Kingdoms of the Cursed

"Greg Keyes has always been both a skilled storyteller.”—Terry Brooks, New York Times bestselling author

Errol Greyson is awake and back in his own body, thanks to his friends Aster the witch and Veronica the half-dead girl. Unfortunately, due to the attempted suicide that led to his months-long coma and temporary reincarnation in Aster’s wooden automaton in the first place, he’s also in a mental hospital.

But when the last person Errol expects breaks him out and forces him back to the magical Kingdoms, he has no other option but to attempt to undo a deadly curse threatening reality itself, in hopes of returning the realm to equilibrium. It’s dangerous business, especially in Errol’s merely-human form, weakened from months in bed.

Fearing for their friend’s life, Aster and Veronica follow, but are quickly separated. Aster is captured by an ancient evil—the source of the curse—while Veronica confronts a mysterious admirer, her own evolving nature, and the dark spirit that murdered her years earlier.

As vast armies collide and dragons take wing, the friends must find each other—and themselves—again.

Greg Keyes has written numerous books and short stories since his debut novel The Waterborn was published in 1996, including The Age of Unreason and The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone series. He lives in Savannah, Georgia with his wife Nell, children John Edward Arch and Dorothy Nellah Joyce, and far too many pets.

Praise for The Reign of the Departed

"Greg Keyes has always been both a skilled storyteller and fine writer of exciting tales. I plan to get my pre-order in early.”—New York Times bestselling author Terry Brooks

“Keyes is a master of world building and of quirky characters who grow into their relationships in unexpected ways. Fans of his Age of Unreason and his Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone fantasy series will want to get in on the ground floor of the High and Faraway series.”—Booklist

“I liked a lot of what Keyes was doing in the novel, in terms of the story itself, the characters, and laying the groundwork for a multi-book narrative. The world where Errol awakens in his new body has a lived-in feel, a world with history and mythology of its own. . . . the story reminded me of Kate Elliott’s Crown of Stars.”—SFFWorld

“Starts in the realm of normalcy and quickly descends into the favorably bizarre and surprising. . . there was not one character that was uninteresting. The world building is epic. A magical realm that mirrors earth while residing under a curse was not only inventive but enthralling.”—Koeur’s Book Reviews, 4.4/5 Stars