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The Councillor - available now from DAW Books / Penguin
Winner of Debut of the Year in the Fantasy Hive Awards
Finalist for the Compton Crook Award
“For the first time, a ladder was hers to climb…”
When the death of Iron Queen Sarelin Brey fractures the realm of Elira, Lysande Prior, the palace scholar and the queen’s closest friend, is appointed Councillor. Publically, Lysande must choose the next monarch from amongst the city-rulers vying for the throne. Privately, she seeks to discover which ruler murdered the queen, suspecting the use of magic…
Praise for The Councillor :
“Vivid, intelligent, and intense, The Councillor is a story that begs to be consumed. Beaton skillfully layers poetic prose over intricate political machinations, elemental magic, and the strengths and foibles of the human heart."
-Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter
“The Councillor is a book that will make readers examine their own relationships to privilege to consider and what they might do in Lysande’s place. Readers who enjoy political intrigue in their fantasy will find Beaton’s debut deeply satisfying.”
“Beaton’s worldbuilding, character evolutions, and morally gray decisions make this story incredibly nuanced and smart. A skilled debut of politics, secrets, and magic that will grab readers from the start.”
— Library Journal starred review *
“Emulating Lysande’s approach as a quiet, analytical woman, Beaton’s novel begins by prodding at these newcomers, then thunders to a breathless conclusion as all the strands in this shrewd plot finally come together. A clever start to what’s sure to be an exciting duology.”
“The Councillor is a wonderfully assured debut. A smartly-crafted tale of Machiavellian politics, privilege and power, driven by a fantastically nuanced, flawed protagonist and wrapped in sharp, lyrical prose.”
—John Gwynne, author of The Faithful and the Fallen series
“A sharp and insightful look at power and privilege in a magical world, and what happens when people who’ve historically had neither find themselves in possession of both.”
—Anna Stephens, author of the Godblind trilogy
“A gripping tale of intrigue and politics and power, set in a beautifully-drawn world of shifting alliances and morally grey characters. Intelligent, nuanced, and compelling.”
—H. G. Parry, author of The Unlikely Escape of Uriah Heep
“The Councillor is, in a word, sumptuous. E.J. Beaton’s debut is an expertly crafted story of cut-throat politics, courtly intrigue, addiction, sex, and murder, gilded by some of the most eloquent writing I’ve read in a long while.”
—Nicholas Eames, David Gemmell Morningstar Award-winning author of Kings of the Wyld
“E. J. Beaton brings a poet’s eye to politics. An intelligent fantasy of the highest calibre.”
—Shelley Parker-Chan, author of She Who Became the Sun
“The Councillor is elegant, intricate, and utterly engaging! A beautifully written and intelligent debut novel.”
—Rowenna Miller, author of Torn, Fray, and Rule
“A tense intrigue of unknown loyalties, political machinations, and secret magic, The Councillor explores ambition, addiction, and the consequences of power. A powerful and intelligent debut from a writer to watch.”
—Sam Hawke, author of multi-award-winning City of Lies
“The Councillor is an exceptional book… The world and culture depicted by Beaton is breathtaking as it drew me in and I never wanted to leave.”
“The Councillor is certainly one of the most sophisticated, intricately woven, and mesmerising debuts I’ve read.”
“Beaton’s prose… is beautiful and rich with quality, and it has the power to manipulate the readers. There’s something about Beaton’s prose that felt so seductive to me; the letters inked into this novel reminded me of Robin Hobb’s level of prose.”
—Novel Notions
“Sharp and scintillating, The Councillor is high-intrigue fantasy with complex politics, fascinating characters, and gorgeous prose. Beaton has crafted an intricate story and executed it with the elegance of a well-placed blade.”
—Cass Morris, author of Give Way to Night
About the Author
E. J. Beaton is the author of the fantasy novel The Councillor, out now from DAW/Penguin. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize for Poetry. Her previous work includes a poetry collection...
About the Book
In a world where the low-born keep their heads down, Lysande must learn to fight an enemy who wears many guises… even as she wages her own battle between ambition and restraint.