A classic sword and sorcery adventure with a modern twist. Perfect for fans of Robert Howard, George R.R. Martin, and C.L. Moore.
We are artifacts, you and I. Fossils of a murdered deity rendered down to mud and stone. Irreducible reflections of a divine spark, beautiful and terrible. Fallen and pure. It is a lonely condition—containment. To be both blessed and forsaken, haunted and ignored. Our fallen G-d still reaches for us across that infinite gulf, and we are cursed to reach infinitely back. Nature abhors a vacuum, and we are nature and this abhorrence both. This is why the Selki still speak the old hymns and the Huskan Clerics their feral mantras, reduced by time and memory to an insensate blur. It’s why the Lucente poison themselves with lichen, lying wasted in oneiric fog. It’s why the Elan Friars spend their lives painting votive murals only to see them burned. After all this time, The Karochan kantors still sing in trope, and the Celukids hang new ribs from their Abattoir with every passing moon. Prayers by a thousand names, cast in as many tongues into the same deaf void.
SEVEN DAYS OF MERCY FOR THE APOSTATIC PRIEST
My job is to keep it that way.
Praise for The Divine Heretic
★★★★★
Lorimer’s scene-setting is visceral and evocative, whether describing conditions on the road and in the city or the various non-human species that become key to the story. World-building at times is dense, but while there may be a lot to take in, the crucial elements are foregrounded…
Ruxindra is strong and relatable, balancing careful consideration and definitive action at appropriate times…Readers of smart fantasy that balances the wondrous, the realistic, and the personal with moral and philosophical weight will be eager for more.
Publishers Weekly/BookLife, Editor’s Pick
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★★★★★
From thaumaturgical glamor and sophist rebels to dark sorcerers, snake-headed butchers, and unexpected saviors, this fast-paced fantasy is an unpredictable blur of genres and coal-dark themes. The prose toys with a range of complex ideas, from the constancy of change and the struggle between the lesser of two evils to magnanimity, sacrifice, and gender inequalities. Ruxindra’s god-slaying nature stands in sharp relief to the sacrificial, sexual, or superficial roles of other female figures in the novel, and her clever subterfuge and narrow escapes are a highlight of the writing…
Lorimer is an author who not only enjoys the play and tension of language, but orchestrates it with seamless agility. The prose is effortlessly impressive, with original turns of phrase, creatively precise metaphors, and exquisitely chosen vocabulary…Balancing storytelling complexity, plot speed, and character depth is no easy task, and while the novel is densely packed with detail, it is marked by brilliant twists, visceral stakes, and a mercilessly entertaining hero at its heart.
John Staughton | SPR
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★★★★★
SEVEN DAYS OF MERCY FOR THE APOSTATIC PRIEST has much to say about systems of power and the oppressive nature of zealots, with thought-provoking commentary artfully composed between world-building and character development. Ultimately, this novel lays the groundwork for an exciting epic fantasy series…
Z. Bennett Lorimer’s SEVEN DAYS OF MERCY FOR THE APOSTATIC PRIEST introduces a world that’s dense with well-written characters, surprising twists, and a formidable protagonist.
Jessica Thomas | IndieReader, IR Approved
Series Starter
Seven Days of Mercy for the Apostatic Priest
Available Now!
Ages ago, the people of Hebdomar killed their creator. But Gods are ever restless, even in death.
In every generation, a child rises from the desert of Ohtahp, bearing within them the seed of creation itself. These “Eidolons” are called to complete a pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mahakalpe, a place to plant their Godling seed so it might take root and germinate among the faithful.
Dispatched by her Apostatic Priesthood, Ruxindra l’Maer sets out for the ancient walls of Mahakalpe on a mission to slay the latest Eidolon before the Syzygy of Avum, preventing the cycle of divine rebirth. Once she reaches the Holy City, however, she discovers preparations for a forbidden blood rite—a human sacrifice to accompany the Eidolon’s investment. The fell ritual reeks of eldritch arcana, and Ruxindra is not eager to see the two sorceries mix.
On thing is certain: the Eidolon must be destroyed. The last time the Godhead walked the mortal plane, every soul on the face of Hedomar bent to his implacable will. Never again. Ruxindra swore an oath to her priesthood, but Mahakalpe is home to Gods far crueler than creation, and this young Eidolon she is sworn to destroy might be the only power capable of preventing their release.
With only seven days until the syzygy aligns, the fate of Mahakalpe turns on the mercy of one Apostatic Priest.
Book 1: Seven Days of Mercy for the Apostatic Priest
Book 2: What Lies Between
Book 3: A Myrtle Among Thorns
