THE WOLF AND THE WILD KING
BOOK ONE OF THE FOREST DUOLOGY
Mystique/Crossroad Press, 2024. Cover art by K.V. Johansen.
High fantasy born of myth and folklore, of the dark and the trees and the winter’s cold, the flint blade’s edge and the secrets that are spoken only in dreams…
Assassin, executioner, shapeshifter, and dutiful son of the undying Queen of the land called only the Forest, Mairran is haunted by the voice of an Immortal long lost, who runs with him as a wolf in his dreams. More used to being the instrument of death than an arbiter of justice, he is dispatched by his mother to find the killer of an earl whose life was offered in an unsanctioned sacrifice to the Forest.
In an earlier age, the outlaw Lannesk swears an oath to follow the Grey Hunter and the Wild King, ancient guardians of the Forest, in a war against the invading dragon-kin and their sorcerer-priests, who seek to wake the great dragon long ago bound in sleep beneath the Lake. Past and present tangle around troubled assassin and mute outlaw, as a conspiracy of fell magic threatens the land and its people.
Evocative of a darker, grimmer McKillip, The Wolf and the Wild King is a brooding, lyrical new work from a master of epic fantasy.
Advance Praise for The Wolf and the Wild King
"A wonderful and timeless epic fantasy -- a book with wisdom, beauty and claws." ~ Tom Lloyd, author of The Twilight Reign.
"K.V. Johansen’s The Wolf and the Wild King is a lyrically rendered tale of intrigue and war enriched by two compelling central characters in a world that is both mythic and fully realised. A darkly beautiful book crafted in some of the finest prose it’s been my pleasure to read. Can’t wait for the sequel." ~ Anthony Ryan, author of A Tide of Black Steel
"With beautiful prose reminiscent of Patricia McKillip, Johansen paints a bleak and devastating picture of a cold world where humans, fey, and near-fey struggle for control of an unforgiving land. The magical system is deep and well thought out, haunting and resonant. The dual plotlines of the main protagonists braid together into an intriguing narrative that leads to an explosive conclusion. The Wolf and the Wild King will fulfil your desires for epic dark fantasy that is original and fascinating. I can’t wait for the second book in the duology!" ~ Jo Graham, author of Black Ships and The Emperor’s Agent