Blackmark: The Kingsmen Chronicles #1 by Jean Lowe Carlson

A nation’s elite warriors vanished overnight. A throne in jeopardy on the heels of murder. War fanned to fury by a shadowy cabal of ancient magic. And the five friends who can stop it, banished as traitors.

Accused of treason, veteran Kingsman Elohl seeks the truth of a betrayal that caused the Kingsmen to vanish a decade ago. Inked with the Blackmark and despised for it, Elohl must give everything to shatter a hidden sect that usurps power from the throne. A bloody war will be reaped in the shadows that will burn nations and bring kings to their knees.

“A masterpiece of dark and gritty storytelling. A rightful comparison to G.R.R. Martin, Joe Abercrombie, and Patrick Rothfuss.”

Category: Fantasy – Epic