EMBERS OF ANALON

A young thief stumbles into romance and a world of forbidden magic in Winters’ LGBTQ+ fantasy novel.

Ever since the brutal murders of his parents, 21-year-old Cassian Nightbrook has taken care of his younger sister, Elena. In the city of Analon, the siblings earn coins by selling herbs at the market. Cassian is also an accomplished thief. One night, mid-burglary, he encounters a mysterious fellow bandit who leaves behind a parchment bearing an invitation to the Emberlight Trials. The invitation gives the bearer a chance to join the clandestine Order of Emberlight, which works against King Tarnasau. Cassian is interested, as the king’s top lieutenant is the man who killed his parents. Cassian quickly grows close to Darion Thorne, a handsome stranger he’s just met at the market. Darion, however, has secrets. As Cassian progresses through the Trials, he learns that the Royal Guard is hunting him, Darion, and Elena. But why? The hunters’ pursuit may somehow be tied to the Emberborn, an ostensibly “extinct race of people” with magical abilities. Winters packs a lot into this novel, the first installment in a series. Cassian makes for a sublime hero—a caring older brother who’s armed with a belt of useful vials (one contains an antiseptic; another explodes when tossed). His relationship with Darion plays out in scenes both tender and explicit, with Darion harboring more than one doozy of a secret. The entire cast shines, including the whip-smart Elena, another character who seemingly betrays Cassian, and an unexpected ally. The narrative moves at a steady pace, powered by concise prose and unwavering tension as the plot unspools its espionage intrigues. This series introduction surprisingly clears up several mysteries, like Cassian’s ability to communicate with whisperhawks, but the story ends on a solid cliffhanger.

This brisk, riveting tale boasts magic, mystery, and superlative characters.