The Hourglass Throne

As Rune Saint John grapples with the challenges of assuming the Sun Throne, a powerful barrier appears around New Atlantis’s famed rejuvenation center. But who could have created such formidable magic . . . what do they want from the immortality clinic . . . and what remains of the dozens trapped inside?

Though Rune and his lifelong bodyguard Brand are tasked with investigating the mysterious barrier, Rune is also busy settling into his new life at court. Claiming his father’s throne has irrevocably thrown him into the precarious world of political deception, and he must secure relationships with newfound allies in time to keep his growing found family safe. His relationship with his lover, Addam Saint Nicholas, raises additional political complications they must navigate. But he and Brand soon discover that the power behind the barrier holds a much more insidious, far-reaching threat to his family, to his people, and to the world.

Now, the rulers of New Atlantis must confront an enemy both new and ancient as the flow of time itself is drawn into the conflict. And as Rune finds himself inexorably drawn back to the fall of his father’s court and his own torture at the hands of masked conspirators, the secrets that he has long guarded will be dragged into the light—changing the Sun Throne, and New Atlantis, forever.

The climax of the first trilogy in the nine-book Tarot Sequence, The Hourglass Throne delivers epic urban fantasy that blends humor, fast-paced action, and political intrigue.

Library Journal (Starred Review)

Rune Saint John has finally assumed the Sun Throne and now must deal with the political machinations that run throughout the rest of the ruling Arcanum and New Atlantis. Rune and his bodyguard Brand struggle with the past as much with the present as they search for allies among those who watched Rune be tortured while his father’s court fell. They are also investigating a powerful barrier created around the rejuvenation center—one that hides its own bloody, painful aftermath. As Rune and Brand uncover a formidable enemy tied to New Atlantis’s history, they find time is against them to protect their growing found family, including Rune’s lover Addam. Everyone will have to face their past transgressions, long buried secrets, and the flow of time itself, as Rune continues to make choices that will forever change his future. High stakes and humorous dialogue continue to highlight the slow reveal of the long-game plotlines. The ending of this first trilogy (in a planned nine-book series) creates a spectacular story arc, leaving readers with as many questions as answers.

VERDICT Edward’s third “Tarot Sequence” novel (after The Hanged Man) builds on an intriguing alternate Earth filled with magic and political intrigue. This urban fantasy series is immersive and entertaining.

Reviewed by Kristi Chadwick, Mar 01, 2022

“Edwards expertly blends magic, technology, a pandemic isolating New Atlantis from our world, and a keen sense of humor as he wraps up the first trilogy of this proposed nine-book series.”
— Frances Moritz, Booklist Online Review

“A runaway train ride in the dark… The Hourglass Throne is a book of 100% economy. The balance of character and story development is perfect. Every thought, spoken word, and surprise has its purpose. It may not come to mean what the reader might anticipate it to mean, but it all comes together like a perfect jigsaw puzzle.”
— Ben Ragunton, TGG Podcast

“Weaving intricate politics, fast action, and high magic with the powerful themes of loss and found family, K.D. Edwards’ Tarot Sequence burns even hotter in the Hourglass Throne. Just when you think you’ve got a handle on where the plot is going he detonates another surprise or reveals a game-changing secret in his long game. Don’t sleep on this series. I can’t wait to see where it goes.”
— David Slayton, author of the Adam Binder novels

Format

Audiobook, eBook, Paperback

Language

English

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