Watcher of the Dead
"Relentless and powerful. This is damned good stuff." - Glen Cook on the Sword of Shadows series
The epic saga of the Sword of Shadows has come to this: Clan Blackhail, perhaps the foremost of the northern powers, is in disarray. A usurper wages war in the clan's name while Raina Blackhail, widow of its murdered chief, plots to take back the clan. Her exiled clansman Raif Sevrance, who possesses the legendary sword Loss, may be the prophesied warrior who can reunite the clans. But having just recovered from a near-fatal blow by an Unmade, one of the undead souls who relentlessly attack the living with swords whose mere touch bring instant death, Raif is captured by those who fear his legendary name: Watcher of the Dead.
Raina and Raif both face trials - she, the challenge of traitors within her clan; he, an entire armed camp of enemies sworn to kill him. Tested in the crucible of their struggles, each, in a unique way, is true to the oaths they've taken, even as they perform acts neither one could have imagined. If they fail, Blackhail and the entire northland will fall - first in battle among themselves, and then to inexorable evil of the Unmade.
In a sharply observed narrative that illuminates these riven lives, Jones has crafted a human drama full of the excitement, suspense, and sheer storytelling power that have made the Sword of Shadows a fantasy series that transcends genre to become a memorable tale of human striving and triumph that speaks to readers as have few others.
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J. V. Jones
In the dim-lit corners of epic fantasy, where bleak snowscapes stretch endlessly and characters wrestle with fate and survival, few voices cut as sharply—or as humanly—as that of J. V. Jones.
Born in Liverpool, England, J. V. Jones didn’t come to storytelling through the usual doors of academia or literary acclaim. She grew up behind the counter of her father’s pub, soaking in stories from all walks of life—every overheard confession, joke, and sorrow was fuel for the intricate emotional layers that would later define her writing. These roots, grounded in raw humanity, remain one of the quiet powers behind her fantasy worlds.
Sword of Shadows
In this powerful saga of redemption and renewal, J. V. Jones brings to vivid life the magnificent tapestry of a world at once desperately
fighting for survival against supernatural monsters and rent by
internecine warfare. The frozen land at the north of the world was once
ruled by a legendary nation of superhuman warriors. But that age has
passed, leaving ancient clans to struggle for dominance as supernatural
forces beyond their control threaten their very existence.
Amid the chaos of world-changing violence, unlikely heroes emerge. An
unwanted warrior, a forsaken woman of power, the betrayed widow of a
slain clan chief: these are the heroes rising to claim what has been
taken from them and to reshape the world.
Sword of Shadows consists of four books and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of two more books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
