The Mask of Mirrors

by M. A. Carrick

Overview

"Lush, engrossing, and full of mystery and dark magic," The Mask of Mirrors is the unmissable start to the Rook & Rose trilogy, a dazzling fantasy adventure by Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms, writing together as M. A. Carrick. (BookPage)

FORTUNE FAVORS THE BOLD. MAGIC FAVORS THE LIARS.

Ren is a liar and a thief, a pattern-reader and a daughter of no clan. Raised in the slums of Nadežra, she fled that world to save her sister. Now, she has returned with one goal: to trick her way into a noble house, securing her fortune and her sister’s future.

But in the city of dreams, her masquerade is just one of many. Enigmatic crime lord Derossi Vargo, stony captain of the guard Grey Serrado, dashing heir Leato Traementis, and the legendary vigilante known as the Rook all have secrets that could unravel her own.

And as corrupt nightmare magic begins to weave its way through the city of dreams, the poisonous feuds of its aristocrats and the shadowy dangers of its impoverished underbelly become tangled—with Ren at their heart.

Praise for the Rook & Rose trilogy:

"Immersive…a feast to savor slowly." —BuzzFeed

"For those who like their revenge plots served with the intrigue of The Goblin Emperor, the colonial conflict of The City of Brass, the panache of Swordspoint, and the richly detailed settings of Guy Gavriel Kay."—Booklist (starred review)

"Utterly captivating." —Shannon Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

"This novel will catch hold of your dreams and keep you from sleeping." —Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Calculating Stars

"Wonderfully immersive—I was unable to put it down." —Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

"Exactly the fantasy adventure novel you're craving." —Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316539678
Publisher:	Orbit
Publication date:	01/19/2021
Series:	Rook & Rose , #1
Pages:	672
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.20(h) x 1.80(d)

About the Author

M. A. Carrick is the joint pen name of Marie Brennan (author of the Memoirs of Lady Trent) and Alyc Helms (author of the Adventures of Mr. Mystic). The two met in 2000 on an archaeological dig in Wales and Ireland — including a stint in the town of Carrickmacross — and have built their friendship through two decades of anthropology, writing, and gaming. They live in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Editorial Reviews

09/14/2020

Marie Brennan (Driftwood) and Alyc Helms (the Missy Masters series), writing as Carrick, join forces to launch the Rook and Rose series with this intricately detailed doorstopper. Renata Viraudax leaves her backwater hometown determined to con her way into a noble house in the City of Dreams—but Ren’s plans bring her face to face with a dangerous crime lord and pit her against a vigilante called the Rook, her childhood idol. Navigating the glittering society of the City of Dreams, Ren soon discovers she is not the only one pretending to be something she’s not: her landlord, Derossi Vargo, controls the city’s underworld, while Capt. Grey Serrado of the city Vigil is seen as a class traitor for serving the nobility. Meanwhile, old religious beliefs prove to be more than just superstition, and a new drug floods the city’s streets offering hallucinations that turn all too real. The authors devote much of this volume to detailing the names, places, and belief systems of this sometimes tediously complex world, causing the pace to drag. But readers who persevere will be rewarded with a tightly laced plot dripping with political intrigue. Carrick has built a strong foundation for things to come. Agent: for Brennan, Eddie Schneider, Jabberwocky; for Helms, Paul Stevens, DMLA. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

From the first page, I was utterly entranced by this glittering world filled with masked vigilantes, cunning conwomen, and dark magic. A sheer delight!”—Katy Rose Pool, author of There Will Come A Darkness

"A tightly laced plot dripping with political intrigue. Carrick has built a strong foundation for things to come."—Publishers Weekly

“The richly layered city of Nadezra, combined with the deeply intertwined politics and rivalries of its residents, creates a perfect backdrop for the enchantment of Carrick's plot and characters. A fantastically twisty read.”—Fran Wilde, author of The Bone Universe trilogy

"For those who like their revenge plots served with the intrigue of The Goblin Emperor, the colonial conflict of The City of Brass, the panache of Swordspoint, and the richly detailed settings of Guy Gavriel Kay."—Booklist (starred review)

"Utterly captivating. Carrick spins an exciting web of mystery, magic, and political treachery in a richly drawn and innovative world."—S. A. Chakraborty, author of The City of Brass

"The Mask of Mirrors kept me up reading way past my bedtime. A web of intrigue, magic, and the art of the con this novel will catch hold of your dreams and keep you from sleeping."—Mary Robinette Kowal, author of The Calculating Stars

“The Mask of Mirrors is exactly the fantasy adventure novel you're craving: an escape into a vast, enchanting world of danger, secret identities, and glittering prose.”—Tasha Suri, author of Empire of Sand

“The Mask of Mirrors ushers you into the fascinating city of Nadezra, replete with complex politics, intricate magic, and mysteries that readers will be racing to unravel. Wonderfully immersive—I was unable to put it down.”—Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter

“An intricate, compelling dream of a book that kept me turning pages, with a world and characters that felt deeply real and plenty of riveting twists and turns. I loved it!”—Melissa Caruso, author of The Obsidian Tower

"This book was like nibbling my way through a box of gourmet chocolates curated just for Reader Me. A large box of gourmet chocolates."—Fantasy Literature

From the Publisher

Narrator Nikki Massoud captures this epic fantasy-adventure with her smooth, clear diction. Massoud’s blend of tones and timbres differentiates the characters in an engrossing way. The political intrigue begins when Ren arrives in Nadezra determined to use whatever con it takes to form an alliance with a noble house. But she soon discovers she’s not the only con artist who is intent on bettering her future. Massoud’s narration style enables listeners to stay on track through the world-building and complex plot. As the world comes to life, Massoud ensures that listeners connect with the story’s many characters. M.L.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2021 - AudioFile

Narrator Nikki Massoud captures this epic fantasy-adventure with her smooth, clear diction. Massoud’s blend of tones and timbres differentiates the characters in an engrossing way. The political intrigue begins when Ren arrives in Nadezra determined to use whatever con it takes to form an alliance with a noble house. But she soon discovers she’s not the only con artist who is intent on bettering her future. Massoud’s narration style enables listeners to stay on track through the world-building and complex plot. As the world comes to life, Massoud ensures that listeners connect with the story’s many characters. M.L.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2021 - AudioFile