Dead Men Tell No Lies — Stephen Lewis

Volume one of this bawdy and bloodthirsty epic finds the swashbuckling Canter an unwitting gladiator in Teshgate's ceremonial games. But any claim to the lucrative prize disappears when a terrifying force splits the sky, slaughtering thousands. Castaway in the barbarous hinterlands of the Shanshalim peninsula, Canter's only chance at survival is to lead Teshgate's miserable refugees out of the desert. Meanwhile, a half world away, the renowned Silversword priestess Jessica Tallianos uncovers treacherous heresy within the ranks of her temple. As is her sworn duty, she risks everything to purge those who threaten the Eternal Lady's supremacy across Pheronia. However, neither Canter nor Jessica realize their fortunes and fates are intertwined and held in precarious balance, for war looms on the horizon.