Into the Land of Unreason Has Bent Bamboo, the Monkey, betrayed the Exiles? Who gave Thundering Heaven the horrible new sword he bears: Soul Slicer—a blade designed to destroy both the living and the dead? What is the source of the terrifying chaos that has taken over the Lands Born from Smoke and Sacrifice? Why is Pearl Bright, the once robust Tiger, visibly failing? Despite the threat offered by this unknown enemy, a small band of scouts ventures into the tormented chaos beyond the last door into the Lands. Brenda Morris is not among their company—not by her own choice, but because her protective father, the true Rat—refuses to let his daughter go into danger. Instead, Brenda is ordered to resume her life as a college student in South Carolina, far from the Orphans’ base in California. But Brenda’s involvement in occult matters is far from over. A mysterious classmate hints that the fate of numerous interconnected realities are threatened by the force behind the chaos in the Lands. When the scouts vanish, Brenda must decide whether to hide behind her father’s protection or to venture into realms no other Orphans has ever encountered. Bonus Material includes the newly expanded essay, “Flowers and Seasons of Ritual Magic.” “This complex novel blends passion, jealousy between beings living and dead, and day-to-day reality with the mysticism of Chinese astrology.… Infused with the symbolism and resonance of Chinese astrology, Five Odd Honors offers readers a wide cast of characters and a multilayered drama rich in magic, treachery, raw courage and true friendship. BookPage “…one of the more enjoyable books I’ve read recently. Lindskold is no slouch as a storyteller.” Green Man Review on Five Odd Honors

Orphans Besieged After a violent attack makes all too clear that the Lands Born from Smoke and Sacrifice are willing to invade, the indigenous magical traditions of Earth turn against the Thirteen Orphans. Pearl Bright, the Tiger, realizes the fight must be taken into the Lands—but she can’t do this alone, and her allies are increasingly untrustworthy. Shaken from her close encounter with death by violence, Brenda Morris is uncertain about her place among the Orphans, an uncertainty not helped by being forced to accept that that Flying Claw, once known as “Foster,” the man she thought she loved, is, by training and tradition, a skilled killer. Yet, despite numerous complexities, if the Orphans hope to meet their enemies from a position of strength, they must open the Nine Gates: a feat that will begin with the revelation of dark secrets and extend to demanding the cooperation not only of barely cooperating living allies, but also of the resentful dead. Bonus material includes the newly expanded essay “Disappointment Evaded.” “The system of magic is complex, the direction the series is taking is mysterious, and the correspondence to Chinese myth and mah-jong are thought-provoking.” Booklist on Nine Gates “Contrasting themes of love and duty, loyalty and ambition, family and otherness lend a sense of universality to this urban fantasy.” Library Journal on Nine Gates