France, 13th century. Near the shores of the Mediterranean lives Vara Svobodová with her father, a prominent merchant, his barbarian wife, and her scientist father. Though the shadowy gazes of Great Gods and the greedy hands of local lord Petru Dominus hang over them, Vara lives a comfortable life.
That all changes when she learns that she is da resu, destined to life after death and servitude of her unearthly powers to he who slays her. Rumours of her true nature catch the attention of the increasingly mad Lord Petru, who covets power, has aspirations for the throne, and desires a resura of his own.
Surrounded by spies, plagued with inexplicable visions, and trapped in the only home she has ever known, Vara finds the ambitions of those around her as sharp as the fabled nightingale’s tooth. Caught in the middle, she realizes that it is her fate to die. But who will hold her leash when she does?
ISBN: 978-1-928011-88-0
Genre: Literary fantasy/Historical fantasy
Age: 16+
Pages: 310
Formats: Paperback, ebook
Released: January 2023
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With an evocative and well-realized, alternate-history setting with its own strange system of magic, The Nightingale’s Tooth is highly recommended for fans of Mary Gentle, Tamora Pierce, or P. C. Hodgell.
Booklist starred review
The Nightingale’s Tooth is a rich, multilayered fantasy novel that contrasts the brutality of greed and fate with the power of family, friendship, and determination to shape the world into a better place.
Foreword Reviews
Another magnificent novel from Sally McBride, the first in a promised trilogy. I cannot wait to see where she takes things from here.
Ottawa Review of Books
A complex, sophisticated, and thought-provoking tapestry of multiple themes enlivened by telling detail and imaginative, original interpretations of attitudes and various social norms beyond what the reader anticipates. A very superior piece of work. Highly, highly recommended.
Amazing Stories