Peter Sartucci lives in Colorado with his wife and two special-needs children, in a house with two cats who think they own the place, and an oversized yard with fruit trees and grapevines. There by day he masquerades as a real estate professional and by night he writes epic fantasy and science fiction stories. He has been writing off and on since college, when he spent a summer bedridden by a smashed foot and had to choose between writing and boredom. Forty years later he has written five fantasy novels and a fes short stories set in the realm of Silbar, under a sky rich in moons and suns. He also has an apocalyptic science fiction trilogy set in Colorado (free tip to beginning authors: always plant your apocalypses in the place you know best!).

He has been an author guest at Denver's Mile Hi Con and Denver Fan Expo.

Shadow's Beginning by Peter Sartucci

What do you do when your world turns upside down? When the foundations on which you built your life melt like ice and flow like water? When you lose—but find that you won, and the prize is entirely different from the one you thought you wanted?

Young acrobat Kirin DiUmbra, and the heir to the throne Prince Terrell, both find the answers to these questions the hard way. The last thing Kirin wants is to get caught in the deadly succession politics of the Kingdom of Silbar. The first thing Terrell wants is to prove himself worthy of the Silbari Throne, but he's going to need un-looked-for help if he isn't to end up murdered. These two unlikely people are thrown together in a deadly struggle for survival. Through desert and canyons, palaces and ruins and squalid slums, they will struggle to defeat enemies of many types, and learn along the way that even two young men with almost nothing in common, and every reason to be enemies, can become friends.

This is the beginning of a set of tales that stretches across several novels. Each tries to be self-contained, but if you really want to know these characters and their world, here is where it starts. Welcome to the land of silver and sulfur, wealth and dearth, love and hate. Welcome to Silbar.

CURATOR'S NOTE

Dive into the tale of Acrobat Kirin, who wants nothing to do with the deadly succession politics of the Kingdom of Silbar. Meanwhile, Prince Terrell is desperate to prove himself worthy to succeed his dying mother on the throne. And then there's the ruthless Royal Wizard, Chisaad, who has his own plans for the realm's future. Expect clashing magics, desperate struggles, and hard choices that will transform them all beyond their wildest dreams before the next King of Silbar is crowned. But remember, the real challenges begin after the celebration, as some who lose won't slink away quietly—they'll plan a dreadful revenge. – Adam Gaffen

 

REVIEWS

  • "A fantasy with very solid and well thought-out magic, it tells how Prince Terrell and Kirin the acrobat end up adventuring together. The world is luxuriant and detailed and the lives of both the prince and the acrobat are very well shown, along with the villain, a powerful mage who wants to be king. The fighting scenes are realistic as well, something quite rare in fantasy. No, this isn't a gay romance, but the friendship between the two men is well drawn and touching."

    – Patricia Finney (P F Chisholm), author

  • "I had the privilege of seeing this under construction, and I've read other efforts of Mr. Sartucci. Heartily recommended! Convincing action, interesting characters skillfully realized."

    – S.M. Stirling, author

  • "I read parts of this book as a work in progress, and when I saw that it had published, I couldn't wait to pick it up. I enjoyed the world building, the characters, and the story itself. I find myself looking forward to the next book in the series, which was very well set up by this one. I could see this being a long series, as there is a lot of room for the characters to grow. This author is new to publishing, but has obviously been learning his craft for some time. I am glad he took his time putting this out, and got it all correct."

    – Lorena Walker, editor and author

  • "Excellent story and imaginatively told. Interesting characters and plenty of twists and turns to keep the action moving along. Looking forward to reading more of Mr. Sartucci's books!"

    – David E. Barber, author of the Drakonor Chronicles
 

BOOK PREVIEW

Excerpt

(Ymera's) next words brought Kirin's flying thoughts back to ground.

"You have gone to significant trouble to gain an opportunity to talk to me. If you give me your soul's word to offer no harm to me or mine, I am willing to grant you privacy for that talk. Can you make that pledge honestly?"

He'd expected her to threaten him, and the lack of it threw him even more off balance. This hadn't turned into the outraged confrontation he'd expected. A chance to talk; she was so old, she must know so much. What if she knew what he really was? Would she tell him? Could he trust her if she did?

"As the One God is my witness, Lady Ymera," he croaked. "I don't want to hurt anybody. Not you, or any of yours. Just, please, Lady, please . . . tell me the truth."