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Lord of the Empty Isles

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What to expect

One curse. Two sworn enemies. Thousands of lives in the balance.

Ash, dried flowers, and a drop of blood: Remy has all he needs to avenge his brother's death.

Five years ago, interstellar pirate Idrian Delaciel ordered a withering - a death curse - cast on Remy's brother, costing him his life. Now, Remy is ready to return the favour. Only when he casts the withering, it also rebounds onto him.

The implications are unthinkable - that Remy is fatebound to his brother's killer.

The only way to slow the curse is to close the distance between them, so Remy infiltrates Idrian's criminal crew, hiding his identity as the witherer. But Remy quickly learns that Idrian is the sole provider of life-saving supplies to thousands of innocents. And if he dies, they will perish with him.

With more at stake now than just revenge, Remy must find a way to break the curse. Too bad for him - the only way to stop a withering is to kill the witherer.

Critics Review

  • A heartwarming – gut-wrenching – and thrilling adventure. Arbeaux’s debut features a glorious cast of misfits that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure – even as they hold a gun to your head. They’re all my babygirls. And you better not come for them because they take a wicked pleasure in protecting their own. Found family at its very best!

    Kate Dylan, author of Mindbreaker

  • Equal parts heartbreaking and heartwarming, this story asks how far you’ll go for the person who is your whole world, when revenge is a knife that cuts the wielder just as much. A fantastic debut for fans of found family, queerplatonic relationships, and deeply human characters who are allowed to be monstrous: vulnerable and violent at once

    Essa Hansen, author of NOPHEK GLOSS

  • I adore this book – it has complicated, prickly, tender characters that will win you over and break your heart, a fresh and fascinating world with a beautiful new take on soul-bond magic, and Arbeaux has a voice so crisp and compassionate that you can’t help but fall in love. Lord of the Empty Isles is an absolute delight

    Sunya Mara, author of The Darkening

  • Guaranteed to break your heart and simultaneously mend it, Lord of The Empty Isles is an un-put-downable magical space adventure with a lovable found family cast as morally complex and clever as they are chaotic!

    Rosie Talbot, author of A Taste of Darkness

  • Set in a vividly realized universe shaped by environmental devastation and soul-bonds, Lord of the Empty Isles brims with big, fascinating ideas – but even more than that, it is full to bursting with feelings. Amidst all the magic and space-faring adventure is a stunning, thoughtful treatise on grief and love in all its forms. A wonderfully cathartic experience

    Julie Leong, author of The Teller of Small Fortunes

  • Lord of the Empty Isles by Jules Arbeaux is a fast-paced yet thoughtful debut novel, perfect for those who love reading deeply human imaginings of future societies

    Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson, author of The Principle of Moments

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