The Master of Samar

Rejected by his aristocratic family, Gil Irichels has been content to make his living as a traveling cursebreaker, working with his lover, the feral mage Envar Cassi, and their bodyguard, swordswoman Arak min’Aroi. After a series of deaths leave him the sole heir to the family’s house and fortune, Irichels’s main concern is to do whatever he must to settle the estate and return to his previous life. But these is something very wrong in seaborne Bejanth, starting with the deaths of his kin and spreading into the complex web of politics and magic that holds the city together. As he struggles to discover the truth behind his family’s losses, he realizes that there is more at stake than the fall of one house. Someone is unraveling the web of curses on which the city depends, and Irichels is the only person who can stop them—if it’s not already too late.

Genre: Fantasy

"...a rousing and exciting story, and Melissa Scott is a master of the genre at her best. My heart was in my throat more than once. The magical system is intircate and fascinating, and the last several chapters and unstoppable - you are compelled to keep reading straight through to the satisfying conclusion. The Master of Samar is a gorgeous fantasy novel. Longtime readers of Melissa Scott will be reminded of her popular Points series. I hope there's a sequel - I would love to visit this world again!" - Jo Graham

"Intricate and elaborate scheming both civil and magical, in a wonderfully-realized city. I am in awe!" - Ellen Kushner

"Intrigue and bricolage. Complicated characters. Action and unpredictable mystery. This is exactly what I want in a fantasy, and The Master of Samar delivers." - Sherwood Smith