Lord of the Empty Isles

Winter's Orbit meets The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet in this stunning emotional yet action-packed adult science-fiction novel

One curse. Two sworn enemies. Thousands of lives in the balance.

Ash, dried flowers, and a drop of blood: Remy has all he needs to avenge his brother's death.

Five years ago, interstellar pirate Idrian Delaciel ordered a withering – a death curse – cast on Remy's brother, costing him his life. Now, Remy is ready to return the favour. Only when he casts the withering, it also rebounds onto him.

The implications are unthinkable – that Remy is fatebound to his brother's killer.

The only way to slow the curse is to close the distance between them, so Remy infiltrates Idrian's criminal crew, hiding his identity as the witherer. But Remy quickly learns that Idrian is the sole provider of life-saving supplies to thousands of innocents. And if he dies, they will perish with him.

With more at stake now than just revenge, Remy must find a way to break the curse. Too bad for him – the only way to stop a withering is to kill the witherer.

About the Author

Jules Arbeaux was born in Sacramento but raised reckless and barefoot deep in the Midwestern woods. When not writing, Jules paints, folds increasingly tiny paper animals, and artfully neglects a throng of thriving succulents.

Reviews

"I adore this book – it has complicated, prickly, tender characters that will win you over and break your heart, a fresh and fascinating world with a beautiful new take on soul-bond magic, and Arbeaux has a voice so crisp and compassionate that you can't help but fall in love. Lord of the Empty Isles is an absolute delight" ―Sunya Mara, author of The Darkening

"Guaranteed to break your heart and simultaneously mend it, Lord of The Empty Isles is an un-put-downable magical space adventure with a lovable found family cast as morally complex and clever as they are chaotic!" ―Rosie Talbot, author of A Taste of Darkness

"Set in a vividly realized universe shaped by environmental devastation and soul-bonds, Lord of the Empty Isles brims with big, fascinating ideas – but even more than that, it is full to bursting with feelings. Amidst all the magic and space-faring adventure is a stunning, thoughtful treatise on grief and love in all its forms. A wonderfully cathartic experience" ―Julie Leong, author of The Teller of Small Fortunes

"Lord of the Empty Isles by Jules Arbeaux is a fast-paced yet thoughtful debut novel, perfect for those who love reading deeply human imaginings of future societies" ― Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson, author of The Principle of Moments

Dimensions: 15.2 x 3.2 x 23.2 cm