The Path of Anger: Chapter One

path of angerThis doesn’t happen very often… I was sat at a table at the Frankfurt Bookfair, with our Deputy Publisher Gillian Redfearn, listening to a French publisher (the excellent Stephane Marsan from the excellent company Bragelonne) pitch us a book. It doesn’t happen very often because generally we’re the ones pitching our books at Frankfurt; we always try to buy world rights so buying from another publisher is something we’d prefer to have our friends at other publishing houses do (and preferably from us). But the generally calm Stephane was burning with something and he pitched us a wonderful fantasy story that begins in a bar with someone trying to get to the truth behind the legend. And then someone is murdered. And a shadow from the past is back. And the truth of the legend becomes even more vital, even more difficult to find. Stephane related the cleverness of this story’s construction brilliantly. And he was full of how well it was written. He was so convinced that he convinced us. Gillian went to our boss with me at her elbow and got the go-ahead to offer on the basis of a conversation. This happens even less often.

And from that Antoine Rouaud joined Gollancz and a plan was hatched for his amazing book to be published in different languages at the same time. And now the book is here (although Gillian is back in Frankfurt which is why I’m writing this) and you have the chance to find out if Stephane and Gillian and I were right. If you love Pat Rothfuss and Scott Lynch we think you’ll agree. This is a very, very special fantasy novel and the beginning of an extraordinary career.  Books like this hardly ever happen…

Click here to read the first chapter of The Path of Anger.

The Path of Anger is available from 17th October where all good books are sold.