Fear not the beasts in your stories — with a stout blade and a stouter heart, become the thing they fear.

When her sleepy village is raided by the Vulkari, the fearsome warrior women of the Ancient Wilds, only Zyntael Fairwinter is taken.

Claimed as a daughter by their infamous matriarch, Zyntael is trained to hunt, to fight, and to kill—all for a purpose, which remains ever out of her grasp.

In the company of their unruly young, she might find sisterhood. In their unique customs and beliefs, she might find beauty. And in the violence of their raids, she might even find glory.

But it is the reason for her capture that Zyntael truly seeks. It is a truth that must be earned from the very Spirits of the dead; a future paid for in the blood of those Zyntael once called her own. It is a purpose that promises the liberation of not just she, but of all the Ancient Wilds, from an evil far greater than any marauding warrior women.

Warrior or no, however, the Vulkari are not like other women. The Vulkari are monsters.

And sometimes, only the truly monstrous have what it takes to save the world.

Steeped in Slavic Myth, and appealing to adult and young adult readers alike, Daughter of the Beast is a rich and unique fantasy coming-of-age story. It is the first in an exciting debut trilogy by E C Greaves, which blends action and adventure, with themes of belonging, identity, destiny, and a girl's place in a harsh and uncaring world—built by men, and built for men.

"Call it ritual or cult, if you will. But it is just business...

And the dead have long been our commodity."

The Vulkari do not belong within the walls of a city, and Zyntael Fairwinter is no different.

So when a perilous quest into the heart of the Old-Reach is planned, Zyntael jumps at the chance to join it.

Together with her closest allies, she embarks on a journey to travel beyond the mysterious “Mortuary-City” of Quaresh—to cut off the source of the Merchant Combine’s Necromancy.

But there is a reason they call it the Mortuary-City. Between dangerous arcane rituals, pirate attacks, bar fights, and battles—death lurks at every turn.

And to make matters worse, only a few short moons remain before Zyntael’s pup is due.

The intriguing follow-up to Daughter of the Beast blends action and adventure with the turbulence of soon-to-be motherhood, and the ongoing quest for identity—within a richly detailed and uniquely characterised fantasy world.

Sister of the Dead will appeal to both adult and young adult readers, who want their fantasy to balance action, philosophy, and a touch of romance too. The story tackles themes of belonging, self-worth, and one's place in the world, alongside asking the question: exactly what does a Ratling taste like?

"I have witnessed the destruction wrought by dreams...

The day of bronze and iron is no more."

After brutal hardship and bitter loss, now is the time for victory.

But for Zyntael Fairwinter, her Vulkari sisters, and the Bare-Skins they call ally, it is a victory that will come at a price.

To stand a chance against the Merchant Combine, Zyntael must venture deep behind enemy lines. There she will learn that theirs is a conquest that transcends mere flesh and empire.

With danger all around her, and time rapidly running out, Zyntael will need to draw upon all that she has lived, and all that she has learned, if she is to triumph.

And, all the while, she must find a way to keep her new pup safe from those who would see his life and his world consumed by war. For, although she may not be able to write very well, the contracts that Zyntael has made with Sacharr might have spelt her doom and Sprite’s, alike.

After all, whilst the men of Sacharr and the Merchant Combine may each dream of better futures for all, a dream undesired is but a nightmare in disguise.

The final instalment in the trilogy carefully weaves the threads first stitched in Daughter of the Beast, and continued in Sister of the Dead, into a rich and satisfying pattern—one that features plenty of action, drama, mystery, and excitement.

It will appeal to young adult and adult readers alike, with its diverse and colourful cast of characters, the richly detailed and unique fantasy world of the series, and the moral and philosophical quandaries posed within its pages.