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Sword Catcher

An epic tale of power, magic, and betrayal

Cassandra Clare author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Pan Macmillan

Published:1st Aug '24

Should be back in stock very soon

Sword Catcher cover

In Sword Catcher, a boy destined to rule and a girl returning lost magic face dark secrets and dangerous magic that could change everything.

In Sword Catcher, a captivating tale unfolds in the vibrant city-state of Castellane, where power, magic, and intrigue intertwine. The story revolves around Kel, an orphan who has been taken from his humble beginnings to serve as the body-double for Prince Conor Aurelian. Known as the 'Sword Catcher', Kel's life is dedicated to protecting Conor, even if it means sacrificing his own life. As the two boys grow closer, the bond of brotherhood is tested by the harsh realities of their world.

Meanwhile, Lin Caster, an Ashkar physician, finds herself at the center of a dangerous plot after a failed assassination attempt draws her into Kel's life. As they navigate the treacherous landscape of Castellane, they uncover dark secrets that threaten to unravel the very fabric of their society. The mysterious Ragpicker King, who controls the city's criminal underbelly, looms large in their journey, complicating their fates and intertwining their destinies.

As the narrative unfolds, themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the quest for identity emerge, making Sword Catcher not just a tale of fantasy, but a profound exploration of human connections. With expert worldbuilding and richly developed characters, Cassandra Clare's latest work promises to enthrall readers while setting the stage for an epic series that delves deep into the heart of magic and power struggles.

Sword Catcher gave me everything I look for in medieval fantasy: mystery and magic (not too much, not too little), expert worldbuilding, swordplay and politics, a colorful cast of interesting characters, and a story that kept me reading from the first page to the last, with enough twists and turns to keep me turning the pages. It's a big thick book, but it left me wanting more. When's the next one coming out? -- No. 1 New York Times bestselling author George R. R. Martin
A gorgeously built world of decadence, betrayal, and grand adventure. From the decadent and drunken parties of the nobles, to the dens of crime lords in the Warren and Maze, to the Sault, where the devotees of a lost goddess are penned, the city of Castellane makes the perfect backdrop for a delightful cast of characters to befriend, betray, and romance one another. This is Cassandra Clare at her cleverest, twistiest and most heart-stopping—a triumph of a book -- Holly Black, New York Times bestselling author of The Book of Night
Clare plunges us into a thrilling world built with precision and brimming with enchantment. Her spellbinding cast of outlaws, healers, royals, and rogues will have you questioning your allegiances with every delicious turn of the plot. This is fantasy at its finest -- Leigh Bardugo, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of Hell Bent
A sumptuous feast of a book, vivid and delicious and heady. Cassandra Clare’s trademark skills are on full display here: epic worlds, wrenching romances, heart-slamming plot twists, Dickensian characters. I can’t wait to visit Castellane again -- Kelly Link, bestselling author of White Cat, Black Dog
Sweeping yet intimate, rich with romance and intrigue, Sword Catcher is Cassandra Clare at her magical best. In pages packed with sumptuous descriptions, Clare gives us a kingdom’s worth of characters—including Kel the ‘sword catcher,’ trained to protect his prince at all costs, and Lin, a young physician of an outcast people—forced to navigate a web of tangled loyalties between the loved ones they cherish and the powers they serve. This book will break your heart and leave you wanting more! -- Helene Wecker, New York Times bestselling author of The Golem and the Jinni
A charming return to the big fat fantasy novels of happy memory, with a modern character-driven narrative. Vivid and clever -- Scott Lynch, bestselling author of the Gentleman Bastard sequence
It's heady stuff, a novel with all the drama and yearning of Clare's Shadowhunter stories but set in a whole new world, and with the YA stabilisers taken off . . . readers risk becoming instantly addicted * SFX *
Cassandra Clare is a legend in fantasy . . . be warned you will be obsessed . . . a propulsive, layered, phenomenally imagined start to what promises to be an epic journey -- Glamour Magazine
Completely spellbinding . . . will keep you strapped to your seat and hooked to every single word -- Debut Digest

ISBN: 9781529001402

Dimensions: 197mm x 131mm x 39mm

Weight: 428g

640 pages