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The Sunsurge Quartet

The fourth book of The Sunsurge Quartet now out (large format and e-book only).


She’s the Empress of the Fall . . . and her empire is falling apart

Lyra, Queen of Rondelmar, has fought enemies without and within, dealt with grief and loss, embraced forbidden magic, found her father and borne a child – and still it isn’t enough. Her enemies are on the march and the Rondian Empire is collapsing.

But a more dangerous adversary is out there . . . and he is winning

Ervyn Naxius, amoral genius, has unleashed war on two continents and now laughs as the world of Urte tears itself apart. Kings and priests dance to his tune and his daemonic followers are spreading through the lands, but still he isn’t satisfied. His ultimate goal – absolute control of all life – is finally within his reach…

Are these the Last Days, when the daemons rise up to claim the world?

From snowbound Mollachia to the beleaguered walls of Norostein, from the poisonous court of the new sultan to the deadly intrigues of Pallas, the omens are clear. Only Lyra and a handful of other heretical dwymancers have grasped the true danger – and they won’t give up until every last hope is buried . . .

 

‘Superb  . . . a top 5 of the year for me’ Fantasy Book Critic

‘Increasingly addictive . . . Adult fantasy lovers who enjoy historical fiction and intricate political plots will love this book’ A Bohemian Mind

‘I continue to be impressed by the way Hair takes some very familiar, almost trite, ideas and spins them in a new way. Epic fantasy is not dying, my friends, it is just moving in new directions’ Fantasy Review Barn

‘Filled with action, adventure, magic, love, danger and hope. This is a series I cannot recommend enough’ C.E. Tracy, author of The Chronicles of the Fallen

Book Watch

 

"1916: Dig for Victory",  is a novel set around the historical deeds of the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion in 1916, at Armentières and the Somme. It is part of a five book series, with five different New Zealand writers, about New Zealand's participation in the Great War 1914-1918.

1916: Dig for Victory follows two young soldiers in the Pioneer Battalion, one Maori and the other Pakeha, as they dig trenches and learn about life in 1916 war-torn France. Thrown together with nothing in common but a homeland, they bond while dealing with bullies, foreign lands and customs, being away from home, and dodging shells and bullets in Armentières and the Somme offensive. 

Traumatised veterans and wide-eyed new recruits have come from all corners of New Zealand, a country so young it barely conceives of itself as a nation, to fight for Mother England, a place most have never even seen. They’ve arrived in a war like no other: the Great War, a maelstrom of fire, poison gas, artillery, and newly created weapons such as aircraft and tanks. The men of the NZ Pioneer Battalion are armed only with their picks and shovels, but are determined to dig their way into history, yard by yard. 

Eighteen-year-old Leith McArran knows who he is: a Scot from Dunedin, the son of a soldier. Orphaned sixteen-year-old Tamati Baines, on the other hand, knows only that soldiers get fed and paid, and that’s enough for him to lie about his age and join up. They form a unlikely friendship based on shared humour, hardship, and shared dangers. 

But on the war-wracked fields of the Somme, they’re going to have to learn fast or die. Especially when Tamati discovers an inner landscape of signs and portents that could be the difference between survival and annihilation for the entire battalion.

Recent News

ConZealand 2020

David was a presenter at ConZealand, giving a presentation on aspects of WORLD-BUILDING FOR FANTASY. Here's a PDF of his presentation powerpoint, for those interested in a permanent record - click here.

 

Third OLYMPUS book now out!

The full Olympus trilogy, co-authored with fellow New Zealand author Cath Mayo, is out now!

It's set in ancient Greece, just prior to the Trojan War.

Book one is Athena's Champion, Book Two is Oracle's War, and Book Three is Sacred Bride.

Please note that the publisher Canelo distributes primarily by ebook: though they also do Print On Demand (POD).

The books are fantasy novels told from the point of view of Odysseus, the wily hero whose exploits are told fully in Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey. The Olympus series is a prequel to those epics, and relates how Odysseus, a young Bronze Age prince from a remote island kingdom, won his reputation for cunning and martial prowess.

The Bronze Age kingdoms of Achaea (modern Greece) face the rising dominance of Troy, a powerful kingdom aligned to the mighty Hittite Empire. Even their own gods are divided between these two powers. Follow Odysseus as he enters this deadly struggle, discovering his secret heritage while doing battle for and against some of the greatest heroes of the age. Enter the world of Theseus, Agamemnon, Achilles and Helen of Troy. Face the terrors of Hades realm, walk the Serpent’s Path and learn the secrets of the oracles, and encounter the terrifying ancient Gods.

For more information, click here.