Books written by Joanne Hall.
NEW KINGDOM TRILOGY
Hierath (Epress Online, 2005)
The world stands on the edge of the first peace it has known for generations. The fragile alliance formed between the New Kingdom and Telesia is rocked to its foundations when recently crowned King Alex falls in love with Lydia, a fisher’s daughter from the rebellious Estmarch, throwing his aunt’s carefully laid plans into chaos.
And then a horrific act of betrayal drives the Kingdom once more to the brink of war.
The 2007 EPPIE (Excellence in Electronic Publishing) finalist and shortlisted for the 2007 Pluto Award.
Available in paperback via the “Talk to Me” button, for £8 plus postage. Limited stock.
In Exile (Epress Online, 2007)
Alone and in hiding, the young widowed Queen takes on a new identity as she grieves for the death of her husband and the loss of her newborn son, handed into the care of strangers for his own protection.
Hatred for the man who destroyed her family tempers her grief but haunts her nightmares as she relives his betrayal. The support of her cousin, and a new love, do little to ease the pain of her emotional scars, until a face from the past tracks her down, bringing news that sends her on a journey across the kingdom, from the high mountains of the north to the rolling hills of the Estmarch.
It is a mission to restore hope.
Shortlisted for the 2008 Pluto Award.
Available in paperback via the “Talk to Me” button, for £8 plus postage. Limited stock.
Eagle of the Kingdom (Epress Online, 2008)
Imprisoned in the desert city of Tellis, tangled in the schemes and intrigue of the Telesian court, Lydia must risk her life to save her friends. Escaping to the Endless Mountains, realm of the Northern Ghosts, she finds solace with these unpredictable feline allies as she prepares for war. Aided by her loyal companions, Bale and Meganne, she supports the man she loves as he raises an army, determined to take back Hierath Castle, and the Kingdom. But their enemies would do anything to see them fail.
Lydia burns with the desire to avenge her murdered family. Her son, stolen from her and used as a pawn in a dangerous political game, is in danger from every side.
As the strength of the Old Ones fails, Lydia can no longer rely on their magic to help her. Does she have the courage to face the man who stalks through her nightmares? Murder and betrayal haunt the corridors of Hierath as Lydia’s army closes in.
2009 EPPIE finalist.
Available in paperback via the “Talk to Me” button, for £8 plus postage. Limited stock.
THE ART OF FORGETTING
The Art of Forgetting : Rider (Kristell Ink, 2013)*
‘The Art of Forgetting is compelling and beautifully written . . . It’s not a book I’ll be forgetting any time soon!’ Emma Pass, author of ‘ACID’, Random House
‘A roistering romp, with darker undercurrents… Intriguing characters in a setting both familiar and different’ Francis Knight, author of ‘Fade to Black’, Orbit publishing
‘…another excellent addition to Joanne Hall’s rapidly growing collection of published works.’ Robert Harkess, author of ‘Aphrodite’s Dawn’, Salt Publishing.
‘With characters real enough to touch and a storyline that tugs on the heartstrings . . . a tale that will linger long after the pages close.’ Fantasy Faction
‘…Joanne Hall is a wonderful writer and has done a beautiful job in crafting a fantasy story that almost feels like a historical novel…’
Michelle Randall, Readers Favourite
A young boy leaves his village to become a cavalryman with the famous King’s Third regiment; in doing so he discovers both his past and his destiny. Gifted and cursed with a unique memory, the foundling son of a notorious traitor, Rhodri joins an elite cavalry unit stationed in the harbour town of Northpoint. His training reveals his talents and brings him friendship, love and loss, and sexual awakening; struggling with his memories of his father who once ruled there, he begins to discover a sense of belonging. That is, until a face from the past reveals a secret that will change not only Rhodri’s life but the fate of a nation. Then, on his first campaign, he is forced to face the extremes of war and his own nature. This, the first part of The Art of Forgetting, is a gripping story about belonging and identity, set in a superbly imagined and complex world that is both harsh and beautiful.
Available now in paperback from all good bookshops (ISBN-13: 9781909845008 ) , and online from Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble etc…
Long-listed for the 2014 Tiptree Award
*Amazon UK Bestseller – March 2016 – #1 in Contemporary Fantasy / #1 in Fantasy – Coming of Age
*Amazon US Bestseller – April 2016 – #1 in Epic Fantasy
The Art of Forgetting : Nomad (Kristell Ink 2014)
‘…bigger battles, more death, more magic…’
Pete Sutton, Bristol Book Blog
‘…Overall, Nomad is a fine follow up to Rider. The world building is as excellent as ever, with the tribal lands making for a great contrast to land of Rhodri’s birth. The story is full of action, keeping you guessing all the way through and you get to spend some time with some great characters. I loved the first book and I love this one even more, my only complaint is that it’s not a trilogy!’
Andy Fairchild – The Cult Den
‘…a book to be devoured not read, and I lost significant sleep time over it…Highly recommended.’
R.B Harkess, Warrior Stone
‘…This book pushes the reader to question whether the ends justify the means. As Rhodi’s quest reaches its heights, you really feel for him, and fear for him.
A brilliant read.’
Joel Cornah, The Sea Stone Sword
“The writing throughout is vivid and forceful; the plotting and world-building, top notch. The main characters, as well as the secondary, are well-crafted and believable, and with the exception of the reprehensible Drusain, engaging and likeable. But every story needs a villain, so he might as well be an absolute bastard.”
saare_snowqueen, Livejournal
Friendship dies in the face of cruelty; new loyalties are forged, blood merged into new life . . .
