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Keeper of Sorrows

Published by Flame Tree Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

About The Book

Whoever rules the bees, rules the world. A dark fantasy adventure with a twist of Silvia Moreno-Garcia.

On a planet stripped of wind, entire ecosystems lie in ashes, leaving humans to the mercy of a sole surviving bee species on a remote isle. Whoever wins the Praxis to rule them as Keeper, rules the world.

When the next Keeper goes missing, her little sister must not only face her debilitating fear of bees, but compete in the Praxis to find her. As she braves the eerie fortress with sprawling wings of hives, murmuring murals, deceptive hedge mazes, and a host of leering gargoyles, she must also face the reigning Keeper, who’s guarding the darkest secret of all.

FLAME TREE PRESS is the imprint of long-standing independent Flame Tree Publishing, dedicated to full-length original fiction in the horror and suspense, science fiction & fantasy, and crime / mystery / thriller categories. The list brings together fantastic new authors and the more established; the award winners, and exciting, original voices. Learn more about Flame Tree Press at www.flametreepress.com and connect on social media @FlameTreePress

About The Author

A former soldier, Rachel deployed to Iraq (OND) and Afghanistan (OEF) before finding her voice in dark fantasy. When she’s not writing, she’s likely enjoying a local brew—be it coffee or booze, and reading to her plants or irritating her Austin neighbors as she attempts to play the bagpipes.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Flame Tree Press (September 3, 2024)
  • Length: 320 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781787589162

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Raves and Reviews

A deeply original book. Centering women in this surreal high fantasy, Rachel Fikes creates an incredibly unique magic system that sets the stage for a mystery filled with political manoeuvring, transformations and so much more.

– Sunyi Dean

Rachel Fikes has crafted a beautifully original fantasy full of sumptuous language and breath-hitching mystery. In Keeper of Sorrows, there are horrors around every corner, yet this gothic high fantasy is told through the lens of two protagonists who manage to find beauty in bees, humanity’s last hope in an ecologically-devastated world robbed of wind. Fikes tells a story that feels like a descent into madness, where nothing is ever as it appears, perfect for readers who want to feel their skin crawl while being immersed in a narrative full of heart. It’s impossible to ignore the passion seeping through its pages.

– Gabriela Romero Lacruz, author of #1 Sunday Times Bestseller The Sun and the Void

"A gorgeously dark and seductive fantasy debut, buzzing with mystery and sweetened by mellifluous prose. Fikes deftly balances familial love against grief while the deaths, disappearances, and dual timelines escalate toward a riveting conclusion."

– Essa Hansen, author of The Graven trilogy

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