Servant of the Underworld: Obsidian & Blood, Book 1
"An Aztec priest of the dead tries to solve a murder mystery, and finds that politics may be even more powerful than magic. A vivid portrayal of an interesting culture in a truly fresh fantasy novel." - Kevin J. Anderson, New York Times bestselling co-author ofThe Winds of Dune"Amid the mud and maize of the Mexica empire, Aliette de Bodard has composed a riveting story of murder, magic and sibling rivalry." - Elizabeth Bear"Highly recommended... Ms. de Bodard is a writer to watch." -Fantasy Book Critic"Part murder mystery, part well-researched historical novel and part fantasy... The fantasy element blends neatly with the other parts. 4****" -SFX Magazine"Servant of the Underworldtakes its historical setting and the mythology of the Aztecs seriously... the title page suggests this is the first volume of "Obsidian and Blood." If Aliette de Bodard can continue as well as she has started, Acatl deserves to become as well known as that other priestly investigator, Cadfael." - Duncan Lawie,Strange Horizons"It’s fascinating stuff, about fascinating stuff." - John Scalzi,Whatever"Aliette De Bodard is the hottest rising star in world SF and Fantasy, blending ancient crimes with wild imagination." -Aleksandra's Corner"[De Bodard's] mastery of atmospherics and flowing prose envelopes readers in the darkness of this ancient, sacred world where earth, jade, and sacrificial animals materialize before your eyes and penetrate your bones.Servant of the Underworldis an immersion into a little-known culture worthy of a fictionalized revitalization." -www.thecontextuallife.comPraise for Aliette's short fiction: "The plot is concise yet intricate, the dialogue is superb, and the writing flows naturally" -The Fix (reviewing "Lonely Heart" fromBlack Static, 2009)"Beautifully written... the issue's most compelling and elegantly composed drama." -Tangent Online(reviewing "Deer Flight" fromInterzone)"The quality of de Bodard's writing shines through" -The Fix (reviewing "Dragon Feasts" fromAndromeda Spaceways)"It's one of those stories where to write too much about it would rob the reader of much of the pleasure." -The Fix(reviewing "Horus Ascending" fromIntergalactic Medicine Show)"This is the kind of alternate history I love, well researched, well written ... well paced and fascinating in it’s depth of immersion in a culture most of us know little to nothing about." -On Wings of Imagination"Steeped in Aztec mythology and culture, it’s refreshing to read a story that is set in a time so rarely used as a fictional setting. With its complex plot, interesting cast of characters, and magical mystery, Servant of the Underworld makes a great first installment to the Obsidian and Blood series." - fantasy-faction.com