 Latest fantasy novel explores cultural differences and the unscrupulous leaders who exploit themAnarya is an investigator. Yisyena is her business partner and lover. A new contract embroils them in state secrets and the personal vendettas of a murdered champion, a cabal, a puppet king, and a false god looking for one who has defied him.
By: Elsewhen Press Magical skills have been a time-honoured component of many fantasy stories, from traditional fairy-tales to modern classics, with the ability to use them often being the result of training, heredity, or theft. In Quaestor, David M Allan envisions a world where two separate nations both have a small proportion of their population who are endowed with magical abilities, but with very different views on the source and purpose of those talents. In Carrhen, magical ability is seen as a gift from the gods, to be used for the benefit of all; while in Sitrelk it is considered to be an inherited talent to be surrendered to their living god in a self-sacrifice. It is not just magic that is viewed differently in the two countries. Sitrelker women may not own property or a business, and indeed can't run anything apart from their own household; while in Carrhen as many women as men run their own business and are responsible for their own livelihood and wellbeing. In Sitrelk, same sex relationships must be conducted in secret to avoid bringing shame on a family; but in Carrhen any consensual relationship is accepted without question or even a second glance. However, even in Carrhen, authority and its concomitant power has a tendency to corrupt, with unscrupulous rulers finding ways to force those with magical talents to do their bidding and advance their ambition. Peter Buck, Editorial Director at Elsewhen Press says, "In Quaestor, David M Allan achieves the goal of the very best speculative fiction, namely telling a compelling story that keeps you turning the page to find out what happens next while at the same time shining a light on issues of our own world and times. We may not have magical talents, but we do have unscrupulous leaders who use others' skills to further their own aims at the expense of the general population and even the state itself, who defy justice, who promote inequity, bigotry and hatred, and even see themselves as unimpeachable gods." Quaestor will be available to buy on all popular eBook platforms from 30th August 2019 and is already available to pre-order. The paperback edition will be available on 21st October 2019. Notes for Editors About David M Allan David M Allan got hooked on reading at a young age by borrowing to the max – 3 books, twice a week – from the public library. He was caught up and transported to fabulous other worlds by the likes of Wells, Verne and Burroughs (and later by Asimov, Bradbury, Clarke, Heinlein, Le Guin, Wyndham…). Alas, the journeys were temporary and he had to return to Earth. His love affair with science fiction and fantasy had him thinking vaguely about writing but he didn't follow through until after retirement and his relocation, with wife and cat, to a houseboat on the Thames. It was reading one book which he didn't think was very good that led him to say "I could do better than that" and then setting out to prove it. David has since had a number of short stories published in online magazines, and his debut novel The Empty Throne published by Elsewhen Press. Quaestor is his second novel. Visit bit.ly/Quaestor- About the book Title: Quaestor When you're searching, you don't always find what you expect In Carrhen some people have a magic power – they may be telekinetic, clairvoyant, stealthy, or able to manipulate the elements. Anarya is a Sponger, she can absorb and use anyone else's magic without them even being aware, but she has to keep it a secret as it provokes jealousy and hostility especially among those with no magic powers at all. When Anarya sees Yisyena, a Sitrelker refugee, being assaulted by three drunken men, she helps her to escape. Anarya is trying to establish herself as an investigator, a quaestor, in the city of Carregis. Yisyena is a clairvoyant, a skill that would be a useful asset for a quaestor, so Anarya offers her a place to stay and suggests they become business partners. Before long they are also lovers. But business is still hard to find, so when an opportunity arises to work for Count Graumedel who rules over the city, they can't afford to turn it down, even though the outcome may not be to their liking. Soon they are embroiled in state secrets and the personal vendettas of a murdered champion, a cabal, a puppet king, and a false god looking for one who has defied him. Fiction / Fantasy / Action & Adventure; Fiction / Fantasy / Epic Print edition: ISBN 978-1-911409- RRP £9.99 / €11.99 / US$17.99 (21 Oct 2019) Electronic edition: ISBN 978-1-911409- RRP £2.99 / €3.49 / US$3.99 (30 Aug 2019) About the cover The cover artwork for Quaestor was produced by Alison Buck, illustrating their auras as Anarya borrows Yisyena's clairvoyant skill. About Elsewhen Press Elsewhen Press is an independent publisher of Speculative Fiction. Based in the UK, in the South East of England, Elsewhen Press publishes titles in English, in digital and print editions, adopting a digital-first policy for most titles. Elsewhen Press is an imprint of Alnpete Limited. Contact details: Elsewhen Press contact: Al Murray Information about Elsewhen Press, authors and titles can be obtained online from https://elsewhen.press Interviews with authors can be arranged through Elsewhen Press, contact Al Murray. Elsewhen Press titles are available from good retailers, for more details visit our website. This and other press releases from Elsewhen Press can be obtained as pdf files from our website or can be viewed in our PRLog Pressroom Contact Al Murray ***@elsewhen.co.uk Photos: https://www.prlog.org/ https://www.prlog.org/ End
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