The Invisible Hands – Part1: Gambit published on Amazon

Gambit, Book IV of Dark Tales of Randamor the Recluse, and the first part of the new trilogy, The Invisible Hands, went live on Amazon today. (or will go live very soon, depending on where you live.)

The books starts off six months after the events related in Book III.

I have to admit I’m a bit nervous, because I’m not all that certain how this book will be received, even by those who liked the first trilogy.
First let me make perfectly clear that, although you could read this book on its own, this first part of the new trilogy builds upon the foundations laid in the previous one.

Yet there are differences, and they worry me a bit.

This new epic in three parts is painted on a far broader canvas. The great nation to the south of Ximerion, Lorsanthia, was talked about occasionally in the Invisible Chains-cycle. Now it becomes an active player, disturbing the peace of the whole region. This means new cultures, new languages, new customs, and a lot of new characters. There are new couples as well, but I don’t think this will be a particular problem.

The first story arc may have seemed complex, but actually it was rather straightforward. The spine was the threat of the barbarian invasion of the Northern Marches, the heart was the troubled love life of the main character. There were many side intrigues, but they all revolved and intertwined with the main storyline and moved in the same direction.

For this story-arc I tried something new (for me), and moreover something they tell me I shouldn’t even attempt. Which made it of course irresistible. Several storylines start in different locations and proceed at their own rhythm. They enter the main story, then fade out of it again. Seemingly they are disjointed. How they fit together is part of the puzzle, and all will become clear, I hope, by the end of Book VI. But this book, Gambit, does contain one main story as well with sort of an ending and a measure of resolution.

There are a lot of new characters and couples.

There is Lexyntas, a young man who sells himself into slavery to provide for his younger siblings. He is bought by a senator of the independent city state of Naodyma who gives him as a birthday present to his son, a boy younger than Lexyntas and who seems to have a cruel streak.

Antybion seeks the protection and hospitality of a rich relative, Riathona, in the mighty city of Rhonoma. He strikes up a friendship with the apple of her eye and only son, Yorn.

Merw, a street hoodlum of the Ximerionian capital, Ormidon, manages to endear himself to a roguish young noble we already met previously, although he was trying to rob our friend.

A prince, on the run with his last loyal comrades in arms, decides to go into deep cover.

I can only hope you’ll like most of them. There is one in particular I hope you’ll positively love.

A lot of the characters of the previous arc are present as well, though their screen time is a bit reduced due to the new arrivals.

Rahendo and Ryhunzo are still getting on Obyann’s nerves. As is Arranulf, who still longs for Hemarchidas’s affection.

Lorcko and Timishi go on a dangerous mission for Anaxantis, although Lorcko sees it more as an escape from Rahendo’s phlegmatic and brutally practical sister, Alanda, who has set her eyes on him.

After having been separated for more than a year, Emelasuntha and Sobrathi visit Anaxantis. The events of the first story arc have changed the mother-son-dynamic drastically.

And of course there is Anaxantis’s love life too… I don’t want to give away too much for people who haven’t read the first trilogy. In general, maybe even cryptic terms: the uneasy, but hopeful balance that was reached by the end of the first cycle is built upon in this one. The raging fire, threatening to devour them, is replaced by a smoldering one. Though always present, and regularly coming to the surface, the private life of the warlord is put somewhat on the back burner and it will remain there until the second half of Book VI — when all the story threads come together. I hope meanwhile the new couples may distract you — in a good way.

So, all in all, I’m a bit nervous. I realize this book will mainly interest people who have read the first three books. The first trilogy was told rather linear. New intrigues fused with the main story and moved in the same direction. In this book several stories are started in different places. You’ll just have to trust me they’ll eventually meet somewhere. In the mean time, I hope you’ll find them enjoyable on their own merit.

Finding out just how they fit together into a great mosaic is your mission, should you chose to accept it.