First Lines Fridays is a weekly feature for book lovers hosted by Wandering Words. What if, instead of judging a book by its cover, its author or its prestige, we judged it by its opening lines?

The Rules:

• Pick a book off your shelf (it could be your current read or on your TBR) and open to the first page.
• Copy the first few lines, but don’t give anything else about the book away just yet – you need to hook the reader first.
• Finally… reveal the book!

First Lines:

“The morning mist hadn’t yet begun to thin when he saw the red sail. At first, it was just a vague interruption in the lingering, pale grey haze, a patch of dark that took on a bloody hue after a few seconds of squinting. As Ruhlin started at it, captured by the novelty, he realised the sail bore a design of sorts.”

Okay, I’m guessing the red sail doesn’t signify a group of friendly tourists, but I’m curious enough to want to know more.

Do you recognize the lines?

Here’s a hint:

This is a recently published epic fantasy.

Still not sure? Here’s another hint:

It’s written by Anthony Ryan.

The First Lines Friday book is:

A Tide of Black Steel.

About the Book:

• Title: A Tide of Black Steel
• Author: Anthony Ryan
• Series: Age of Wrath #1
• Page Length: 560 pages
• Publication Date: September 24, 2024
• Publisher: Orbit

Synopsis:

From the international bestselling author Anthony Ryan comes the spectacular first novel in a new epic new fantasy trilogy inspired by Norse mythology. A new age has dawned. An age of blood and steel. An age of wrath. The land of Ascarlia, a fabled realm of bloodied steel and epic sagas, has been ruled by the Sister Queens for centuries. No one has dared question their rule. Until now.

Whispers speak of longships of mysterious tattooed warriors, sailing under the banners of a murderous cult of oath-breakers long thought extinct. A tide of black steel that threatens to vanquish all in its path.

Thera of the Blackspear, favoured servant of the Sister Queens, is ordered to uncover the truth. As Thera sails north, her reviled brother, Felnir, sets out on his own adventure. He hopes to find the Vault of the Altvar – the treasure room of the gods – and win the Sister Queens’ favour at his sister’s expense.

Both siblings – along with a brilliant young scribe and a prisoner with a terrifying, primal power – will play a part in the coming storm.

The Age of Wrath has begun.

Links: Goodreads     

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