The Killing Fog

by Jeff Wheeler

Overview

The Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Kingfountain series conjures an epic, adventurous world of ancient myth and magic as a young woman’s battle with infinite evil begins.

Survivor of a combat school, the orphaned Bingmei belongs to a band of mercenaries employed by a local ruler. Now the nobleman, and collector of rare artifacts, has entrusted Bingmei and the skilled team with a treacherous assignment: brave the wilderness’s dangers to retrieve the treasures of a lost palace buried in a glacier valley. But upsetting its tombs has a price.

Echion, emperor of the Grave Kingdom, ruler of darkness, Dragon of Night, has long been entombed. Now Bingmei has unwittingly awakened him and is answerable to a legendary prophecy. Destroying the dark lord before he reclaims the kingdoms of the living is her inherited mission. Killing Bingmei before she fulfills it is Echion’s.

Thrust unprepared into the role of savior, urged on by a renegade prince, and possessing a magic that is her destiny, Bingmei knows what she must do. But what must she risk to honor her ancestors? Bingmei’s fateful choice is one that neither her friends nor her enemies can foretell, as Echion’s dark war for control unfolds.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781542015011
Publisher:	47north
Publication date:	03/01/2020
Series:	Grave Kingdom Series , #1
Pages:	412
Sales rank:	558,809
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Jeff Wheeler is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Harbinger and Kingfountain series, as well as the Muirwood, Mirrowen, and Landmoor novels. He took an early retirement from his career at Intel in 2014 to write full-time. He is a husband, father of five, and devout member of his church. He lives in the Rocky Mountains and is the founder of Deep Magic: The E-Zine of Clean Fantasy and Science Fiction. Find out more about Deep Magic at www.deepmagic.co, and visit Jeff’s many worlds at www.jeff-wheeler.com.

Editorial Reviews

12/09/2019

Wheeler (Broken Veil) opens the Grave Kingdom series with this winding tale of valor and sacrifice, set in a realm where using magic summons a heavy fog that kills every living thing it touches. Twelve-year-old Bingmei was born with a strange ability to smell people’s true intentions and was taught to fight from a young age, but she is still unable to save her family when they are attacked. Four years later, she joins a band of elite mercenaries who are charged with finding the mythical ancient palace of Fusang. Upon finding Fusang, Bingmei inadvertently releases Echion, the emperor of the Grave Kingdom, who means to conquer the world using his magic, which is far beyond the scope of what humans in this land can control. The only way to keep Echion from world domination is by fulfilling a prophecy that could cost Bingmei her life. Though the opening is somewhat unevenly paced, the threat of the fog looming in the background adds atmosphere and tension, and the plot kicks into high gear when Fusang is discovered, giving rise to mystery and an excruciatingly human moral dilemma. This excellent introduction to the prolific Wheeler’s work will appeal to fans of Asian-influenced fantasy. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

An Amazon Best Book of the Month: Science Fiction & Fantasy

“Wheeler (Broken Veil) opens the Grave Kingdom series with this winding tale of valor and sacrifice, set in a realm where using magic summons a heavy fog that kills every living thing it touches. [T]he threat of the fog looming in the background adds atmosphere and tension…This excellent introduction to the prolific Wheeler’s work will appeal to fans of Asian-influenced fantasy.” —Publishers Weekly

“The unique cast of characters in a well-constructed world will appeal to readers of Terry Brooks and Orson Scott Card.” —Booklist

From the Publisher

Narrator Emily Woo Zeller provides a spellbinding performance as she takes listeners on a young woman’s journey to achieve her own destiny and fulfill a legendary prophecy. Zeller embodies Bingmei, who fights to save humanity from despair and destruction while, at the same time, vacillating over whether to please her ancestors or her heart. Listeners will feel like they are a part of this exotic and magical medieval realm in which selfless sacrifices must be made without reservation. The grand scope of this epic yet intimate tale is embodied by Zeller, who effortlessly encompasses its moments of darkness, awakening, and self-reflection. Zeller also embraces the complexities and prejudices of each character’s soul in this meaty plot full of adventure. J.O. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

FEBRUARY 2020 - AudioFile