The Book of Ile-Rien

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A USA-Today Bestseller!

Collecting Martha Wells' Element of Fire and Death of the Necromancer for the first time in one place, in a new and revised edition!

From the author of Witch King and the Murderbot Diaries:

Both novels included in this volume have been revised and updated. These are the author’s preferred texts.

The Element of Fire

The kingdom of Ile-Rien lies in peril, menaced by sorcerous threats and devious intrigue, when Kade, bastard sister of King Roland, appears unexpectedly at court. The illegitimate daughter of the old king and the Queen of Air and Darkness herself, Kade's true desires are cloaked in mystery.

It falls to Thomas Boniface, Captain of the Queen's Guard, to keep the kingdom from harm. But is one man's steel enough to counter all the magic of fayre?

The Death of the Necromancer

Nicholas Valiarde is a passionate, embittered nobleman and the greatest thief in all of Ile-Rien. On the gaslit streets of the city, Nicholas assumes the guise of a master criminal, stealing jewels from wealthy nobles to finance his quest for a long-pursued vengeance.

But Nicholas's murderous mission is being interrupted by a series of eerie, unexplainable, and fatal events. A dark magic opposes him, and traces of a necromantic power that hasn't been used for centuries abound. Nicholas and his compatriots find themselves battling an ancient evil.

And if they lose? Death would be preferable to the fate that awaits them....

Reviews

Praise for The Element of Fire

A finalist for the 1993 Compton Crook/Stephen Tall Award!
Runner-up for the 1994 Crawford Award!

“A rich fantasy debut. . . . Skillfully blending the fantastical and the mundane, Wells delights with deft and sympathetic characterization while demonstrating a fine touch for adventure.” —Publishers Weekly

“Fans who appreciate ingenious plotting, witty dialogue, and fascinating characterization will find this tale a truly wonderful adventure in reading.” —Rave Reviews

“A powerful fantasy.” —Locus

“A fascinating read . . . I had to finish it up in one fell swoop, staying up until 2:30 to do so” —Anne McCaffrey

Praise for The Death of the Necromancer
“A chillingly convincing tale that will entrap genre readers.” —Booklist

“A fabulous read . . . A stunning achievement . . . utterly captivating.” —SF Site

“A seamless blend of fantasy, history, magic and mystery. The kind of world that you come to believe exists, somewhere; a place you leave only reluctantly.” —Sean Russell

About the Author

MARTHA WELLS has written many novels, including the New York Times and USA Today-bestselling Murderbot Diaries series, which has won multiple Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and Alex Awards. Other titles include Witch King, City of Bones, The Wizard Hunters, Wheel of the Infinite, the Books of the Raksura series (beginning with The Cloud Roads and ending with The Harbors of the Sun), and the Nebula-nominated The Death of the Necromancer, as well as YA fantasy novels, short stories, and nonfiction.