book launch

Epic Fantasy Book Launch – The Ten Courts of Hell

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The Ten Courts of Hell

Witness the Origin of Akame

The Ten Courts of Hell is now available on Amazon in eBook, paperback and hardcover:

eBook

Paperback

Hardcover

Five hundred years after the events of The Golden Age, Hanya now enjoys a peaceful life atop Mount Haku. In the nearby village of Tobata, however, lives Yoshiharu of the Clear Skies, the man who will one day be known as the dreaded Akame…

Here’s the blurb:

For centuries, Tobata Village has worshipped the Golden Emissary, a mercurial wish-granting creature who lives atop the nearby Mount Haku. Disillusioned by a childhood tragedy, only one villager refuses to venerate the Emissary: a humble farmer named Yoshiharu of the Clear Skies, long before he will become known as Akame.

When Yoshiharu’s family suffers several misfortunes, his neighbours vilify him as a cursed heretic. His only hope is to bargain with the very Emissary he has scorned for most of his life. The Emissary, however, is none other than Hanya, and the wishes he grants are often devious and cruel.

Seeking vengeance, Yoshiharu must endure the Ten Courts of Hell and confront Estera himself on his hill of skulls. Meanwhile, Laurent journeys to free himself of the blue rose’s poison and Juzo’s quest for the twelve eggs continues. With all stories colliding, the sad fates of Yoshiharu, Laurent and Hanya are finally revealed.

The cover, as always, is by the marvellous Nicolás Castell.

Don’t forget, all six books released so far are available on Kindle Unlimited!

Not only that, but book seven in The Legend of Saru is now available to pre-order. Battle of the Adachi Wastes releases on November 22nd:

Epic Fantasy Book Launch – From the Valley of Orchids

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From the Valley of Orchids Launch

Today’s the day! From the Valley of Orchids is now available to buy on Amazon. Volume one in the epic fantasy series The Legend of Saru, the eBook is only $0.99 / £0.99 for its entire launch week. Here’s the blurb:

Gods and Demons Clash in Mythological Japan

In the Kingdom of Yamato, magic is misunderstood. When humans pray at shrines to the spirits of the land, their wishes are not granted directly. Instead, sometimes gods are born: shapeshifting animals with the power to conjure weapons and enter the realm of dreams.

When a snow monkey named Saru is born from a prayer of hope, he longs to understand the truth about his nature. At an enchanted temple, he crosses paths with the demonic monk Akame whose infernal magic destroys everything Saru loves—and could soon threaten the whole world.

Saru flees to Otari Village, a settlement of kind people who welcome him into their homes. The village, however, is plagued by ghosts and wicked men who would exploit Saru’s powers. With Akame’s arrival looming, will Saru save the village, or lose everything again? How far will he go to protect those he loves?

Aimed at adults and an older YA audience, From the Valley of Orchids explores themes of grief, loss and hope, all told from a unique perspective. All nine volumes are finished and will be released monthly this year.

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Announcing the Legend of Saru

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An epic fantasy series in mythological Japan

Artwork by Nicolas Castel

It’s been over five years since my last post, and for good reason: I’ve been writing an entire fantasy series. All nine books in The Legend of Saru series are now finished and ready to release monthly this year, starting with From the Valley of Orchids on May 22nd. During its first week, the ebook will be available at the reduced price of $0.99. Here’s the cover and blurb:

From the Valley of Orchids by Niels Saunders

Gods and Demons Clash in Mythological Japan

In the Kingdom of Yamato, magic is misunderstood. When humans pray at shrines to the spirits of the land, their wishes are not granted directly. Instead, sometimes gods are born: shapeshifting animals with the power to conjure weapons and enter the realm of dreams.

When a snow monkey named Saru is born from a prayer of hope, he longs to understand the truth about his nature. At an enchanted temple, he crosses paths with the demonic monk Akame whose infernal magic destroys everything Saru loves—and could soon threaten the whole world.

Saru flees to Otari Village, a settlement of kind people who welcome him into their homes. The village, however, is plagued by ghosts and wicked men who would exploit Saru’s powers. With Akame’s arrival looming, will Saru save the village, or lose everything again? How far will he go to protect those he loves?

I’ll be making another post when the ebook is out, but you can already buy the paperback and hardback versions from Amazon. They look absolutely beautiful, so if you feel like treating yourself, I’d highly recommend them.

I’ll be making lots more posts in the following weeks, so stay tuned for more news and deals!