In a single moment of defiance, driven by a rash act of compassion for a stranger, Rhodri turns his back on his unit, his country and his comrades in arms. Taken in by the Plains Hawk tribe, he finds compassion, love, and a new purpose for his unique memory. But just as he is beginning to accept his decision, an invasion from the east throws the tribe into chaos, and threatens to destroy the new life he has built.
Rhodri must rally the tribes to take on his former comrades, his former friends, and fight the forces of the crown he swore to protect-and the sister he has never known. Thrust into the role of leader, he must use the very lessons he learned in the King’s Third against his closest friends, and his most bitter enemy.
Available now in paperback from your local bookshop (ISBN-13: 978-1909845367) or as an ebook from Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble etc…
STAND-ALONE BOOKS
Spark and Carousel (Kristell Ink 2015)
“I like writers who stage several stories in the same universe. Raymond E Feist, Joe Abercrombie, and Iain M Banks come instantly to mind, and now I add Joanne Hall to that list…Like those mentioned in the first paragraph, Joanne Hall can now firmly lay claim to ‘doing it right’. Her stories are separate enough that they don’t crowd each other, or feel too familiar, but still have a sense of belonging to them…”
R B Harkess, White Magic
A thoroughly fun adventure with explosions, magic and mayhem. Wonderful!
Joel Cornah, The Sea Stone Sword
“If you like your fantasy intelligently written with fully rounded characters and a full-on scenario, then track down this offering. I’ve read a crop of really good fantasy recently and Spark and Carousel is right up there with the best of them. 9/10″
S J Higbee, Brainfluff blog
If I had to sum it up in one glib sentence, I’d describe it as “Juliet McKenna meets Joe Abercrombie” – if you enjoy the novels of either, you’ll enjoy this one, too.”
Amazon review.
On the run after the death of his mentor, wild with untamed magic, Spark arrives in the city of Cape Carey, where his untapped talents make him the target for rival criminal gangs. His guide through the intrigues of the Cape Carey underworld is Carousel, a wire-walker and a thief, who takes him under her wing.
Elvienne and Kayall ride south to the city, hunting the lost foster child of their murdered friend. Their mission is to track down a killer, and prevent Spark’s magic from spiralling out of control. They need to find him before he falls into the hands of those who would exploit his raw talent for their own gain, who would force Spark to confront a power he is not ready to handle.
Wealthy Allorise Carey has her own plans for both Spark and Carousel, and the sudden arrival of the mages throws all her carefully-laid plans into disarray, as she unleashes a terrible evil onto the streets of the unsuspecting city. An evil only Spark’s magic can control, if she can track him down…
Longlisted for the 2016 Gemmell Award
Available now in paperback from your local bookshop (ISBN13 – 9781909845800) or from Amazon and other online retailers.
The Summer Goddess (Kristell Ink, 2016)
Joanne Hall has created a harsh and brutal world, a world of slavery, unforgiving gods, and
even less forgiving people who are desperate to believe in anything which might make their lives fractionally better. This is a book about resilience in the face of adversity.
Asta is full of strength, and her journey is one which takes you through the full emotional spectrum.
Claire Ayres, BrizzleLass Book Reviews
Please read this. If you don’t, you will miss something wonderful. If you like adventures, grimdark but not exceptionally gory or violent, if you don’t care much about romance in fantasy, this is your book.
Anindita, A Bohemian Mind At Work
Asta is strong, fragile, intelligent, stupid, brave, reckless, focused, and bewildered. In other words, a normal human being. No perfect hero, just someone trying her best to find her way through one problem after another to find her nephew and her people and bring them home.
R B Watkinson, The Cracked Amulet
There’s a lot packed into these pages. Not just The Scattering and Abonnae, but a distant Emperor tired of church domination, slave markets, cloaked assassins, and a hungry, insane god. Characters drop in and fly out, and there’s a body count that will satisfy even the Grimmest of readers. Joanne weaves apparently disconnected episodes together into a grand break-in and battle set against a siege and does so with skill that tops last year’s Spark & Carousel.
I say The Summer Goddess is a standalone, but there’s more satisfaction to be had if you’ve read The Art of Forgetting first, because there’s a lot of history tied into Asta’s story. But even so, if you’ve not read Joanne Hall before, you can easily start here – this is the work of one of Britain’s best modern fantasists entirely on top her game.
Steven Poore, The High King’s Vengeance
When Asta’s nephew is taken by slavers, she pledges to her brother that she will find him, or die trying. Her search takes her from the fading islands of the Scattering, a nation in thrall to a powerful enemy, to the port city of Abonnae. There she finds a people dominated by a sinister cult, thirsty for blood to feed their hungry god.
Haunted by the spirit of her brother, forced into an uncertain alliance with a pair of assassins, Asta faces a deadly choice – save the people of two nations, or save her brother’s only son.
Shortlisted for the 2017 BFS Award for Best Novel
Longlisted for the 2017 Gemmell Award
Available from your local bookshop (ISBN13: 9781911497011) or from Amazon and other online retailers.
COLLECTIONS
The Feline Queen and other Tales of Myth and Magic (Wolfsinger Publications, 2011)
Joanne Hall’s first collection of fantasy stories ranges from the satirical comedy of The Feline Queen, where a race of cat-women are not quite as the hero anticipates, to the darkness of To Please the Gods, where a healer and a priest must join forces to save their village from a mysterious plague.
Here you will find heroes, with muscles like footballs and brains like peas. Heroines, whose mystical gifts may be their salvation, or their doom. And ordinary people, from this world and others, caught up in magic beyond their understanding.
Take a breath, step through the mirror, and enter the realm of the Feline Queen. It’s going to be an extraordinary journey…
Sorry – not currently available.
Joanne Hall 
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