\"Detailed and mysterious, a place to explore and relish. Empire of Exiles is highly recommended!ââR.A. Salvatore, author or âThe Legend of Drizztâ and the DemonWars novels The Imperial Archives holds the treasures of the ten nations that fled the collapse of the world to settle in Semilla behind a wall of salt and iron. When Quill, an apprentice scribe, arrives to request the loan of several artifacts for a client, heâs hoping for a tour and maybe a glimpse of some of the rarer relics the archivesâ sorcerous caretakers are rumored to protect. Instead, Quill finds himself a witness to a ghastly murder tangled in present-day politics and the history of the empireâworse, the accused killer is his own shy and scholarly best friend, a very unlikely assassin. Quillâs amateur investigations run afoul of an archivist dodging questions about her buried past, an investigator eyeing Quillâs motives too closely, and threads that lead back to a long-dead usurperânothing makes sense, and Quill doesnât know who to trust. But if he canât find allies, the next victim may be the empire of Semilla itself. This edition includes a brand-new illustrated guide to the peoples of the empire. Praise for Empire of Exiles: \"Readers will be drawn in by the memorable cast, vibrantly drawn fantasy cultures, and vivid prose. Epic fantasy fans will be eager to see where the series goes.\"âPublishers Weekly \"An excellent new fantasy series by Evans (The Devil You Know), perfect for fans of Katherine Addison or those who enjoy slow-burning and complex court intrigue.\"âLibrary Journal \"From the rich world building as these remnants of humanity hide from changelings behind a Salt Wall, to the interesting culture, a unique magic system, and a variety of humanoids, readers will be delighted that nothing is predictable in this intriguing story.\"âBooklist \"Empire of Exiles by Erin M. Evans is a triumph of fantasy, murder mystery, and political thriller that handles grief, PTSD, panic, and anxiety disorder with tact.... I cannot wait to read what Evans has cooking up for the follow-up.\"âGeekly Inc âEmpire of Exiles has it all: characters I love, intertwined compelling mysteries in the past and present, plot twists that keep coming, and a unique and fascinating world and magic system! One of my favorite books of the year!\"âMelissa Caruso, author of the Swords and Fire Trilogy
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