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Book Launch: The Papyrus Empire by Niels Saunders

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A global secret society with its own currency.

A mysterious murder with no witnesses.

How far will one man go to learn the truth?

Click to buy

A dark mystery thriller

The Papyrus Empire is now available to buy in paperback and ebook from Amazon. Here’s the blurb:

When Tommy Duchesne takes out fifty perks from a cash machine, he thinks he’s been conned. It’s actually the currency of the Papyrus Empire, a secret society founded in the forties by Sigmund Papyrus, a Swiss entrepreneur with a splendid moustache.

Tommy tries spending the perks around town, and realises he wasn’t conned at all. If he uses it in shops, he gets special service. If he uses it on slot machines, he wins every spin. At first he has the time of his life, but a sinister side soon emerges.

A close friend is found dead, and he believes the Empire is to blame. To discover the truth, he joins their ranks himself. Allied with his enemies, the weight of that truth, and the price he pays to unearth it, will make him question everything he’s ever known.

The Papyrus Empire is a dark and complex thriller unlike anything you’ve read before.

The Papyrus Empire is the culmination of ten years of planning, writing and editing. It’s been through countless versions, but it’s finally ready. As you may have noticed from the Amazon listing, it’s the first instalment of The Empire Saga. Thankfully, my writing speed has increased dramatically over the years, so it hopefully won’t take another decade until its sequel, The Ivory Tower, is ready. The story is set in an English city named Vestibue, which some of you may recognise from my previous novel, Grand Theft Octo. You don’t have to have read any of my previous books to fully enjoy The Papyrus Empire, but there are some Easter eggs and character references to Grand Theft Octo sprinkled throughout.

In the days leading up to this launch, I’ve been making promotional posters inspired by events from the story:

Come to Rosenthal Manor Tonight

The Papyrus Empire is Recruiting

Warning to Usurpers

Information About Vestibue Zoo

If you’re not in the mood for buying an ebook or paperback, The Papyrus Empire is also available to read for free on Kindle Unlimited.  Alternatively, you can check out the first few chapters on Amazon for free.  Please do leave me a comment if you decide to read my book. Finally, if you enjoyed the posters I made, you can follow me on Facebook for more regular updates.

The book is dedicated to the memory of Arif Khan, whose death inspired much of the story. As such, there are no acknowledgements within the pages, but I’d like to thank the following people who’ve read the book in its various versions over the years and passed on their helpful comments: Nao Saunders, Susan Saunders, Gail Grantham, Preston Parris, Elina Zachariadi, Jerry Devenish, Robin Woodward, Paul Clark and Kiera Buckley-Jones.

Book Launch – Grand Theft Octo by Niels Saunders

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Niels Saunders - Grand Theft Octo Cover
Hello everyone. Yes, I am still alive. Sorry it’s been so long since my last post. As you can probably tell from the fact that I’m launching a book, I’ve been extremely busy, well, writing a book.

It’s called Grand Theft Octo and is now available to buy in paperback and ebook from Amazon. Here’s the synopsis:

When Jonathan Doe is fired from his office job for stealing too much stationery, he becomes an entrepreneur of businesses the world has never seen. After a disastrous start at freelance taxidermy, he moves onto professional octopus teasing. Will he fail again or make his fortune? Is he really a professional or just a con artist? Desperate to succeed, his plans become more outlandish, from stealing theme park mascots at gunpoint to fighting deranged restaurant tycoons. As the enemies he makes seek revenge, both his life and business are threatened, until his world spirals into mayhem and violence. Set in the fictional city of Vestibue, England, Grand Theft Octo is a wild and hilarious ride that strikes at the heart of aspirational culture.

For those of you who read my last book, Mervyn vs. Dennis, you’ll either be delighted or despondent to hear there are no pineapples in this one and almost no toilet humour at all.

Here are the links, for your purchasing pleasure:

UK ebook £1.99:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grand-Theft-Octo-Niel…/…/B071V8XRQC

UK paperback £5.99:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grand-Theft-Octo-Niel…/…/1521121516

US ebook $2.99:

https://www.amazon.com/Grand-Theft-Octo-Niels-…/…/B071V8XRQC

US paperback $7.99:

https://www.amazon.com/Grand-Theft-Octo-Niels-…/…/1521121516

It’s also available on Kindle Unlimited, if you’re a subscriber.

I hope you’ll check it out. Thanks everyone!