Now in paperback, from an Aurora Award-winning author comes a fantasy epic in which one mage must stand against a Deathless Goddess who controls all magic
Only in Tananen do people worship a single deity: the Deathless Goddess. Only in this small, forbidden realm are there those haunted by words of no language known to woman or man. The words are Her Gift, and they summon magic.
Mage scribes learn to write Her words as intentions: spells to make beasts or plants, designed to any purpose. If an intention is flawed, what the mage creates is a gossamer: a magical creature as wild and free as it is costly for the mage.
For Her Gift comes at a steep price. Each successful intention ages a mage until they dare no more. But Her magic demands to be used; the Deathless Goddess will take Her fee, and mages will die.
To end this terrible toll, the greatest mage in Tananen vows to find and destroy Her. He has yet to learn She is all that protects Tananen from what waits outside. And all that keeps magic alive.
About the Author
Julie E. Czerneda is the author of the Species Imperative trilogy, the Night's Edge fantasy duology, and the Stratification novels. She is a multiple Aurora Award winner, and was a finalist for the John W. Campbell Award and the Philip K. Dick Award.
Industry Reviews
Praise for The Gossamer Mage
"The Gossamer Mage is a wonderful bookrich language, strong world building, interesting characters, and a magic system that both pinches and soothes the heart. I loved this book, and I think it is Julie Czerneda's finest work so far."
Anne Bishop, New York Times bestselling author of Wild Country
"Czerneda is a fresh voice in fantasyThe Gossamer Mage is full of life and quirky, complex characters doing things that feel important... both because they're described with deft skill, and because you care about the characters as people."
S.M. Stirling, New York Times-bestselling author of the Change series and Theater of Spies
"The Gossamer Mage is like eating chocolatesmooth, addictive, and fabulous. And deliciously dark."
Kristen Britain, New York Times-bestselling author of the Green Rider series
"Every so often, a book comes along that is pure magic. The Gossamer Mage is such a book. Julie Czerneda's spellbinding take on magic-with-a-price is enthralling and exhilaratinga joy to read! I absolutely loved it!"
Sarah Beth Durst, award-winning author of The Queens of Renthia series
"This book is magic. Beautifully written. Gripping. A rich, real worldand we're right at the heart of things as it changes. And we learn the true price of magic. Magnificent. Oh, but this book is good! Grab it, take it home, and lose yourself in it!"
Ed Greenwood, award-winning creator of The Forgotten Realms
"Julie Czerneda is a true master. She has created a world rich and deeply textured, where magic and death are children of the same mother. Her characters jump off the page and walk beside you on your journey through Tananen. This story will stick with you long after you have devoured the last word."
Gerald Brandt, author of The Courier
