Soul of the World

by David Mealing

Overview

Starvation and corruption have pushed the citizens of the New Sarrisant to the brink of rebellion. It will take only a spark to tip the scales towards violence, but as the Great Barrier weakens and rare arcane powers return to the land, war seems a foregone conclusion in David Mealing's cinematic debut epic fantasy.

The Great Barrier has kept the colonies of the new world safe for hundreds of years. But the colony is a powder keg. Food shortages stir the citizens to riots against the crown. Dissidents whisper of revolution. And worse, the strength of the Great Barrier seems to be slipping.

Sarine is a street artist, selling her sketches for coin to feed her family. With the help of her magic powers, she's so far been able to escape the notice of the city police. But a strange man with powers more terrifying than her own threatens to expose her secrets.

And she's not the only one whose life threatens the strange figure threatens to upend.

Start reading this incredible addition to the epic fantasy canon. For fans of Brandon Sanderson, Brent Weeks, and Brian McClellan.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316552165
Publisher:	Orbit
Publication date:	06/27/2017
Series:	The Ascension Cycle , #1
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	115,483
File size:	6 MB

About the Author

David Mealing grew up adoring all things fantasy. He studied philosophy, politics and economics at the University of Oxford, where he taught himself to write by building worlds and stories for pen and paper RPGs. He lives in Washington state with his wife and three daughters, and aspires to one day own a ranch in the middle of nowhere.

Editorial Reviews

05/22/2017
War has invaded three lives in Mealing’s imaginative and elaborate epic fantasy debut, the first in the Ascension Cycle. Sarine, a street artist in a troubled imperial city, is a binder who can tap into the power of the ley lines. She knows the importance of laying low and keeping her powers secret. But when commoners revolt over having their supplies shipped off to soldiers, she gets embroiled in plots to overthrow the crown. Erris, cavalry commander in a distant colony, has done what any good solider is expected to do: follow imperial orders, no questions asked. When the empire plans to abandon her colony and leave them to face the local tribes unsupported, Erris begins to wonder whether the empire deserves her fealty. Arak’Jur, a tribesman and guardian who communes with the spirits of beasts, seeks peace but knows only violence awaits him, as the spirits are demanding that the tribes go to war against the colonists. Strong characters and rich worldbuilding are undercut by the depiction of the tribes as primitive and sexualized. Agent: Sam Morgan, Foundry Literary + Media. (July)

Publishers Weekly

"A great epic fantasy debut. Memorable characters, intriguing magic systems and a well-realised world"—James Islington

"The first book in The Ascension Cycle is an impressive fantasy debut with three main compelling characters and a unique magic system sure to capture a fantasy reader's attention . . . . Mealing does a fabulous job with the intricate world-building and leaves the reader wanting to get their hands on the sequel."—RT Book Reviews

"Imaginative and elaborate epic fantasy debut . . . Strong characters and rich worldbuilding."

—Publishers Weekly

"A story of magic, ambition, greed, betrayal, and war."—Booklist

"I was blown away by how much I enjoyed it . . . . Soul of the World is a magical book, almost overflowing with originality."—The Quill to Live

"A riveting debut. It's got everything I could possibly want in a fantasy book."—Powder & Page Book Reviews

"The magic systems in this book are epic and the comparison to Sanderson and Rothfuss is quite deserved."—On Starships and Dragonwings Book Reviews

From the Publisher