages, knights, and dragons. I loved following Maddileh through her adventures!" --Kelly Robson

"Like its claustrophobic, dimly lit passageways, Bond's prose deftly tantalizes in this puzzlebox of a narrative. A quiet gem of a novella with much more lurking beneath the surface." --Eliza Chan

"Highly inventive and entertaining. Charlotte Bond is an exciting new voice." --Priya Sharma

"Love to finish a book and just go 'well, that was cool as ****'. This was a lot slicker and gnarlier than I was expecting going in. Terrific dragon lore, impeccable gore and body horror, and an engaging cast. Would happily read another handful of novellas in this setting or anything else Bond throws at us." --Allison Seneca, Old Firehouse Books

About the Author

Charlotte Bond is an author, freelance editor, and podcaster. Under her own name she has written within the genres of horror and dark fantasy, but she's also worked as a ghostwriter. She edits books for individuals and publishers, and has also contributed numerous non-fiction articles to various websites. She is a co-host of the award-winning podcast, Breaking the Glass Slipper. Her micro-collection The Watcher in the Woods won the British Fantasy Award for Best Collection in 2021.