The Sword in His Hand

 

(The Darcentaria Duology #1)

 

By J.J. Fischer

Christian Historical Fantasy

Paperback & ebook, 496 Pages

February 9, 2021 by Ambassador International

 

“One is an opportunity. Two is a threat. Three is an invasion.”

 

For hundreds of years, strange things have been washing up on the shores of Darcentaria. But when a young foreign woman named El is found unconscious on the beach amidst the burning wreckage of a strange metal craft, the villagers of Odessa are immediately suspicious—is she an agent of the Dalriadan Empire, their cruel oppressors for as long as they can remember? Or does she come from the Outside, the vast and legendary lands beyond their borders from which no man or woman alive has ever returned?

 

Torsten Eiselher, a talented young swordsman, has spent the last nine years of his life wrongfully imprisoned by his uncle, the Empire’s ruler. Betrayed and deceived at every turn, Torsten has survived by keeping a firm grip on his sword—and by staying well away from anything to do with the Outside. But when his young sister is murdered, Torsten finds himself irrevocably drawn to El despite her Outsider heritage—and he begins to question everything he has been told about her world.

 

Intrigued by the existence of a powerful and dangerously advanced world within his reach, the Empire’s ruler, Jurien Arminius, launches a hunt for El and the two Outsiders that arrived with her—the ones who could help him win his war against Torsten and the rebellion that threatens to topple his Empire.

 

 

Suddenly, Torsten is forced to choose between defeating his long-term enemy or saving the woman he has come to love . . .

 

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Jasmine (J.J. Fischer) is living proof that it is possible to be addicted to tea and coffee simultaneously. Both made it possible for her to complete her Bachelor degree in English Literature and Creative Writing in 2012.

Jasmine is married to David, and together they are the proud owner-parents of five warring pet chickens who tolerate each others’ existence—most days. When tempted away from the keyboard, she enjoys reading, thinking about lasagna almost as often as Garfield the cat, and working towards her black belt in karate. She vows to one day write the perfect fight scene.
Jasmine makes her home near Sydney, Australia, where most animals want to kill you and drop bears enforce a daily reign of terror. If you’re reading this, please send help.

One winner will receive print copies of The Sword in His Hand and The Secret Fire, a $10 Barnes and Noble gift card and a $5 discount code to Ambassador International’s store (US only)

Ends July 21, 2021

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Excerpt

She drew back. “You still hate the Outside.”

“I will always hate it.”

“How can you expect your people to put fear and ignorance aside when

you won’t let go of it yourself?”

“You think I’m ignorant?” His eyes were dark.

“For a man who may become the marque one day, you are remarkably

against leading by example.”

“Leading with a book of poetry rather than the sword, is it, El? Let us see

how far that gets us.”

El found her attention drawn to his tattoo again, the long sequence of

marks that ran from the inside of his wrist to the hollow of his elbow. Veins

stood out prominently on his forearm, raising thick ridges of black ink. How

could he forget his thirst for vengeance when the memory of that place was

so deeply etched on his skin? Could she forget it if she was in his place?

A terrible ache grew in her heart, even stronger than the one that had accompanied the revelation of her love for him. It was the ache that made her

realize how little he had changed. Lord, did I only imagine the changes in him

because I wanted them to be there? If he would not listen to her now, how might

she speak to him of her beliefs—her God? Torsten knew nothing of her past.

Doubt blossomed like a weed through the fissures in her faith. God, please

don’t make me choose again.

Torsten seemed to perceive her anguish and reached out to touch her arm.

“I respect your vantage point on the world, El. But I cannot accept it.”