Jennifer Jackson – Literary Agent

Lamentation (The Psalms of Isaak)

In his first novel, a vividly imagined sf-fantasy hybrid set in a distant, post-apocalyptic future, Scholes, already highly praised in the
speculative-fiction community for his dazzlingly inventive short fiction,
turns his talent up a notch. When an ancient weapon destroys Windwir, the Named Lands’ greatest city and repository of knowledge, the only surviving member of the city’s Androfrancine order is the metallic android Isaak. Rudolfo, lord of the Ninefold Forest Houses, finds Isaak surprisingly intact in Windwir’s smoldering ruins and guilt-ridden over his role in the city’s downfall. Yet Rudolfo quickly begins to suspect that Sethbert, overseer of the neighboring Entrolusian City States, is the real culprit and starts girding his Gypsy Scouts for battle. So begins Scholes’ Psalms of Isaak, a projected five-volume saga containing all the ingredients of a first-rate epic-magic, arcane science, and a handful of compelling protagonists. By the end of the novel, the reader is caring deeply about the characters and looking forward with burning anticipation to the sequels. — Booklist

Ken Scholes’ Lamentation (The Psalms of Isaak)

As an ancient weapon destroys the city of Windwir, a young apprentice watches from a nearby hilltop, mourning the death of the city and his father. When Rudolfo, Lord of the Nine Forest Houses, realizes what has happened, he knows for certain that the land will soon be plunged into a devastating war. The author of Last Flight of the Goddess launches a new series with the startling image of mass destruction, and the action only builds from there. Richly detailed and original in concept, Scholes’s epic fantasy belongs in most libraries. –Library Journal

The Shadow Queen (Black Jewels, Book 7)

Bishop’s capable seventh Black Jewels fantasy soap opera installment (after 2008’s Tangled Webs) surges with spellcraft and engaging romance. The former queen of Bhak is now just plain Lady Cassidy from Dharo, since her entire court resigned to go serve prettier, better-connected Lady Kermilla. Warlord Prince Theran Grayhaven seeks a partner to help him restore his family’s land after a violent uprising. With the help of the High Prince of Hell, he finds Cassidy, whose friends encourage her to accept his proposal and return to being a queen. All seems well until the pair run into compatibility problems, and Cassidy meets a mysterious gardener who calls to her heart. Bishop’s epic has a complex history and will best be appreciated by readers familiar with earlier books. –Publishers Weekly

Finalists for the 2008 Philip K. Dick Awards have been announced:

Emissaries from the Dead, Adam-Troy Castro (Eos)
Endgame, Kristine Smith (Eos)
Fast Forward 2, Lou Anders, ed. (Pyr)
Judge, Karen Traviss (Eos)
Terminal Mind, David Walton (Meadowhawk Press)
Time Machines Repaired While-U-Wait, K.A. Bedford (EDGE)

The winner and any special citations will be announced April 10, 2009 at Norwescon 32 in Seattle. For more: http://www.philipkdickaward.org/.

This is fantasy as it should be. Scholes’ subtle and complex plotting are the breadwinners here, but his world building and political scheming bring home the bacon as well. This reader has never read a freshman novel this good.

Summary:
The city of Windwir, the capital of the Androfrancines and the home of the greatest library in all the kingdoms, is entirely laid to waste by an ancient and awful weapon. As the remaining kingdoms of the Named Lands mourn the loss of the people of Windwir and thousands of years of knowledge, the Androfrancines must try to rebuild their order as far-reaching political machinations come into play.

Romantic Times, 4 1/2 Stars

Buy Lamentation (The Psalms of Isaak)