A heroic fantasy series which follows a wandering storyteller, a hero or villain out of legend (depending on who you’ve heard the stories from), on a quest to kill the terrifying demons who took everything from him, and to undo a worse evil he’s set loose—a power nearly as old as god bent on turning the world at war with itself.
THE FIRST BINDING
(Tales of Tremaine, Book 1)
by R.R. Virdi
Tor/Macmillan, August 2022
(via JABberwocky)
All legends are born of truths. And just as much lies. These are mine. Judge me for what you will. But you will hear my story first.
I buried the village of Ampur under a mountain of ice and snow. Then I killed their god. I’ve stolen old magics and been cursed for it. I started a war with those that walked before mankind and lost the princess I loved, and wanted to save. I’ve called lightning and bound fire. I am legend. And I am a monster.
My name is Ari.
And this is the story of how I let loose the first evil.
Thus begins the tale of a storyteller and a singer on the run and hoping to find obscurity in a tavern bar. But the sins of their past aren’t forgotten, and neither are their enemies.
Ari is still in the throes of hunting down the story book demons that took his old life from him and set him on the path to becoming all he is known and feared to be. But corrupt nobles are playing a dangerous game of politics and murder, old enemies are coming to find him, magical beings out of storybooks bent on revenge of their own against him, and a power nearly as old as god working to turn neighboring countries against one another in war.
Ari’s old lives are catching up swiftly and it could cost him the entire world. Unless he turns back and faces his past.
« Crafted with patience, passion, and most importantly, tremendous love. Read R.R. Virdi! » ―Jim Butcher, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Dresden Files
« THE FIRST BINDING is epic fantasy at its finest―an homage to storytelling and legend, richly told and endlessly engaging. Complex and luxuriant, this is an emotional, multifaceted gem of a book that examines the twists and turns a story takes on its journey from the truth. » ―Andrea Stewart, author of Bone Shard Daughter
R.R. Virdi is a two-time Dragon Award finalist and a Nebula Award finalist. He is the author of two urban fantasy series, The Grave Report, and The Books of Winter. One of his short stories is part of a collection of artists’ works to go to the moon aboard the Astrobotic Peregrine Lunar Lander in 2022. His love of classic cars drove him to work in the automotive industry for many years before he realized he’d do a better job of maintaining his passion if he stayed away from customers. He was born and raised in Northern Virginia and is a first generation Indian-American with all the baggage that comes with. He’s offended a long list of incalculable ancestors by choosing to drop out of college and not pursue one of three pre-destined careers: lawyer, doctor, engineer. Instead, he decided to chase his dream of being an author. His family is still coping with this decision a decade later. He expects them to come around in another fifteen to twenty years. Should the writing gig not work out, he aims to follow his backup plan and become a dancing shark for a Katy Perry music video.