The Harpy Knight

by (W) Sara Omer
In this thrilling sequel to The Gryphon King, old rivalries and new threats pull Bataar and Nohra into a swirling cauldron of gods, monsters and djinn. Sweeping Southwest Asian-inspired epic fantasy starring morally gray characters and lady knights, perfect for fans of Godkiller and Shannon Chakraborty.Bataar Rhah, the gryphon king, has conquered the kingdom of Dumakra. Victorious, he turns his attention on Aglea in the north, where pagan berserkers rule over inhospitable, monster- infested marshes. Prince Nassar and his entourage have also fled to Aglea to rally his supporters against Bataar—spreading a ghoulish plague wherever they go.Princess Nohra is soon to be married to Bataar. Nohra has not forgiven the rhah’s sins against her country or her family, but her thirst for vengeance wars with her feelings for Bataar’s wife, Qaira. Now, as Bataar forces her to participate in the conquest of her mother’s country, wielding her best friend Darya’s terrifying demonic powers as a weapon, Nohra’s conflicted loyalties threaten to tear her apart.Nobody knows what Darya is capable of. Bataar’s strange supernatural gifts are growing more powerful by the day—and beginning to slip from his control. Only one thing is certain: everywhere, the eyes of monsters, gods, and djinn are watching. One wrong move could tip everything into chaos.

Sara Omer is a Pushcart Prize-nominated short story writer. She’s been a technical editor for medical and engineering publications and is now pursuing teaching. You can find her (sometimes unsettling) poetry and prose in places like The Dark, PodCastle, Small Wonders, and Strange Horizons. The Gryphon King is loosely inspired by history and culture shared by her Turkic and Kurdish family.
RESTRICTIONS: US/CAN (No Open Mkt)