Paul S. Kemp, Fictioneer

The first two novels featuring Egil and Nix, The Hammer and the Blade (June 2012) and A Discourse in Steel (early 2013), are sword and sorcery tales that feature a pair of wily, somewhat shabby, but very likeable tomb-tappers, rogues, and knaves. Both novels will be published by Angry Robot books.

Egil, a burly, brooding priest of the Momentary God, is the muscle of the duo, while Nix Fall (aka, Nix the Quick, Nix the Lucky), a thief and college of wizardry drop-out, provides the brains.  In these stories I’m trying to echo the sword and sorcery tales I love, while bringing to them modern sensibilities and pacing.

You can read excerpts from The Hammer and the Blade (B&N, Amazon, Powells) here, here, here,  here and here.

“This rollicking tale hooked me from the get-go. Told with zest and humor, this is everything that is good and golden about classic old-school fantasy yarns. It joins my precious bedside shelf of favorite re-reads, ‘comfort food’ books I turn to again and again. Egil and Nix might not be the safest guys to go adventuring with, but they’re sure good company. I’ll be waiting for a sequel. Impatiently.” – Ed Greenwood, bestselling creator of Forgotten Realms

"Most heroes work up to killing demons. Egil and Nix start there and pick up the pace. There’s enough page-turning mayhem here to sate the most avid sword & sorcery fans, but the heart and strength of this story is a friendship that goes deep and rings true.” - Elaine Cunningham, author of The Thorn Trilogy

The Hammer and the Blade, a tale of Egil and Nix (Amazon, B&N)

A pair of down-at-heel treasure hunters and incorrigible rogues. Egil is a priest, happy to deliver moral correction with his pair of massive hammers. Nix is a sneak-thief; there’s no lock he cannot open, no serving girl he cannot charm. Between them, they always have one eye open for a chance to make money – the other eye, of course, is on the nearest exit.  Nix's idea?

Kill a demon.
Steal the treasure.
Retire to a life of luxury.

Sounds easy when you put it like that.

Unfortunately for Egil and Nix, when the demon they kill has friends in high places, retirement is not an option.

Read excerpts here, here, here, here, and here.

More reviews and praise:

The Hammer and the Blade is a gritty, rollicking yarn that captures the essence of sword & sorcery adventure. A tale of lost treasures and lusty demons that Egil and Nix are sharing right now somewhere, bellied up to a tavern bar with Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser, Conan, and, of course, Kemp’s own Erevis Cale — James Lowder, bestselling author Prince of Lies and Knight of the Black Rose

“A fast-paced sword-and-sorcery adventure, action-packed and dark, with some great interpretations of classic fantasy tropes and themes. Highly recommended if you like your sword and sorcery no-holds-barred, dark, action-packed and with an insouciant sense of humour.” – Civilian Reader

UK/RoW
5 Jul 2012
416pp B-format paperback
£7.99 UK
ISBN 9780857662446

US/CAN
26 Jun 2012
416pp mass-market paperback
$7.99 US $8.99 CAN
ISBN 9780857662453

eBook
26 Jun 2012
£4.49
ePub ISBN 9780857662460

A Discourse in Steel, the second tale of Egil and Nix.

Forthcoming from Angry Robot Book in 2013.