Nobody cheats death. A warrior haunted by his past, Salim Ghadafar serves as a problem-solver for a church he hates, bound by the goddess of death to hunt down those who would rob her of her due. Such is the case in the desert nation of Thuvia, where a powerful merchant on the verge of achieving eternal youth via a magical elixir is mysteriously murdered, his soul kidnapped somewhere along its path to the afterlife. The only clue is a magical ransom note, offering to trade the merchant's successful resurrection for his dose of the fabled potion. But who would have the power to steal a soul from the boneyard of Death herself? Enter Salim, whose keen mind and contacts throughout the multiverse should make solving this mystery a cinch. There's only one problem: The investigation is being financed by Neila Anvanory, the dead merchant's stubborn and aristocratic daughter. And she wants to go with him. Along with his uninvited passenger, Salim must unravel a web of intrigue that will lead them far from the blistering sands of Thuvia on a grand tour of the Outer Planes, where devils and angels rub shoulders with fey lords and mechanical men, and nothing is as it seems...
James Lafond Sutter is the author of the novel Death's Heretic, which was ranked #3 on Barnes & Noble's Best Fantasy Releases of 2011 and was a finalist for the 2012 Compton Crook Award for Best First Novel. He's also written science fiction and fantasy stories for such venues as Apex Magazine, Escape Pod, Podcastle, Pseudopod, Starship Sofa, and the #1 Amazon bestseller Machine of Death. His first anthology, Before They Were Giants, pairs the first published short stories of speculative fiction greats from Ben Bova and Larry Niven to China Miéville and William Gibson with anecdotes and instructional critiques by the authors themselves.
In addition to writing fiction, James is a co-creator of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game and the Fiction Editor for Paizo Publishing, and has published dozens of roleplaying game products.
For more information, please visit www.jameslsutter.com.
PRAISE FOR DEATH'S HERETIC
"What a great yarn! It grabbed me at the outset and raced along, all of the characters coming alive but the action never flagging. Action, mystery, planar splendors and dangers, really memorable characters -- this one has it all."
-- Ed Greenwood, New York Times Bestselling Author of Elminster Must Die
"Strange and colorful lands, engaging characters, mystery and action -- Sutter delivers. Watch this guy. "
-- Howard Andrew Jones, author of The Desert of Souls
"A stellar first novel"
-- Paul Goat Allen, Barnes & Noble
"Death's Heretic is most certainly a killer worth catching."
-- Ben McFarland, Kobold Quarterly
"If you enjoy church-appointed monster assassins, check this one out."
-- Dave Thompson, PodCastle
"Well-written fantasy. Salim is a fascinating character who readers will eagerly follow... richly imagined and full of vibrant life."
-- Holly Scudero, Tulsa Book Review
"Excellent writing, a fascinating character, and a solid fantasy-mystery plot... Salim is a marvelous character to be introduced to this universe through. Neila is a great counterpoint... she avoids falling into the trap of being nothing more than a pretty face for Salim to rescue every other chapter. Refreshing, that. With its intriguing protagonist, twisted magics, and unique environments, it's well worth discovering..."
-- Josh Vogt, Examiner.com
"A nonstop romp through fabulous settings"
-- Jaym Gates, Functional Nerds
"James Sutter has a way with descriptions, which tend to be both concise yet vivid. His writing flows smoothly, whether we're following his main characters across the desert or across the planes of existence... Death's Heretic is more intellectual than the average RPG novel, dealing with topics such as personal faith, mortality, and self actualization in an honest, adult manner that you don't normally find in this type of fantasy."
-- Quest For Fun
"I really enjoyed this book. The writing was strong, the story was interesting, I loved the characters, and the setting was so well wrought that I could practically feel the sand and heat of the desert on my face. I love when authors write with authority and have the skill to back it up, and James Sutter has skill in excess. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone. Well done, sir. Very well done."
-- Justin Macumber, Dead Robots' Society
"Raistlin Majere, Elminster, and Drizzt Do'Urden all come to mind as iconic characters born in roleplaying tie-in novels. Into this esteemed category steps Salim Ghadafar, the protagonist of James L. Sutter's Death's Heretic.... Compelling and full of action... a great standalone novel in its own right."
-- Andrew Zimmerman Jones, Black Gate
"Death's Heretic channels the spirit of classic sword & sorcery, adapts it for a modern audience, and is sprinkled with Sutter's personal touch. It makes for fast, leisurely reading, the equivalent of a summer blockbuster movie."
-- Charles A Tan, Bibliophile Stalker
"An awful lot of fun, and a lot of imagination--I really enjoyed it. I'd love to see some more stories involving Salim."
-- Art Sippo, Book Cave
