Short Synopsis
In the first volume in a unique trilogy about a world in which magic derives from the process of winemaking, the young slave Jerzy and his master unearth a plot of such great magnitude and danger that it could destroy the Vinearts forever.

Full Synopsis
Once, all power in the Vin Lands was held by the prince-mages, who alone could craft spellwines and who selfishly used them to increase their own wealth and influence. But their abuse of power caused a demigod to break the Vine, shattering the power of the mages. Now, fourteen centuries later, it is the humble Vinearts who hold the secret of crafting spells from wines, the source of magic, and they are prohibited from holding power.

But now rumors come of a new darkness rising in the vineyards. Strange, terrifying creatures, sudden plagues, and mysterious disappearances threaten the land. Only one Vineart senses the danger, and he has only one weapon to use against it: a young slave. His name is Jerzy, and his origins are unknown, even to him. Yet his uncanny sense of the Vinearts' craft offers a hint of greater magics within—magics that his Master, the Vineart Malech, must cultivate and grow. But time is running out. If Malech cannot teach his new apprentice the secrets of the spellwines, and if Jerzy cannot master his own untapped powers, the Vin Lands shall surely be destroyed.

In Flesh and Fire, the first entry in a spellbinding new trilogy, Laura Anne Gilman conjures a story as powerful as magic itself, as intoxicating as the finest of wines, and as timeless as the greatest legends ever told.

"This launch of a new trilogy...achieves an extraordinary power from its elegant storytelling and unique magical philosophy.... Highly recommended." ---Library Journal Starred Review

"Gilman has created a world that feels lived-in, real, and above all interesting." ---S. M. Stirling, New York Times bestselling author of Dies the Fire

"A fresh and creative fantasy---you'll never look at a bottle of Chardonnay the same way again!" ---Karen Miller, bestselling author of the Godspeaker series

"This intoxicating high fantasy will satisfy oenophiles and bibliophiles alike." ---Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Library Journal Bestseller

Library Journal Review

Publishers Weekly Review