On June 1, 2021, Candlemark & Gleam will release Melissa Scott’s breathtaking Water Horse, a mythic, atmospheric work that cries out for the attentions of Peter Jackson or Guillermo del Toro. The work can be described as Elric meets The Fisher King, with the vividly drawn inhabitants of this universe seamless fusions of Elf & Dwarf: how life might have been in Moria or Erebor, with water & wood to leaven stone, and original magic (oath-enforcing harps!).

Melissa Scott needs little introduction: she’s one of the brightest stars in the SFF firmament, a pioneering forerunner who opened new paths in the genre way ahead of trends. With a PhD in Comparative History from Brandeis, she has published more than thirty original novels, most with queer themes and characters. She is known for her remarkable world-building, has won a slew of awards (Campbell, Lambda, Spectrum), and most of her short stories (including two I elicited for The Other Half of the Sky and To Shape the Dark) appear in “Best of” compilations.

Water Horse received raves from Publishers Weekly (“This is epic fantasy done right.”—starred review), Analog SF (“…a delicious struggle between fate and free will.”), Tor.com (“Deft and atmospheric, with Scott’s trademark elegant prose // …an engaging delight.”) and Nerds of a Feather (“…deep worldbuilding, immersive writing, intriguing magic, and strong characters…”). It boasts a haunting cover by Eleni Tsami whose stunning work has graced several previous Candlemark titles, including Melissa’s space opera Finders. The ebook can be pre-ordered at Amazon, B&N and Kobo (print to follow in a week or so), and here’s its synopsis to whet appetites:

For the last twenty years, Esclin Aubrinos, arros of the Hundred Hills, has acted jointly with Alcis Mirielos, the kyra of the Westwood, and the rivermaster of Riverholme to defend their land of Allanoth against the Riders who invade from Manan across the Narrow Sea. He has long been a master of the shifting politics of his own people and his independently-minded allies, but this year the omens turn against him. The Riders have elected a new lord paramount, hallowed servant of the Blazing One, a man chosen and fated for victory.

The omens agree that Nen Elin, Esclin’s stronghold and the heart of Allanoth, will fall when a priest of the Blazing One enters its gates. Esclin needs a spirit-bonded royal sword, a talismanic weapon made of star-fallen iron, to unite the hillfolk behind him. But the same vision that called for the sword proclaimed that Esclin will then betray it, and every step he takes to twist free of the prophecies brings him closer to that doom.

Because GoodReads giveaways are no longer free and our coffers are of the usual size for indie micro-presses, we will be doing a direct giveaway for Finders. You can enter it by leaving a comment to this post or by sending an email (with subject line “Water Horse Giveaway”) to our website address. Please rest assured that your email will only be visible to the site admin.

The giveaway will run from May 10 to June 1, and random winners will be picked to receive copies of the novel. For up to 50 requests, there will be one award copy. For up to 100 requests, two copies; and beyond that, three copies. Because the pandemic and the USPS slowdown have caused significant shipping problems, this giveaway will only award digital copies (it will include the PDF that contains all the print flourishes).

We can hardly wait to share this remarkable work with the world. Come gather around our hearth fire to hear the tale sung!

Note added on June 1: the giveaway is now closed.  We’ll pick winners and contact them within a week.