Drawing on events touched on in the prologue of Steven Erikson's landmark fantasy Gardens of the Moon: A Malazan Book of the Fallen, Night of Knives is the first in Ian C. Esslemont's Novels of the Malazn Empire series--a momentous chapter in the unfolding story of the extraordinarily imagined world of Malaz. The small island of Malaz and its city gave the great empire its name, but now it is little more than a sleepy, backwater port. Tonight, however, things are different. Tonight the city is on edge, a hive of hurried, sometimes violent activity; its citizens bustle about, barring doors, shuttering windows, avoiding any stranger's stare. Because tonight there is to be a convergence, the once-in-a-generation appearance of a Shadow Moon--an occasion that threatens the good people of Malaz with demon hounds and other, darker things... It was also prophesied that this night would witness the return of Emperor Kellanved, and there are those prepared to do anything to prevent this happening. As factions within the greater Empire draw up battle lines over the imperial throne, the Shadow Moon summons a far more ancient and potent presence for an all-out assault upon the island. Witnessing these cataclysmic events are Kiska, a young girl who yearns to flee the constraints of the city, and Temper, a grizzled, battle-weary veteran who seeks simply to escape his past. Each is to play a part in a conflict that will not only determine the fate of Malaz City, but also of the world beyond... At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

This incredibly atmospheric and action - packed epic fantasy from million copy seller Ian C Esslemont is a must read for fans of Steven Erikson, David Gemmell and Brandon Sanderson. "Visceral power...telling a story set largely over just one terrifying night, it pulverises you with an economy that is rare in fantasy" - SFX "Fast paced storytelling...an enjoyable balance" - SFFworld "A pleasing...entertaining romp" - DeathRay "Absolutely outstanding" -- ***** Reader review "Fast paced and a compelling read" -- ***** Reader review "Brilliant. Couldn't put it down" -- ***** Reader review ******************************************************* THE ONE NIGHT THAT WILL CHANGE THINGS FOREVER Malaz gave a great empire its name, but now this island and its city amount to little more than a sleepy backwater. Until this night. Because this night there is to be a convergence, the once-in-a-generation appearance of a Shadow Moon - an occasion that threatens the good people of Malaz with demon hounds and other, darker things. It is also prophesied that the Emperor Kellanved will return this night, and there are many who would prevent that happening at any cost. As factions within the Empire draw up battle lines, an ancient presence begins its all-out assault upon the island. Witnesses to these cataclysmic events include a thief called Kiska, and Temper, a war-weary veteran. Although they do not know it, they each have a part to play in a confrontation that will determine not only the fate of Malaz City but also of the world beyond... The Malazan Empire series continues in Return of the Crimson Guard...

Ian Cameron Esslemont was born in 1962 in Winnipeg and now lives in Alaska with his family. He is currently completing a Ph.D in Literature and writing a second novel set in the world of Malaz. From the Trade Paperback edition.It gave the Empire its name, but the tiny island and city of Malaz is now a sleepy, seedy backwater port. However, this night things are a little different. This night its residents are bustling about, barring doors and shuttering windows. Because this night a once-in-a-generation Shadow Moon is due and threatens the good citizens of Malaz with demon hounds and other, darker, beings… And it was also prophesied that on this night the Emperor Kellanved, missing for all these years, would return. As factions within the greater Empire battle over the imperial throne, the Shadow Moon summons a far more alien and ancient presence for an all-out assault upon the island. Indeed, the cataclysmic events that happen this night will determine the fate of the Malaz and of the entire world beyond. From the Trade Paperback edition.

Dive into the history of Maxim Maresh, the stern king and adoptive father of Kell from the Shades of Magic trilogy, from the pen of New York Times #1 bestselling author V.E. Schwab herself! Two hundred years have passed since the Worlds were magically sealed off from one another. Red London, the capital of Arnes, thrives under the rule of the Maresh Empire. But when King Nokil Maresh learns that his son, Prince Maxim, is fixated on other Londons instead of his own, he sends him on a dangerous military excursion in the hope of focusing the Prince’s attention. Maxim’s destination? Verose – better known as the Blood Coast – a dangerous port city with a reputation for trouble. Within minutes of his arrival, he’s faced with crooks, thieves, con artists and brawlers… Worse, the infamous pirate queen Arisa, feared by outlaws and soldiers alike, has just pulled into port. Beautifully illustrated by Andrea Olimpieri (Dishonored) and expertly colored by Enrica Eren Angiolini (Doctor Who: The Thirteenth Doctor), this thrilling, never-before-told story reveals the secrets of one of the most compelling characters in modern fantasy! “Exceptional… moves at a great pace and the artwork is stellar!” – Culture of Gaming “Possibly the best fantasy comic out there right now.” – Culturess

