Vividly inventive fantasy, dark worldbuilding, and "blood and gore aplenty." Pan's Labyrinth meets A Game of Thrones in this coming-of-age epic. (Whispers & Wonder, SPFBO5 Review) 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards fantasy finalist The ashes of the Purging lie cold, and the next dance is about to begin in the Land of Moenda. Kira Vidal, a Deadbringer boy of fifteen, has escaped the fate of the rest of his kind, living peacefully with his uncle in the northern city of Opulancae. But then a strange man knocks on their door and a band of the Ascendancy's fearsome Sanctifiers appears, hunting for Kira, and nothing will ever be the same. The Deadbringer, the first book in The Ellderet Series, is a story of damaged heroes and imperfect villains, of a land scarred by ancient wounds that never truly healed. As Kira and the Sanctifiers approach their final confrontation, hunter and hunted alike must confront dark forces that threaten to overwhelm them all . . . The Deadbringer is a story about hope and family bonds tested in a violent world, filled with damaged heroes and imperfect villains. E.M. Markoff weaves together epic fantasy, surrealism, and elements of horror to spin an intricate web of darkness. For more from E.M. Markoff, check out: The Ellderet Series To Nurture & Kill (standalone prequel novella) The Deadbringer (book 1) The Faceless God - Part One: Spirits & Ash (book 2) The Faceless God - Part Two (forthcoming) Alma en Pena Stories "Leaving the #9" Praise for The Deadbringer "A fantastic action-adventure, tinged with Mexican folklore, that will appeal to fans of A Game of Thrones." -Booklist "[A] dark and intriguing blend of fantasy and horror, with elegant prose, and blood and gore aplenty." -Whispers & Wonder (SPFBO5) "[T]he characters' interactions ... gives the story a very special touch." -Writing, Reading, Living Praise for To Nurture & Kill "[W]e truly feel [To Nurture & Kill] has been a great work of research, creation and imagination." -Alytterature "[T]his prequel is one that grabs ahold of you and doesn't let go!" -RedStarReviews "An expansive, edgy genre piece whose earnest familial theme shines." -Kirkus Reviews