Following the events of A TRACE OF SMOKE, journalist Hannah Vogel has been in hiding in Bolivia with her young ward, Anton, for the past three years. She believes she has outwitted Ernst Röhm, the head of the Nazi Party’s Storm Troopers who believes himself to be the boy’s father, so she seizes the offer from a newspaper to cover the journey of a zeppelin from South America to Switzerland, particularly as it will allow her a rare opportunity to meet with her lover, Boris Krause. When the zeppelin is diverted to Germany, she knows she’s walked straight into a trap. Röhm, facing expulsion from the party as a result of rumors of his homosexuality, has decided to claim his alleged son, and marry Hannah as a beard. Unfortunately for him, his solution has come too late. Hitler has supplanted the Storm Troopers with the SS, headed by Himmler, and the resulting purge, forever known as The Night of the Long Knives, has begun. Hannah manages to escape in the melee, while Röhm faces a firing squad. Unfortunately, she and Anton were separated, and Hannah must enlist all her allies—and a few of her enemies—to track him down before the Gestapo can. With nowhere else to turn, Hannah finds herself at Boris’ door in a wedding dress. She expects a safe haven, but she learns that her presence and search for Anton are putting Boris at risk. During her absence he has been helping Jews escape and he is already under suspicion. Finally she traces Anton to the home of Röhm’s mother, who offers a deal—her son's body in exchange for Anton. Traveling to Berlin, Hannah is caught up in the Nazi’s continuing purge and must learn to trust—and protect—those she has loved, and hated, in order to survive. Praise for the novel: “Cantrell knows suspense, and in Hannah Vogel she has created a compelling character. The first person narration draws you right into the action, and pairing that with graphic, visceral descriptions makes this book a hard one to put down…emphasizes the chilling dehumanization of the Third Reich.” — Susan Engberg at Bust “A Night of Long Knives, Rebecca Cantrell’s second novel featuring journalist Hannah Vogel, again flawlessly captures Germany’s descent into darkness under growing Nazi power. Can Hannah survive—and can she protect her adopted son Anton from his murderous Nazi father, Ernst Röhm?” — jewishjournal.com “Rebecca Cantrell has written another exciting thriller and with Hannah Vogel’s sometimes frenetic first person narrative she gives the reader a feeling of what it must have been like to be in Germany during those terrible years. She has cleverly blended her fictional story in with real life events and real life characters, such as British journalist Sefton Delmer, while cleverly imparting snippets of information that add to the atmosphere.” — CrimeScraps

The historian and author of The Shanghai Massacre presents an in-depth chronicle of Hitler’s plot to eliminate political rivals and his own SA Brownshirts. In the summer of 1934, Adolf Hitler conducted a ruthless purge of his own fascist colleagues, many of whom had helped the Nazi Party rise to power. The brawling street thugs of the SA had bludgeoned Hitler’s political opposition into submission and played a significant role in transforming Germany into a dictatorship. But in order to safeguard his absolute authority, Hitler chose to eliminate any potential rivals. And it was the SA that he feared most. Officially called Operation Hummingbird, the swift and merciless “blood purge” came to be known as The Night of the Long Knives. Among Hitler’s victims were personal friends like SA co-founder Ernst Röhm, former German Chancellor Kurt von Schleicher, and even former party comrades like Gregor Strasser. Breaking the back of the SA and settling political scores, the operation took somewhere between three hundred and a thousand lives

One of Adolf Hitler's most brutal and dramatic exterminations came before the Holocaust. The SA was Hitler's army of thugs, but the head of the SA, Ernst Roehm, was threatening Hitler's rule. On June 29th 1934, Hitler ordered the SA leadership to appear for a meeting at the Hotel Hanselbauer. Without warning, the SS burst in, beginning 48 hours of bloodshed in which 1000 of the leading SA, including Roehm, were rounded up and slaughtered. This murderous deed became an omen of what was to come.